The Mad Dragon survives a physical encounter with Tommaso Ciampa
Summary
– Ilja Dragunov defeated Tommaso Ciampa to retain the United States Championship
– The champion suffered a bloody nose during the stiff contest
– Carmelo Hayes saved Dragunov from a post-match attack by DIY
Ilja Dragunov defended his United States Championship against Tommaso Ciampa on the December 12 broadcast of SmackDown. This match marked the first singles title opportunity for Ciampa in two years. The encounter became incredibly physical and resulted in the champion suffering a significant injury.
A stiff strike from Ciampa caused Dragunov’s nose to bleed profusely mid-match. The Mad Dragon continued to fight through the pain while his face became covered in blood. Candice LeRae interfered in an attempt to help Ciampa steal the win, but Dragunov showed his resilience by kicking out.
Dragunov ultimately pinned Ciampa to retain the gold. DIY tried to attack the champion after the bell, but Carmelo Hayes ran down to clear the ring. Hayes then stood face-to-face with Dragunov to close the segment.
