Following his acclaimed United States Championship match against Ilja Dragunov on SmackDown, Nathan Frazier took to X to reflect on the bout, revealing why it meant so much to him personally.
Frazier explained that the match was a long-awaited chance at redemption for a previous encounter he had with Dragunov in NXT.
“Me and Ilja Dragunov had a match back on NXT in 2023… it left a really bitter taste in my mouth,” Frazier wrote. “Bell to bell, it barely lasted 5 minutes.”
That short match two years ago clearly stuck with Frazier, who was looking to prove himself in a high-stakes rematch.
“Last night, I got that rematch I’d been dying to have for the past two years,” he continued. “We went to war for the United States Championship on Smackdown.”
While Frazier came up short in his quest to win the title, he left the match with a sense of accomplishment and closure.
“I didn’t get the win, but it really felt like vindication for that night,” he concluded.
Me and Ilja Dragunov had a match back on NXT in 2023… it left a really bitter taste in my mouth. Bell to bell, it barely lasted 5 minutes.
Last night, I got that rematch I’d been dying to have for the past two years. We went to war for the United States Championship on… pic.twitter.com/xDy0ZrGJNR
— Nathan Frazer (@WWEFrazer) November 1, 2025
