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WWE United States Champion Rusev says he has one sole aim for his match against Shinsuke Nakamura at Royal Rumble .

The SmackDown Live superstar defends his title against Nakamura just weeks after defeating him for the gold on Christmas Day.

That victory, achieved on the 33-year-old's birthday, marked the start of a third reign with one of WWE's premier championships.

The first of those coincided with the Bulgarian's first main roster run on Monday Night Raw, some five years ago.

(Image: Getty Images North America)

He downed Sheamus in November 2014 to win the title he'd go on to hold for five months before losing it as part of a major feud with WWE legend John Cena .

Since then, however, many observers believe that the U.S. Championship has paled into relative insignificance in WWE compared to other titles.

Rusev spoke exclusively to Mirror Sport in a two-part interview and insisted he'll do whatever it takes to restore the U.S. gold to its former glory.

He said: "When we [Rusev and his wife Lana] first won the United States championship in 2014, the title was lost.

"It was just out there, nobody knew who had it and nobody was defending it.

(Image: © WWE)

"After we'd won it, we elevated it to the level that pretty much the WWE title was.

"We got to see me and John Cena at WrestleMania and a year's undefeated streak ended there.

"That just tells you the magnitude of the title - it was so high, and John took it even further than that with the Open Challenge.

"Once Cena lost the title, it started dropping down again, even further.

(Image: © WWE)

"Shinsuke as champion wasn't even doing anything and wasn't defending it and was hiding all the time.

"Now we have it and it means something again.

"This is my title - I have always said that. I am very, very proud of being United States Champion and defending it.

"That's why Royal Rumble is coming so fast and I cannot wait.

"I am in the shape of my life and I am ready for the fight of my life. I know I am going to come out on top at the end."