The WWE announced that Brock Lesnar will appear on the February 23 episode of Monday Night Raw at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. This follows Lesnar’s previous match at the Royal Rumble in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with speculation building around a WrestleMania announcement for the “The Beast” at the event in Las Vegas.
While details are scarce regarding Lesnar’s role on the upcoming Raw, the presence of the Road to WrestleMania logo suggests he will be involved in a significant reveal related to WrestleMania 42, rather than the immediate Elimination Chamber event in Chicago on February 28.
Lesnar’s last in-ring performance saw him enter the Royal Rumble at number 22, but he was eliminated in under six minutes through combined efforts from Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso. Prior to his exit, Lesnar made a strong showing by eliminating Oba Femi, Rey Fenix, and Ilja Dragunov.
Potential WrestleMania Adversaries for Lesnar
Brock Lesnar remains a pivotal figure in WWE, and there is ongoing anticipation about who will face him at WrestleMania 42. Roman Reigns recently acknowledged the challenge of elevating new talent capable of carrying WWE forward, making a fresh WrestleMania contender against Lesnar an appealing prospect.
According to Bryan Alvarez of Wrestling Observer Live, WWE is considering two main opponents—Oba Femi or Gunther. Lesnar’s elimination of Oba Femi at the Royal Rumble sets the stage for a compelling narrative if they face off again.
This is not 100%, but I presume that Lesnar’s opponent is Oba Femi,
Alvarez said.
That was not said to be 100% even after what they did at the Rumble, but I don’t know what other match you do unless you want to do Lesnar and Gunther. But I think Oba Femi beating Brock Lesnar would be a much bigger deal.
Alvarez also mentioned that a match between Gunther and Lesnar might happen later, such as at SummerSlam in Minneapolis. Given Gunther’s “The Career Killer” persona and rumors surrounding Lesnar’s possible retirement, this pairing fits the narrative well.
If Lesnar is going to retire in 2026, which is rumored, a lot of retirements coming up, I would have Oba Femi beat him at Mania, and Gunther beat him in his last match at SummerSlam,
Alvarez explained.
Oba Femi Indicates Readiness for WrestleMania Challenge
Oba Femi recently spoke about his moment with Brock Lesnar at the Royal Rumble during an appearance on the No-Contest Wrestling podcast. He hinted at the possibility of a bigger confrontation between them at WrestleMania 42.
In that moment, you have that mental agreement like, ‘Yes, we know we have something, so let’s not give away too much right now,’
Femi stated.
I’m glad the IWC desires actually translate to the live crowd and what the casual fans want to see. And that’s an amazing realization. So we have something there. It’s a big money fight.
Currently a free agent without a specific WWE brand, Femi has gained momentum after defeating the War Raiders on Raw and Kit Wilson on SmackDown, adding further weight to his potential match against Lesnar.
Looking Ahead: The Implications of Lesnar’s WrestleMania Match
Brock Lesnar’s appearance on Raw is primed to energize WWE fans by foreshadowing one of the biggest matches of WrestleMania 42. The showdown could provide a pivotal moment to elevate new talent like Oba Femi, potentially setting the stage for a fresh star to emerge through a landmark victory over the established 10-time world champion.
If the plans mentioned by Bryan Alvarez hold true, Lesnar’s WrestleMania bout might serve as a key turning point in his career and WWE’s storyline progression, with a subsequent match against Gunther at SummerSlam sealing the end of Lesnar’s era. This trajectory would have lasting impact on the company’s transition into its next generation of lead figures.
JUST ANNOUNCED! The Beast Brock Lesnar LIVE at Raw in Atlanta ONE WEEK from Monday!
🎟️: https://t.co/xAHsXH8XKG pic.twitter.com/a6IV5CGIG8
— WWE (@WWE) February 11, 2026
