At the latest WWE Royal Rumble, Brock Lesnar drew significant attention when he appeared to no-sell strikes from Ilja Dragunov during a brief but intense sequence. Dragunov delivered sharp chops, which the 10-time world champion reportedly did not react to, before retaliating with a loud yell and throwing Dragunov over the top rope. This moment quickly went viral, drawing praise from many fans for Lesnar’s display of dominance but also eliciting disapproval from several WWE wrestlers.
Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp revealed that members of the WWE roster expressed visible frustration about fans applauding Lesnar’s refusal to sell Dragunov’s offense. The discontent among talent was evident through several “eye roll” responses to fan tweets celebrating the moment.
There were a number of “eye roll” reactions we got from talent about tweets that fans posted that were happy with Brock Lesnar no selling Ilja Dragunov’s offense pic.twitter.com/tlaoRo65Xd— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) February 6, 2026
Longtime advocate of Lesnar, Paul Heyman, shared a caricature of the encounter and described it as his favorite aspect of the 2026 Royal Rumble, a sentiment enthusiastically echoed by Dragunov who reposted Heyman’s image to his Instagram Stories.
This was my favorite moment from the 2026 @WWE Royal Rumble! pic.twitter.com/LzPpx6yjat— Paul Heyman (@HeymanHustle) February 1, 2026
While a match between Lesnar and Dragunov is not currently scheduled, such a pairing remains a compelling prospect for future WWE pay-per-view events due to their electrifying chemistry during the Rumble. Lesnar’s next confirmed opponent is reportedly Oba Femi at WrestleMania 42, following Lesnar eliminating Femi in the recent Royal Rumble match.
Lesnar versus Dragunov could become a marquee match at this year’s SummerSlam, set to take place in Minneapolis—a city with which Lesnar shares strong personal ties, having played college football and brief NFL stints in the state. Rumors have circulated that SummerSlam might even serve as Lesnar’s retirement event.
Brock Lesnar’s Return and Recent WWE Appearances
Lesnar was notably absent from WWE programming for approximately two years, an absence linked to the Janel Grant lawsuit that surfaced in early 2024. WWE management decided to remove the 48-year-old star until the related legal matters were addressed. He made a dramatic return at last year’s SummerSlam shortly after John Cena lost the Undisputed WWE Championship to Cody Rhodes.
Upon his comeback, Lesnar immediately targeted Cena and defeated him in subsequent matches, including a notable bout at Wrestlepalooza aired on ESPN, where Lesnar’s performance evoked memories of their intense confrontation at SummerSlam 2014.
Following a hiatus, Lesnar reappeared on the go-home episode of Raw before Survivor Series to align with The Vision and Drew McIntyre against a faction led by Roman Reigns, CM Punk, Cody Rhodes, and The Usos. During the WarGames match, Lesnar delivered a standout moment by executing an F-5 on Reigns outside the double-cage structure, temporarily shifting momentum in his faction’s favor.
Despite his significant presence during the match, neither Lesnar nor Reigns was part of the concluding segment in which a masked individual attacked CM Punk, leading to Bron Breakker scoring the pinfall victory over Punk. Lesnar’s last WWE appearance in 2025 came right before his participation in the 2026 men’s Royal Rumble held in Riyadh. His subsequent WWE schedule remains undisclosed.
Potential Storylines and Upcoming WWE Matches
The brewing storyline involving Lesnar and Dragunov carries potential for a high-stakes encounter, especially if it unfolds at a major WWE event such as SummerSlam. Lesnar’s ongoing rivalry and matches have consistently drawn attention, highlighted by his involvement with prominent talents like John Cena, Roman Reigns, Drew McIntyre, and Cody Rhodes. With WrestleMania 42 on the horizon and a bout confirmed against Oba Femi, WWE is positioning Lesnar for significant storylines throughout 2026.
SummerSlam’s location in Minneapolis adds layers to Lesnar’s narrative, as it connects to his early athletic career and personal history. Should this event serve as a retirement showcase, it may mark the end of an era for one of WWE’s most dominant figures. The reactions from both wrestlers and fans regarding moments like the no-sell against Dragunov indicate ongoing debates within the wrestling community about performance style and match storytelling.
There were a number of "eye roll" reactions we got from talent about tweets that fans posted that were happy with Brock Lesnar no selling Ilja Dragunov's offense pic.twitter.com/tlaoRo65Xd
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) February 6, 2026
This was my favorite moment from the 2026 @WWE Royal Rumble! pic.twitter.com/LzPpx6yjat
— Paul Heyman (@HeymanHustle) February 1, 2026
