Backstage Reaction to Brock Lesnar’s No-Selling Ilja Dragunov in Royal Rumble Spot

A brief Royal Rumble moment between Brock Lesnar and Ilja Dragunov is drawing mixed reactions online and backstage—just not for the reasons fans might expect.

During the 2026 Men’s Royal Rumble match, Dragunov stepped up to Lesnar and threw his trademark brutal chops. Lesnar didn’t flinch. Instead, he screamed in Dragunov’s face, shrugged off the strikes, and effortlessly tossed the former United States Champion over the top rope. It was a quick elimination that played entirely in Lesnar’s favor.

While the crowd reacted positively to Brock Lesnar brushing off Ilja Dragunov’s chops and quickly eliminating him from the 2026 Royal Rumble, the response backstage wasn’t as enthusiastic. According to Fightful Select, several wrestlers privately reacted to fan praise for the spot by sending eye-rolling emojis. The moment may have been over quickly, but to some backstage, it was a disappointing visual to see a respected, hard-hitting performer like Dragunov dismissed so easily—especially without Lesnar selling any of his offense. Even if it was just one small sequence in a packed match, the reaction behind the curtain suggests not everyone agreed with how it played out.

There’s currently no word on where WWE is headed with Lesnar next. Despite speculation about a possible match against Oba Femi, reports indicate that nothing has been locked in.

The Rumble spot may have been quick, but it was enough to get people talking—and not just the fans.

Do you think the Dragunov-Lesnar spot helped or hurt Ilja’s standing in WWE? Should Brock have sold at least a little of that offense? Drop your thoughts in the comments.