Ex-WWE star Ilja Dragunov has no regrets about infamous Brock Lesnar moment

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Almost everyone remembers Brock Lesnar no-selling Ilja Dragunov at the 2026 WWE Royal Rumble, and the released Superstar has talked about it extensively.

It doesn’t sound like he has any regrets, though. During an interview with Ariel Helwani (via Fightful), Dragunov discussed the viral moment. He appreciated the fans rallying behind him afterward, but he has no hard feelings. He explained that he’s used to facing “monsters” in the ring, and Lesnar was no exception. If nothing else, this moment showed his “vulnerability.”

“I said it before: if you really understand the persona that I have in the ring, I’ve been facing monsters. You have a person like Brock Lesnar standing in front of you; most people would run away. Me, as Ilja Dragunov, who’s tough mentally and physically, I think for what I was given and how the whole situation occurred, I did the best I could do [with] it, and I can’t change anything about it.

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“My best career moments were made by my vulnerability. I wasn’t becoming a name by being the person who dominates at all times. I became a name on moments where I got beaten down badly,” he continued.

He acknowledged that “maybe it could’ve worked out a different way,” but at the end of the day, he “didn’t spare a second or third thought about it.”

Brock Lesnar and Ilja Dragunov’s infamous moment at WWE Royal Rumble

At one point in the Royal Rumble, Lesnar was backed into a corner by Dragunov. The former United States Champion delivered several chops to the “Beast Incarnate’s” chest.