Logan Paul has taken the WWE Universe by storm. Having held his own in the boxing ring against the likes of fellow social media influencer, KSI and even the former five-division champion, Floyd Mayweather Jr, he made his pro wrestling debut at WrestleMania 38 back in April, where the 6-feet-2-inch “Impaulsive” host offered up more than just a generic celebrity wrestling performance. Paul, who has a combined social media following upwards of 33 million, teamed with The Miz to face Rey and Dominik Mysterio, and had our collective jaws dropping as he showed talent that was well beyond his level of ring experience.
Many wrestling critics noted that Paul was a natural fit for WWE, since his combination of cocky charisma and fearless athleticism had him high-flying with finesse. Then, at SummerSlam, Paul took on his former partner and defeated The Miz. Now, after just two matches he’s set to face WWE’s Undisputed Champion, Roman Reigns on November 5 at Crown Jewel in Riyadh, Saudi, Arabia.
M&F takes a look at why dethroning the long reigning “Head of the Table” is an upset that can’t be counted out.
While Logan Paul may have been pegged early on as a bit of light celebrity relief, following in the footsteps of Snookie, Kim Kardashian, and even Donald Trump by making a cameo at WrestleMania, the truth is that Paul’s contribution to WWE has been stellar so far. After wowing fans with a natural flair for the ring back in April, it soon emerged that Paul had installed a ring at his home so that he could dedicate himself to the craft, proving that the work you do while the cameras are off drastically improves your chances of success. Having trained in amateur boxing and wrestling, Paul has been coached in WWE by “The Hurricane” Shane Helms and Adam Pearce, among other ring veterans. His quick learning of the ropes was something that caught the eye of WWE Chief, Triple H. “You don’t do what he did in the events he’s worked for us, you don’t do what he’s done at WrestleMania, without a lot of hard work and a lot of effort,” noted “The Game” in an interview with LADBible TV.
With just days to go until the biggest match of his life against a bona fide WWE icon in Roman Reigns, WWE & Verge Magazine passed M&F an exclusive interview with the internet sensation to find out what he thinks of the high praise he’s received so far, and how seriously he’s taking his challenge to be the new WWE Undisputed Champion. “Triple H is incredible, man. He is very generous with his time and his energy and he’s so intentional when he speaks and when he gives me advice,” said Paul, in reference to the kind words offered up by his new wrestling boss. “I know that every single word that comes out of his mouth is extremely valuable, so he takes the time to point me in the right direction and guide me.”
Don’t Underestimate Logan Paul’s Chances of WWE superstardom
“The six pack is coming,” says Paul, who weighs in at around 200 pounds, in reference to dialling in his diet before the big match on November 5. In his previous WWE appearances, he has looked in phenomenal shape, and seems to be pushing himself even harder for the biggest match of his short career. “The flips are getting easier. It’s all good. I’m working my a** off, man. I don’t think my hard work can be underestimated and I’m giving it my all for this match, because this is it. This is an opportunity to make history, to take the title from the best, right off the rip. Three matches in. This has not been done before, but I’m going to do it, because it’s what I do.”
Logan Paul is a great signing for WWE because they have always been very good at bringing in celebrities that can help to put new eyeballs on their product, but in this case (as with other recent celebrity contributors, like Bad Bunny), Paul sees his WWE involvement as more than a business transaction. “It’s been an evolution of how people identify me when they see me in the streets, right?” he shares. “At first it was ‘The Vine Guy’, and then it became ‘I’ve seen your videos guy’. Then it became ‘The YouTube Guy’. Then it became “Yo, Paul… something, right?” Then Logan Paul ‘WWE Superstar’. After all these years, I feel like that title is the one with the most validity. Not that I need to be validated, but also it’s awesome that I’m validated with a title like that because immediately you get respect and at the end of the day, everyone just wants to be respected. I think it’s really hard to not respect someone who’s willing to get in that ring and sacrifice their body for the entertainment of millions of people. It’s incredible.
Logan Paul is committed to focussing on the small details that lead to success
While there’s no denying that Paul is a natural in the ring, taking the kinds of risks that many long-standing veterans would shy away from, the truth is that many talented wrestlers have failed to meet their potential because they missed the small details. “Yes, the physicality comes easy and from what I’ve learned thus far that’s not the part that makes a WWE Superstar great,” says Paul. “I can get in the air and do the flips and do all the tricks, but if I can’t bring you along on my story, on my arc, who I am as a person, there’s no show. I think the showmanship actually takes precedence before you do your moves. You make people care when you’re on that mic and if they’re glued to who you are, and what you’re trying to do, the performance is going to come easy.”
Logan Paul is not afraid to learn from his opponents
“I love knowledge, and when I take on the G.O.A.T, it’s an opportunity for a masterclass for me,” says Paul of Roman Reigns. “When I fought Floyd Mayweather, I wasn’t just fighting Floyd Mayweather, I was paying attention to every single nuanced movement that he did. One time I was by the ropes and he had me under his arm, dude covered my mouth with his glove and stopped my breathing for, like, two breaths. An advanced move that only Floyd Mayweather would know because he has been boxing for 40 years. I’m positive Roman’s going to have some stuff up his sleeve and I’m going to be paying attention to all of it and use it and put it in my arsenal for when I become the WWE Champion.”
It’s that kind of dedicated approach, to any discipline, that can cause upsets in the world of sports and entertainment. Having been top of the pile in WWE, holding a world title for 790+ days and counting, it would seem unthinkable that the celebrated “Tribal Chief” could be dethroned by a reality star, but then again stranger things have happened in the world of professional wrestling. If “The Big Dog,” fails to take this challenge seriously enough, we may just see a surprise that is likely to break the internet. “If the WWE fans don’t already respect me, after Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia on November 5, you will be forced to respect me,” concludes Paul. “You might not like me. I might not be your favorite wrestler, but you will have to respect what I can do in that ring, and that’s my goal. I could give two s***s who likes me or not, but you will always acknowledge that when I get in that ring, you are going to be entertained. That’s my goal.”
You can watch the big match live from Crown Jewel, November 5 on Peacock in the USA and on BT Sport Box Office in the UK. The event will also be streaming live internationally via the WWE Network.