While we didn’t think that Logan Paul’s WrestleMania 38 match would be a one-and-done thing, the news that he had actually signed a multi-year and multi-match deal was still something of a surprise. While Paul may well be one of those guys who is an “eat, sleep, watch pro wrestling, repeat” kind of dudes, his brand and just general busyness seemed to make a deal like this unlikely.
The 27-year-old clearly has a passion for the wrestling business. Here is what he told The Wrestling Observer about what drove him to commit to an extended WWE run.
WWE Passion
“For me, there’s a trifecta that I look for that decides what I do. When I can mix passion, business, and media all into one thing, I’m like ultimate me, happy place. So passion, when I did WrestleMania I had so much fun. I just had fun, all my friends had fun. Business, it’s smart, they pay well. WWE, it’s a big organization. And media, it’s a show, it’s great performance and entertainment. So, I’m excited for this journey and I am well aware of how powerful of a launch pad it can be for whatever I want to do in life.”
The fit makes sense and Paul – to his credit – was better in the ring at Wrestlemania than he had any right to be. The WWE has done a great job over the last couple of years in pulling in celebrities who want to be there and want to perform. Bad Bunny was a star in his Wrestlemania 37 match, while Paul, Pat McAfee, and the whole crew of Jackass made Wrestlemania 38 one of the more fun Showcase of the Immortals in recent memory.
The Miz
The swerve at the end of the match where the Miz and Paul defeated Rey and Dominik Mysterio was clearly seeing Paul up for at least one more match and SummerSlam always seemed that it would be the likely destination for Paul to face Miz one on one. While the storyline has seen Miz try to recruit Paul into rejoining his corner, the Skull-Crushing Finale that Paul took at ‘Mania will almost certainly see him battle against ‘The A-Lister’ instead.
Miz will be a good foil for Paul. His influencer status will turn more eyes to the WWE product immediately and the fact he has clearly worked hard to learn how to go in the ring is important. It helps that at 6-foot-2 and with a thick frame, Paul looks believable as an opponent of the similarly statured Miz. Add in the hiory of how Miz worked his way into the WWE through his reality TV career and you have a story that writes itself.
Whatever Paul does in the WWE you also have to give him credit for being willing to step out of the box and take on another challenge. Hopefully, he can keep his ego in check – something that has been an issue in other places – and put on a fun series of matches for us to enjoy.
Always remember folks. Pro Wrestling is Real.