When news broke that Logan Paul signed with WWE there was the usual response. You know. The one where certain fans have that knee-jerk reaction of, “Here comes _____insert celebrity___ to collect their payday.”
They can’t stand when someone, an “outsider,” comes into the pro wrestling world to take up television time or a spot from someone else. The common response has become a “one size fits all.” In actuality, it has been a mixed bag.
Mr. T may have not been the easiest to work with for the likes of Roddy Piper, but boy did it create big business in the 1980s. His involvement helped put WrestleMania on the map. Even Lawrence Taylor put on a stellar performance against Bam Bam Bigelow in the main event at WrestleMania 11 no less. Dennis Rodman helped take WCW and the nWo further into the mainstream through his involvement.
Over the years WWE Hall of Famer Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather, Kevin Greene, and countless others could be credited for a positive uptick. Along with Paul, Bad Bunny, and Johnny Knoxville are among notable recent successes. You can even mark MMA legends Ken Shamrock and Ronda Rousey in that upper echelon of seamless crossovers.
Celebrities who excel in pro wrestling
Usually, those who tend to do well come in humble with a willing-to-learn attitude. They genuinely wanted to pick up each facet of this unique form of sports and entertainment.
Of course, there was Jay Lenos, Drew Careys, and Kevin Federlines. Though even not-so-good outings, the one constant remained. Drawing new eyes to the product The pro wrestling fan base tends to live in a bubble without thinking big picture.
Bunny merch was right up there in top merch sellers during his run. Whether you like Paul or not, he brings buzz and a massive social media following. And in 2022 that’s prime currency.
The 27-year-old also looks seemingly committed to putting in the work. That was evident at WrestleMania 38 where he teamed with The Miz against the Mysterios and impressed a global audience. Yes, Miz and Rey Mysterio are veterans who know how to elevate opponents, but Paul also brought athletic ability and somewhat of a fighting background. He has done some serious training. The viral YouTube star demonstrated how to work an audience working alongside true pros in Sami Zayne and Kevin Owens.
There is a clear interest in Paul joining WWE. His name trended on Twitter while his image became the most liked photo on Instagram in company history. It’s a good start, but wrestling fans are hard to please. The keyboard warriors, the trolls that lurk on Twitter and the like. Paul is used to managing the social media waters. But pro wrestling has proven to be its own animal that can’t be put in one category or box.
His first test comes in a program with The Miz. Someone who came into WWE from Real World notoriety, which put a similar target as Paul will experience on a certain scale. Through unwavering determination, Miz changed many detractors’ minds and clawed for every accolade. Paul is going to have to do the same.
We’ll see what happens heading into SummerSlam. Whether he excels or has a run that goes up in flames, one thing is for sure. People will be watching.
