Logan Paul earns respect of WWE fans at Crown Jewel
In only his third professional wrestling match, Logan Paul once again proved he has a future in the sport after facing off against the top star in WWE.
It all went down during the main event of Crown Jewel ’22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabi where Paul wrestled against Undisputed WWE Universal champ Roman Reigns in a match that saw him come in as the clear underdog.
In fact, once Paul and his opponent were on opposite sides of the ring, their differences became starkly evident.
Reigns was cool, calm and collected. A 37-year-old ring veteran prepared for a walk in the park compared to opponents he’s wrestled in the past such as Brock Lesnar, John Cena, Triple H and The Undertaker.
Paul, however, exuded a different type of energy at the start.
The 27-year-old internet personality appeared anxious and energetic. He looked like someone ready to make a name for himself at the expense of the industry’s top performer.
The match began with Reigns laughing off Paul's attempts at offense.
It wasn’t long, though, before Paul came back with an impressive sequence that included a leapfrog, an arm-drag and a clothesline that sent Reigns over the top rope.
He then followed that up with a crossbody off the ringside barricade, and a Buckshot Lariat that sent the internet into a frenzy.
Another highlight of the match came when Paul hit a splash from the top rope through a ringside announcers table while filming himself, selfie-style.
This prompted an interference from tag team champions The Usos, who got physical with Paul's crew, only to be countered by an appearance from boxer Jake Paul, who knocked them both out.
Jake Paul would later come face-to-face with The Bloodline’s Solo Sikoa. They were ultimately separated, meaning this might not be Jake Paul's last appearance in WWE supporting his brother.
In the end, Logan Paul fell victim to a Superman Punch and Spear combo, which allowed Reigns to get the pinfall victory.
At the end of the day, though, Logan Paul gained more than he lost.
People from outside WWE looking to transition into the world of sports entertainment are typically fighting an uphill battle. Fans can be uninviting and skeptical of their reasoning for joining.
Even someone like The Miz, who has been with the company since 2004 and is a former world champion and part of the main event at WrestleMania, still gets flack from members of the WWE Universe for working in reality TV.
That’s why someone like Logan Paul, who received a WWE Universal title shot in only his third match for the company, at an event on the level of Crown Jewel, was met with extreme skepticism.
However, now that Logan Paul put on a main event-caliber match with the industry's best in record time, fans have made it clear they think he belongs in WWE, which is a big win for all parties involved.
Ryan Satin is a WWE analyst for FOX Sports. Satin previously appeared on FS1's "WWE Backstage" and founded Pro Wrestling Sheet, where he broke countless news stories as editor-in-chief.
