Dwayne Johnson (AKA The Rock) is arguably one of the most famous actors on the planet and one of the most well-known WWE wrestlers over the past twenty years.
Logan Paul may not be as famous as The Rock inside or outside of the ring, but the YouTuber turned boxer, turned pro wrestler, also has a massive global following. The question here is, are these two faces single-handedly helping push the WWE to exciting new heights? Let’s dive in to find out.
Are Logan Paul and The Rock taking the WWE to new heights?
Since Logan Paul first stepped into the WWE ring back in 2021, his impact on the sport has been tremendous, and he has amassed a substantial loyal fanbase. In fact, he achieved stardom and fan appeal quicker than any other wrestler, particularly among the younger audience. This is partly due to his career as an influencer and YouTuber prior to stepping into the ring.
He first came to the attention of WWE fans at Wrestlemania 38, when he defeated Dominik Mysterio and Rey Mysterio after partnering with The Miz. Since then, ‘The Maverick’ (Paul’s official WWE nickname) has won several singles matches and appeared at major wrestling events, including the iconic Royal Rumble, the Crown Jewel, and the SummerSlam.
However, not all fans are convinced, and many say that he doesn’t have enough experience in the ring to be a true contender yet. Many can be regularly heard booing him or openly criticising his performances on various social media outlets and sports podcasts.
Despite the negativity, Logan Paul has star power that is helping WWE reach a younger and broader audience. With him and The Rock both featuring regularly in the WWE, the two can help take it to extraordinary new heights.
However, only time will tell just how far these two can help the sport grow as a brand.
Rivalry with The Rock
There is a rivalry between The Rock and Logan Paul, despite them once being good friends. It started in 2023 when Logan Paul mocked The Rock after his four-year hiatus ended when he made a shock return to WWE at last year’s Smackdown event.
Logan Paul mocked The Rock because of what The Rock wore on the evening he returned to WWE. Paul compared it to something that the cast of Jersey Shore had worn and used images to back up his claim. Although Paul eventually apologised for his comments, The Rock said that his relationship with Paul was over.
This kind of rivalry is healthy for the WWE, and it could be the catalyst that helps the franchise generate vast amounts of revenue over the coming years, provided the two wrestlers can keep up the façade.
What other things are raising WWE’s global profile?
Many other elements are also helping to raise WWE’s global profiles, not just the star-pulling power of Logan Paul and The Rock.
Major social media platforms are offering more casual, off-the-cuff access to the behind-the-scenes world of WWE, changing the very face of the sport entirely. Online slot themes focused around WWE appeal to a broad audience of players – some choose the titles because of their love of the sport, while others uncover a new-found interest in WWE as a result of these trending titles. In the broader purview of gaming, this is growing increasingly common; major sports gaming franchises like FIFA (now operating under the new title, FC) aren’t just there to welcome fans, but create new fans too.
Several hit movies, television shows, and documentaries have helped shine a light on the sport and make it more popular. This includes The Wrestler, Foxcatcher, Fighting with My Family, and Andre the Giant, some of which are now available to watch on streaming sites like Amazon Prime, Netflix and Hulu.
If you watch any of these, then you may also like The Iron Claw, Nacho Libre, The Price of Fame, The Resurrection of Jake the Snake, WWE 24, The Rise and Fall of ECW, Beyond the Mat, and The Wrestling Road Diaries, to name a few.
