Following their success in one of the most talked-about matches of WrestleMania 38, WWE's SummerSlam. Logan Paul shocked the world when he officially signed with the WWE two months after his performance as The Miz's WrestleMania partner. Despite the two athletes' proven ability to entertain, skepticism surrounding the bout began pouring in immediately.
SummerSlam has a long history of celebrity appearances and match-ups. Arrow's Stephen Amell wrestled a match at the event in 2015. The year before that, Ronda Rousey made an unofficial WWE appearance as she was spotted in the front row and backstage alongside the Four Horsewomen of MMA. For an event that is often described as the biggest party of the season, SummerSlam 2022 has been notably lacking in excitement. Besides the return of Logan Paul and The Miz, only Pat McAfee has generated the ideal SummerSlam anticipation.
Mike "The Miz" Mizanin is the perfect candidate for Logan Paul's first singles match within the WWE since together they can bring buzz from the world of celebrities and pop culture back to WWE programming. Aside from Paul's match and McAfee's aforementioned contest, SummerSlam 2022 is shaping up to be a celebration of low-stakes matches and rivalries stuck on repeat. Roman Reigns versus Brock Lesnar is being billed at the top of the card. Those two competitors, while immensely talented, have competed against one another so many times that the WWE is advertising this main event with the "One Last Time" tagline. While Reigns and Lesnar might deliver a WWE classic, it's unlikely that this will truly be their last match. It's hard to find value in a pay-per-view card that builds itself on the relief tired fans will feel when the WWE Champion stops defending his titles from the same opponent he's faced for years.
Logan Paul's SummerSlam Performance Will Make Or Break His WWE Career
Fortunately, Logan Paul's SummerSlam debut will be free of that same fatigue. His match against The Miz is the continuation of a story that began at WrestleMania. While the narrative has developed over social media in the months since their time at the Grandest Stage of Them All, SummerSlam will be their first contest as opponents. Paul's ability to build this feud without stepping foot in a WWE ring is a testament to the perfect WWE superstar Logan Paul will become. Beyond the rivalry of the performers, WWE viewers also have a personal stake in this match. Paul represents the future of the WWE product. Regardless of whether the fans want him to win or lose, their feelings on the matter have been filling WWE arenas since the announcement of his g.
As SummerSlam approaches, Logan Paul represents a major transition for the company. The Miz is the perfect representation of the WWE's previous "entertainment" elements. Mizanin is a veteran of reality TV, he's the leading man of his own show on the USA Network, and he's appeared on other popular programming like ABC's Dancing With The Stars. Still, it's clear that a shift is needed from these old elements since The Miz himself can't fill the space of superstars like Cody Rhodes. Logan Paul, a legitimate YouTube sensation, is their next chapter of entertainment. The WWE might be a decade too late but they finally seem ready to capitalize on the internet age of celebrities.
While speculation builds for Paul's SummerSlam debut, longtime WWE fans should be more at ease than anyone. When The Miz appeared in 2006, he was similarly rejected by the audience and by the boys in the back. Now more than fifteen years later, thanks to his hard work and his love for professional wrestling, The Miz is a definitive WWE favorite. Logan Paul has proved that he's a hard-working and dedicated performer. If he loves the WWE, SummerSlam will be the second of many great Logan Paul matches. And if he fails, it won't be the biggest controversy for WWE or for Paul.