Logan Paul Steals The Show Despite Loss To Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns has carried WWE as its Universal Champion for more than two years, and despite a hard-fought instant classic against social media celebrity Logan Paul at Crown Jewel, that didn’t change in Saudi Arabia.

“The Head of the Table” defeated Paul via spear to continue his incredible reign with the most coveted prize in pro wrestling. Reigns has now been WWE’s top champion for well over 700 days, and there is no end in sight to his historic run as the unquestioned face of WWE.

A possible dream match with The Rock at WrestleMania 39—likely the biggest drawing match WWE could do right now—would be the ultimate goal for WWE while Reigns eventually battling with the merchandise-moving machine Bray Wyatt seems to be a long-term goal for WWE as well.

Paul’s future isn’t as clear, but what is more than apparent is this: He was built for the world of sports entertainment and has a future in the industry for however long he wants it.

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A massive social media star as well as an accomplished boxer, Paul is signed to WWE under a contract that will see him work for the company into 2023. While the exact terms of his deal aren’t known, he’s slated to stick around for “multiple premium WWE live events” and is poised to become a prominent part-time performer for WWE for years to come.

At Crown Jewel, Paul once again demonstrated why WWE brought him in to begin with, delivering a show-stopping performance in Saudi Arabia. Keep in mind that this was just Paul’s third-ever televised match and only his second singles match. His first bout came in a tag team match alongside The Miz at WrestleMania 38, a spectacle that was better than it had any right to be, with Paul displaying one of the most spectacular WWE in-ring debuts in company history—celebrity or not.

A handful of months later, Paul battled The Miz at SummerSlam in yet another stellar performance. His crispness, agility and athleticism in the ring have been nothing short of incredible for someone with next-to-no experience, and despite being awkwardly positioned as a babyface, that hasn’t prevented him from delivering in the ring like virtually no celebrity ever has.

Crown Jewel was no different. It was there that Paul went toe-to-toe with Reigns in an epic match more reminiscent of someone with three decades of experience than three matches.

Paul, who has been training with arguably the greatest in-ring performer ever in Shawn Michaels, is tightening his in-ring game and perfecting his craft at a lightning quick pace never seen before. He’s clearly committed to developing his skill set and becoming the type of part-time performer WWE needs after the recent retirements of stars like Triple H and The Undertaker.

As the majority of WWE’s go-to part-timers have hung up their boots or moved on to something else, Paul has stepped up and filled a much-needed role—and then some. Paul is young, has a massive social media following that no one in WWE even comes close to rivaling, and even believes that he’s “found his calling” in WWE. The fans at Crown Jewel loved him, too.

Even though many of WWE’s hard fans—as well as stars like Drew McIntyre—haven’t exactly echoed that sentiment and have expressed their disagreement with Paul being positioned to challenge Reigns for the Universal Championship so early on into his WWE career, the reality is that Paul’s placement into such a high-profile feud has been harmless, if not full-on helpful.

Reigns isn’t losing that Undisputed Universal Championship just yet, so Paul was the perfect candidate to face him at Crown Jewel. Given has lack of experience, Paul could afford to take the loss, which would allow Reigns’ championship reign to continue while also helping Paul continue develop into a strong performer who WWE can rely on as a special attraction.

Crown Jewel accomplished both of those things, and Paul put up an unbelievable effort that made everyone involved look good, kept the momentum going for Reigns and The Bloodline, and also avoided WWE having to give one of its top full-timers an inevitable loss to “The Tribal Chief.”

That’s a win-win for all involved, and for Paul, it’s a great way to help solidify him as an elite talent who WWE can rely on as an occasional boost when needed.