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When Tom Brady — yes, that Tom Brady — slapped Logan Paul on Friday afternoon at Fanatics Fest in New York City, a few things happened.
First, the internet and social media immediately lit up. How many times does a seven-time Super Bowl Champion with a near-untouchable NFL résumé lay hands on one of pro-wrestling's biggest crossover stars? It was a bonafide viral moment at a convention that thrives on them.
Second, those who may be unfamiliar with the playful jabs Brady and Paul have taken at one another over the past year collectively wondered: Was that real? Yes, Brady actually did put hands on Paul, but for all intents and purposes, this was an introductory course into kayfabe — the art of blurring the reality lines in professional wrestling.
Finally, for the group of us who fancy ourselves fantasy wrestling bookers, we picked up our pencils with one question in mind: What if?
What if the biggest and most successful name in NFL history inserted himself into a WWE program with Paul?
In the world of professional wrestling, it would be far from unheard of. Lawrence Taylor, Rob Gronkowski and Reggie White all wrestled at some point during their NFL careers, and that list grows even longer if you count football players who turned to the squared circle as a second career. That number further balloons if we look at sports beyond the NFL.
Brady himself even joked about it a day prior to the "Slap Heard 'Round The World."
"I need to get an invite. I've been waiting for [WWE President] Nick Khan to come up with some storyline for me to get in the mix," Brady said on Thursday during a live appearance on Cody Rhodes' "What Do You Wanna Talk About" podcast.
"I feel like I'm retired from football. I have an opportunity to go out there and still showcase that I'm a little bit of an athlete. My boy Gronk's done it. I've seen obviously Logan Paul do it. I think I can get in there for at least one match."
Was Brady working us 24 hours before laying hands on Paul? Probably, and that's part of the allure of bringing him in, even for one angle.
Before we get ahead of ourselves, let's make it clear: Brady vs. Paul isn't anywhereclose to happening.
Paul is recovering from a torn triceps and may not even be able to wrestle again this year. Brady, despite being unmatched in success and longevity as an NFL player, has no real training or familiarity with the physical demands of professional wrestling, so he'd need at least some time to get up to speed. Also, anyone who has watched or been around Brady for the past three decades should understand that he doesn't mail it in — seemingly ever. As the immortal Mike Ehrmantraut once said, "No half-measures."
All of that said, why couldn't Brady and Paul battle by proxy at WWE SummerSlam next month? Paul has two members of his faction — The Vision — who can step up in his place to take on a wrestler (or two) that Brady hand picks. If Friday's staged confrontation tells us anything, these two don't need to get overly physical to draw eyeballs and generate buzz.
WWE's Maxxine Dupri, World Tag Team Champion Austin Theory, World Tag Team Champion Bron Breakker and Logan Paul of The Vision.
WWE via Getty Images
The recipe is simple — Paul cuts a promo on Brady on "WWE Raw" in the coming weeks, challenging him to step up. Brady responds via video message or on social media saying he'll bring his guys to take on The Vision at SummerSlam — and voila! you have your match — and a major celebrity draw if you're looking to boost ticket sales or viewership.
The timing works out great, too. With his duties in FOX's NFL broadcast booth, it's unlikely Brady could — or would — be willing to split his time between calling games and taking part in a drawn-out WWE program. Let Brady get one up on Paul at SummerSlam, taunt him when the calendar turns to 2027, then build toward an actual match at WrestleMania 43 next spring. If Brady really does want one shot at having a match, there isn't a question what stage it should come on.
There will likely be a vocal minority who will condemn even the idea of Brady and Paul feuding. Shoot, there are still those who view Paul as an outsider despite him having shown an incredible understanding of pro-wrestling in seemingly every way possible.
But if WWE is presented with the opportunity to get Brady into a ring — for a match or otherwise — the answer has to be yes. Brady is a bigger name than any other sports figure WWE could possibly bring in. Full stop.
Gatekeeping doesn't do any entity any good in this situation. Fans who would scoff at the idea are disconnected from what professional wrestling — WWE in particular — actually is: sports entertainment. Anyone who doubts that Brady, were he to agree to do this, would run the risk of embarrassing himself in front of millions of eyeballs doesn't understand the lengths the greatest quarterback of all time went to in order to achieve what he has.
Tom Brady at WrestleMania 2027? Would watch.
John Nacion via Getty Images
If you look at the past year in combat sports, the trend of spectacle over substance stands out.
Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua was an immense success on Netflix despite a clear gap in experience and expertise. Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano lasted mere seconds, but its cultural footprint says otherwise. Last month, on a card that lacked mainstream star power, UFC Freedom 250 was an extravaganza quite unlike anything we've ever seen before. A week ago, Conor McGregor's first fight in five years drew 16 million viewers to Paramount+; McGregor didn't make it out of the first round due to a knee injury.
Time will tell if we ever do get a true Brady-Paul showdown, but if Friday's slap and the frenzy that followed is any indication, WWE should do all it can to make it happen — and we should be excited even at the possibility of Brady going from being "The Man in the Arena" to "The Man in the Ring."
Continue reading...
First, the internet and social media immediately lit up. How many times does a seven-time Super Bowl Champion with a near-untouchable NFL résumé lay hands on one of pro-wrestling's biggest crossover stars? It was a bonafide viral moment at a convention that thrives on them.
Second, those who may be unfamiliar with the playful jabs Brady and Paul have taken at one another over the past year collectively wondered: Was that real? Yes, Brady actually did put hands on Paul, but for all intents and purposes, this was an introductory course into kayfabe — the art of blurring the reality lines in professional wrestling.
Finally, for the group of us who fancy ourselves fantasy wrestling bookers, we picked up our pencils with one question in mind: What if?
What if the biggest and most successful name in NFL history inserted himself into a WWE program with Paul?
In the world of professional wrestling, it would be far from unheard of. Lawrence Taylor, Rob Gronkowski and Reggie White all wrestled at some point during their NFL careers, and that list grows even longer if you count football players who turned to the squared circle as a second career. That number further balloons if we look at sports beyond the NFL.
Brady himself even joked about it a day prior to the "Slap Heard 'Round The World."
"I need to get an invite. I've been waiting for [WWE President] Nick Khan to come up with some storyline for me to get in the mix," Brady said on Thursday during a live appearance on Cody Rhodes' "What Do You Wanna Talk About" podcast.
"I feel like I'm retired from football. I have an opportunity to go out there and still showcase that I'm a little bit of an athlete. My boy Gronk's done it. I've seen obviously Logan Paul do it. I think I can get in there for at least one match."
Was Brady working us 24 hours before laying hands on Paul? Probably, and that's part of the allure of bringing him in, even for one angle.
Before we get ahead of ourselves, let's make it clear: Brady vs. Paul isn't anywhereclose to happening.
Paul is recovering from a torn triceps and may not even be able to wrestle again this year. Brady, despite being unmatched in success and longevity as an NFL player, has no real training or familiarity with the physical demands of professional wrestling, so he'd need at least some time to get up to speed. Also, anyone who has watched or been around Brady for the past three decades should understand that he doesn't mail it in — seemingly ever. As the immortal Mike Ehrmantraut once said, "No half-measures."
All of that said, why couldn't Brady and Paul battle by proxy at WWE SummerSlam next month? Paul has two members of his faction — The Vision — who can step up in his place to take on a wrestler (or two) that Brady hand picks. If Friday's staged confrontation tells us anything, these two don't need to get overly physical to draw eyeballs and generate buzz.
You must be registered for see images
WWE's Maxxine Dupri, World Tag Team Champion Austin Theory, World Tag Team Champion Bron Breakker and Logan Paul of The Vision.
WWE via Getty Images
The recipe is simple — Paul cuts a promo on Brady on "WWE Raw" in the coming weeks, challenging him to step up. Brady responds via video message or on social media saying he'll bring his guys to take on The Vision at SummerSlam — and voila! you have your match — and a major celebrity draw if you're looking to boost ticket sales or viewership.
The timing works out great, too. With his duties in FOX's NFL broadcast booth, it's unlikely Brady could — or would — be willing to split his time between calling games and taking part in a drawn-out WWE program. Let Brady get one up on Paul at SummerSlam, taunt him when the calendar turns to 2027, then build toward an actual match at WrestleMania 43 next spring. If Brady really does want one shot at having a match, there isn't a question what stage it should come on.
There will likely be a vocal minority who will condemn even the idea of Brady and Paul feuding. Shoot, there are still those who view Paul as an outsider despite him having shown an incredible understanding of pro-wrestling in seemingly every way possible.
But if WWE is presented with the opportunity to get Brady into a ring — for a match or otherwise — the answer has to be yes. Brady is a bigger name than any other sports figure WWE could possibly bring in. Full stop.
Gatekeeping doesn't do any entity any good in this situation. Fans who would scoff at the idea are disconnected from what professional wrestling — WWE in particular — actually is: sports entertainment. Anyone who doubts that Brady, were he to agree to do this, would run the risk of embarrassing himself in front of millions of eyeballs doesn't understand the lengths the greatest quarterback of all time went to in order to achieve what he has.
You must be registered for see images
Tom Brady at WrestleMania 2027? Would watch.
John Nacion via Getty Images
If you look at the past year in combat sports, the trend of spectacle over substance stands out.
Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua was an immense success on Netflix despite a clear gap in experience and expertise. Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano lasted mere seconds, but its cultural footprint says otherwise. Last month, on a card that lacked mainstream star power, UFC Freedom 250 was an extravaganza quite unlike anything we've ever seen before. A week ago, Conor McGregor's first fight in five years drew 16 million viewers to Paramount+; McGregor didn't make it out of the first round due to a knee injury.
Time will tell if we ever do get a true Brady-Paul showdown, but if Friday's slap and the frenzy that followed is any indication, WWE should do all it can to make it happen — and we should be excited even at the possibility of Brady going from being "The Man in the Arena" to "The Man in the Ring."
Continue reading...
