Logan Paul and WWE Champion Cody Rhodes will appear on the January 27 Raw, plus the World Tag Team titles will be on the line.
WWE revealed in a vignette on this week’s Raw that Logan Paul will make his official debut as a member of the Raw roster on next week’s episode. Paul is a former United States Champion.
Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes will also appear on next Monday’s Raw, two days after a contract signing set for Saturday Night’s Main Event. At SNME, Rhodes and Kevin Owens will sign the paperwork for their ladder match for the WWE title at Royal Rumble, with the signing presided over by Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels.
The World Tag Team Championship will also be on the line on the January 27 Raw, with The War Raiders (Erik & Ivar) defending against Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh of The Judgment Day. The match was set up in a backstage segment on Raw where Mysterio offered to step in for Finn Balor in the title rematch. The War Raiders defeated Balor & McDonagh for the titles in December, but Mysterio said that Balor was unable to make the rematch after his street fight last week against Damian Priest.
The announced WWE Raw lineup for Monday, January 27:
Logan Paul appears
Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes appears
World Tag Team Champions The War Raiders (Erik & Ivar) defend against The Judgment Day (Dominik Mysterio & JD McDonagh)
– Our weekend schedule is that I’ll be doing a week in review show with Garrett Gonzales today and it’s a huge week of news. We will also be back tomorrow night talking about the weekend news and the first UFC PPV event of the year.
– The new issue of the Observer up on the site is a monster issue with our annual business year in review:
The biggest attended shows in combat sports of 2024
Who drew the most big crowds of the year
What companies drew the biggest crowds
Amazing UFC PPV gates
The biggest pro wrestling drawing card by year from 1916 to 2024
The biggest enduring drawing cards of all-time and where the modern stars rank with the historical stars
Updating all the Vince McMahon legal issues, from the SEC findings, the criminal investigation and the lawsuits, plus several things that have happened regarding the Grant case this past week and who are with Vince for his start of a new company
WWE and NBC book Saturday Night’s Main Event head-to-head with All In Texas
The history of this tactic, and an estimate of how much revenue it would cost AEW
WWE on Netflix, what episode one did for business, trying to figure out what the numbers mean, time of show and more
WWE & TNA make deal
New Japan Battle in the Valley coverage
The arenas in the U.S. that have held pro wrestling for the longest amount of time
Bret Hart talks his favorite wrestler and the life of Sweet Daddy Siki
What is up with Corey Graves
Death of Ray Richard
The most detailed look at the TV ratings over the past week and key takes
Blue Panther vs. Hechicero
Athena tours Stardom
New Japan big shows coming up
Thoughts on the death of Bob Uecker
VOW best wrestlers of 2024
More on the AEW show in Brisbane, Australia
Lots more on AEW ratings declines and where
Darby Allin update
Ticket sales for upcoming WWE & AEW shows
International TV ratings and streaming numbers
Conor McGregor sued again in a sex case
PFL drops the Bellator name, releases Bellator’s biggest star and cuts tournament prize money in half
Lots of new stuff from GFL
WWE sets more business records
Notes on the next Saturday Night’s Main Event
Paul Heyman talks booking
– Arman Tsarukyan’s back went out while riding a stationary bike last night. UFC tried to get him medical help but there was no way he could fight tomorrow, so Islam Makhachev will now defend the lightweight title against Renato Moicano. Moicano was scheduled against Beneil Dariush but that’s off and Dariush isn’t fighting. Jailton Almeida vs. Serghei Spirvac is being moved to the PPV show and Merab Dvalishvili’s bantamweight title defense against Umar Nurmagomedov is now going on last. The show is sold out at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.
– Dana White said that Moicano was told about the change before weigh-ins because Moicano had to make 155, rather than 156 for a non-title fight. White said that when they told Makhachev about Tsarukyan being out and offered Moicano, he agreed to it without hesitation. Tsarukayn was considered a far tougher opponent.
– The prelims, originally on ESPN News, will still be there but FX is also going to be airing them. Disney + is as well.
New lineup starts at 6 p.m. Eastern on Disney +, FX and ESPN+
Tagir Ulanbekov (125.5) vs Clayton Carpenter (125.5)
Ricky Turcios (136) vs. Bernardo Sopai (135)
Rinya Nakamura (135.5) vs. Muin Gafurov (136)
Karol Rosa (135.5) vs. Allin Perez (135)
Zachary Reece (185.5) vs. Azamat Bekoev (185.5)
Grant Dawson (156) vs. Diego Ferreria (156)
Bogdan Guskov (205.5) vs. Billy Elekana (200)
Payton Talbott (135.5) vs. Raoni Barcelos (135.5)
PPV at 10 p.m.
Kevin Holland (183.5) vs. Reinier de Ridder (184.5)
Jailton Almeida (235) vs. Serghei Spivac (233)
Jiri Prochazka (204.5) vs. Jamahal Hill (205.5)
Islam Makhachev (154.5) vs. Renato Moicano (155) for the lightweight title
Merab Dvalishvili (134) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov (135) for the bantamweight title
– Want to thank people for the feedback on the Sweet Daddy Siki story in today’s issue.
–SmackDown is tonight in San Diego. Tiffany Stratton vs. Bayley for the women’s title, Nia Jax & Candice LeRae vs. Bianca Belair & Naomi, Jimmy Uso vs. Carmelo Hayes plus Motor City Machine Guns vs. Los Garzas for a tag team title match have been announced, along with the return of Solo Sikoa. They had 9,800 tickets out as of last night and a sellout for the set-up is 10,700 so it should end up sold out.
– Chris Weidman, 40, the former UFC middleweight champion who ended Anderson Silva’s reign as champion in one of the biggest fights in history, announced his retirement today. Weidman lost his last fight in December to Eryk Anders.
– The NCAA announced that women’s wrestling has been added as a recognized championship sport and the first national tournament will be for the 2026 season. There were 76 schools that had women’s wrestling teams last season.
– Tammy Sytch’s appeal to get her prison sentence cut back was denied.
– A few notes on the AEW quarter hours from Wednesday. The high point of viewers, as is almost always the case, was Kenny Omega vs. Brian Cage (831,000/0.19) at the start of the show. The high point with men 18-49, overall 18-49 was the Casino Battle Royal. Jon Moxley vs. Powerhouse Hobbs at the end was the second highest in 18-49 behind the Casino Battle Royal. The high point in every women’s demo was Omega vs. Cage, but the first segment almost always is that because so many women watch Big Bang Theory that Q1 is always the strongest for them. For 18-34 the high point was MJF and Jeff Jarrett. Keep in mind this is only TV viewers and doesn’t include MAX viewership.
– Logan Paul on his podcast said that Conor McGregor called him and said that the boxing match McGregor has talked about could happen in India. Paul said if the $250 million purse is real, he’s got to take that unless Nick Khan matches it. Like that’s going to happen. Paul noted that McGregor couldn’t do the fight without UFC approval. Dana White has said that the fight isn’t going to happen.
– The reason we haven’t heard much on the Dark Side of the Cage ratings is because episode one on 1/8 featuring Kimbo Slice only did 51,000 viewers. That’s well under half of what event the lowest rated wrestling episodes have done.
– CMLL is now headlining Mistico & Mascara Dorada & Neon as The Sky Team. Basically they are going to be the top main event trio going forward. Their first match together since being given the name is tonight at Arena Mexico against Volador Jr. & Angel de Oro & Niebla Roja. Tonight also features a rematch of one of the best matches of last year at Arena Mexico with Hechicero vs. Euforia vs Valiente vs. Esfinge, the anniversary show main event.
– Clay Guida is off the UFC roster. He’s been with the company since 2006 and has had the fourth most bouts in UFC history. Giuda had lost three in a row and had some of the greatest fights in history with the likes of Diego Sanchez and Benson Henderson. If he wants to continue, the GFL is being built on 40+ year old former UFC stars.
– Ozawa makes his first GHC title defense on 2/11 against Galeno del Mal, the son of Dr. Wagner Jr.
– GCW’s show on Sunday at the Hammerstein Ballroom will start at 7 p.m. Eastern.
It was announced on social media that Logan Paul would be appearing on Monday’s Raw, the first episode on Netflix. The last time Paul was seen on WWE television was at SummerSlam, when he lost the United States title to LA Knight.
After teasing retirement following his loss at SummerSlam, Paul emerged back in WWE during their Netflix kickoff event at WWE Headquarters last month. It was also announced that Paul is the newest member of the Raw roster after previously being a free agent.
At today’s WWE Raw on Netflix kickoff event held at WWE headquarters, General Manager Adam Pearce announced that Logan Paul is the newest member of the Raw roster.
“Lately, there’s been a lot of speculation, innuendo, rumor about the future of the person I’m about to bring out here right now. I’m here to say that it is officially time to put it all to rest. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the newest member of the Monday Night Raw roster, Logan Paul.”
Paul caused rumors about his WWE status last week on his podcast when he said he is retired and would not be at WrestleMania 41. However, Paul made it clear today that he’s returning to WWE.
Paul said:
“I’ve been watching a lot of Monday Night Raw. The premium live events. Paul, you guys have outdone yourself. The product right now is amazing. Absolutely incredible. And guys, getting to watch my peers wrestle week in and week out is what truly made me realize how much better I am than everyone.”
“I will stay humble, but I am the best athlete in this arena. I was the greatest United States champion of all time. Every single one of my matches is a banger. Think about it. Mike Tyson wants to fight me. Conor McGregor wants to fight me. Of course they do. A payday with a Paul brother is a bucket list item for most all of these washed up fighters.”
“So the best part of being me is that I get to do what I love and I love this sport. So here’s a message to the entire WWE roster, everyone watching back there, everyone watching at home, because I know you’re watching. If you have something that I want, I’m going to take it. I’m not asking permission. I am going to take it from you.”
Paul hasn’t wrestled since losing the United States Championship to LA Knight at SummerSlam 2024. He and his fiancee, Nina Agdal, welcomed their first child in September.
Jake Paul is open to coming to WWE — but he’d rather manage his brother than be a full-time wrestler.
Following his boxing victory over Mike Tyson, Jake was a guest on Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast this week. Logan asked Jake if he would ever consider being part of WWE:
Logan: Would you ever consider coming to the WWE?
Jake: I would love to, but I would want to be like your Paul Heyman. I wouldn’t want to like wrestle as much, like I could do some sh*t, but I’d want to be your sidekick businessman or some sh*t.
Logan: Well bro, I’m going to go for it. Like, I’m going to go for it. And perhaps if you retire — you become [boxing] world champion and then you retire and I’m still wrestling, you could be like my manager who also has a mean right hand.
Jake: Why can’t I do it now?
Logan: I guess you could do it now. It’s just time consuming.
Jake: Yeah, that’s true. But yeah, let’s do it. You’re going to become WWE Champion.
Logan: I think so too.
Logan said his ultimate goal would be for the Paul brothers to hold World Championships in their respective sports while Jake’s girlfriend — speed skater Jutta Leerdam — wins Olympic gold.
When Logan faced Roman Reigns at Crown Jewel 2022, Jake got involved in that match and tried to fend off The Bloodline. Logan has never been a World Champion in WWE but did hold the United States title before dropping it to LA Knight at SummerSlam this August.
Despite experiencing major streaming issues, Jake Paul vs. Tyson was a huge hit for Netflix with the streaming company claiming that the broadcast peaked with an audience of more than 60 million homes worldwide. WWE Raw will be moving to Netflix at the start of 2025.
WWE uploaded the full Ethan Page vs. Wes Lee vs. Je’Von Evans number one contender’s match from last night’s NXT. Page won the match and will challenge Trick Williams for the NXT Championship at Halloween Havoc on Sunday, October 27.
NXT’s Wendy Choo is advertised for TNA Bound for Glory weekend in Detroit, which consists of the Bound for Glory PPV on October 26 and the post-PPV television taping on October 27.
This is all I ever wanted. My goal from day one in wrestling has always been to bring enough attention to the Pillman name, to remind us all of this legendary performer so that he could take his rightful spot in the hall of fame.
Very clear rising star. He’s one of the only guys who really stands out to me, and I think everyone else sees it. While I recognize his greatness, part of me also thinks – he’s on my list. And I will be wrestling him in the near future and we’re going to be going at it. So I sort of see him as competition.
I can’t wait. I promise you, we’re going to go f*cking crazy. Crazy. I don’t know when it’s going to happen. But, dude, it’s inevitable, no?
Watching Gunther vs Chad Gable tonight made me really excited to inevitably see @WWEGable as World Heavyweight champion someday. Such a special performer! But until then….What a match
Hmm, I’d probably say I’d like to wrestle – this is perhaps a random one – Jake Roberts. Jake ‘The Snake.’ Just because he had a really kind of unique psychology to how we do this in front of an audience, and I’d like to learn in addition to [fighting] him at the same time.
Godspeed, Joe Koff. When circumstances made it impossible for me to return to ROH as commentator, Joe paid me for every date I’d agreed to. He didn’t have to. I never had a cross word or bad experience with him. My heart goes out to his family and friends. Rest well, sir.
Sad to hear about the passing of former @ringofhonor COO #JoeKoff. Little known story- Joe was instrumental in getting the first @jericho_cruise out to sea in the fall of 2018! I’d been discussing the cruise concept with @wwe with the idea of having @wwenxt talent wrestling onboard. After literally months of keeping me waiting for an answer, they finally declined to be a part of the cruise, which really put me in a bit of a last minute bind. But literally ONE HOUR after #WWE passed, I had Joe on the phone agreeing to have #ROH & their amazing talent be a part of the cruise and the rest is history! I haven’t seen or spoken to Joe since, but thanks to his sharing and understanding of my vision, the #JerichoCruise is still going strong today! Thanks for your love and dedication to the wrestling business and all you did for it, Joe!!!
Joe Koff and I go back to 1989 when he was the general manager of WNUV-TV in Baltimore and I was promoting wrestling there. We were friends from the first time we met. Two Jewish kids who grew up loving pro wrestling. We stayed in touch through the years. After WCW closed, I would occasionally bring him wrestling ideas, finally Ring of Honor. It took almost two years but through Joe’s diligence, and the respect he had at Sinclair Broadcasting, Sinclair purchased Ring of Honor from Cary [Silkin]. Joe was decent, kind, empathetic and respectful of all. Truly a mensch. He was loved and will be missed by many, myself included.
A six-way scramble match featuring Jake Something, Trevor Lee, Stu Grayson, Sheldon Jean, Mike Rollins, and Alex Zayne is set for night two of Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling’s Forged in Excellence weekend in Windsor, Ontario, Canada this Sunday (October 20).
MLW announced a trios match with Atlantis, Atlantis Jr. & Star Jr. vs. Barbaro Cavernario, Magnus & Felino for Lucha Apocalypto in Cicero, Illinois on Saturday, November 9.
Paul and Agdal announced in March that Agdal was expecting. It is their first child together and neither has any children from previous relationships. The two have been engaged since July 2023 when Paul proposed at Lake Como, Italy. They first went public about their relationship in 2022.
Shortly after their engagement, Agdal spoke to Daily Front Row about how they met, saying, “We met at an event in NYC. I found out he was there and my gut was screaming that I had to say hi to him.”
“I basically convinced him to meet me and my friends upstairs for a drink,” she continued. “I didn’t want to walk downstairs because of my bad back. He came upstairs and we started joking around. It instantly felt like I had known him for years, and here we are. It was wild!”
Paul hasn’t wrestled since WWE SummerSlam when he dropped the United States Championship to LA Knight.
The back and forth between Logan Paul and Kevin Nash has continued.
The public dispute between the two began last week when Nash said on his podcast that Paul was “not one of the boys” and was critical of him for earning a large salary while working limited dates.
“You don’t become one of the boys just cause you’re around them. From what I heard he’s making, like five million bucks for limited (dates), and those other (wrestlers) are out there making house shows. F–k you, that’s from the boys. F–k you. I don’t give a f–k how many people are following you” Nash said last week.
Paul then responded to Nash by saying, “‘I am better at your job than you ever were,” in a video posted to X.
Nash addressed the situation again on an episode of “Kliq This” published on Monday.
“I didn’t say “F— you,” I said, ‘F–k you from the boys.’ I’m not—I guess I’m one of the boys, I guess technically, but I don’t have a dog in the race,” he said. “I love the fact that the boys are making that kind of money it’s just…”
Nash continued to say of Paul:
“I think his athleticism’s amazing but I also, you know, when I go someplace, and somebody’s getting that kind of push and paid that kind of money, I ask some questions because I’m still one of the boys. I asked a person that has been in the ring with him, “How is he?” And they said, ‘He’s amazing as far as what he can do physically.’ He said, ‘He just doesn’t remember anything.'”
Nash spoke about how WWE has sent a ring and will send talent to Puerto Rico to work on Paul’s matches with him. He continued to say that Paul should not consider himself a top guy in the wrestling industry if he is not able to “call it in the ring.”
“It’s just that you’re not a top-five guy if you can’t – when I was 42 years old, if you can’t go out there – and I’m sitting in Hulk’s dressing room drinking beer, and we had 12 minutes, and they give us the finish, and your music plays and mine plays and I go out to the ring, you’re not one of the top five guys if you don’t know what the f–k we’re doing, if you can’t just go out there and call it.”
Figure Four Daily with Bryan Alvarez and Lance Storm returns with tons to talk about including his thoughts on the recent AEW and WWE lawsuits, the Vince documentary, the RAW move to two hours, Netflix, Kevin Nash vs. Logan Paul, the PWI 500 then and now, and more. A fun show as always so check it out~!
Paul posted a video on X responding to the former WWE and WCW Champion, who was critical of Paul in his recent podcast, criticizing him for not knowing the difference between a work and a shoot as well as the amount of money he makes considering he doesn’t work a full-time schedule.
In his reply, Paul claimed he didn’t know who Nash was and said he was better at this job than Nash ever was.
“I said damn, who is Kevin Nash?” Paul replied. “And I mean that. I’m unfamiliar with this guy, which I think that’s his problem, I’m not as versed in the WWE and wrestling as maybe I should be, as my peers are. But then how am I so much better than all of them? I don’t have the answers to these questions. It is a question. I don’t know how I could be the best in the WWE or at least one of the best, like I’m assuredly a top fiver and I don’t even do it full-time.”
“Now imagine if I did learn a little bit. Imagine if I devoted, became one of the boys, learn what the difference between a shoot and a work was,” he continued. “Would that make me a champion? F*** me? F*** you. You’re one of the old guys who is bitter that I am better at your job than you ever were. And that makes you pathetic. This will be my sport and I will continue to make guys like you eat your words when I devote a little bit of time to it. So f*** me? F*** you.”
In his comments, Nash said the money that goes to Paul should be going to those working house shows.
“You don’t become one of the boys just because you’re f****** around them. That mother****** for what I heard he’s making, like five million bucks for limited [dates]…and those other mother******* out there making house shows, F**** you, f*** you. That’s for the boys. F**** you. I don’t give a f**** how many people are following you,” he said.
Paul was last seen in WWE at SummerSlam, where he lost the United States title to LA Knight.
Kevin Nash was critical of Logan Paul during the latest episode of Kliq This.
Paul revealed on his Impaulsive show last week that he did not know what the word “shoot” meant in a wrestling context. Nash says the reason Paul didn’t know what the word meant was because he is not “one of the boys.”
“He’s not one of the boys, where would he learn that s–t at?” Nash said. “Where’s he going up and down the road talking about our jargon?”
Nash was also critical of Paul being paid a large salary for a limited schedule.
“You don’t become one of the boys just cause you’re around them. From what I heard he’s making, like five million bucks for limited (dates), and those other (wrestlers) are out there making house shows. F–k you, that’s from the boys. F–k you. I don’t give a f–k how many people are following you.”
“You got to realize, bro, this is not a work, this is a shoot,” Hogan said to Paul on the show. “The business is a shoot. Everybody is going to tell you it’s a work, it’s not a work.”
“I don’t think I know the terms,” Paul said. “I know a ‘work,’ what is a shoot?”
On Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast, Hogan talked about signing a new five-year deal with the company.
“I’ve signed a five-year deal, I’m going to be 71 years old in a few weeks,” he said. “I signed a five-year deal for the licensing and merchandising stuff, and the ambassador stuff, if they need me to do something for WrestleMania, I just love doing it. It’s definitely different.”
When asked about comparing Vince McMahon to Nick Khan, Hogan said that he thinks McMahon thought too much about creative while Khan was more business-oriented.
“For me, its business cut-and-dry. He doesn’t overthink creative. I don’t deal with creative too much unless I talk to Bruce Prichard or something, they ask a question about a finish or something like that. I really don’t get involved too much with it. Just working with the two different heads of state, if you call it that, Nick Khan is just strictly business,” he said.
Hogan proceeded to tell a story about how he asked Nick Khan to use artwork for his Real American beer. Khan said he wanted a percentage of the earnings, but after Hogan said he’d just pay $300 to get someone to draw something similar, Khan gifted the artwork to him.
“Vince was great too, but I just don’t know that Vince wouldn’t make that quick of a decision,” he said. “I’m just asking for a caricature, just some simple a** artwork. Nick got it and knew I could have something drawn up the next day. But he’s been very easy, supportive, and helpful.”
Hulk Hogan believes that — at this point in Logan Paul’s pro wrestling career — the only title Paul should hold is the World Championship.
“You should not be any type of champion except the World Champion at this point,” Hogan said while appearing on Impaulsive. “You need to make that quick transition. And if they’re smart — and Triple H is smart — that transition needs to be made this year.”
Paul said he wants to put in the work to make it at that level. He’s offended when he gets called a part-timer, but he gets it. As someone who initially became famous through social media, Paul thinks WWE Raw’s move to Netflix in January 2025 will be the “perfect intersection” for him.
At SummerSlam last month, Paul dropped the United States title to LA Knight. He had been champion since November 2023.
Paul has competed in two World Championship matches since debuting for WWE, losing to Roman Reigns in 2022 and to Cody Rhodes earlier this year. Rhodes is the current Undisputed WWE Champion. Gunther holds the World Heavyweight Championship on Raw.
Logan Paul denies that he is banned from entering Japan.
During an interview with Dominik Mysterio on his Impaulsive podcast, the topic of WWE’s recent tour in Japan came up. Mysterio asked if Paul had ever been to Japan. Paul caused controversy in 2017 when he filmed himself next to a suicide victim at Aokigahara Forest and posted the since-deleted footage on his YouTube channel. Paul claimed he didn’t go to WWE’s recent tour in Japan due to prior obligations, and responded when Mysterio asked if he’s allowed to enter the country.
“Yes, I can go to Japan,” Paul said, menitoning that he wasn’t “excommunicado.” Mysterio said that WWE could pull strings for him if needed.
“I’ve never said this before, but my rule was if I went back, I’d like to be invited back. I haven’t gotten the invite yet.”
Paul’s co-host, Mike Majlak, asked who Paul would like to be invited by.
“My best best is the WWE, I’d be a real heel there.”
The discussion ended when Mysterio said that he would be a real heel if he wore the same hat he wore in the controversial video. Paul said that was going too far.
Paul last wrestled for the WWE at SummerSlam, where he lost the United States title to LA Knight.
The Undertaker believes Logan Paul added prestige to the United States Championship.
Paul’s reign as champion came to an end when he dropped the U.S. title to LA Knight at SummerSlam last weekend. After the PLE, Paul conducted an interview with Undertaker for the Impaulsive podcast. Undertaker praised Paul for how he carried himself as champion.
“Obviously it was a rough day at the office last night, but what you’ve done with your platform for that title has been very impressive. You’ve actually made that thing mean something again,” Undertaker said. “What you did and all the places that you go. When you’re with your brother and you’ve got that belt — man, that’s next level commitment. And that’s made that belt relevant again.”
Paul held the U.S. Championship for 273 days but only made three defenses during his reign. Paul thinks fans from this generation will always associate the title with him.
“I tried to take [the title belt] everywhere, I glued it to my side,” Paul said. “I bet people will see that, in this generation of wrestling fans, people will see it and always be like, ‘That’s Logan Paul’s belt.'”
This was the first title reign of Paul’s pro wrestling career. Following SummerSlam, Paul furthered his storyline with Knight by claiming that he was taking legal action over Knight destroying the window of his Prime truck.
