LA Knight Weighs In on Celebrity Involvement in WWE

STAMFORD, Conn. — LA Knight, a star of WWE‘s SmackDown, discussed the role of celebrities in professional wrestling during a recent appearance on the “Battleground Podcast.” Knight’s remarks come amidst ongoing scrutiny of high-profile guest appearances, which have been a staple of the franchise since the days of Mr. T at WrestleMania 1. He emphasized that the effectiveness of these celebrity integrations often hinges on the athletes’ physical abilities.

“I think personally you got to be a little choosy with who’s going to come in and get that physical involvement just because of the fact that not everybody’s got an athletic bone in their body,” Knight said.

His comments resonated with fans who are witnessing an influx of celebrity wrestlers, including the likes of Logan Paul and Bad Bunny. Despite acknowledging their commitment and impressive in-ring skills, Knight expressed concern over the misconception that wrestling is easily accessible to anyone.

“If you go around to any wrestling school on any given day, you’ll see a whole lot of that. You got to wonder, ‘Why do you think you could do this? Why are you even setting foot in a ring, you have not a single athletic bone in your body?”

Wrestling has a long tradition of incorporating celebrities, creating a unique blend of sports entertainment. However, Knight pointed out the potential dangers of having too many celebrities involved without the requisite skills. “Not everybody can do this. My one qualm with having too many celebrities do this is that it gives people the idea that anybody can do this. Very few people can do this and do it well,” he added.

Knight’s perspective draws from both admiration and caution. He pointed to Logan Paul and Bad Bunny as examples of celebrities who have successfully made the transition into wrestling. “Those two guys, you can say realistically they did it, they pulled it off and they did it right,” Knight said.

Conversely, he criticized the participation of lesser-known figures such as Snooki from the reality show “Jersey Shore,” who competed at WrestleMania 27. Knight remarked, “Even with Bad Bunny and Logan Paul, as great as they are they still have a long way to go,” implying that celebrity athletes can vary widely in their capabilities.

This ongoing debate about celebrity participation in wrestling gained traction during the Royal Rumble earlier this month, where influencer IShowSpeed featured prominently. His dramatic elimination went viral, amassing over 300 million views in less than 24 hours, thus amplifying the discussion around the effectiveness of celebrity integrations.

In conclusion, while acknowledgment exists for those like Paul and Bad Bunny who invest significant time in training, Knight’s comments reflect a broader concern within the wrestling community regarding the allure and risks of incorporating celebrities into wrestling events.