Logan Paul has explained in detail the ongoing issue with WWE ring mat sponsors. Speaking on the latest edition of his ImPaulsive podcast, Paul opened up about how slippery the WWE ring mat gets due to the sponsor logos on it. The issue came out after LA Knight had slipped while performing a mid-rope elbow drop on Randy Orton during the Elimination Chamber Premium Live Event.
Sharing his thoughts on the situation, Paul noted that the painted logos significantly impact movement by the end of a show. “By the end of the night, the middle of that ring gets really slippery with them logos painted in there. I’ll just say it, bro, I noticed. I can’t get running full speed. I’ve gotta be really careful with my feet and my placement, because the logos that they now paint in the middle of the ring,” Paul said.
Evolution of Ring Sponsorships Under TKO
Since the TKO-WWE takeover, the company has been placing advertisements and brand logos all over the ring mat and turnbuckles to generate more revenue. One of the first-ever ring sponsors was Paul and KSI’s hydration drink, Prime. Paul noted that he was one of the first ones to sponsor the WWE ring mat and advertise his brand before going into more details about the issue it now faces.
“That I started. I started it with Prime. We were the first in-ring middle of the ring sponsor ever with the logo. It’s not us anymore, it’s not us anymore. I know this was a thing because before we did that, we were going back and forth with WWE about whether or not it was even possible,” Paul added. He explained that the company originally wanted to stress test the mats to see if they got oily or slippery before committing to the advertisements.
Concerns Over Current Paint Materials
Paul mentioned that while initial tests determined the paint was okay, the introduction of colored paint may have changed the traction for the talent. “Because the way they paint it, they wanted to actually stress test the mats and have people wrestle and see if it got oily, and they determined that the type of paint they used was okay and that it wasn’t gonna be slippery. But then they started using colored paint as well. I don’t know what they’re using now, but I’m telling you, it’s slippery,” he stated.
The slippery nature of the mats has become a talking point among WWE fans after multiple superstars were seen losing their footing during major matches. With WWE moving toward WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, the safety and consistency of the ring surface remain a priority for the roster.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit ImPaulsive with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription. You can listen to the full episode of ImPaulsive on all major podcast platforms or watch it on the Logan Paul YouTube channel.
