Synonymous with publicity, albeit with vexed takes and tricks, Logan Paul has used his platform recently to promote lucrative challenges that combined his former boxing position and his new home in WWE. Incorporating all the controversy that has come with it, including “ducking” out of his $1 million dollar boxing challenge against NFL players to WWE reportedly telling him this dare was a no-go, the Wrestling Observer hassummarized this entire saga, along with provided new details in this week’s newsletter.

Let’s start at the beginning. After NFL legend turned Las Vegas Raider owner Tom Brady called pro wrestling “cute,” following Paul’s remark that training to become a wrestler is more difficult than training to become a football player or a boxer, for that matter, Paul was the first to confront the former quarterback on his nonsensical comment. There, he offered any NFL player to step up to him in a boxing ring, where he’d be willing to put $1 million of his own money on the line; however, there’s a catch: the challenger would also have to put $1 million up, making the match a winner-take-all challenge. Someone whose had his fair share of past animosity with Paul, former NFL running back and current professional boxer, Le’Veon Bell, stepped up to the open challenge, only for Paul to back out; rather, cancel the impending fight, due to WWE’s interference.

With many seeing this as another promotional stunt on behalf of “The Maverick,” veteran journalist Dave Meltzer confirmed that yes, it was a publicity stunt, and that WWE was not involved in Paul’s initial hoopla. To play on this blocked decision after the incident blew up, in a recent YouTube vlog, Paul was seen on the phone talking to WWE’s Executive Vice President of Talent Relations and Head of Communications, Chris Legentil, who informed the former United States Champion he cannot go through with this fight due to injury risk, especially with WrestleMania 42 just around the corner.

Regarding the phone call from Legentil, Meltzer confirmed with officials that while that phone call was staged to provide credibility on Paul’s behalf that, that was not his decision to terminate this challenge, the call was close to the “replica” of what actually went down in private talks between Paul and WWE. Rumblings making its rounds at the moment is that Paul might be stepping in as Seth Rollins’ opponent at this year’s “Showcase of the Immortals.”

Circling back to Brady, he and Paul will stand in opposition in their upcoming “Fanatics Flag Football Classic” scheduled for next Saturday, March 21.