Paul London Argues Social Media Didn’t Just Change Wrestling, It Lowered the Bar
Few debates in modern wrestling spark more friction than the question of whether kayfabe truly died or was slowly dismantled. Fans argue about the internet, podcasts, and transparency, while veterans often point to something more corrosive than spoilers. For Paul London, the problem is not that fans know too much. It is that the business no longer asks enough of the people inside it.
London laid out that belief while reflecting on his career and absence from the ring, framing social media not as a tool but as a pressure that reshaped what wrestling now rewards. He described it bluntly, criticizing how attention has replaced craft as the primary currency. “Social media doesn’t run my life; if anything, that’s one of the main things that’s really put the wrestling business in the state it’s in now,” London explained. “If you’re drawing attention and you’re bringing eyes to a product, then it doesn’t matter if you can tie your shoes or do a roll or anything that even resembles wrestling.”
That frustration was not abstract for London. It factored directly into his decision to step away from the industry between 2018 and 2021, a period when he felt increasingly disconnected from what wrestling valued. He traced that burnout to how far the business had drifted from the standards he was trained under. “I was brought in by old territory legend types,” he said. “Now, the standards have been removed. The standards have been removed.”
London’s hiatus was not initially meant to be permanent. He revealed that he had plans to return during that window, including a potential Ring of Honor appearance that fell apart when the pandemic shut the industry down. “Jay Lethal was setting that up,” London recalled, noting that the show was canceled as uncertainty spread. While ROH still honored his booking, the pause stretched on, and the distance from wrestling grew. He took work outside the industry that he did not enjoy, but there was a strange upside. “I wasn’t being recognized for wrestling,” he admitted, and that anonymity brought a sense of relief.
When London returned to the broader conversation about wrestling, his critique expanded beyond social media alone. He acknowledged that movements like Speaking Out were necessary and long overdue, but argued they also created unintended consequences. “A lot of those were warranted,” he said. “But I think it put a net of fear over everybody.” In his view, the result was not just accountability but a loosening of entry barriers that fundamentally changed the product. “It didn’t just open the door but took it off the hinges,” London added. “So now anybody can be a pro wrestler.”
London believes that to accommodate that shift, the industry compromised its own identity. He described wrestling becoming more cooperative, more rehearsed, and more obviously constructed, losing the edge that once made it feel dangerous and alive. “The business has to compromise itself and look s**tier, phonier,”* he said. “It’s just unwatchable.”
The larger implication of London’s critique goes beyond nostalgia. It raises uncomfortable questions about how talent is evaluated, how performers are developed, and whether modern wrestling prioritizes reach over readiness. As promotions chase visibility, veterans like London worry that the fundamentals that once defined the craft are being treated as optional.
Whether fans agree or not, London’s perspective reflects a growing divide between generations of wrestlers. It is less about protecting kayfabe and more about protecting standards. And in an era where attention can outweigh experience, that tension is unlikely to fade quietly.
