Logan Paul taunts opponents with viral ‘Hawk Tuah’ meme in WWE Smackdown

Logan Paul mimicked the viral ‘hawk tuah’ to taunt his opponent.

Logan Paul entertained WWE fans during a Smackdown event on June 28 by recreating the viral TikTok catchphrase "hawk tuah" to taunt his opponents, LA Knight and Santos Escobar. The phrase, popularized by Hailey Welch, has become an internet sensation and made its way into various cultural realms, including professional wrestling.

DID BLUD JUST DO A HAWK TUAH 😂😂#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/jkPxCL54vu

— Wrestlelamia.com (@wrestlelamia) June 29, 2024

During the match, Paul took a moment to sit in the ring with Knight and Escobar on either side of him, mimicking the "hawk tuah" meme by pretending to spit, as captured in a clip shared by 'wrestlelamia' on X (formerly Twitter). This act quickly spread on social media, with fans creating GIFs and expressing their amusement. One fan commented, "He actually did it [oh my God] hahah," while another remarked, "This guy is slowly becoming a legend in the ring."

However, the response was mixed, with some criticizing Paul for leveraging internet trends to boost his popularity. "He’s so irrelevant that he needs to use other people’s popularity to build his own backup," one detractor noted. Others defended Paul, arguing that it was fitting for an "internet superstar wrestler" to incorporate a popular meme into his act.

WWE has reportedly reached out to Welch and her merchandise partner, Jason Poteete, which might explain Paul's use of the catchphrase during his match. Despite his spirited taunt, Paul's rival LA Knight ultimately won the match, qualifying for the Money in the Bank ladder match on July 6.