Heisman Trophy finalist Diego Pavia gets involved at WWE live event
Vanderbilt University quarterback and Heisman Trophy finalist Diego Pavia is the latest well-known star athlete to get involved in WWE action.
The 23-year-old and some teammates attended WWE’s live event in Tampa, Florida, Saturday where Pavia was verbally run down at ringside by Grayson Waller who was set to take on Rey Mysterio.
As Waller was trying to make his way to the back during the match, Pavia and his friends appeared in the entranceway and prevented Waller from doing just that. They chased him back into the ring where he fell into the middle rope and a Mysterio 619 for the pin and win as the college football players celebrated.
Pavia and crew will play their final game of the season next Wednesday against Iowa in the ReliaQuest Bowl. Pavia did not win the Heisman, college football’s top honor, which went to Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza.
WWE has leaned heavily into using pro and college athletes on shows in the past including the controversial spot with New York Giants rookie Cam Skattebo while he was injured. NBA players Jalen Brunson and Tyrese Haliburton, former NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes, and others have also made TV appearances during the TKO era.
Since 2011, Josh has been a contributing editor to Wrestling Observer/F4WOnline.com and also hosts the Punch-Out podcast. He has also written for Fight Magazine, Bloody Elbow, Bleacher Report, and other websites. He's a 2000 graduate of the University of Maine, worked in pro sports, and once was an indie ring announcer.