Ladies and gentleman his name is Paul Heyman, and he is the advocate for the reigning, defending, undisputed Universal Champion – Brrrrrrroooooooooccccccccccckkkkkkkkkkk Lesnarrrr!!!! *ahem* now that’s out of the way, let’s talk about Paul. He started his managerial career by joining forces with Kevin Sullivan and Oliver Humperdink, he was under the moniker Paul E. Dangerously. Paul went on to Continental Wrestling Association after Championship Wrestling from Florida was absorbed by Jim Crockett. In CWA, Paul managed Tommy Rich and Austin Idol, Paul also managed Oriental Midnight Express (Dennis Condrey and Randy Rose. in ‘88, Paul went to Jim Crockett Promotions where he continued his management of the Oriental Midnight Express, Paul also managed “Mean” Mark Callous (The Undertaker). Paul took some time as a ring announcer with Jim Ross but came back to manage The Dangerous Alliance. The Dangerous Alliance dominated WCW for most of ‘92. The Paul E character was an extension of Heyman himself, he was brash New Yorker and a yuppy, who carried a mobile phone.
Paul stepped away from being a manger to start a new promotion – Extreme Championship Wrestling after ECW ceased to be a company, Paul was signed to WWE, where he became a commentator once more. Whilst as a commentator, he rivalled with Jim Ross and recreated ECW as a stable, the stable merged with WCW when Shane McMahon purchased World Championship Wrestling and an Invasion angle began. After the angle ended, he was “fired” when in reality, he became the head writer of SmackDown. Paul first managed Brock Lesnar in ’02 and led him to become Undisputed WWE Championship for 126 days. Paul turned on Brock at Survivor Series by joining forces with Big Show and helping him defeat Brock for his Championship. Over the next few years, Paul did work for Ohio Valley Wrestling and the new Extreme Championship Wrestling, he stepped away from WWE in ‘06.
Paul returned to WWE in 2012, where he was the legal advisor to Brock Lesnar. After this ended, Paul went on to be the manager of CM Punk after he was seen driving away from a car for CM Punk after he attacked John Cena. Paul did say he was going to retire from WWE, but Punk convinced him to stay and be in his corner at the Elimination Chamber Match, Paul was with Punk for the latter half of his record-breaking Championship reign of 434 days. Punk set his sights on ending The Undertaker’s streak at WrestleMania, Pau’s other client – Brock was due to fight Triple H at WrestleMania 29 with Triple H’s career on the line. Both of Paul’s clients lost that night and Paul announced that Brock wanted to challenge Triple H to a rematch Steel Cage match at Extreme Rules, which Triple H accepted, Brock won with the help of Paul.
Paul Heyman announced that Matthew McGillicutty would be the new Paul Heyman guy, and changed his name to Curtis Axel. Paul appeared on Chris Jericho’s Highlight Reel, during the Highlight Reel, Chris challenged Paul’s other client – CM Punk to a match, which Paul accepted on Punk’s behalf. After a contract signing tp make the match official, Chris had a match with Curtis, that Paul helped Curtis win by getting Punk out long enough to distract Chris for the win. Paul coached Curtis to win the Intercontinental Championship, Punk stated that he no longer wanted Paul to be his manager, during a match with Alberto Del Rio. After the match, Punk was attacked by Brock, the following week on RAW, Punk demanded answers from Paul, he claimed to not to have not set Brock on Punk, so he decided to forgive Paul. That night, Punk faced Darren Young and after the match, Punk was attacked by Titus O’Neil and was saved by Curtis Axel. Paul then announced that Punk and Axel would team up to take on the Prime Time Players (Darren Young and Titus O’Neil).
Money In The Bank rolled around, and Paul betrayed Punk by hitting him with the Money In The Bank briefcase three times ending their partnership. Punk retaliated by choking out Paul whilst Paul was in the corner of a Curtis Axel match, after the match, Brock once again attacked Punk. Paul set up a match for Punk and Brock at SummerSlam ‘13, which Brock won with interference from Paul. The torment of Punk continued as Paul and Curtis attacked Punk with kendo sticks, Paul was then booked to team with Curtis to take on Punk in an Elimination Handicap Match at Night of Champions. Paul repeatedly tried to get out of the match but was unsuccessful in doing so. With the match now bein No Disqualification, Punk eliminated Curtis and began to attack Paul. With Paul in handcuffs, Punk was about to attack him with a kendo stick when Ryback interfered and put Punk through a table costing him the match. At Hell In A Cell, Punk defeated Paul and Ryback and afterwards, Punk put Paul on top of the cage, indicating the end of the feud.
Paul dropped Ryback as Ryback never signed on to be a “Paul Heyman Guy”, Paul also dropped Curtis Axel from his group and kept his attention solely on Brock Lesnar. 2014 came around, and Brock turned his attention to breaking The Undertaker’s undefeated streak at WrestleMania, and unlike CM Punk, Brock was successful. The following night, it was announced that Cesaro was a Paul Heyman Guy but this ended extremely quickly. Paul announced that Brock Lesnar would take on John Cena for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, which Brock won in brutal fashion with multiple F5’s. Brock remained Champion for the rest of 2014 and even retained at Royal Rumble against Seth Rollins and John Cena, with Paul by his side for this and at WrestleMania 31, for his match against Roman Reigns and Seth cashed in his MITB Briefcase and pinned Roman, costing Brock his Championship. Brock was “suspended” after he demanded a rematch and attacked several people, upon his and Paul’s return, Brock was announced as the number one contender for Seth’s WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Battleground. A returning Undertaker attacked Brock, thus reigniting their feud which culminated in a SummerSlam match and ending with a Hell In A Cell Match.
Paul and Brock went away and returned at RAW 11th 2016, Paul was at his usual place of ringside at Royal Rumble, where Brock was eliminated by Bray Wyatt. During the 2016 Brand Split, Paul and Brock were drafted to RAW, October of that year, Paul challenged Goldberg to a match on behalf of Brock, which Goldberg accepted. Their match was a squash, and the pair had a match for WrestleMania for the Universal Championship, which Brock won. Samoa Joe was one of the opponents for Brock Lesnar, and Joe ended up putting him in a Coquina Clutch after Joe very calmly explained to Paul that’s, that what he was going to do. Paul remained to help Brock in any way that he could, even with Brock attacking him a few times. June 2019, Paul was announced as Executive Director for RAW which ended June 2020. With the current pandemic occurring, Paul hasn’t been able to reprise his role of advocate to Brock Lesnar as the latter is in Canada and isn’t able to cross borders.
Paul Heyman’s career has definitely earned himself a future spot in the WWE Hall Of Fame and he is undoubtedly one of the best managers of all time and one of the best speakers in wrestling.
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