Ranking the 5 best "Paul Heyman Guys" in WWE history

Ever since Paul Heyman returned to WWE in 2012, he has delivered outstanding performances on a weekly basis. While he's spent the majority of his time alligning with Brock Lesnar, Heyman has also cornered CM Punk and Roman Reigns with a great deal of success.

Heyman not only cuts outstanding promos but also elevates his proteges' matches with his mannerisms at ringside. The New York native's work has now set him apart to such a degree that anyone he's paired with receives a boost just by association. The aura he has built for himself puts Heyman in the pantheon of legendary managers alongside the likes of Bobby Heenan, Jim Cornette and Freddie Blassie.

With that being said, here's our ranking of the five best "Paul Heyman Guys" in WWE:

---

#5 Paul Heyman has always been one of the Big Show's biggest advocates

Behind the scenes, Paul Heyman was always one of Big Show's greatest admirers. The World's Largest Athlete initially failed to live up to the enormous expectations set for him in WWE and was even sent back to OVW to improve his conditioning.

When he returned to the main roster, the Big Show floundered on the mid-card until he was traded to SmackDown in October 2002. Heyman was the show's head writer at the time and convinced Vince McMahon to give the former WCW World Heavyweight Champion a significant push.

At Survivor Series 2002, Heyman joined forces on-screen with the Big Show and turned on his protege Brock Lesnar, and handed the Beast Incarnate his first pinfall loss in WWE.

While the pairing of Heyman and the Big Show was brief, their off-screen chemistry translated to television and they elevated each other instantly.

#4 Paul Heyman elevated Team Angle

Paul Heyman managed to align himself with Kurt Angle after the Olympic Gold Medalist won the WWE Championship at Armageddon 2002. Angle also surrounded himself with the tag team of Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin.

While Angle was at the peak of his powers and didn't need any help on the microphone, Heyman almost instantly elevated Haas and Benjamin. The ECW Mastermind also played an instrumental part in Angle's feud with Lesnar, since he had previously turned on The Beast Incarnate.

However, Heyman was taken off television before WrestleMania 19, denying him a satisfying ending to his feud with Lesnar.

---

#3 Paul Heyman was perfect for Roman Reigns

For years, WWE tried to get Roman Reigns over as a babyface, but to no avail. Even though they put him in numerous WrestleMania main events and paired him with his more interesting contemporaries in The Shield, the audience just didn't take to Reigns.

When the Georgia Tech product returned to television at SummerSlam 2020 following a 5-month hiatus, WWE finally relented and decided to turn him heel.

Reigns has put on some of the best performances of his career as The Tribal Chief and has established himself as the biggest star in professional wrestling. A big part of the character's success has been the presence of Paul Heyman.

The former ECW head honcho has added a compelling on-screen presence to The Bloodline and has stolen the show on several occasions with his entertaining backstage segments. Heyman is also the focal point of Roman Reigns' storyline with Brock Lesnar, which has the potential to be one of WWE's best feuds in decades.

#2 CM Punk had arguably the best run of his career with Paul Heyman

Paul Heyman had been away from WWE for several years when CM Punk named him in the "pipe-bomb" promo. This mention once again made Heyman relevant in the world of professional wrestling and paved the way for his return with Brock Lesnar in 2012.

Due to the number of obstacles placed in his path, CM Punk's rise to the top of WWE was extraordinary. Punk was seemingly persona non grata in the company from his first day and was even placed on the chopping block in OVW. However, Heyman was always a firm believer in the Chicago native and took him to the newly-formed ECW brand in 2006.

When Heyman returned to the company in 2012, an on-screen union between the two was inevitable. Punk, the WWE Champion at the time, turned heel when he attacked The Rock and then joined forces with Heyman on the following episode of Raw.

While Punk was incredible as an anti-authority rebel, he was even more entertaining as a heel World Champion with Heyman in his corner. The Straight Edge Superstar elevated his promos to a new level and put on several compelling pay-per-view matches.

CM Punk was undoubtedly Paul Heyman's best partner in crime, but he falls just short of the number-one spot because his run with the New York native didn't have the longevity of the next entrant on the list.

---

#1 Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar are an iconic pairing

When Paul Heyman was appointed Brock Lesnar's "agent" in 2002, both men's careers changed forever. Lesnar's career took off instantly while Heyman received an opportunity to establish himself as one of WWE's greatest ever managers.

When The Beast Incarnate returned to WWE in 2012, bringing back Heyman as his mouthpiece was a no-brainer. In the following years, the two stars have cemented their legacy as one of the most iconic pairings in professional wrestling history.

Until the legendary manager allied himself with The Bloodline, the duo were WWE's biggest attraction for nearly a decade. For all his other achievements in professional wrestling, there is an entire generation of fans who will primarily remember Paul Heyman as Brock Lesnar's advocate.