Paul Heyman reacts to jump scare on WWE SmackDown

The WWE SmackDown crew pulled a big prank on Paul Heyman this week. Now, the legendary wrestling star is speaking out on what happened.

The Road to WrestleMania 40 continued on Friday's SmackDown in Memphis, Tennessee. The Wiseman was there to handle Bloodline business as usual, but during one backstage segment, he was seemingly horrified by nemesis Kayla Braxton while walking with Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa.

WWE re-posted the jump scare clip to Instagram. Heyman responded in the comments section but also took to his Instagram Stories to link fans to the explanation. He noted that he felt compelled to comment on the video because the company posted it and to explain the "ridiculous reason" they uploaded it in the first place.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, my name is @PaulHeyman. I would like to call your astute attention the fact I am not 'scared' as this misleading semi-clickbait lure-for-traffic would imply. It is actually yet another example of the manner in which @kaylabraxtonwwe yearns to get a heightened reaction from me, and @WWE's penchant for exploiting her Wiseman-craving actions. Sigh. Just another Friday night on #Smackdown!!!" Heyman commented.

Screenshots of Paul Heyman's post to Instagram Stories and WWE's Reel

Heyman is set for a big WrestleMania XL Weekend in Philadelphia next month. In addition to his leadership duties with The Bloodline, the former ECW boss will be the headliner for the Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

Paul Heyman on finally accepting the WWE Hall of Fame offer

World Wrestling Entertainment announced Paul Heyman as the headliner for the Hall of Fame 2024 Class. The induction had been rumored as WrestleMania 40 is being held in Philadelphia, which was the birthplace of ECW.

The Wiseman has been worthy of a Hall of Fame induction for several years now, as his career goes back to 1986. Speaking to TMZ in a recent interview, Heyman revealed that he has turned down offers in the past but accepted them this year because of Triple H.

"I've turned down the Hall of Fame several times in the past, but this year it's Triple H, Paul Levesque's first year in full control of determining who goes into the Hall of Fame. It's in Philadelphia, which was the home of ECW. It's WrestleMania 40, so it's a perfect storm to accept," Heyman said.

Heyman will be inducted along with Bull Nakano, Mike Rotunda, and Barry Windham as The U.S. Express, Muhammad Ali, and Thunderbolt Patterson. Officials are also expected to announce new Legacy Wing inductees, as well as The Rock's grandmother, longtime promoter Lia Maivia.