Paul Heyman Guy

Paul Heyman has undoubtedly made an impact on the professional wrestling landscape as a visionary manager, promoter, and creative genius. His introduction of the innovative concept known as the "Paul Heyman Guy" has forever changed the way we perceive and understand the dynamics between wrestlers and their mentors.

He has managed some of the most famous wrestlers in the world. This includes names like The Undertaker and Stone Cold who were associated with Heyman for a while but then became one of the greatest wrestlers, and also names like Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar who were managed by Paul Heyman for a prolonged period.

Also Read: Did Paul Heyman own ECW?

Famous Paul Heyman Guys

Wrestler Managed by Paul Heyman	Remarks
Stunning Steve Austin	Managed in WCW as Paul E. Dangerously
Mean Mark Callous "The Undertaker"	Managed in WCW as Paul E. Dangerously
Hardcore Holly	During the WWE ECW Revival
Test	During the WWE ECW Revival
Cesaro	Aligned for a few months after WrestleMania XXX
The Dudley Boyz	During their time in SmackDown in 2004
Curtis Axel	In 2013; won the Intercontinental Championship
Ryback	In 2013; alongside CM Punk and Curtis Axel
The Big Show	In 2002; after betraying Brock Lesnar
Rob Van Dam	During the WWE ECW Revival; won the WWE Championship and ECW World Heavyweight Championship
Kurt Angle	In 2002; after betraying The Big Show
CM Punk	Held the WWE Championship for 434 Days
Brock Lesnar	The Client of Paul Heyman; Won multiple world titles, Money in the Bank, Royal Rumble, headlined multiple WrestleMania, ended The Undertaker's streak, King of the Ring, and many more accomplishments
Roman Reigns	Paul Heyman acted as the Wiseman of Roman Reigns. Reigns headlined multiple WrestleMania, unified the WWE and Universal Championship, and held the title for a record 1316 days
The Bloodline	Alongside Reigns, Heyman also managed the other members of The Bloodline over the period - Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso, Solo Sikoa, The Rock, and Sami Zayn

Also Read: Are Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar friends?

History of Paul Heyman Guy

Origins of the "Paul Heyman Guy"

Paul Heyman was in-charge of the most extreme promotion in wrestling history; Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), which featured matches and segments which were drastically different from traditional wrestling, because of which it gained a dedicated fan base very quickly. This is where Paul Heyman’s wrestling and booking acumen was first recognized, as he completely revolutionized the industry with younger talents and match types that were way edgier. In WWE, the term was first used by CM Punk during his infamous pipe-bomb promo where he called himself and Brock Lesnar to be Paul Heyman Guys.

Paul Heyman Guy (2012 - 2014)

In 2012, Heyman returned to WWE after a five-year absence and immediately aligned himself with Brock Lesnar. However, as Lesnar was a part-time wrestler, he began serving as the manager for other wrestlers as well including the World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk. Over the next two years, he got himself wrestlers like Ryback, Curtis Axel and Cesaro under the wing. Most notably, Cesaro revealed himself to be a Paul Heyman guy, on RAW after WrestleMania XXX. However, just a few weeks later, Heyman switched to only manage Brock Lesnar and since then has only managed Lesnar and The Bloodline.

Impact and influence on the industry

The essence of the "Paul Heyman Guy" lay in the fact that he was able to identify younger talents and guide them to the top of the industry. Brock Lesnar is one of the most prominent Paul Heyman Guy who had an immense amount of raw talent but thrived even more with the help of Heyman. His Beast Incarnate form, during his WWE Championship reign, and Lesnar defeating the Undertaker at WrestleMania, all happened under the guidance of Paul Heyman.

CM Punk experienced a transformative journey under the guidance of Paul Heyman as well. As a "Paul Heyman Guy," Punk was able to fully express his rebellious nature and connect with audiences on a profound level. Their partnership, first in ECW and later in WWE, provided Punk with a platform to showcase his authority defining persona and deliver groundbreaking promos and matches. The legendary "Pipebomb" promo, in particular, blurred the boundaries between fiction and reality, propelling Punk to extraordinary heights and solidifying his place in history with a remarkable 434-day reign as WWE Champion as well as facing the Undertaker at WrestleMania.

Roman Reigns had one of the greatest runs in all of pro wrestling while associated with Paul Heyman. He held the WWE Universal Championship for 1,316 days, the longest title reign in WWE since 1988. He also headlined five WrestleMania matches in four years, during this run and broke numerous records in WWE. With Heyman, Reigns managed to defeat wrestling legends like Randy Orton, John Cena, Edge, Brock Lesnar, Goldberg, and more. The Usos, too, created the record for the longest SmackDown Tag Team Championship reign alongside The Wiseman.