Roman Reigns or CM Punk: Who is Paul Heyman closer to in real life?

Roman Reigns and CM Punk are some of WWE's most notable superstars today, and Paul Heyman's involvement in their careers has undeniably contributed to their success. Although they are both close to the Hall of Famer, one relationship is closer than the other.

Paul Heyman has managed many WWE Superstars throughout his career, and CM Punk and Roman Reigns are arguably two of the most notable ones. The Hall of Famer began managing The Second City Saint in 2012, and although it ended the following year, they rekindled their on-screen relationship when Punk returned in 2023. As for the Undisputed Tribal Chief, the legendary manager has been working with him as his Wiseman since the start of The Bloodline storyline.

Although Paul and Punk's relationship started first, Heyman and Reigns have much deeper ties. The Wiseman isn't just tied to Roman but also the rest of the Anoa'i family. In the past, Heyman worked with The Headshrinkers (AKA The Samoan Swat Team), composed of Rikishi and Samu. Due to this, Paul is considered part of the family.

Notably, Heyman previously shared that his Tribal Chief was the one who compelled him to work every day when his partnership with Brock Lesnar ended. The Head of The Table has also previously noted that they worked together backstage for years before The Bloodline saga kicked off.

Roman also noted that he learned a lot from Heyman even before they started working on screen due to the 59-year-old's working relationship with the Anoa'i family for decades.

As for Punk, in a 2025 interview with WWE's Jackie Redmond, the RAW star shared that he and Paul have always been friends. However, he admitted that their relationship was negatively impacted after The Best in The World left the Stamford-based company in 2014. However, they have seemingly fixed their relationship since Punk's return to WWE.

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What happened between Roman Reigns, CM Punk, and Paul Heyman on WWE RAW this week?

Roman Reigns returned to WWE on last night's RAW after being sidelined by Seth Rollins for several weeks following a ringside attack by The Architect at the Royal Rumble. However, the Undisputed Tribal Chief didn't return alone, as he had Paul Heyman by his side.

During Rollins and Punk's Steel Cage Match, Roman interfered and dragged Seth out of the unforgiving structure. He attacked his former Shield ''brother'' at ringside before turning his attention to Punk. Interestingly, Heyman helping his former client get on his feet is not something that Roman appreciated. As a result, he entered the ring and Speared The Second City Saint.

It will be interesting to see what's next for CM Punk, Roman Reigns, and Paul Heyman on the Road to WrestleMania 41.