Why did Paul Heyman leave Brock Lesnar?

Paul Heyman hasn't aligned with Brock Lesnar for close to a year-and-a-half now. It's the longest they've gone without associating with one another since the Beast Incarnate returned to WWE in 2012.

Paul Heyman technically never left Brock Lesnar. Paul Heyman was by Brock Lesnar's side until his last match with WWE at WrestleMania 36. Brock Lesnar lost to Drew McIntyre on that occasion, marking the end of his WWE run.

He was expected to re-sign, but with WWE having empty arena shows for over a year, perhaps the company didn't want to reduce Brock Lesnar's larger-than-life presence.

Paul Heyman ready to “burn that bridge” if Brock Lesnar returns to WWE 👀 pic.twitter.com/7iBNBLnb2z

— B/R Wrestling (@BRWrestling) July 13, 2021

As of August 2021, there is still no news about Brock Lesnar re-signing with WWE. With Lesnar gone, WWE decided to pair up Paul Heyman with Roman Reigns. Two nights before Payback 2020, Roman Reigns confirmed his alliance with Paul Heyman, cementing his heel turn in the process.

Family portrait. @WWERomanReigns @HeymanHustle @WWEUsos 📸 : #SmackDown, TONIGHT at 8/7c on @FOXTV pic.twitter.com/OwLW0PxZIH

— WWE (@WWE) July 30, 2021

Since then, Paul Heyman has been an essential part of Roman Reigns' entourage. However, there seems to be a big difference between Paul Heyman's relationship with Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns. With Brock Lesnar, Paul Heyman is his advocate and mouthpiece. With Roman Reigns, that isn't the case. He's more of an on-screen advisor to Roman Reigns, serving him instead.

What happened when Paul Heyman actually left Brock Lesnar in 2002?

Paul Heyman was associated with Brock Lesnar early in his WWE career as The Beast Incarnate went on to become the youngest world champion in the company's history at that point.

But a few months into Brock Lesnar's first WWE Championship reign, Paul Heyman turned on him. At Survivor Series 2002, Brock Lesnar was defending the WWE Championship against the Big Show. Paul Heyman betrayed Brock Lesnar and allowed the Big Show to win the WWE title, leading to The Beast Incarnate's first pinfall loss in WWE.

On top of that, it cemented Brock Lesnar's face turn in late 2002. The duo have been together for almost all of Brock Lesnar's runs since then.