WWE: The legend that is Paul Heyman

Imagine professional wrestling without the bad guys, or without promoters who don’t have a vision. It is hard to imagine professional wrestling reaching the heights that it did without a couple of revolutionaries.

Vince McMahon being the primary individual who has managed to transform the business into something much bigger, and transcending into a global phenomenon. When you think about such people, there are very few who come to mind. After Vince McMahon, the only other individual to have made such an impact on the business is the person who was responsible for professional wrestling getting “edgy”. It can also be argued that directly or indirectly, he was responsible for the birth of the “Attitude Era” in the then WWF. He is none other than Paul Heyman.

An Era of Extreme

“We wanted to set our mark, we wanted to break away from the pack, we wanted to let the world know that we weren’t just some independent promotion” – Paul Heyman about ECW

When the fans were getting tired of the same old gimmicks and characters in the WWF and WCW, another promoter set on changing the industry. Rather than waiting for things to change, he had a vision, a vision to make professional wrestling “real”. After Vince McMahon came out with the “Sports Entertainment” concept, Paul Heyman wanted to shake things up in the industry.

So what did he do? He started a new era, an era of extreme. Paul Heyman took over the Eastern Championship Wrestling and made it into his own pet project, something that he thought would capture the imagination of the fans and mainstream media. He renamed the company as “Extreme Championship Wrestling”, providing edgier story lines, matches and product.

Under Paul Heyman’s regime, ECW became a global phenomenon with a cult following. ECW was known for its gore, violence and explicit content, something that was never tried before in the world of professional wrestling. Paul Heyman took something that was quickly fading off and gave it a different dimension, something that has been implemented since in the industry. The birth of the ‘Attitude Era’ in the WWF was also a result of the fans buying the edgier product of ECW. Be it The Raven ‘crucifying’ The Sandman or performers being put through flaming tables, ECW gave something unique to the fans, something that was influential for the birth of the Attitude Era.

Paul Heyman the promoter

Paul Heyman, being the owner/promoter of ECW from 1995, brought in talents from all over the world, and gave them a shot at becoming famous. Whether it was Steve Austin, Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, Eddie Guerrero, or Rey Mysterio, Paul Heyman envisioned something much different to the ‘big guy’ matches that became a norm until then in the WWF and WCW. Many credit Heyman as the person responsible for the birth of ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin, while it can also be said that WCW’s idea of Cruiserweight Division stemmed from Paul Heyman’s vision for ECW. Whether you talk about extreme matches or technical wrestling clinics, Paul Heyman gave the ECW fans what no other promotion in the United States offered. Soon, ECW was the place to be, and Vince McMahon expressed interest in tying up with the organization.

Paul Heyman the head writer

After ECW closed down, Paul Heyman joined the WWE, and was the head writer of SmackDown! It was during this period that SmackDown! became the hottest show in professional wrestling. You had guys like Brock Lesnar, Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, The Undertaker. etc., who were booked to perfection. Due credit for some amazing storylines should be given to Paul Heyman, who improved the lacklustre product of the WWE. Whether it was the Brock – Angle storyline, or the character of Eddie and Los Guerreros, Paul Heyman made SmackDown! the superior brand. Cruiserweight division was formed, which gave a different dimension to the product. Ironically, during this time, Paul Heyman’s vision made WWE a better company.

Paul Heyman the character

Last but not least, the genius of Paul Heyman can be understood through his on – screen personality. After ECW closed down, Paul Heyman became Lesnar’s manager, and then was an authority figure on SmackDown! People loved to hate Heyman, and it continues to this day. Heyman isn’t only a pioneer in the business, but also possesses extraordinary mic skills. Whether it is the infamous worked shoot on Vince McMahon, or his innumerable out – of – the – world promos, Paul Heyman has become the saviour of professional wrestling in more ways than one.

With Heyman currently involved in one of the best feuds of the year against CM Punk, there is little wonder why guys like Punk, Lesnar, Jericho, and Austin are the “Paul Heyman guys”. Heyman has an incredible knack of identifying talent, and can only be compared to very few promoters such as Vince McMahon and Jim Cornette, as wrestling’s most brilliant minds. This puts Heyman in a league of his own, as a pioneer and a revolutionary in the professional wrestling industry. The business would have never been the same if it wasn’t for Paul Heyman.