Early Wrestling Career
Paul Heyman got his start in the wrestling business by working as a photographer when he was just 13 years old. As time passed, he gained more backstage access and made connections with men like Dusty Rhodes, Jim Crockett, and Ric Flair.
Heyman made his managerial debut in 1987 and began making appearances across the independent circuit. He picked up the ring name “Paul E. Dangerously,” a spoof of the 1984 comedy film Johnny Dangerously.
In 1988, Heyman signed with Jim Crockett Promotions and worked as a manager and announcer. He was fired from WCW in 1993 after a backstage clash with WCW’s head booker, Bill Watts.
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Shortly after his departure from WCW, Heyman became the booker for Philadelphia’s Eastern Championship Wrestling. In addition to his backstage responsibilities, Heyman also worked as an on-screen manager for wrestlers like Sabu and 911.
In 1994, Eastern Championship Wrestling broke away from the National Wrestling Alliance and rebranded itself as Extreme Championship Wrestling. ECW became infamous for its brand of hardcore wrestling; it garnered a cult-like following of fans along the East Coast.
Unfortunately, financial trouble forced Heyman to shut down ECW in April 2001. The company was purchased by WWE two years later and revived under the WWE umbrella in 2005, though it now lacked the underground atmosphere that made the promotion famous. Heyman himself was also brought on board WWE as a booker for the ECW brand and WWE’s developmental territory, OVW.
The Rise Of Paul Heyman Guys
On May 7, 2012, Heyman began serving as Brock Lesnar’s “legal advisor” at the request of Lesnar himself. Heyman then accompanied Lesnar in his feud against Triple H that culminated at SummerSlam 2012.
The following year, Heyman served as CM Punk’s manager; Heyman had been an early supporter of CM Punk in WWE, making their on-screen partnership a full-circle moment between the pair. Heyman was at ringside when Punk took on the Undertaker at WrestleMania 29.
There would be a few “Paul Heyman Guys” that followed CM Punk and Brock Lesnar, though none of them achieved the same level of stardom as the first two; Curtis Axel became Intercontinental Champion under Heyman’s tutelage, and Ryback briefly allied himself with Heyman.
Brock Lesnar’s Advocate
Beginning at SummerSlam 2014, Heyman served exclusively as Brock Lesnar’s manager. Lesnar became one of the most dominant competitors in WWE history with Heyman’s guidance; he immediately defeated John Cena in a devastating upset to become WWE World Heavyweight Champion and stayed at the top of the mountain for the next six years.
Heyman was also at Lesnar’s side for all three of the Beast’s reigns as WWE Universal Champion, as well as for his controversial victory at Money in the Bank 2019. His final managerial appearance with Lesnar came at WrestleMania 36, where Lesnar lost the WWE Championship to Drew McIntyre.
The Tribal Chief’s Special Counsel
In August 2020, Heyman allied himself with Roman Reigns, who had just recently returned to WWE after a months-long absence. Reigns won the WWE Universal Championship later that same month and kickstarted what would turn out to be the greatest run of his WWE career.
Despite some roadblocks and miscommunications along the way, Heyman has been at Roman Reigns’ side throughout his incredible reign as the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion. Heyman also helps keep the other members of the Bloodline in check. It’s often a thankless job.
