Paul Heyman was a guest on Mark Madden's radio show today in Pittsburgh to promote Summerslam. You can listen to the interview by clicking here.
When asked about his return, Heyman made it clear that at first, he turned down Lesnar's invitation to come in with him in WWE but over time, Lesnar pushed and he's "been riding Brock's coattails for ten years."
Heyman said that he felt WWE doesn't know how to promote the Brock Lesnar fighter persona, which is why he tries to differentiate between entertainers like Shawn Michaels and a real fighter like Brock. He feels that's one of the reasons he was brought back - because he knows how to market Brock in that persona.
Paul said that if he was brought back to work with someone else, he didn't know how well his mic work would have fared, but the relationship with Brock is so natural and old hat that he could slide right back into the role.
Heyman said there has been no issue with working with Triple H and Stephanie McMahon and feels they enjoy having someone who rips on them so badly because it gives people a reason to get behind and cheer them even stronger.
When asked about Lesnar in MMA, Heyman said that he feels Lesnar had his run, but "if the deal was right, he'd very much consider it." He said that he felt Brock had his say and proved his point. He said that Lesnar has everything he owns paid for, including three farms and his cars and his children's education. He said that Brock is a farmer by nature and that's what makes him happy. When they talk, Lesnar talks all these farming terms and strategies and Heyman has no idea what he's talking about, but that's what makes Brock happy. Heyman said he was the number one draw in PPV for two years.
Heyman was asked whether he would run a wrestling promotion again, he said that it's easy to say no, but if someone came to him and offered him the right deal and right freedom, he would consider it. He doesn't think it will happen and he doesn't predict it doesn't happen but if the checks would clear and the networks were lined up and the right backers were involved, he thinks, "why not? I'll take anyone on."
Madden noted that some people feel that if Paul got back into the business, "wrestling would go extreme again, but I always say no" because Paul would do something different. Heyman agreed and said that when he was in charge of Smackdown's creative, it wasn't anything like ECW. He said ECW was about making new stars and he made the choices to implement a style that created smoke and mirrors to help them become stars. His Smackdown wasn't ECW because he had different talents and budgets. ECW was a product of its time and the concepts were innovative and new for back then. He would do something new and different today because if he did something that was like ECW today, it wouldn't be new. He would want to do something 'state of the art.'
Heyman was asked what it means when people like he and Jim Ross aren't part of the creative process of pro wrestling today. He said it means they are non-conformists and not willing to conform to change the business from within. He said that if you want to change it, you have to get within it and change it from within. He said Jim Ross did do that for many years, specifically in talent recruitment and management and that can't be matched. He made some changes until he had enough of it. He said they are two old war horses who don't want the battles but say that if you want us to make change, tag us in.
Heyman was asked if there was one moment where he knew ECW would work. He said that at the end of the Night the Line Was Crossed's 60 minute draw, when the fans began chanting ECW and branded the promotion as their own, he knew they would be a hit.
Madden asked him his favorite ECW act. Heyman said loved watching the development of the Raven character, saying he was never as good before and never reached that peak as a performer ever again. He was telling a compelling story that made you feel empathy but the manner that he took those frustrations out on the babyfaces, the audience never got behind him and chanted his name. His run in 1995-1997 in ECW was awe-inspiring on the level of Steve Austin and Mick Foley's best work. He said that he loved the Taz run and when RVD truly hit in 1998-2000 and was truly the guy carrying ECW, Heyman loved the interaction with the fans and RVD. Heyman said when the Dudleys went out there and got so much heat. He said that they went out in front of an audience that were very smart to the inner workings of the business but within two minutes of watching the Dudleys, those same fans were ready to fight and riot. He said they took the smartest fans in North America and made them believe it was real. He said that's why Bully Ray is the best thing in TNA and "who else can do that today?"
Heyman said this has been a totally unexpected, interesting run and he and Brock are having "a blast" doing this. He said they are in the main event and the best part of this is that if you look at any match going into a big show, you can pick the winner and the end result. He said that no one can call this one and where they are going with the direction. He said that no one know and people are guessing and are having fun guessing about it. He said that he's the first one to admit he's 47 and shouldn't be on TV but as progressive as he says the business needs to be, this has been the most old school angle of them all because no one knows what they are doing and where they are going - and that's why they are going to have a fun main event.
