It was recently revealed that Paul Heyman will be the first inductee into the 2024 WWE Hall of Fame. It's undeniably well-deserved but, during a recent interview with the New York Post, the Advocate and Wiseman made it clear this should not be taken as a sign his WWE career is winding down.
"It’s taken me all these decades to figure this business out and the art of presentation to an audience," he started, "so while I hate to use the old cliche of, ‘You ain’t seen nothing yet, and I’m just getting started,’ ... You ain’t seen nothing yet, and I’m just getting started."
"I don’t want a lifetime achievement award when I’m not done achieving things," Heyman added. "I still have a lot of other work I want to do in this industry. I want to be involved in the first main event of WrestleMania in Havana, or on the moon, or on Mars when Elon Musk colonizes it. These are things that are going to happen in the future and I desperately want to be a part of it."
Talk then turned to the ECW founder's role in The Bloodline storyline. That's dominated storytelling in WWE for the past few years and continues to evolve; 2023 saw Sami Zayn and Jey Uso turn their backs on Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, two of the hottest stories in recent memory.
Now, The Rock is in the mix and the expectation is that, once Cody Rhodes finishes his story at WrestleMania, the stage will then be set for Reigns to face the Brahma Bull next April.
"It’s constantly evolving," Heyman said of the angle's staying power. "It’s not based on instant gratification and shock value. The whole designation of the Tribal Chief, The Bloodline, the family saga that plays out on TV and premium live events, is to present the highest quality product this industry has ever seen."
"We’re cognizant of the fact that for generations great performers in this industry have been inspired, like Bruno Sammartino, Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, DX, Stone Cold, The Rock. It’s been done."
"So, when Roman Reigns and I had a chance to work together, starting in August of 2020, our designation was to put together a body of work that would upon reflection compete with 'Peaky Blinders,' 'The Sopranos,' 'The Wire,' 'Fargo,' 'Breaking Bad' - the most compelling dramas with the most riveting villains that anyone has ever seen," Heyman continues.
"It’s a disruption of what had become the status quo in sports entertainment, and then a constant search for us to disrupt that disruption. I carry a significant voice in how we are portrayed and presented - that includes everything from camera angles to music to storylines."
"It’s why Roman Reigns bestowed upon me the blessing name of the Wiseman," he notes, "which is both acknowledgment from the Tribal Chief to his Special Counsel, and also a historical reference to the Grand Wizard, Freddie Blassie and Captain Lou Albano, who are the only managers during the Vincent James McMahon era."
It's always fascinating to hear from Heyman and we're not remotely surprised to hear how instrumental he's been in this storyline. It does indeed look set to go down as one of the all-time great pro wrestling storylines, but all eyes will be on those involved to stick the landing!