Paul Heyman Draws Sharp Contrast Between Working with Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns

With a roster of clients like Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns, Paul Heyman points out the character difference in what the two stars play.

Paul Heyman Draws Sharp Contrast Between Working with Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns

Paul Heyman, Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar (via WWE)

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Paul Heyman is already regarded as one of the greatest on-screen managers in professional wrestling history. Over the years, the WWE Hall of Famer has guided an extraordinary lineup of talent, including Brock Lesnar, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Undertaker, and Roman Reigns, to championship success. 

But as Heyman has proven time and again, simply standing beside a superstar isn’t enough. While wrestlers handle their promos and storylines, Heyman takes on a deeper role: understanding their characters on a more intricate level. 

A master of the microphone himself, he played a crucial part in elevating the early careers of clients like Lesnar and Reigns, both of whom initially struggled with promo work. Heyman’s ability to read, refine, and communicate their on-screen personas helped shape them into main-event forces.

This attention to detail has been a defining factor in how Heyman presents his clients to fans and the wider world. And during a recent appearance on Stephanie McMahon’s What’s Your Story podcast, Heyman explained the differences between working with Reigns and Lesnar.

Brock, really, we never explored the depth of the character. Brock’s character is intentionally very one-dimensional, but the Tribal Chief wasn’t.

Paul Heyman via What’s Your Story podcast

There’s truth in that. When Lesnar first arrived in WWE back in 2002, he wasn’t confident on the mic, so Heyman became his voice, amplifying his intimidating presence. The same was true during Lesnar’s second run from 2012 to 2023, where ‘The Advocate’ handled the promo duties while Lesnar dominated in the ring.

Reigns, however, was a different challenge. His Tribal Chief persona required far more depth, emotion, and dramatic storytelling to bring to life.

What made the Tribal Chief so different is that on very strategic times we presented layers. Every time you thought you understood the Tribal Chief Roman Reigns we showed you something different. That’s what made that character so breathtaking to watch develop in front of your very eyes.

Paul Heyman via What’s Your Story podcast

And this alliance ultimately transformed Reigns’ entire career. Between 2014 and 2020, ‘The Big Dog’ was routinely booed by fans, who felt his character was predictable and overly protected by WWE management. 

This backlash led to infamous moments such as his 2015 Royal Rumble victory, where he was loudly booed even with The Rock endorsing him, and the night after WrestleMania 33, when he defeated The Undertaker and was met with overwhelming hostility.

But everything changed with the birth of ‘The Tribal Chief.’ With Paul Heyman serving as his ‘Wiseman,’ Reigns reinvented himself completely. The new character brought depth, intensity, and storytelling layers that fans had never seen from him before. 

The result was one of the most dominant and celebrated runs in WWE history, a monumental 1,316-day reign as Undisputed Champion that firmly cemented Reigns as the face of the company.

Paul Heyman weighs in on rejecting the WWE Hall of Fame induction on multiple occasions

While newer wrestling fans may know Paul Heyman mainly as the advocate for Brock Lesnar and the Wiseman to Roman Reigns, his impact on professional wrestling runs far deeper. Heyman’s creative brilliance was the driving force behind ECW, a groundbreaking alternative to the family-friendly style of WWE and WCW during the Monday Night Wars.

Paul Heyman at 2024 Hall of Fame
Paul Heyman at the 2024 Hall of Fame (via WWE)

Although ECW ultimately couldn’t survive as a business, its influence reshaped the industry. It introduced a gritty, extreme style of wrestling that still echoes through the sport today, and it launched the careers of icons like Rob Van Dam, The Sandman, Tommy Dreamer, and Sabu, stars who became synonymous with the ECW legacy.

These contributions earned Heyman a well-deserved place in the 2024 WWE Hall of Fame ahead of WrestleMania 40, with Reigns inducting him. While many celebrated this honor, Heyman revealed on What’s Your Story? podcast that he initially had no interest in accepting the Hall of Fame offer while still active.

But his children urged him to reconsider, insisting they wanted him to receive the honor while he was alive and well. The remark sparked laughter from Stephanie McMahon, who joked about where Heyman’s kids learned to be so blunt. 

I turned down the Hall of Fame four times. I just thought I would never do it while I’m active. And my kids wanted me to accept it, because they were afraid they would have to accept it for me after I died.

Paul Heyman via What’s Your Story podcast

Heyman added that a few more factors convinced him to say yes: it was WrestleMania 40, the first under Triple H’s full creative control, and he was asked to headline the ceremony, making the timing feel just right.

Currently, Heyman is leading ‘The Vision’, a faction featuring Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, and its newest member, Logan Paul, as they head into Survivor Series later this month. With the group recently expelling Seth Rollins, all eyes are now on how this powerful alliance will evolve. and what direction Heyman will steer the faction toward in the months ahead.

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