Heyman is going into the Hall of Fame.
The night prior to night one of WrestleMania 40 in April, WWE is going to present their annual Hall of Fame ceremony. This year’s festivities is emanating from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the first inductee announced for the class is Paul Heyman.
Heyman opened up about the honor while speaking to the New York Post. He mentioned that he does not want a lifetime achievement award when he’s not done achieving things.
It’s taken me all these decades to figure this business out and the art of presentation to an audience, 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. 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.
Heyman went on to share that he thought he was out of the wrestling business for good after his 2006 exit from WWE. He touched on Brock Lesnar’s return to the company in 2012.
Heyman could not have imagined coming back but received an offer he could not refuse. He said initially, him and Lesnar only agreed to come back for a year but Heyman ended up managing CM Punk, helping behind the scenes and then the match between Brock Lesnar and The Undertaker happened. After that, Heyman figured he would be at WWE for life.
I thought I was done (in wrestling). When Brock Lesnar first came back in 2012, I didn’t come with him. I couldn’t imagine coming back to the industry. I thought I was finished for good and it was time to do something else with my life. They made me an offer I couldn’t refuse, and the funny thing is both Brock and I only agreed to come back for a year, till the WrestleMania at MetLife in 2013. But by that time, I was already working with CM Punk on camera and behind the scenes, and was having so much fun that we decided to stick around. The next year was the match with The Undertaker in which Lesnar conquered the undefeated streak. Once that happened, I figured I was pretty much here for life.
Speaking about The Bloodline storyline, Heyman said he has a significant voice in how they are presented and portrayed.
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, 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. I don’t know if I could only be a performer. I wouldn’t be satisfied. I wouldn’t be happy with just going out there and doing our shtick. I have to have a voice. I have to have some level of input, and so far, as luck would have it, that input has been not only welcomed but encouraged and very well received.
The next portion of The Bloodline storyline unfolds this coming Friday on SmackDown. Cody Rhodes and World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins will appear to respond to The Rock’s challenge for a tag match on night one of WrestleMania 40.
