From the very time he laid eyes on him, Paul Heyman has been high on CM Punk. Maybe it's the maverick personality, defying what the status quo perceives to be the correct way, or perhaps Heyman just really thinks Punk is indeed the 'Best In The World'. Whatever the case, the former ECW head honcho has stated on more than one occasion that he wishes Punk had been around when he was running that company. Working with the future WWE Champion in the promotion's developmental system, Heyman quickly recognised that Punk wasn't viewed as a future star by the likes of Vince McMahon or Triple H, because he didn't directly fit into the paradigms of what they were looking for at the time. As a product of the American independent scene, Punk was not WWE Superstar material, according to some. Looking to keep his protege motivated, Heyman told Punk to stick true to what he wanted, because that self-belief would resonate with everyone around him. Heyman has always been regarded as someone who could talk the hind legs off a donkey, then sell them back to it, but he deserves praise for keeping Punk focused, when others were trying to fob him off.