10 Wrestlers So Good They Changed Vince McMahon's Mind
6. Paul Heyman
Vince McMahon and Paul Heyman used to share a very odd relationship.
They worked with one another in the late '90s because Vince realised that Heyman held the key to a new mode of pro wrestling storytelling. This arrangement became formal upon the collapse of ECW, after which Heyman's creative genius saw him grab the pencil on SmackDown.
It was an ill-fated venture.
In official WWE documentaries, the McMahon family have cited Heyman's unprofessional attitude and inflexibility as the cause of his exit. A conspiracy theory developed, one with a great deal of supporting anecdotal evidence: Vince resented Heyman for embarrassing the sports entertainment A brand with dreaded, acclaimed wrestling. Whatever the case, a clash in personalities accelerated everything. Both men were adamant in philosophy, and the boss won out.
On that note of supporting anecdotal evidence, the exact same thing happened again in 2006. The dissonance in vision was too much for Heyman this time, because ECW was dearer to his heart. There was no quiet demotion: Heyman tossed the controller aside, and rage quit the company.
The return of Brock Lesnar and the passage of time reopened the door; Heyman was entrusted with developing the Lesnar character, the shocking protection of which is an indication of how happy Vince became with his new Executive Director. Reportedly, a profound respect forged over time has altered the dynamic of the relationship.
A mandolin plays in the distance...