10 WWE Stars Who Most Benefited From Paul Heyman's Influence
3. Steve Austin
Speaking of inspiration, Steve Austin received a barrel load of it when leaving WCW and working for ECW in 1995. In Atlanta, Heyman and Austin had worked together, the manager using the wrestler as part of his Dangerous Alliance stable. Their relationship was good, but it was one that was only just beginning to flourish.
Bitter and in need of a platform to vent, Austin detested the way he had been callously discarded by WCW. Only too aware of this, Heyman gave his friend the chance to cut promos that would become legendary. Filmed in a shoot-style, Austin's gritty delivery exorcised his demons and set the tone for what would become his Stone Cold character in the WWF.
Once hired by Vince McMahon, Austin was able to point towards those ECW promos, using them as an example why the WWF needed to let him talk more on camera. To this day, Steve Austin always gives Paul Heyman credit, saying that he let him blow out his negativity and start looking forward instead.
Heyman didn't outright create Stone Cold, but he had a hand in it.