Paul Heyman has done it all, and hes done it with a degree of mastery that makes each endeavor look as though he was born to do it. He got his start as a manager, and to this day its still what hes best known for (probably since he currently manages Brock Lesnar). When its all said and done, Paul will go down as the greatest manager of all time, eclipsing Bobby Heenan. His ability to propel characters through his mic work has been proven time and time again, and its such an established tenet, that now when Heyman talks, everyone listens. Why? Because hes awesome at it. Hes been known to shoot, too, which make for some of the best Heyman moments. But Paul Heyman made himself into a force to be reckoned with when he took over NWA Eastern Championship Wrestling and eventually broke free and created Extreme Championship Wrestling. He wanted different, and ECW was different in every way. The moves were riskier, the attitude was edgier, the characters and matches werewell, hardcore. This wasnt a PG-type of show. It was geared toward adults for the most part, but also teenagers who were tired of WWE and WCW. Make no mistake whatsoever, Heyman should be credited for the Attitude Era as much as Eric Bischoff should. The success of ECW showed people that this type of wrestling worked, and the WWE shamelessly copied a formula that Heyman created. Even though ECW didnt survive the end of the wrestling wars, it continued on as a brand with WWE when they purchased it. Heyman continued as well, only this time as a broadcaster, commentator, manager and booker for the WWE. Hes still there (despite a several year hiatus following an ECW storyline dispute), only this time hes the top-level manager in the company. Remember, if it wasnt for CM Punks infamous promo during which he said, Im a Paul Heyman guy, theres a chance Paul isnt back with the company right now. His list of accomplishments and contributions to the industry are far too lengthy to mention here. Hes worked for, and been successful in three of the biggest promotions ever in WCW, ECW, and WWE. His legacy will outlive him.
