Paul Heyman is the primary inductee confirmed for the 2024 WWE Corridor of Fame class. The transfer doesn’t come as a shock because the ceremony will happen within the metropolis that lengthy served as the bottom for Heyman’s Excessive Championship Wrestling promotion within the Nineteen Nineties, Philadelphia.
Heyman first broke into wrestling in his early teenagers, working as a photographer — together with at WWE (then WWF) occasions as a 14 12 months outdated. He ultimately transitioned to a managerial position beneath the title Paul E. Dangerously, working round varied wrestling territories earlier than linking up with the Nationwide Wrestling Alliance (ultimately rebranded as World Championship Wrestling) the place he served as each a supervisor and colour commentator. Heyman shaped a high secure known as The Harmful Alliance throughout the early 90s.
After leaving WCW, Heyman discovered his method to the Philadelphia-based Japanese Championship Wrestling, which nonetheless operated beneath the remnants of the NWA. By late 1993, Heyman was answerable for the inventive storytelling for the promotion. This led to an notorious second the place an ECW-hosted NWA occasion featured Shane Douglas profitable the NWA championship earlier than throwing the championship belt down and formally breaking ECW, which might be rebranded Excessive Championship Wrestling, away from the NWA.
Heyman would flip ECW into a novel promotion with a extra hardcore edge to each wrestlers and the matches themselves. He formally bought full management of the corporate in 1995 and ran it because the third largest American wrestling model — behind WWF and WCW — touchdown main reveals on pay-per-view and ultimately discovering a cable tv deal earlier than the promotion in the end closed in 2001.
Throughout his profession, Heyman had developed a optimistic relationship with Vince McMahon, resulting in the WWE CEO bringing in Heyman in varied roles.
Heyman’s time in WWE is most carefully related along with his work because the “advocate” of Brock Lesnar for a few years and his present position because the “wiseman” for undisputed WWE common champion Roman Reigns and the remainder of The Bloodline.
