When you think about the sport of professional wrestling over the last 30+ years, one of the most prominent figures is none other than Paul Heyman. On Monday morning, Heyman was officially recognized for his influence on the sport in a very profound way.
It was announced that the New York native will be the first inductee into the 2024 WWE Hall of Fame. The ceremony is slated to take place before WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia next month. This marks a very special moment for the man they call Paul E. Dangerously — who began as an ardent wrestling fan during his teenage years. He first gained entry into events as a photographer/journalist.
From there, his impact on the sport grew. Heyman was able to transform ECW into an exciting yet violent alternative to some of the other wrestling promotions at the time. He also spent time in WCW as a very popular manager. Once transitioning to WWE, his persona grew considerably. He became a commentator alongside the iconic “JR” Jim Ross.
Heyman’s chops on the mic enabled him to be an integral fixture in the Invasion storyline — which pitted ex-ECW/WCW wrestlers against the preexisting stable of performers in the WWE brand. Since then, he’s been a manager for a host of high-profile wrestlers. Chief among them, Brock Lesnar — and most recently, Roman Reigns. When factoring in his talents vocally, there are few non-wrestlers within the business as recognizable as Heyman.
He truly has an appreciation for the sport dating back to when he was a young child. The pageantry and performative feel he offers whenever on camera is truly special. We’ll look back one day and realize just how good Heyman was when he’s no longer prowling around the ring with a mischievous look and a twinkle in his eye.
