Paul Heyman

Paul Heyman (born September 11, 1965) is an American professional wrestling manager, former executive, promoter, and commentator. He is signed to WWE, where he is a creative advisor and an on-screen talent. Heyman first gained prominence in the late 1980s as an on-screen manager under the name Paul E. Dangerously, working for promotions such as World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and the Continental Wrestling Federation. In 1993, he became the creative force behind the Philadelphia-based Eastern Championship Wrestling (ECW), eventually purchasing the company in 1995 and renaming it Extreme Championship Wrestling. Under his leadership, ECW gained a cult following and introduced a more aggressive, reality-based style that influenced major wrestling promotions in the years that followed. After ECW closed in 2001, Heyman joined WWE, where he worked as a commentator, writer, and on-screen manager. He played a pivotal role in the early career of Brock Lesnar, serving as his manager for much of Lesnar's tenure in WWE. Heyman also contributed behind the scenes as a writer, including a run as lead writer for SmackDown in the early 2000s and later as executive director of Raw from 2019 to 2020. Heyman is best known for his work as a manager, widely praised for his promo ability, character work, and influence on talent development. He has managed some of wrestling's biggest names, including Brock Lesnar, CM Punk, Kurt Angle, Big Show, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins, and is credited with helping elevate numerous stars through his work both on and off screen. In 2024, Heyman was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.