He is perhaps the one of the world’s greatest wrestling promoters of all time. Paul Heyman, the founder of extreme, single handedly redefined the term “hardcore”. Born in 1965, New York, Paul first started out as a photojournalist for World Wide Federation Wrestling (present WWE), before jumping ship to WCW as an on-screen manager and color commentator. In 1992, he left the company and later founded Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) in 1993.
The creative mind of Paul skyrocketed ECW into one of the three top flagship wrestling shows in the 90s. The show led a group of unique wrestling enthusiasts featured graphic violence, gore, blood, dynamic Mexican high flying stunts, dramatic plot twist and innovative story lines. The show has created a huge fan base and has given the foundation for many present top wrestling names today. This includes Rob Van Damm (present TNA champion), Rey Mysterio, Eddie Guerrero, Chris Jericho, The Dudleys, Sabu, Rhino, Test, Tommy Dreamer, Chris Benoit, Tazz, Terry Funk & Mick Foley.
However, the high volatility nature of the show could not sustain over time. In 2000, the ECW show was pulled off air. The following year, the company officially folded. Paul then joined WWE (then WWF) as a color commentator before switching to become on-screen manager. During his short stint, he has managed notable names such as Brock Lesnar, Big Show, Kurt Angle, Heidenreich and Nathan Jones. The relationship between Paul and WWE was hot and cold. He has left the company various times. And he has also returned for short stints. When WWE brought ECW: One Night Stand back for several years, Paul was there. Then in 2006, when WWE rebooted ECW as a weekly wrestling program, Paul partnered with the show and became the on air brand manager and off screen creative writer.
Paul later left the company due to creative differences with the writers and Vince Mcmahon. After his departure with WWE, Paul attempted to venture into MMA but was unsuccessful. As of present, it is rumored that Paul has been approached by TNA executive to join the company. Paul, however, has not made any comments or decision with regards to the invitation. As we move towards an extreme night, let’s return back to our roots for a moment. Here in BeyondTheMat (BTM), we give honor to the “father of extreme” as our very first Superstar Lookback.
Beyond The Mat 