Brock Lesnar is perhaps the most successful WWE Superstar to be deemed a ‘Paul Heyman Guy,’ having won several World Championships alongside his advocate.
In March 2002, Heyman debuted Lesnar on WWE TV and it would be mere months later that the “Next Big Thing” captured the WWE Undisputed Championship.
While the two would split at that year’s Survivor Series, they would reunite upon Brock’s return to the company in 2012.
Lesnar’s career will always be tied to Heyman, who now serves as the special counsel to Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, but there was someone else considered for Heyman.
The Other Paul Heyman Guy
Speaking to Inside The Ropes, Heyman said that while he eventually got to work with Lesnar, WWE at first wanted him to be the manager of Chris Benoit (via Sportskeeda)
“I was off-air, I was behind the scenes. I was supposed to come back on the air, in 2002, at WrestleMania, with Chris Benoit.”
Paul Heyman.
Heyman had last appeared on WWE TV on the Raw after Survivor Series 2001, where the WWF defeated the Alliance in a Winner Takes All match.
While McMahon had seemingly forgiven Heyman, this was a ruse, as the WWE Chairman fired Heyman and replaced him on commentary with the returning Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler.
Benoit had missed the entire Invasion storyline after a serious neck injury that occurred during a TLC match on the May 24, 2001, SmackDown.
