Paul Heyman to TNA? Sweet Dream or Beautiful Nightmare?

[My$terio_Fan]

With the recent release of Dutch Mantell and Jeff Jarett currently "on outs" with TNA and Dixie Carter, internet rumors and speculation have been buzzing on who will TNA get for some more creative "juice".

Names have been called out here and there, but one man had been prominetly mentioned. Many fans have been hoping, wishing, and discussing the possibility of Heyman being called in.

Fans of the original ECW and Heyman himself have praised this man as the "dream" booker, a "genius", and one of the best in pro-wrestling. This people time after time replay how Heyman made ECW a success and a great organization.

On the other end, Heyman critics bring up the fact that ECW ended after 10 years, bankrupt and a failure. The promotion lost money, and close it's doors. Critics say Heyman is anything but a genius, and was a main reason why ECW could never breakout.

So at one end you have the Heyman fans, who want him in to help put TNA on the map, make the show better quality, and even bring back some of TNA's "original" spirit. Then you have Heyman haters, arguing that it would spell doom for TNA, and Heyman's "creative ideas" are not what a mainstream audience wants.

So if TNA had the oppurtinity to bring Heyman in, should they? Would it help, or hinder? Would TNA finally be seen as a real threat, or would they end up like ECW, a shit stain in professional wrestling?

 

[Baller]

It could only be a sweet dream if he is only a booker and nothing but a booker. If he is just a booker he can put TNA on the map as he puts together great shows and he has the talent to do it. I would even give him a GM role on the show, but if you can hive ownership or full control it does turn into nightmare because of his ego

 

[SavageTaker]

TNA should NOT hire Paul Heyman as their head booker or as a booker at all. Paul Heyman as a booker just doesn't understand what the majority of pro-wrestling fans want. He has always catered to a minority of fans. He did in the original ECW and he tried to do it when the WWE reincarnated ECW. If TNA wants to grow more then they need to stay away from Paul Heyman because he will book shows to cater to a minority of fans, when they should be catering to the majority. Paul Heyman is a good booker but only when it comes to the Indy companies. When it comes to booking for mainstream companies, he isn’t good at all. He is better of booking for small companies like he did for ECW and like he did for some times in OVW.

Also, I don’t think that he would be any good if he joined because he would probably not be given the power he wants. Heyman seems to not know how to be able to relate to people he needs to work with. He isn’t going to be given the power he wants it will drive him crazy when his ideas are shot down. If he was to join to TNA he would need to answer to Dixie and if she doesn’t like his ideas then he isn’t going to be happy about because it isn’t going to be put on TV. He just doesn’t like it when his ideas get shot down and it drives him crazy. He just doesn’t know how to relate with the people he needs to work with and I don’t think TNA wants someone who can’t do that. Paul Heyman joining TNA would just be a nightmare.

 

[Alanson]

It's hard to say. You can't really say much about it for sure unless it happens. 1 main problem i see is people will expect Heyman to bring back an ECW style company. And sorry i cant see Kevin Nash and the other old timers doing the stuff EC-Dub did.

But then again TNA isnt going very far so it could also work.

 

[Paradox100]

You may say that Paul's ego would get in the way, like it did with the reincarnation of ECW, but there's a reason behind it. It quite possibly could have been the fact that ECW hit way to close to home with him, but i'm getting off topic. I think Paul Heyman in TNA would be a sweet dream. No doubt, I'd start watching it again. Paul would be better in TNA than he would be in WWE (Because of new ECW). The biggest issue, however, would be Russo and Heyman working together. They'd rip each others heads off. (unless you guys meant bring heyman, and fire russo)

Paul has probably learned since he joined the WWE in 2002, that it's not his company, and has to learn to take orders. Until 2006, it seemed like he could take orders pretty well. It would be cool if they did one thing, and only ONE thing with the ECW boys over in TNA. Sure, they can't call it ECW, but make the stable of all the ECW guys, and have Paul E. be manager. (Or GM, and make the matches favor them) While Taz sat on commentary, and would praise them greatly.

I mean, Paul Heyman is one of the best wrestling minds. Any company would be lucky to have him. some of you said he is too focused on catering to a minority audience. Well, I don't wanna jump this Russo hating bandwagon, but, I'd rather see hardcore matches than "objects on a pole" matches any day.

Oh, and someone said how Paul ran ECW into the ground, he's talking about making him the BOOKER of TNA. Not the owner, or the money handler.

 

[BadNewsAlan]

I honestly don't feel that TNA would become another "ECW", because even Paul knows that ECW was a phenomenon that cannot be repeated. Also, even Paul has acknowledged that the extreme style could not have lasted because guys began to break down, and the fans were pushing for more and more violence. Something had to give, and it did eventually.

I am one of the few, I believe, who looks outside of ECW for my view on Paul Heyman...

Paul was the head writer of Smackdown in 2003, and actually had one of the more successful runs as head writer on that show. He was the driving force behind making Los Guerreros, Benoit & Angle, and Mysterio & Edge bigger stars on that brand. At the time they were all household names, but he put them in feuds with each other over the newly created tag titles and brought out the best in all of them. One of their matched even won match of the year from No Mercy in 2002.

I remember that time as being one of the lone bright spots in that era of wrestling. The "Attitude" era had just ended, WCW was gone, and new stars were being created on Smackdown--Lesnar, Cena, Benjamin & Haas, etc.--and guys like Edge, Eddie Guerrero, Angle and Benoit were being elevated to the top of their game.

Heyman also was the head writer in OVW and pushed guys like CM Punk, Ken Doane, Johnny Jeter, Ken Kennedy and Nick Nemeth (Dolph Ziggler) until they were eventually called up to the main roster. In fact, Kennedy recently credited Paul Heyman publicly with being the biggest reason he was called up to Smackdown in just 5 short weeks of being on OVW TV.

I remember reading the reports on OVW TV shows at the time and wishing that Raw and Smackdown could be just a little bit more like that so that the main WWE shows would have been at least a little entertaining. If Heyman can get a bunch of beginners in OVW noticed, then what could he do with the TNA roster?

I was not an avid follower of the original ECW, nor am I a Heyman disciple. There are, however, three things that I know for sure about Paul Heyman: 1) The guy can write some darn good wrestling television, 2) He can create stars out of nobodies (Tommy Dreamer, Spike Dudley, Ken Kennedy, etc.), 3) He is a horrible business manager.

If TNA were to give him the book and let him have free reign over their shows, I guarantee you that their ratings would be in the 2.0's within a years time. He would brand that company with their OWN stars, and use the current veterans to build up the new guys.

Guys like Samoa Joe, Robert Roode, AJ Styles and others would benefit greatly from Paul's ability to bring out the best in talented performers.

I don't think for one second that TNA would become a neo-ECW. I think that TNA would become what it should be now but isn't: a very distinct wrestling brand with its own identity. That's what it is lacking now.

TNA is WWE-Lite, which is the main reason I can't stand watching it. They also recycle the same gimmicks over and over again, and some one turns on someone else every week it seems. It's ridiculous and it's all over the place from week to week. I have not watched or followed it in over a month and I would be willing to bet you that there have been at least 5 heel or face turns during that time.

TNA needs someone like Paul Heyman who will come in, straighten things out to make sense, and who would be a strong believer that TNA can be built with its own homegrown talent, and not from the scraps of the WWE.

Just my opinion, but I believe that Heyman would turn that ship around.

 

[PhenomAJJones]

Its reported on pwtorch.com that Heyman wants power in the front office and i really don't see why he should get it? IF Heyman goes to TNA then he needs to just concentrate on the creative side and stay out of the front office.

People say Russo killed WCW, Heyman killed ECW.

 

[AnthonyM4]

I'm not an avid follower of TNA and WWE, but if TNA hired him as a booker, Id watch it every week. That's all he should be to- a booker. Let him have creative control and you will see results. I guarantee it will be better than what the current bookers are giving us now. Paul E would be a great asset to any company as a creative team member, but keep him away from the business side of things!

 

[yoshi_doce2006]

Paul Heyman has shown some very good traits. Then too he has shown some very bad ones. I will list some below.

Good:

1) Heyman can bring out the best in young talent. Steve Austin, Eddie Guerrero, RVD, Rey Mysterio, Perry Saturn, and the Dudley Boys to name a few.

2) Innovation. Heyman has an innovative mind. He will do anything to get crowds and ratings. He will do anything to garner a reaction. He brought the high flying, fast paced style of the Lucha Libre to the US from Mexico when big, powerful men were still the IN thing and because of that very few wrestlers were doing that type of thing. That can be both a gift and a curse as Heyman has proven but it always has people coming back.

3) Notoriety. Heyman bucked the system known as the NWA after working in several of their territories for over a decade and gaining success there. He started Extreme Championship Wrestling. He brought elements of Japanese and Mexican wrestling to the United States. He has proven that he knows how to bring out different styles and make them into a great show.

Bad:

1) Heyman is known to be a cronic lier. Jim Cornette and many of his former employees have said this. When you are the boss that is never a good thing.

2) Heyman is known for his infamous moments. From having Shane Douglas publicly humiliate the NWA, putting the dagger in a championship that people were trying to make relevant again at the time to ruining his relationships with friendly territories during his ECW days. Once again not good.

3) Bankrupting his product. Heyman bankrupted ECW by alienating it and making bad business deals. ECW was a territory and needed the cooperation of other territories for talent exchanges and such. He first destroyed any type of working relationship with any NWA territory by the way he turned Eastern Championship wrestling into Extreme Championship Wrestling. He also destroyed his working relationship with Jim Cornette and his territory by working with New Jack to force his release by Cornette so Heyman could sign him. Then on the business side he allowed performers creative control much like WCW did. Raven crucified Sandman in front of Kurt Angle who appeared later in that taping and threatened to sue Heyman if he showed both events on the same night. Then came the deal with WWE being able to sign any wrestler from ECW at any time and pay ECW for that service of developing their talent. Normally this would be a great deal however Heyman had alienated ECW from every territory so badly he had no way to replenish talent and between WCW/Eric Bischoff openly trying to put them out of business, the alienation, and the deal with the WWE that is a death blow to any company.

In turn I say Paul Heyman is a great wrestling person but a horrible business person. As long as he has people above him to keep him in check and give him a set of guidelines to follow and he would be a great asset to TNA. However I wouldn't make him a head booker because of his ability to go overboard but the second in line that could keep his ego in check would be a good deal. Honestly I think Vince Russo works best when he has someone to challenge him mentally, and I think that he and Heyman could make a great booking team.

 

[TellMeWhy]

TNA should NOT hire Paul Heyman as their head booker or as a booker at all. Paul Heyman as a booker just doesn't understand what the majority of pro-wrestling fans want.

You must not realize that Paul Heyman is the man that revolutionized this industry with his underground phenomenon known as ECW which WWE stole and capitalized on to have one of their hottest periods. Paul knows what fans want my friend.

Paul Heyman is a good booker but only when it comes to the Indy companies. When it comes to booking for mainstream companies, he isn’t good at all. He is better of booking for small companies like he did for ECW and like he did for some times in OVW.

You must not be aware that Heyman took the Smackdown brand to new heights back in 2002 when he was head booker.

Also, I don’t think that he would be any good if he joined because he would probably not be given the power he wants. Heyman seems to not know how to be able to relate to people he needs to work with. He isn’t going to be given the power he wants it will drive him crazy when his ideas are shot down. If he was to join to TNA he would need to answer to Dixie and if she doesn’t like his ideas then he isn’t going to be happy about because it isn’t going to be put on TV. He just doesn’t like it when his ideas get shot down and it drives him crazy. He just doesn’t know how to relate with the people he needs to work with and I don’t think TNA wants someone who can’t do that. Paul Heyman joining TNA would just be a nightmare.

You must not be aware that Paul Heyman put up with Vince McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, and the creative and booking staff for about 4 years. I don't think Heyman will have a problem working under Dixie who is not so much of a wrestling mind and may not shoot down any creative ideas.

 

[Slyfox696]

You must not realize that Paul Heyman is the man that revolutionized this industry with his underground phenomenon known as ECW which WWE stole and capitalized on to have one of their hottest periods.

You must not realize that ECW was a money pit, and went out of business less than 10 years after Heyman was in charge of it. Hardly an impressive feat.

Paul knows what fans want my friend.

Which is why ECW went out of business, right? Which is why he got fired from the 2006 ECW, right?

You must not be aware that Heyman took the Smackdown brand to new heights back in 2002 when he was head booker.

You must not be aware that these "new heights" you speak of saw exactly ZERO increase in ratings. How can you take something to new heights, when you never get off the ground?

You must not be aware that Paul Heyman put up with Vince McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, and the creative and booking staff for about 4 years.

Yeah, except for the time when he quit and then the other time when he was fired.


So, let me see if I got this straight. You are in favor of putting a guy who's never been successful in wrestling and obviously can't work for others in charge of a business that grows every single year?

 

[TellMeWhy]

You must not realize that ECW was a money pit, and went out of business less than 10 years after Heyman was in charge of it. Hardly an impressive feat.

Of course, I realize that but that does not mean that he does not have the creative genius to create a product that can entice wrestling viewers as he did with his ECW revolution which WWE took and made mainstream.

Which is why ECW went out of business, right? Which is why he got fired from the 2006 ECW, right?

ECW went out of business for poor money mismanagement. Paul Heyman is at fault for trying to have his hands on everything involved in ECW. He didn't want to hire anybody to take the workload off of him.

Paul Heyman wasn't fired from ECW in 2006. That was the kayfabe explanation. He packed his backs and went home because Vince made him a top booker of the new ECW but yet McMahon kept shooting down his ideas and when the night was over, Vince tried to blame the PPV being a disaster and doing low buyrates on Heyman even though Vince had his palms all over the product.

You must not be aware that these "new heights" you speak of saw exactly ZERO increase in ratings. How can you take something to new heights, when you never get off the ground?

Yeah but this was in 2002 right after WWE bought out WCW and ECW. Wrestling was at a down period at that time. It's not much that could be done despite how good a show is. But as a booker, what he did was deliver a good product.

Yeah, except for the time when he quit and then the other time when he was fired.

I don't get it. What firing are you referring to?

So, let me see if I got this straight. You are in favor of putting a guy who's never been successful in wrestling and obviously can't work for others in charge of a business that grows every single year?

Creatively he has been successful. He has changed the business around with his creativeness. He has created wrestling stars out of nothing on an indy scene when a time that wrestling was big and had them breakthrough. Paul Heyman has done plenty out of nothing ALL BY HIMSELF. If you give Paul Heyman room, he can do plenty. He can work with other people but just not the McMahons because the McMahons purposely stroked their ego around him and Paul couldn't take it but Paul knows he works best by himself which is why he has demanded that he needs full power if he comes to TNA.

 

[mafiaangel]

Come on come on this back and forth thing as getting old plane and simple if not for Heymen we would not have some of the thing in wrestling we have to day. Like no Rey no Taz no RVD no Hardcore wrestling so ya he would be good at the booking and creative part of TNA just keep him away from the money