3 WWE Superstars who excelled under Paul Heyman and 3 who flopped
Paul Heyman is one of, if not the greatest, managers of all time. The former ECW owner has managed some of the biggest names to ever grace the industry. These include Steve Austin (as part of The Dangerous Alliance), Mean Mark Callous, Rob Van Dam, and The Giant. He has managed a record six world champions over his career, including a current one.
Though the 56-year old has managed many successful superstars, some of his clients haven't found as much success as their more illustrious counterparts. Under Heyman's tutelage, some stars have failed to reach the heights they once seemed destined for.
Without further ado, here are three superstars who excelled under Paul Heyman and three who flopped:
#6. Cesaro didn't fulfill his World Championship potential under Paul Heyman
#OnThisDay at #ExtremeRules 2014 @WWECesaro would defeat former Real American partner Jack Swagger and @TherealRVD in a triple threat elimination match after Cesaro became a Paul Heyman Guy. https://t.co/u9LSvW7Afd
When Cesaro declared himself a Paul Heyman guy the night after WrestleMania 30, hopes were sky-high. The Swiss Superman was always a world-class performer in the ring, with his only perceived weakness being his mic work. With Heyman by his side, fans expected Cesaro to soar to new levels and storm the main event scene. The former ECW owner's electric promos combined with The Swiss Cyborg's explosive ring acumen were set to propel him to the top.
Unfortunately, the partnership lasted only three months, coming to no significant result, with Heyman becoming an advocate to only Brock Lesnar and Cesaro staying in the mid-card scene.
The WWE Universe can only look back and wonder what could've been.
#5. Former record 434-day WWE Champion CM Punk thrived under Paul Heyman
@WWEDVDNews: @CMPunk @HeymanHustle & @JohnCena Featured on @WWE #WWENOC 2012 #DVDCover & #RT http://t.co/4BgMCktV
Paul Heyman and CM Punk enjoy a long friendship dating back to their days in Ohio Valley Wrestling. The two instantly hit it off due to similar views of the industry. Heyman advocated multiple times for Punk to become world champion in his first WWE stint before leaving the company in 2006.
Upon his return, The Wise Man joined Punk on his journey to becoming a record 434-day WWE Champion. He stood in The Straight Edge Superstar's corner as he faced John Cena, The Rock, and Daniel Bryan, among others. The duo took a shot at breaking The Undertaker's streak at WrestleMania 29 before another of Heyman's clients accomplished the feat the following year.