Ex-WWE writer feared Brock Lesnar would attack him before Paul Heyman stepped in
Paul Heyman once saved former WWE writer Chris Dunn from potentially being attacked by Brock Lesnar during a televised segment.
Lesnar’s menacing character has been known to take out his frustrations on anyone who gets in his way, including WWE officials and security guards. These roles are usually played by local wrestlers who are capable of receiving suplexes and F-5s from The Beast Incarnate.
Speaking on The Universal Wrestling Podcast, Dunn recalled a time when he portrayed a medic on television. The segment had already started when Heyman told his former on-screen client that Dunn was a writer with no wrestling experience.
“He [Lesnar] probably thinks I’m a chubby local from Curt Hawkins’ wrestling school or something, so I am very fearful that he is going to put his boot into my chest like I’m [wrestling trainer] Pat Buck,” Dunn recalled. “Luckily, though, Heyman ran over, he was in character and stuff, but essentially saved my a**.” [47:04-47:27]
Dunn added that Lesnar usually has creative freedom on television, which means he could have attacked anyone who played the medic role without warning.
Why Chris Dunn appeared in a Brock Lesnar segment
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A local wrestler would ordinarily have portrayed the medic, but WWE producer Michael Hayes asked Dunn that day because the company was short-staffed.
Hayes gave Dunn assurances about his safety before the segment. However, the former writer quickly realized that he could be in trouble in Brock Lesnar's presence.
“I was like, ‘Michael, I’m so slammed, what do you want me to do? I have to run into the arena?’” Dunn said. “He’s like, ‘You’ll be fine, we’re gonna send all these referees down. They’ll be in front of you with Brock and you will be protected.’ So Michael’s screaming at me in Gorilla [backstage area] going, ‘Jet out.’ Behind me… no referees.” [46:32-46:51]
Fortunately, thanks to the assistance of Paul Heyman, Dunn did not get involved in any physicality during his rare televised appearance.
Please credit The Universal Wrestling Podcast and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.