Paul Heyman breaks character to reveal the real reason for his WWE hiatus
WWE Hall of Famer Paul Heyman is currently off television right now, with his last appearance coming on the June 28th episode of SmackDown. The former Wiseman was attacked by the new Bloodline that night after refusing to acknowledge Solo Sikoa as his Tribal Chief.
The attack concluded with a Triple Powerbomb through the announce table. Heyman is yet to return to WWE despite Roman Reigns himself coming back. As his ongoing hiatus continues, the legendary manager made an appearance at Fanatics Fest in New York City.
During an interview with Sam Roberts at the event, Paul Heyman broke character to explain why The Bloodline attacked him. The WWE Hall of Famer stated that he had to be written off for Solo Sikoa's group to stand out as its own entity. Heyman confirmed that his current hiatus was necessary for the story to progress.
"Well, they had to do that. That's the exclamation point of what they're doing. At some point, for Solo (Sikoa) to become The Tribal Chief, for Tama Tonga to become The Right Hand Man, for Jacob Fatu to become The Enforcer, you have to take out The Wiseman. I'm the last link to the original Bloodline," said Paul Heyman. (1:08 onwards)
It remains to be seen when the former Wiseman will return. Despite his absence from television, Heyman has been seen backstage at WWE events. He accompanied Roman Reigns ahead of his return, as per a now-deleted photo from the company's behind-the-scenes gallery for SummerSlam.
Paul Heyman's WWE return might be imminent
With Heyman being backstage, it seems like it's all about waiting for the right moment. That moment could come soon. Roman Reigns, who returned alone, may need some guidance now.
The Original Tribal Chief was left lying on the latest episode of SmackDown after Jacob Fatu led a vicious attack on him. Reigns' next appearance could come alongside Paul Heyman, while the other members of the original Bloodline can slowly get reintroduced.
It will be interesting to see if and when Jimmy Uso, Jey Uso, and potentially Sami Zayn rejoin The Bloodline.