Paul Heyman opens up about his first time doing commentary alongside Jim Ross
Paul Heyman is definitely one of the most recognizable managers in pro wrestling. The man has managed some of the top stars in the business during his career in WWE including Brock Lesnar and now Roman Reigns. Heyman, of course, was also the man behind the phenomenon that was ECW and has also done commentary during his career.
Paul Heyman opens up about his first time doing commentary alongside Jim Ross
Paul Heyman has also done commentary during his career and is definitely a gifted commentator. In a recent appearance on the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast, Heyman gave details of his first time on commentary alongside Jim Ross at WCW Halloween Havoc 1990.
Paul Heyman revealed how nervous he was and said that at the time, the plan was to stop managing and becoming a full-time commentator going forward:
I was antsy, and I would understand why that would come off as that. I’ve never been nervous walking through the curtain. It’s funny – Ric Flair once made the statement ‘The day you’re not nervous walking before you walk through the curtain is the day you shouldn’t walk through the curtain.’ I don’t know if it’s simply because I’m probably more comfortable in performance mode than I am dealing with just being me, but I’ve never been nervous going through the curtain, and the day I’m nervous going through the curtain is the day I shouldn’t go through. I can certainly understand why I gave that impression to Jim Ross and how it could be categorized that way. I most likely, if not definitely, drove him up an f’n wall on that day because he’s so professional and hyper prepared going out for the broadcast. I had never witnessed anybody that did it the way that he was doing it. I also know just how on his game he was when he was on the air…….I was also coming off a period where at 25 years old, I had stopped managing, and anything I do I go all in – I can’t do anything half-ass. So, at the time, the concept was I would never manage again. I was gonna be a commentator for the rest of my career. H/T: 411mania
The plan to "never manage again" definitely didn't go that way for Paul Heyman. Despite his talents as a booker and a commentator, Heyman is probably best known to fans today as the advocate for Brock Lesnar and of course, managing Roman Reigns, which he is doing at the moment.