PAUL HEYMAN ON TNA: "THEY AREN'T READY FOR MY HELP."
By Mike Johnson on 2010-08-16 13:48:46
The subject of Paul Heyman working for TNA was brought up during an
interview with MMAFighting.com's MMA Hour Live.
In discussing TNA, Heyman commented, "They're not ready for me. They're not
there yet. I kind of have self-justified my own interest in TNA as a network
of stock and ownership. I left pro wrestling in December 2006 and I haven't
done one shoot DVD, one convention appearance, one cameo. I haven't done
anything on wrestling."
Heyman said the company approached him several times in the last year but he
never took it seriously until Dixie Carter contacted him, at which point he
was intrigued by the potential of ownership points and stock and working
with the SpikeTV network. He felt they weren't ready for what he could bring
to the table, describing some of the aspects of MMA that could be brought
back to pro wrestling.
Heyman noted that if he never does anything in wrestling again, "I've had my
fill" and said that TNA is still unclear as to what they want their own
vision to be. Heyman said that TNA is looking for the immediate answer and
not the long term planning.
Heyman commented that if he was a legend in TNA, he wouldn't want Paul in
the company. "If you were over 40, I'd chop your f***ing head off." Heyman
said if he was asked to run the New York Yankees, he'd ditch Derek Jeter and
A-Rod and find the next generation because the big stars are on the end of
their prime. "I want a guy who is entering the prime of his career and shape
him and mold him."
Heyman said it's all about a "long term investment" and not about "grabbing
the brass ring just next year." He said he doesn't want a bunch of guys in
their 40s.
Heyman said older talents should be used for promotional events and
autograph signings and video games but not as the nucleus. He discussed the
angle where Ric Flair's Fortune beat up the former ECW alumni and noted the
focus was on ECW guys in their 40s, Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair, not the core
group of younger TNA talents.
Heyman then said, "Imagine if all they did the entire show" was promote the
Beer Money vs. Motor City Machineguns match and had Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan
and the ECW guys saying they needed to see that match and said these guys
are the future now. Then, if you put that match in the main event - as
opposed to the middle of the card with no follow-up - and produce and
present them as the main event. Then, if "you buy this product, this is the
progressive type of presentation we are going to present to you." Instead,
you have Hulk Hogan in his 50s thanking ECW guys in their 40s before the ECW
guys (who Heyman specifically thanked for "everything they brought to my
life") are beat up by a group led by Ric Flair in his 60s.
Heyman said that he doesn't have the mechanism to go back in time but does
foresee how things should change going forward. He mentioned his mother's
time in the Holocaust and said he grew up understanding that you can't look
back and waste time and have to look forward, or someone else will.
http://www.pwinsider.com/article/50020/paul-heyman-on-tna-they-arent-ready-for-my-help.html?p=1
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