When Paul Heyman speaks, people listen. A longtime presence in wrestling and a man who has worn many hats in his highly impressive career, Heyman has transfixed WWE audiences for years as the “Advocate” for Brock Lesnar, cutting one terrific promo after another to help hype up Lesnar’s marquee matches.
At WrestleMania 33, Lesnar is set to face Goldberg in a rematch with the WWE Universal Championship on the line, after a shockingly short Survivor Series face off that found the usually unstoppable Lesnar beaten in under 80-seconds by Goldberg in his first match in over a decade. As WrestleMania weekend began, I spoke to Heyman about this match, Goldberg’s return, and why Heyman thinks it’s not a big deal that neither Lesnar or Goldberg appear on WWE programming on a weekly basis. Plus, Heyman also shared his very complimentary thoughts on another member of the WWE locker room, Charlotte Flair.
IGN: You’ve been there as Brock's advocate for some amazing moments that shocked people. Obviously him beating the Undertaker was huge, and another that really stands out to me that I was in the audience for was when he beat Cena with suplex after suplex at SummerSlam and Cena had almost no offense. As a longtime wrestling fan yourself, was it exciting and interesting for you to also see what it was like to be on the other side of things when Goldberg and Brock faced each other at Survivor Series and Brock lost so quickly?
Paul Heyman: I would suggest to you that when you pay to see a Brock Lesnar match, whether it's live or on pay-per-view or whether you subscribe to the WWE network to see a Brock Lesnar match, you are always going to see something newsworthy. The match at Survivor Series with Goldberg was newsworthy. Not the type of headlines we were looking for, but the type of mindset from the audience that we were looking for, because no matter what, it's like with Brock and UFC. I don't think Brock Lesnar ever had a boring round in UFC. And I would suggest that Brock Lesnar has never had a boring or a forgettable match since we've been back in WWE.
IGN: What was your reaction that Goldberg came back at all, especially in an in-ring capacity and for more than the one match?
Heyman: I don't think Bill Goldberg gets nearly the credit he deserves for what I would consider to be the single greatest championship comeback in WWE history. You look at the magnitude of stars that have attempted to do what Goldberg has done, Sting just being one of them. And we're not talking about just any other name in history. Sting is the icon. Sting was perhaps the greatest superstar in WCW history, and if not, there's certainly a case for him to be number one or number two. And Sting couldn't pull it off. Goldberg came back after over a decade absence, in not only the best shape of his career, but he also came back in the best championship form, the most devastating form, the most destructive form, and the most dominant form that he's ever brought forth to the public, ever! You have to admire this.
IGN: What would you say is in store this Sunday as these two face again? Survivor Series was a huge match, but everything is amplified at WrestleMania.
Heyman: I think this Sunday will deliver one of the greatest senses of closure that an audience member can feel as Goldberg, the superhero, goes out as all superheroes should be afforded the opportunity to go out: struck down at his height by the best opponent he could ever face. An opponent that, at WrestleMania, he can never beat. And Goldberg, as a superhero, as a true life warrior, will go out on his shield, which is how any warrior or superhero should want to go out. Goldberg is going to go out in a blaze of glory. And he will do so with great honor and dignity. Because he will fall victim to the one beast no one can conquer at WrestleMania - Brock Lesnar.
IGN: Both Brock and Goldberg are very intimidating, iconic figures in wrestling, but these days, neither are guys who appear every episode of RAW, and some people feel the champ should be around all the time. But there's another school of thought that maybe this is kind of an old school vibe, where the champ would not appear quite as much and when he defended his title, it was more of a special event.
Heyman: The sports entertainment industry is a much different presentation in 2017 as it was in 1995 or 1985 or 1975. And I am not one that subscribes to the fact that a character or a persona or a performer has to be on every single episode of television. What if the story is better served that you're not on television every week? Should we accommodate the desire for someone to log in 52 weeks a year simply to appease those that say, “Well, he's not there full time!” You service the overall storyline as best you can with a number of strategic appearances that present the most dramatic moments for these characters that build to the most anticipation that you can garner going into their match. That's the name of the game. Television is to hype you for the mega events. Why would I want to burn out a concept or a storyline, why would I want to minimalize the impact of what I say by speaking seven times on television, when I can make my point and make the sale in three?
IGN: What is the match besides this one that you're most excited for at WrestleMania this weekend?
Heyman: I'm very interested in Roman Reigns versus the Undertaker. I'm very interested in Bray Wyatt versus Randy Orton. And, I'm interested in anything that involves Charlotte, because I think she is the first female I've ever seen come along that has everything it takes to ultimately one day main event a WrestleMania. That's no disrespect to all the other females on the roster and one of the females on the roster will wrestle Charlotte in the main event. But it's going to be Charlotte, to me, who is the catalyst to females breaking through that barrier, and one day main eventing a WrestleMania.
Eric Goldman is Executive Editor of IGN TV. You can follow him on Twitter at @TheEricGoldman, IGN at ericgoldman-ign and Facebook at http://ift.tt/LQFqjj.
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