On Monday, Paul Heyman was named as the first entrant into the WWE’s Hall of Fame class of 2024, with the “Wiseman” finally being honored ahead of WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia.
This year’s Hall of Fame class is one of the most exciting in recent history. It’s the first one that WWE’s chief content officer, Paul “Triple H” Levesque, will handle without Vince McMahon’s approval. The professional wrestling CEO departed WWE and TKO Group Holdings after being accused of sexual misconduct, which McMahon has denied.
Heyman’s spectacular pro wrestling career was largely defined by his battle with McMahon’s WWE when he helped establish Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW). Heyman then worked for WWE when the company purchased ECW and has since managed several of the promotion’s best talents.
“It’s a terribly difficult situation for me to process,” Heyman told Fox News Digital about the claims against McMahon. “And I’m not done trying to grasp everything. As a result, I’m absolutely unprepared to provide anyone with an accurate viewpoint since I’m still attempting to understand the severity of the problem.”
WWE Hall of Fame inductions began in 1993, with Andre the Giant, and ended in 1996. The firm resumed lessons in 2004 in time with WrestleMania XX. It has subsequently grown into a significant event.
WrestleMania returns to Philadelphia, where it all began of ECW. Heyman joined ECW in 1993 and contributed to the company’s reputation as a hardcore promotion.
Heyman told Fox News Digital that he does not see his Hall of Fame admission as “vindication” for what he helped construct in ECW and the influence the brand had on professional wrestling.
“I always thought that what we started in Philadelphia and then what we accomplished on a global basis with ECW was exactly what we had intended to accomplish, which was a complete disruption of the status quo in the industry,” said Heyman.
Heyman said that he declined chances to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame “several times.”
Heyman is now the first inductee in this year’s class. The event takes occur on April 5 at the Wells Fargo Center.
“Heyman’s contribution to sports-entertainment has become innumerable as his aggressive, in-your-face attitude has opened the way for numerous generations of managers and Superstars,” the WWE said in a statement. “With a resume that is incomparable Heyman now takes his correct place in the WWE Hall of Fame.”
