There was once a time during the 1980s and 1990s when managers played an essential role in the ascension of several prominent on-camera villains like Andre "The Giant," "Macho Man" Randy Savage, and The Hart Foundation. Wrestling managers such as Jimmy Hart, Jim Cornette, Miss Elizabeth, Scary Sherri, Teddy Long, and the great Mr. Fuji added a memorable flare to some of the greatest heels of all time. They also tilted the scales in some of pro wrestling's most riveting and bloodiest matches. Shortly after the "Monday Night War" between the WWE and WCW, the significance of managers in a wrestling script began to fall by the wayside. However, one manager, in particular, has withstood the test of time for many decades. Paul Heyman, the co-founder of the ECW and the man many pro wrestling fans believe is responsible for inspiring Vince McMahon's "Attitude Era" in the late 1990s, became a full-time manager/on-air talent after his company was purchased by the McMahon family in 2003. Since then, he has worked with Rob Van Dam, Kurt Angle, Brock Lesner, and Roman Reigns--all of whom became WWE World Champions.
On Tuesday, Paul Heyman accompanied Roman Reigns, the current WWE Universal Champion (and WWE World Champion), on the set of First Take to discuss the hottest sports topics and his upcoming "Tribal Combat" fight with his real-life cousin, Jey Uso, at the Main Event of SummerSlam this Saturday in Detroit, Michigan. During the segment, Stephen A. Smith turned to Paul Heyman and asked what it is like to work with the "Tribal Chief." Heyman responded with nonchalant brag, "I'm the GOAT; I'm the greatest of all time." In response, Stephen A. Smith offered pushback by mentioning some of the great WWE managers of the past, such as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. To that, Heyman's clapped back with a cold-blooded rebuttal.
Scroll up and skip ahead to the 2:21 mark to listen to the debate between Stephen A. Smith and "The Wise Man."
Source: YouTube
