Paul Heyman and Vince McMahon had a working relationship marked by heated arguments during their years together in WWE.
Their clashes even led to a falling-out in 2006, but the two eventually started working together again years later.
In a recent interview with Graham Bensinger, Heyman recalled that McMahon enjoyed confrontation and wasn’t fazed when someone challenged his decisions. Even when their arguments got personal, McMahon usually did not pull rank to shut down the conversation.
“It’s a lot of It’s a lot of yous, yous,” Heyman said. “And he liked confrontation. So, if I said, you know, hey, you on this, and he he he he wouldn’t he wouldn’t go, ‘Oh, how can you talk to me that way? I’m the chairman of the board. I’m going to fire you.’ Oh, really? ME? YOU. YOU KNOW, it’s like, ‘Okay, here we go.’ I mean, it it was just it was these childish battles.”
Heyman pointed to the 2006 ECW relaunch as the toughest time in their relationship. He said McMahon promised him creative control of the brand but quickly took that power away. Heyman called the six months that followed the unhappiest of their entire partnership.
When Bensinger asked whether the two could reconnect, Heyman at first thought the question was about the past.
“Oh, of course we did,” Heyman said. “5 and 1/2 years later.”
But Bensinger clarified that he was asking whether they could reconnect now, after McMahon’s departure from WWE. This time, Heyman didn’t sound as sure.
“Well, I don’t know,” Heyman said. “I mean, it it it’s it’s You know, it Our business is very, very funny. So, I Right now, we’re on different paths in life. So, do I think we reconnect? I don’t know.”
“I don’t I don’t think about it and I can very much guarantee you neither does he,” Heyman said.
McMahon officially left his positions with WWE and TKO on January 26, 2024.