Life passes by in the blink of an eye.
In what must have felt like a split second, Paul Heyman went from slickly walking into Madison Square Garden as a teenager taking pictures for WWE’s precursor, the WWWF, to becoming a 58-year-old legend who had the monster he created powerbombed into the iconic venue’s announce table — but in the end, the monster didn’t respond.
Since the height of the pandemic, Heyman has starred in and in many ways directed WWE’s “Bloodline” storyline, and his performance deserves to be officially recognized.
While in previous generations professional wrestling retained a superficial veneer of “kayfabe” (the art of playing a character), in the modern era it has been explicitly defined as scripted entertainment, and there’s no reason why Heyman shouldn’t be eligible for the award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.
Last Friday at MSG, Heyman was in the ring with current Bloodline members Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, Tanga Loa and Tama Tonga in a ceremony to officially recognize Sikoa as Tribal Chief.
Storywise, this was a fitting honor for Roman Reigns, whom Heyman guided to the longest world championship reign in WWE since Hulk Hogan in the 1980s (1,316 days).
At one point in the story, Raines said that Sikoa would be his successor, but that time has not yet come.
Although Sicor is not a champion and is ranked lower in the Samoan clan pecking order than Reigns and The Rock in terms of accomplishments, he has not won the title. Rather, he is looking to take advantage of the lack of prowess of Reigns, who has not appeared on WWE television since losing the championship to Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 40.
On screen, Heyman was in a state of nervous collapse, his anxiety compounded by the prospect of being severely beaten if forced to make a move.
Although Heyman’s eyes were bloodshot and his face was unnaturally stubbled, Loa, Tonga and Fatu all “recognized” Sikoa as their tribal leader.
Heyman was then presented with an “Ula Fala” necklace, which had been given to Reigns by his father and uncle, Sika and Afa Anoa’i, who were former WWE Hall of Famers and were part of the Wild Samoans in the 1980s.
“Solo, I love you and I accept that you are not my tribal chief!” Heyman said, and the MSG crowd erupted in cheers.
Heyman, who probably earned eight matches for the rest of his life in professional wrestling, then got hit with a “Samoan Spike” from Sicor, then a headbutt from the top rope from Fatu and was slammed into the announce table.
WWE is a scripted business, but these kinds of clashes take their toll even on professional wrestlers who are incredible athletes with the best physical fitness — and Heyman is not one of them.
It seems he’s still feeling the effects.
Friday’s “SmackDown” drew a television audience of more than 2.5 million, and within 48 hours, Heyman and Secor’s fateful segment garnered more than 60 million views across WWE’s various digital platforms.
Heyman’s maneuverings mean Reigns, the sleazy heel who lost the WWE Universal Championship to Rhodes at WrestleMania in Philadelphia in April, will not feature directly in storylines for at least a few months and will likely be hailed as a babyface when he eventually returns to WWE.
Calls for Heyman to be given an Emmy Award began circulating on social media shortly after “SmackDown,” and the idea Martial arts presenter Ariel Helwani also spoke out..
“cinema” Helwani said, perhaps imitating Martin Scorsese.
“Even if you don’t like wrestling, you’ll want to root for this.”
This is a story that has been brewing for several years, with Heyman at the helm both as the on-screen host and behind the scenes.
Prior to his induction, Heyman told The Washington Post in March that he hoped “Bloodline”‘s story would rival classic TV series like “The Wire” and “Breaking Bad,” and revealed how involved he was in the production process.
“I have a significant say in how we are portrayed and represented, from the camera angles to the music to the storylines,” Heyman revealed.
“That is why Roman Reigns bestowed upon me the blessed title of Wiseman, as both a thank you from the Tribal Chief to his special advisor, and a historical reference to Grand Wizard Freddie Blassie and Captain Lou Albano, the only managers during the Vincent James McMahon era.”
“I don’t know what would happen if I was just a performer. I wouldn’t be satisfied. I wouldn’t be satisfied with just going out and doing our act. I have to have a voice. I have to have some input. And luckily so far that input has not only been welcomed, it’s been encouraged and it’s been received very well.”
The deadline for WWE to nominate Heyman for an Emmy passed in May, but assuming his performances continue to be outstanding in next year’s WrestleMania season, which will likely feature a Reigns vs. The Rock match, he certainly deserves a nomination.
