During a revealing conversation on What’s Your Story? Stephanie McMahon and Paul Heyman pulled back the curtain on their early working relationship, stating that Vince McMahon intentionally “pitted” them against each other when Heyman joined the WWE writing team in 2001.
Heyman detailed the dynamic, explaining that he was coming from a world where he was the sole authority. “We were pitted against each other,” Heyman said. “Oh, of course, of course, of course we were, we were absolutely… Well, you know, first of all, I just had spent seven and a half years of my life being God of my own universe.”
He continued, “…now I come aboard and I’m working for other people, yeah, and there’s an approval process where, number one, I was the approval process, and now I’m one of many pitching”.
Heyman then revealed the specific instructions he received from Vince McMahon, which were designed to test his new boss, Stephanie. “So when I came aboard, I was told my daughter runs the writing team. Take her out of her game. I want you to be the disrupter in the room. I want you to be the contrarian opinion. Do not make that easier. There’s no nepotism here. She earns that right to manage you, or she doesn’t get to do it at the same time.”
Heyman explained that Stephanie was given an equally difficult task. “So I’m walking in to be the disrupter… And she’s told, god damn it, Stephanie, you’ve got to manage that. Heyman guy. He’s out of control. He thinks this is his company, and it’s not rein him in… you can’t let Haman take you out of your game. You have to show that you can manage someone like him. This is true. This is all true.”
Stephanie McMahon recalled the difficulty of that period, managing a room of massive personalities.
“Oh my god. Can you imagine I’m like, this 23-year-old kid or whatever, and I’ve got to manage you like you. Michael Hayes, like all of these personalities, like Dusty at one point. I mean, come on,” she said.
She also remembered Heyman’s signature, frustrating debate tactic. “He would have pushed and pushed and pushed and pushed and pushed so hard… And then he’d go one more volley.”
Heyman laughingly recalled using that phrase to needle her. “As I’m literally walking out her door, I close the door… I literally stick my head back in and go one more volley”. Despite the “test,” Stephanie said they “were always friends” and ultimately “earned each other’s respect, you know, because as annoying as he could be, he had great ideas”.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit What’s Your Story? With Stephanie McMahon with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription. You can listen to the podcast on all major podcast platforms.
