WWE’s latest documentary, Ladies and Gentlemen, My Name is Paul Heyman is available now for purchase. The DVD has been getting great reviews, and features never-before-told stories from Heyman, and many of the stars that were close to him over the years, including Tommy Dreamer, Joey Styles and more.
In regards to over a decade of speculation that WWE was paying Paul Heyman while he was in charge of ECW, the “leader of extreme” finally broke down the story surrounding what actually happened.
“I never took a check from WWE while I was running ECW … In 1996 I had a meeting with Vince McMahon, and there was some talent in WWE that he was going to send to ECW, and keep on his payroll, as long as I could work with these talents and develop them. There was some talent in ECW that Vince was looking to bring into WWE … ECW had a deal with Tommy Boy Records, to use some of their music. Every time 2 Cold Scorpio was on the ECW TV show, we put a lower third of his music, and the first commercial was always an ad by Tommy Boy Records. And for this, Tommy Boy Records sponsored ECW to the tune of $1,000 per week. If I were to send 2 Cold Scorpio to WWE, ECW would lose the sponsorship – we’d lose $1,000 a week … Vince says, ‘I’ll cover the grand. I’ll send you a grand a week for the rights to use 2 Cold Scorpio.’ And if you look, since that day in September 1996, WWE paid ECW $1,000 a week.”
Joey Styles also addressed the ECW originals who are bitter over Heyman jumping ship to Monday Night Raw, and not telling anyone that the company was going under.
“People don’t understand. When you file for bankruptcy any check you have written, 90 days prior to that bankruptcy, that money can be recalled by any secured creditors. So Paul waited 90 days after ceasing operations, so that nobody could come after the wrestlers for any money he had paid them. People shouldn’t vilify Paul for that – people should thank Paul for that. He couldn’t say anything. That’s why Paul was on WWE television before ECW officially filed for bankruptcy.”
There’s also a great segment with CM Punk, who talks about Heyman letting him write OVW television, and teaching him how to produce a television show.
