Paul Heyman Praises Cody Rhodes, Explains Why Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns Are Main Eventing WrestleMania 34

Paul Heyman recently spoke with NBC Sports, and below are some interview highlights:

On Cody Rhodes’ success following his WWE departure:

“Cody reminds me a lot of when Steve Austin got out of WCW. In that Steve needed to find himself and when I put him on camera in Philadelphia at 5 o’clock in the morning, after a show, is when a truly pissed off, tired, aggravated Steve Austin found his inner persona that morphed into Stone Cold Steve Austin.

Cody has found himself in that very same way in that his angst over not being able to bring forward what he envisioned for himself in WWE has propelled him to new heights outside of WWE. He would have never found that within the company. Kudos to Cody for leaving and for sticking to his vision and to finding that box office appeal that has always lived inside of him.

There are others in WWE who could probably use the break from what they’re doing now, but I’ve always been of the belief that half of the battle is getting in the door at the right time. So once somebody is in here, it’s all a matter of explaining to whomever, be it the writers, be it the executive producer Kevin Dunn, be it Vince McMahon, be it Paul Levesque, whomever, it’s all about explaining to someone in a decision making capacity: This is how the company can make more money with me.

So sometimes it’s simply a matter of the right pitch at the right time for the right person. Sometimes it’s beneficial to give a presentation, the same way you would pitch a perspective employer, ‘Here’s why you should hire me.’ It’s the same thing, it’s a business.

Vince McMahon hates when I say this, but it’s the exploitation business. We exploit larger than life personalities, in relatable storylines that drive box office appeal.

The job of the performer, if that particular performer is unhappy with their lot in life, is to present themselves to the decision makers in such a different way that makes the decision makers say, ‘Here’s a way we  can make more money with this person.’

So going outside to do it worked for Cody Rhodes, but that’s not for everybody. Once you’re in the door here, exploit the opportunity because you’re already in the door! You have the open line of communication. Your deal is already in writing. Go for it. Tell them how they can make more money with you. They’re going to listen! They’re in the money making business!

On not becoming “content” in WWE, and the main event of WrestleMania 34:

“Roman Reigns is main eventing his fourth consecutive WrestleMania and he’s not walking into this WrestleMania thinking, ‘This is my last main event.’ Roman Reigns is thinking, ‘This is my fourth consecutive main event and it’s my audition for my fifth consecutive WrestleMania main event.’

Brock Lesnar is looking at April 8th as the defining moment in his career. In the very same city that he conquered The Undertaker’s streak, which is arguably the most shocking moment in the history of WWE.

Neither Brock Lesnar nor Roman Reigns are content. Not with their history and not with their current position. They both want to obtain higher ground. They will always have the ambition to do more.”

“The only thing I can add to what I just said is, it’s not only a matter of doing more. Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns are the main event of WrestleMania 34 because neither one is content and both are ambitious enough to push the limits of what is now considered their greatest moment and that’s the point that neither one will ever accept. They will never accept the idea that they’ve peaked as individuals. They both aspire to achieve a higher level of greatness.”