Paul Heyman recently spoke with Jimmy Traina on the SI Media Podcast and discussed the creative process behind Roman Reigns and The Bloodline faction. The group has created one of the most compelling storylines in recent memory, especially since Sami Zayn finally turned his back on the group at the end of January’s Royal Rumble event. Heyman openly admitted that the entire project has been a group effort and that it was a seamless transition once Paul Levesque took over the company’s booking from Vince McMahon.
“You know the old expression, ‘it takes a team?’ It certainly has with us,” Heyman said (h/t Fightful). “There are a lot of people who have worked really hard to make this work. It kind of all filters through Roman Reigns’ field. There are several people that come to me to present things to Roman, and then Roman and I will talk about it and come back with either something that fits into their narrative or something that we would hope, we could perhaps enhance it or put it in our own words, or come back with, ‘that doesn’t work for us, what about this?’ and start a different process and we’re bouncing ideas off of them. When I say ‘them,’ the thing with Sami started when Vince (McMahon) was still running creative, so it started under Vince McMahon’s creative regime. it was a seamless transition to Paul Levesque [Triple H].
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“There are times when we’re sitting in the room and it’s Roman, me, the Usos, and one of the Usos, will just say, ‘You know what would be really good with Sami?’ ‘Oh my God, why aren’t we doing that already?’ You’ll find things that come from the Usos that would shock you, just how great they are. There is Michael Hayes. He has an understanding about telling a story within the body of a match that very few in history could ever claim to be on par with. The SmackDown writing team, which is led by Ryan Callahan, who is an unsung hero in what we’ve put together. Ryan Callahan and his team. Michael Kirshenbaum, who you never hear about. On a week to week basis, along with a gentleman named Chad Barbash, Zach Hyatt, there are all people who will come and sit in a room with us or on Roman’s bus or on a conference call and we’ll throw around ideas. ‘What resonates with you? You have teenage kids, this story of acceptance, what tales are they telling from the cafeteria at lunchtime in high school?’ It’s really a team and a lot of unsung heroes and a lot of people you don’t read about online because they very intentionally keep their names out of the headlines, who have worked their a—es off to put this together,” he continued.
WWE WrestleMania 39 Card (As of Now)
- Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes
- SmackDown Women’s Championship: Charlotte Flair vs. Rhea Ripley
- Raw Women’s Championship: Bianca Belair vs. Asuka
- Brock Lesnar vs. Omos
- Intercontinental Championship: Gunther vs. TBD
