Paul Heyman Takes a Massive Shot at WWE Raw Ahead of Elimination Chamber

Paul Heyman appeared on the final episode of Talking Smack ahead of Elimination Chamber this weekend alongside Jey Uso, where he hyped up the SmackDown Elimination Chamber match and Roman Reigns’ immediate Universal title defense against the winner. As he explained Reigns’ importance to WWE as a whole, he decided to take a shot across the bow at Monday Night Raw — the show he was crafting as the executive director one year ago.

“Roman Reigns will defend the title. Why? Because there is no WWE without Roman Reigns. There is no Talking Smack without Roman Reigns,” Heyman said. “There is no SmackDown without Roman Reigns. There is no R… there shouldn’t be a Raw anyway. Have you watched it lately? Forget that!”

Heyman was released from his position on Raw’s creative team last June and explained why he was fired from that role in an interview with Ariel Helwani in October.

“When I took the role of Executive Director, I made an agreement with Vince McMahon,” Heyman said. “I want this job as long as every morning Vince McMahon woke up, he said thank God or whatever deity he subscribes to [that] Paul Heyman is looking after the store on Raw. And the day that Vince McMahon didn’t wake up and feel that way, I didn’t want the job anymore. I’ve been in a similar role when Vince was not happy with me and it’s a miserable existence. I didn’t want it and apparently on that day on that given time and given moment, Vince didn’t wake up that morning thanking whatever deity he subscribes to that Paul Heyman was in charge of Raw. We left with a smile, a handshake, and a hug. Absolutely no harsh feelings and actually better feelings about each other because of the way that it ended because it’s ended miserably before.”

Raw hasn’t had much luck when it’s come to setting up matches for Sunday’s Elimination Chamber. The Miz was swapped with Kofi Kingston in the WWE Championship Chamber match, Asuka vs. Lacey Evans was canceled was scrapped when the latter announced she was pregnant and WWE pulled Keith Lee from the United States Championship match on Sunday due to injury. Check out the updated card below:

• WWE Championship: Drew McIntyre vs. AJ Styles vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Randy Orton vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Sheamus (Elimination Chamber, Sheamus will enter at No. 6)
• Kevin Owens vs. Daniel Bryan vs. Jey Uso vs. Sami Zayn vs. Cesaro vs. King Corbin (Elimination Chamber)
• WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns vs. Elimination Chamber winner
• United States Championship: Bobby Lashley vs. Keith Lee vs. TBA
• WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships: Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler vs. Sasha Banks & Bianca Beliar
• (Kickoff) John Morrison vs. Ricochet vs. Elias vs. Mustafa Ali