Paul Heyman has always had a knack for spotting talent, and his ability to recognize untapped potential has greatly shaped the landscape of several promotions, including WWE.
Sometimes a generational athlete like Brock Lesnar comes along, and everyone recognizes the immense upside from a mile away.
Other times, Paul Heyman is the sole advocate for emerging wrestling talent and helps them make the necessary tweaks to achieve stardom. Such was the case with Rob Van Dam and Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Speaking on In Depth with Graham Bensinger, Heyman recalled risking his career to save The Undertaker (real name Mark Calaway) from WCW promoters who “didn’t believe in him.”
“..Even stupid f—ks can make it in this world and be elevated into positions that they should not have. [WCW head of creative] Ole [Anderson] didn’t believe in Mark [Calaway]. To the point where when Mark’s contract came up in September 1990 and [WCW] tried to lowball him, there was someone in WCW that violated their contract with Turner Broadcasting and WCW, and snuck Mark into a meeting [in WWE],” Heyman said.
“Through a mutual friend that I had in WWE, that snuck him into a meeting with Vince McMahon. And that meeting led to Mark being signed by WWE and becoming The Undertaker,” he added.
Heyman wasn’t just referring to any former WCW staffer. He was talking about himself.
When asked why he connected Calaway with WWE despite working for WCW, Heyman replied, “Because WCW did not see any talent in him. I saw an enormous talent that was about to be wasted. It would have been squandering one of the greatest talents in the history of this business. Let alone in that era.”
The Undertaker Became a Phenom in WWE
Ultimately, Paul Heyman’s secret WCW betrayal was essential to WWE’s success and televised pro wrestling at large.
He didn’t just revive the career of a talented wrestler; Heyman helped establish one of WWE’s most influential superstars.
The Undertaker made his WWE debut at Survivor Series 1990, the beginning of a 30-year career with the promotion.
Over the next three decades, The Undertaker locked up with The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Kane, Kurt Angle, Shawn Michaels, Edge, Batista and dozens of other WWE superstars.
He won seven World Championships in his storied career.
The Undertaker won the Royal Rumble in 2007, and has appeared in the melee 11 times in his career.
The Undertaker holds the record for the most all-time WrestleMania wins (25). His 27 WrestleMania matches are the most in WWE history.
In a recent interview with “The School of Hard Knocks” on Instagram, an account that interviews millionaires and billionaires weekly, The Undertaker revealed that the swap from WCW to WWE was a lucrative decision.
During his most successful year in WWE, The Undertaker said he made “just shy of $15 million.”
Hopefully, the Deadman gifted Paul Heyman a few steak dinners for risking his neck to recruit him to WWE.
Paul Heyman Recalls How “Lowball” WCW Offer Led The Undertaker to WWE