Paul Heyman Credits Taz With Steering WWE Away From Early Misuse of Brock Lesnar

Long before Brock Lesnar became one of the most dominant figures in WWE history, his path to the main roster could have looked very different — and according to Paul Heyman, it was AEW personality Taz who helped set things right.

Heyman has spoken about Taz’s behind-the-scenes influence in steering WWE away from an approach to Lesnar that Heyman felt was the wrong direction. Lesnar had built serious momentum during his developmental run in Ohio Valley Wrestling, arriving on the main roster with enormous buzz and a look that few performers in the company’s history could match. But even with all that potential, the presentation of a new talent can make or break a debut, and Heyman suggests WWE was initially heading down the wrong road with Lesnar before Taz intervened.

The connection between all three men runs deep. Heyman, of course, would go on to serve as Lesnar’s long-term advocate and manager, helping craft the character that eventually conquered Hulk Hogan, ended The Undertaker’s WrestleMania streak, and captured multiple world championships across different eras. Taz, meanwhile, built his reputation as a credible, hard-hitting performer before transitioning to commentary, and he is currently part of AEW’s broadcast team.

The anecdote speaks to how much the early days of a career matter, and how the right voices in the right rooms can shape a legacy. Lesnar’s run in WWE is now the stuff of legend — but Heyman’s account is a reminder that those outcomes are rarely accidental, and that sometimes it takes a trusted voice to push back on the wrong instincts at the right moment.