In a recent interview, WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam went into his career and some of the personalities he met along the way. When discussion came to Paul Heyman, he revealed that the WWE manager owes him $150,000.
WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam Claims The Bloodline’s Paul Heyman Owes Him $150K
Now this shouldn’t be news as wrestlers have claimed that Paul Heyman owed them money since ECW closed its doors and he started appearing on WWE television. If there was a shoot interview, podcast, live show, or even wrestling event—someone has mentioned Heyman shorting them on pay or not paying at all.
ECW commentator Joey Styles explained Heyman’s actions in not paying the talent in the end as protecting them from collectors who wanted the money from Heyman. He would also voice that the celebrated booker and manager shouldn’t be dragged through the mud for his actions but thanked.
All around, it’s a financial reality that becomes messier because of its association with pro wrestling from that time period. There’s also been a bit of dirtiness to the story because it involves Paul Heyman doing something that falls in a gray area both in practice and as a means to an end.
In Rob Van Dam’s case, Heyman owes $150,000 from a period in ECW when RVD was one of the main event stars. While speaking with Ten Count’s Steven Fall, Rob Van Dam said that Paul Heyman did take care of him but at the same time he felt as if “the longer I was there, the deeper hole I was digging for myself.”
It was then that he made the decision to leave Extreme Championship Wrestling for WWE. Of course, the timing was pretty much while the credits were rolling on the company. As RVD remembers, he left ECW on the show just before the final one.
While this is a new spin on one of early modern wrestling’s longest tales—Heyman owes X money—it’s also one that impacted several wrestlers of the late 90s and early 2000s. Some of them had a deep investment in ECW such as Tommy Dreamer while others had the investment but want what is owed as well such as—the sizable list of Originals.
What do you make of this story? Are they owed money or should that be taken off the table if Heyman got them in the door at WWE? What of those who didn’t make it?
Share your thoughts in the comments!
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