Paul Heyman Discusses Speech For Upcoming WWE Hall Of Fame Induction
In 7 days, WWE fans, personnel, and alumni will gather together for the 2024 Hall of Fame ceremony. So far, WWE has confirmed five inductees for this year's esteemed class, including Bull Nakano, The U.S. Express, and the headliner – Paul Heyman. Heyman, of couse, is known for holding various titles in his wrestling career, such as promoter, executive, and manager. As such, many are curious to find out what direction Heyman's upcoming acceptance speech will take. According to Heyman himself, the potential contents of his speech will largely depend on the vibe of the audience members.
"I'm gonna figure this out as we go along," Heyman told "The Rich Eisen Show". "I'm going to take the pulse of the room that night. I'm going to wing this, because I don't know really what the crowd itself is expecting from me. Is this a crowd that wants me to talk about the modern-day WWE and Roman Reigns and The Bloodline and the WrestleMania main event of Roman Reigns versus Cody Rhodes? Is this a crowd, that's in Philadelphia, that wants to talk about ECW? Is this a crowd that's looking for some inspiration and a speech about pursuing one's own dreams, etc? I really won't know until I take the temperature of the room that night. And as you know better than I, you always have to know your audience, so once I feel the crowd, I'll pretty much know what I have to do to deliver for them."
As Heyman pointed out, his current work largely revolves around The Bloodline, specifically "The Tribal Chief" Roman Reigns, whom he continues to manage on-screen. Considering that this year's WrestleMania 40 festivities emanate from the city of Philadelphia, though, attendees may be more interested in hearing stories that highlight his tenure as the owner of ECW, a company that assumed residency in Philadelphia's own 2300 Arena.
The 2024 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony will air next Friday, April 5, following the conclusion of "WWE SmackDown."
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "The Rich Eisen Show" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.