"He's not dead, but he should be" - 5 Controversial Paul Heyman promos that shocked the WWE Universe

Paul Heyman is one of, if not the best, minds to ever grace the professional wrestling industry. Besides being a creative visionary behind the scenes, Heyman has also been a captivating on-screen character for many years. From Brock Lesnar's "Advocate", to CM Punk's "Best Friend", to Roman Reigns' "Wiseman", to now Seth Rollins' "Oracle," he has worn multiple hats as an on-screen persona.

Throughout all this, one thing that has remained consistent is his ability to cut a promo. Widely regarded as one of the best talkers of all time, the Hall of Famer has delivered some of the most memorable promos in WWE history. You want to create a shocking moment on the show? Hand the microphone to Paul Heyman and watch the magic unfold.

On that note, let's look at five controversial promos by The Oracle that sent shockwaves throughout the WWE Universe:

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#5. Paul Heyman shoots on TNN

Paul Heyman's ECW was the third major wrestling company in the late 90s, alongside the WWF and WCW. The Philadelphia-based promotion secured a television deal with TNN in 1999, but it didn't turn out to be fruitful.

On June 2, 2000, episode of ECW on TNN, Paul Heyman took over the broadcast and put the network on notice. Heyman called out TNN for their lack of support and advertising, and dared the network to "throw him off the air."

This was right before TNN was set to replace ECW with WWF, and Paul Heyman wasn't going to let it slide. Heyman minced no words while describing ECW's hatred for TNN in a fiery two-minute rant, which sent fans into a frenzy.

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#4. Paul Heyman wishes death on Tommy Dreamer

This would be the latest entry in the long list of Heyman's controversial promos. While hyping up Bron Breakker's match against Jey Uso on this week's RAW (August 18, 2025), The Oracle namedropped several ECW legends.

While doing so, he addressed Tommy Dreamer as "late, great." Heyman then clarified that he knew Dreamer wasn't dead, but shockingly stated that he should have been.

The history of issues between Heyman and Dreamer has been well-documented since the original ECW. While they may be on good terms now, it didn't stop Heyman from taking a shot at the hardcore legend on live television. This stunt by The Oracle immediately went viral on the internet.

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#3. Paul Heyman trolls the Chicago crowd

CM Punk had a falling out with WWE after the Royal Rumble 2014, leading to his departure from the company. Even in his absence, fans never stopped chanting his name, especially when the Stamford-based promotion hosted shows in Punk's hometown, Chicago.

On March 3, 2014, episode of RAW, which emanated from AllState Arena in Chicago, Illinois, the iconic "Cult of Personality" theme song blared through the speakers. The crowd was excited as they hoped to see their hometown hero. However, it was CM Punk's former manager, Paul Heyman, who made his way out to massive boos.

The 59-year-old sat cross-legged in the middle of the ring and cut a masterful promo on the Chicago crowd before announcing his client, Brock Lesnar, who was set to lock horns with The Undertaker at WrestleMania XXX. Fans were left stunned by this and still reminisce about Heyman's smug walkout to Punk's theme song.

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#2. Paul E. Dangerously lets loose at ECW One Night Stand 2005

After shutting its doors in 2001, ECW was revived for one night on June 12, 2005. ECW One Night Stand 2005 was a tribute to the former company's extreme and hardcore style of wrestling. During the event, Paul Heyman cut a promo on superstars from RAW and SmackDown, who were in attendance.

In front of a rowdy crowd at the iconic Hammerstein Ballroom, the former Paul E. Dangeously mocked Edge by bringing up his real-life issues with Matt Hardy. The legendary manager then turned his attention toward JBL and claimed the only reason the former APA member was WWE Champion for over a year was because Triple H did not want to work Tuesdays.

This would have been shocking if it happened on any regular show, but since this was ECW, it was just a normal day at work, at least for Paul Heyman. Fans remember this iconic segment to this day.

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#1. Paul Heyman drops a "Pipebomb" on Vince McMahon

Paul Heyman's promo on Vince McMahon leading up to Survivor Series 2001 was a masterclass on how to blend kayfabe and reality to generate maximum hype. On the November 14, 2001, episode of SmackDown, Heyman invited Vince to the ring and verbally destroyed him.

The 59-year-old took the "Pro Wrestling vs. Sports Entertainment" narrative and cut a ferocious promo on Vince, in which he accused the former WWE Chairman of stealing his ideas to create The Attitude Era. Heyman basically said the unspoken part out loud directly to Vince McMahon's face, something only The Wiseman can dare to do.

While the promo had many personal jabs, Heyman still managed to blend kayfabe in it and promote what it was building toward: the "Winner Take All" match between Team WWF and The Alliance at Survivor Series 2001.