Paul Heyman pushed Vince McMahon for Roman Reigns character change

Paul Heyman revealed that Vince McMahon initially planned for him to serve as the advocate for the "Big Dog" persona when Roman Reigns returned to WWE in 2020. Heyman opposed the direction, arguing that the character required a complete transformation rather than a simple reunion of their past roles. He compared the proposed shift to the Undertaker's evolution from the "Deadman" to the "American Bada**" to illustrate the need for a modern progression. Heyman sought to differentiate his new role from his previous work with Brock Lesnar, eventually adopting the "Wise Man" persona for the "Tribal Chief." He viewed the resulting creative shift as a necessary professional marriage that allowed the performer to reach a new level of character development. By framing his contribution as a supporting role similar to Robert Duvall in The Godfather, Heyman helped solidify the emergence of the Bloodline.

• 1:00 PMWrestling Inc — Paul Heyman Says Vince McMahon Wanted Him To Be 'Advocate' For 'Big Dog' Roman Reigns