WWE Hall of Famer Paul Heyman's track record of managing wrestlers is almost unmatched. "The Wiseman" has been able to spot talent and take people from being hot prospects to some of the biggest stars in the industry. Two of the most famous names Heyman has managed are "Tribal Chief" Roman Reigns, and a young Steve Austin before he became "Stone Cold" in WWE.
During a recent interview with "Undisputed," Heyman recalled the first time he saw Austin in a WCW ring in the early '90s and distinctly remembered seeing the future of the business before his eyes.
"Steve already had problems with his knees. Yet, when he got into the ring early in the day and started hitting the ropes, with a velocity I've only seen from two other people –- one being Brock Lesnar, the other being Bron Breakker. I looked over at Jim Ross and said, 'This is it.' I could see he was going to be an enormous star in this industry. And I still remember Jim saying, 'Just look at him. Of course he is.'"
Despite his eye for talent, Heyman doesn't want to be known as the guy who knew Austin would become a megastar, and he doesn't want that with Reigns either. Heyman explained that he also saw a lot of the same things in a young Reigns as he did in a young Stone Cold.
"I never wanted credit for saying so early that Steve Austin was going to be 'The Man' in the industry. I always thought it was to everyone else's discredit that they didn't see it. It's no different now. I don't know that I deserve credit for seeing what Roman Reigns had to offer. It's to everyone else's detriment that they didn't," said Heyman.