Paul Heyman comments on the “secret to success” at cutting promos

During an interview with SI.com, Paul Heyman was asked about what his “secret to success” is when it comes to cutting promos in wrestling…

“You have to read the room. If not, you’re a nostalgia act before you’re even cognizant of the fact that time has passed you by. In some ways it hasn’t changed. I still ask myself, ‘What’s my goal? What am I selling?’ I’m a salesman, I’m a hype artist, I’m an interest-facilitator. My job is to get you interested in the product, in the personalities I’m selling, in the match I want you to witness, subscribe and buy. With Talking Smack, the medium is different; the platform is different. It’s like comparing Twitter to Instagram. The promo that I did on SmackDown, the ‘Yes! Yes! Yes! No! No! No!’ promo was all about just how great Daniel Bryan is and why that demonstrates the enormity of Roman Reigns’s star power—because as great as Daniel Bryan is and all he’s overcome, he’ll never overcome Roman Reigns.”

“The promos on Talking Smack are not the same as SmackDown. SmackDown is a two-hour network show that has multiple story lines. Talking Smack is exactly the title of the show; we’re out there talking smack. It’s a more relaxed atmosphere without the time constraints, and it’s conversation. While the job is always to hype and create interest and awareness, it’s not with theatrics and a raised voice. It’s more of a ‘Let’s have breakfast, lunch or dinner together, and let me tell you why Roman Reigns is the end-all, be-all attraction in sports entertainment today.’”

Paul Heyman Explains Why Roman Reigns Is a Perfect Partner

For years, the mike drop has represented the most cutting way to close out a promo. Ever the innovator, Paul Heyman once again changed that distinction, introducing wrestling fans to the phone flip during the final segment of Talking Smack two Fridays ago.