The playful feud between Stephen A. Smith and Paul Heyman has a new chapter, and this time Smith is questioning whether Heyman has lost his edge.
Smith said he wanted a WWE role and claimed he could be a bigger heel than Heyman with the right guidance. Those comments came as reports suggested WWE was interested in expanding its relationship with the ESPN personality because of his crossover appeal.
On First Take, Smith took the bit further. He told Heyman he was disappointed in who he’d turned out to be, arguing that Heyman has become a likable figure over recent months when a great heel should be hated by everyone. In Smith’s view, Heyman has lost some of his luster by focusing too much on being liked and has gotten softer.
I wanna send this message to Paul Heyman. I love you, but I’m kinda disappointed in who you ended up being, quite in my estimation. Paul Heyman has not stood out over the last few months the way I expected him to. He’s actually become a likable figure.”
“It’s one thing for me to like you, but everybody is supposed to hate you. I would dare say that I think Paul Heyman has lost a touch of his luster because he has been too fixated on being liked. I’m kinda disappointed, I must say. I think Paul Heyman has gotten a bit softer.
Heyman answered on X, saying he would address what he called a “comedy routine” from his dear friend sooner rather than later. He also took a shot at First Take for calling him a “manager,” saying that label undersells him, and he compared it to calling ESPN a TV station. He suggested his preferred titles instead, including WWE Hall of Famer, Advocate, Oracle, Wiseman, or GOAT.
Whether this is friendly banter or the lead-in to something bigger, it keeps alive the speculation about Smith eventually getting involved with WWE. If Heyman follows through on his promise to respond, this exchange is far from over.
