DETAILED UPDATE: Paul Heyman GONE From ECW

News

Mike Johnson of PWInsider broke the following story on Monday afternoon:

Paul Heyman was sent home from today’s Monday Night Raw/ECW taping in North Carolina following a meeting with Vince McMahon. We are still working on the story, but the word going around is that Heyman has been removed from the WWE’s ECW creative team and looks to be entirely done with WWE at this point and time, although he’s not (yet) been released from his contractual obligations.

Johnson reports that his sources tell him Heyman and Vince had a meeting, Paul was then escorted out of the arena, and the ECW talent is meeting with management about the situation. WrestlingObserver.com’s Dave Meltzer hasn’t said anything more than reporting on the below post by WWE.com:

Distraught by the results of December to Dismember, ECW Representative Paul Heyman appeared to be distant and depressed this afternoon at the North Charleston Coliseum hours before an ECW live event.

This condition was further exasperated by Mr. McMahon, who decided to send Heyman home. The WWE Chairman cited slumping television ratings and a disgruntled talent roster as causes for Mr. Heyman’s dismissal.

Check back with ECW.com for updates on the status on Paul Heyman and ECW.

MONDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: Dave Scherer at PWInsider, in verifying Johnson’s above story, has stated that “The word going around from everyone I talked to is that this is not a storyline in any way and he is legitimately done with the company.” According to Scherer, after a 2pm meeting today with Vince and Stephanie, Heyman was seen leaving the meeting as if nothing out of the ordinary took place, and went about packing up and leaving the building. This all supposedly came to a head because Vince was angry about how bad last night’s PPV was, and blamed Heyman due to being “stuck in the past” with regards to the brand; Heyman was also reportedly upset with the way the show was booked, saying as much both before and after the show.

MONDAY EVENING UPDATE: Bob Ryder at 1wrestling.com (a site for which Joey Styles used to prominently write) reiterated Scherer’s points, also noting that basically everyone — “new” and “old” — backstage was upset with the PPV and Heyman’s dismissal. Particularly upset was RVD, who’s wife was seen turning her back to Lashley following the main event and taking part in TNA chants. RVD’s contract is said to be up late Spring/early Summer 2007.

MONDAY NIGHT UPDATE: PWTorch.com’s Wade Keller’s saying that “This is not an angle. Heyman is already on a plane on his way home.” Keller goes on to say that “Heyman had a meeting today that included Vince McMahon in which he apparently expressed disappointment with the product. The product that aired on PPV was different than that which was originally booked by Heyman and submitted to McMahon. There were last second changes in the show that frustrated Heyman.” Keller later reported the following, according to a Pulse Wrestling reader who listened to his latest audio update:

– Vince was selling Sunday night’s PPV positively after the show, but realized after the negative reaction how horrible it was. Many within ECW and WWE figured things would come to a head with Vince and Heyman.

– Agents, creative staff, Vince & Stephanie had a meeting this afternoon, which was rather uneventful, but after the meeting broke up, Heyman, Vince & Steph had another one. Heyman walked out after the meeting and left the building, and flew home. The next thing people knew, it was reported on WWE.com that Heyman had been “dismissed” by Vince.

– There was no screaming and yelling, but the way it looks internally is that Heyman was unhappy with the PPV, said what he had to say to Vince, the meeting ended, and Paul’s time in WWE is done. Keller implies that the sense some had that Heyman “sold out” by going along with “McECW” has been erased by Heyman leaving in this manner.

– The PPV booking was different than wrestlers were initially told, particularly in the Elimination Chamber; for example how long CM Punk was to last before being eliminated, and the order of who entered the chamber and when may have been changed.

– Heyman wanted Lashley to be a heel, but Vince was dead set on him being a babyface.

– Dave Lagana will be taking over as head writer of ECW with Heyman gone, likely submitting scripts to Vince and Stephanie for review and editing, as Heyman was doing (and as Michael Hayes does with Smackdown and Brian Gewertz does with RAW).

– Sabu angle wasn’t punishment — just like the quick loss to Umaga on RAW a few weeks ago wasn’t punishment — but simply a creative decision to add drama to the show and even the heel/face balance in the match.

WWE.com has posted ECW talent reactions to Heyman’s departure, with Originals upset and Newbies optimistic — click here for more.

Also, PWInsider is saying that tonight will be the end of Big Show’s tenure with WWE. Of course plans can always change, but Show has been working hurt and it is unlikely he’ll stick around after tonight’s match (taped for Tuesday) with Bobby Lashley, although PWTorch.com is reporting that Big Show is still scheduled to do one more overseas tour before he’s done with WWE. No word yet on whether or not he’ll come back after his contract is up to participate in the rumored Wrestlemania match with Hulk Hogan, but the language PWInsider uses is that Show is “expected to finish up his WWE commitments tonight,” so time will tell.

Matthew Michaels is editor emeritus of Pulse Wrestling, and has been since the site launched.