In one of the most emotionally resonant segments of his Ariel Helwani Show appearance, Paul Heyman recounted a deeply personal conversation he shared with CM Punk just moments before their entrance for the WrestleMania 41 main event.
Heyman described the intimate moment backstage in Gorilla Position as Punk prepared to walk out for his first-ever WrestleMania main event—a career-defining dream for the ‘Best in the World.’ “I told him, ‘You made it, and you did it on your own terms. And there’s no charity here. And this is not a political move. It’s not a gift… You’re in the main event of WrestleMania because you earned the right and the privilege to be there,’” Heyman recalled.
Heyman, who has a storied and sometimes tumultuous history with Punk, said the moment was both personal and professional: “I’m so proud of you, and I’m so happy for you. And here’s the best part—we get to walk out there together. We get to do this together… and thank you for letting me be a part of it.”
Heyman concluded the conversation with a classic wrestling tribute rarely heard today: “‘Thank you for the house.’ That phrase is so long gone in our industry and shouldn’t be,” he said, referring to a time-honored sign of respect for a main-event draw.
Heyman also revealed that the Triple Threat main event—CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins—was not WWE’s original vision for the show. “The original idea for this year’s Mania was Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins, and Gunther vs. CM Punk,” he stated.
According to Heyman, the plan evolved after the Survivor Series 2024 return of Punk: “The dynamic between Roman and Punk was so fascinating to watch that at some point we said, ‘Ooh, is it Roman vs. Punk?’ And then we realized it’s so much more intriguing as a Triple Threat.”
This creative pivot also opened the door for Jey Uso to win the Royal Rumble and challenge Gunther in another marquee match.
Heyman noted that Cena vs. Cody was “always the path” for Night 1.
Heyman reserved high praise for all three main event participants.
On Seth Rollins: “His microphone performances leading up to the event were the most brilliant… of his entire career.”
On Roman Reigns: “This was The Tribal Chief’s first WrestleMania walking to the ring in five years without a title… and he still commanded every bit of it.”
On CM Punk: The only one who got to hear “thank you for the house” from Heyman himself.
He added, “All three of them deserve to hear it. Only one got to hear it, though, Punk, because I was with him,” Heyman concluded.
You can watch the full interview with Paul Heyman on The Ariel Helwani Show below.
Stay tuned to PWMania.com for more backstage stories, interviews, and more.
