Roman Reigns has suggested Brock Lesnar is missing out by not having Paul Heyman as part of his act.
The Universal Champion, who will defend his title against the Beast Incarnate at WWE Crown Jewel on Thursday (October 21), has seen the roles referenced as he took on his rival’s advocate as his own special counsel and he’s reaping the benefits.
He told WWE UK: ‘Paul Heyman has a very wide skillset, and there is a lot of great behind-the-scenes details he can keep in check.
‘A lot of people don’t get to see the little things he does for a performer, so for me that is something that is now in place and it is something Brock is lacking.
‘There are so many responsibilities and tasks I don’t have to worry about now, the only thing I have to focus on is the battle plan – what is going to happen when I walk out of the curtain and defend the WWE Universal Championship – Paul has everything else covered.
‘I just have to show up and make sure the ring announcer is saying “and still” at the end of the match. But that’s not the same for Brock anymore, everything falls on him.’
Of course, that could all change after Friday’s episode of SmackDown when Lesnar revealed Heyman had sat down with him privately to go through the contract for Thursday’s match in Saudi Arabia.
Regardless of where the storyline goes from here, it’s been fascinating seeing the roles reversed after Brock and Roman met in the past with Heyman very much in the Beast’s corner.
‘I think the most obvious thing is how the roles have reversed and how the whole dynamic has shifted one-eighty,’ the Tribal Chief said, reflecting on their renewed rivalry.
‘The direction of where each personality has been, and where it is going, all the way through to the alliance of Paul Heyman – everything has changed with me and Brock.
‘In the past Brock was probably the most prestigious Universal Champion we have had, definitely in terms of title reign – but that pales into comparison against what I have been able to achieve in the last year and a half.’
Whereas Lesnar is presented as a special attractive who comes and goes as he pleases in WWE, Roman has been ever-present – and utterly dominant – since returning at SummerSlam 2020.
‘Being a full-time performer and being able to showcase weekly on Smackdown, and then every month – and sometimes more – being able to defend that title on every major pay-per-view from the Big Four down, has made a big difference to where we are both at,’ he explained.
‘A lot of things have changed for me and Brock – but one thing that hasn’t is our physicality in the ring. Brock has done well against me years ago, but anything recently I think I have had the upper hand – and that upper hand lies with me in so many ways.’
*Crown Jewel airs on the WWE Network at 5pm on Thursday, October 21.
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