The back-and-forth between Stephen A. Smith and Paul Heyman isn’t slowing down anytime soon. After previously joking that he’d be a bigger WWE heel than Heyman, Smith is now criticizing the Hall of Famer for becoming “too likable”—and Heyman wasted no time responding.
Earlier this year, Smith openly talked about wanting a role in WWE, even claiming he could “out-heel the heel” with Heyman’s guidance. Those comments came as reports suggested WWE was interested in expanding its relationship with the ESPN personality because of his crossover appeal. Speaking on First Take, Smith took things a step further by saying he believes Heyman has lost some of what made him such a great villain.
“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.”
Smith continued by arguing that a great WWE heel isn’t supposed to be liked by the audience, saying he thinks Heyman has softened over time.
“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 didn’t let those comments sit for long. Taking to Twitter, he made it clear he’ll be addressing Smith’s latest remarks in the near future while also poking fun at how First Take referred to him.
“As I stated on another platform, I shall address this comedy routine by my dear friend @stephenasmith, and I shall do so sooner rather than later. And by the way, @FirstTake, you may refer to me as a @WWE Hall of Famer — an Advocate – an Oracle – the Wiseman – or the #GOAT, but calling me a ‘manager’ is like calling @ESPN ‘a TV station.’ Sheeeeesh!”
Whether this is all friendly banter or the start of something bigger remains to be seen, but it’s definitely keeping the rumors alive about Smith eventually getting involved with WWE. And if Heyman’s promise is anything to go by, this exchange is far from over.
Whose side are you on in this war of words—Stephen A. Smith or Paul Heyman? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
