OOC: I was bored. Awhile back on Madness, I had started this as a multi-segment interview between Jim Ross and Paul Heyman. It was designed to be an in depth "behind the scenes" style interview that for one reason or another, I scrapped while working on the show. Since I'm bored and have nothing to do right now, I figured I'd bring this to you. This was originally done back when Jim Ross spent a month or so calling the action on Madness.

Also, I didn't save it, so this is more from memory than anything and updated to fit the current goings-on. Like I said, boredom.

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The scene opens in a dimly lit room inside the Scarsdale, New York home of Paul Heyman. Jim Ross sits in a comfortable looking chair. A cherry wood table in front of him, on top of it, a single glass pitcher of water, and two tall glasses. The camera pans out a little and Paul Heyman sits in an identical chair on the other side of the table.



JIM ROSS: "Good evening, XWFers, I'm good ole JR, Jim Ross, and tonight, a very special in depth interview with the former Mad Man of Madness, Paul Heyman. He's graciously welcomed myself and the XWF cameras into his home, and tonight, I bring you an in depth, behind the scenes look, at the former General Manager of the most popular wrestling show on television.

"Paul, thank you."

PAUL HEYMAN: "The pleasure is mine."

JIM ROSS: "Tonight, nothing is off limits. I've known Paul Heyman since the early days of WCW when it broke off from the NWA. He's had a storied career that involved WCW, ECW, the WWE and the XWF. From managing wrestlers, to running promotions, Paul is regarded as one of the most influential and unique minds in the business.

"The stories of the old days have been told and retold a million times. What is unknown, is the behind the scenes look at Paul and the Xtreme Wrestling Federation.

"Paul, how did you joining the XWF come about?"

PAUL HEYMAN: "Let me say first, that I had paid close attention to the XWF for many years. I thought they had the best chance of taking over as the top dogs from Vince McMahons sports entertainment conglomerate, and I'm happy to say that they have. I had always said privately that given the chance, I'd come to the XWF and raise the bar."

JIM ROSS: "Who was it that gave you that chance?"

PAUL HEYMAN: "Shane ."

JIM ROSS: "How did that meeting go?"

PAUL HEYMAN: "It wasn't a meeting. It was an odd voicemail. He said something about potatoes and said I was hired because, and I quote, it was time to CROSS the line on Monday nights. Then more potatoey goodness."

JIM ROSS: "Did you meet with Shane in person after that?"

PAUL HEYMAN: "Yes, when I debuted as General Manager, Shane was there to greet me when I entered the building."

JIM ROSS: "If I remember correctly, wasn't the Administrator Networks Wallace Witasick angling to take over that show?"

PAUL HEYMAN: "He was, and that's why Shane needed me. Shane had been at odds with the Administrator Network for quite some time by then and Shane wanted to make certain that there was no way in hell the Network would control two thirds of the XWF programming."

JIM ROSS: "And how did he entice you to take over the show?"

PAUL HEYMAN: "He already had forged documents written up. He'd forged Randall Crosses signature basically giving me full control of the programming. Let's be honest, Shane didn't care what happened on the show. His only goal was to make sure the Network couldn't control it."

JIM ROSS: "They could control you though?"

PAUL HEYMAN: "In a sense. I was running the show, but I'm also an XWF contracted talent. They couldn't control the product, but they certainly tried to control the guy running it."

JIM ROSS: "You resisted that control, didn't you?"

PAUL HEYMAN: "Jim, we've known each other for 25 years. Have you ever known Paul Heyman to just fall in line with authority?"

JIM ROSS: "Good point. Let's shift gears here for a minute. Being a Paul Heyman Guy means being a chosen one. In the history of this business, you've possibly guided more wrestlers to stardom than anyone else. It holds a different meaning in the XWF. Tell us about that?"

PAUL HEYMAN: "In the XWF, being a Paul Heyman Guy is good for you. When I ran Madness, it was Paul Heyman versus the World. You were either with me, or against me. If you were with me, I did everything in my power to get you what you deserved. If you were against me, I did everything in my power to stop you from getting what you deserved."

JIM ROSS: "Like Neonero?"

PAUL HEYMAN: "Neonero is a great talent, no doubt. He refused to play ball. So, I did what I had to do."

JIM ROSS: "Twice."

PAUL HEYMAN: "Yes, twice."

JIM ROSS: "What made you decide to do it? Paul Heyman, what made you screw Neonero out of the European title, not once, but twice?"

PAUL HEYMAN: "Very early on in my tenure, I'd scheduled a title defense for Nero against Jeff Hardy. Nero decided to take his ball and go home. So, I did what any man in my position would do. I forced him to play the game. And I forced that title off of his waist."

JIM ROSS: "That was the first time. What about the second?"

PAUL HEYMAN: "Jeff Hardy was proving to be an unreliable champion. He showed up, but his drug usage was becoming a major issue. He repeatedly defended that title under the influence and I couldn't take it anymore. I had to do something. So I tried, and failed, countless times to get that title away from Jeff Hardy."

JIM ROSS: "And that's when Neonero returned."

PAUL HEYMAN: "He returned during one of my failed attempts to take the title off of Jeff Hardy. He physically threatened me, so in my mind, I figured if one of them was going to be the champion, I may as well put them both through hell. I booked the rematch inside Heymans Chamber of Horrors.

"My only thought was let them kill each other."

JIM ROSS: "Neonero proved successful in his attempt to regain the title. That set forth some events that would show you actively stealing the title and giving it to someone else. Can you tell us about that?"

PAUL HEYMAN: "I had signed a man to a contract about a month prior. He was a bit green, but extremely tough. I booked a little known Senator against big bad Neonero. In Nero's egotism, I knew he'd have his guard down and it was time to move. The plan went down perfectly and at the end of the day, I had my first hand picked champion."

JIM ROSS: "John Samuels."

PAUL HEYMAN: "Precisely."

JIM ROSS: "He's a real hoss."

PAUL HEYMAN: "He went from a hand picked, rookie champion, to my best friend."

JIM ROSS: "Lets shift gears again. I'm going to go through some names that have been linked to you during your tenure. I want you to give me your real thoughts."

PAUL HEYMAN: "Shoot."

JIM ROSS: "Shane ."

PAUL HEYMAN: "The greatest and most creative wrestling mind I have ever known."

JIM ROSS: "The Administrator."

PAUL HEYMAN: "A tyrant. Much in the way of Vince McMahon. Too smart to let the company fail, to stupid to change."

JIM ROSS: "Wallace Witasick."

PAUL HEYMAN: "He ran a tight ship. Too bad he lacked any creativeness whatsoever. There's a reason its called Bore-fare and those that run it today can't shake that stigma."

JIM ROSS: "Morgan Eldred."

PAUL HEYMAN: "It's too bad what happened to him. He would have been an excellent General Manager, Network or no Network."

JIM ROSS: "Jeff Hardy."

PAUL HEYMAN: "The biggest waste of talent since Scott Hall."

JIM ROSS: "Neonero."

PAUL HEYMAN: "One of the best I've ever seen. He has an ego problem and that's where our relationship disintegrated. If he ever meets an untimely demise, I'll be there to piss on his grave."

JIM ROSS: "Crimson Cobra."

PAUL HEYMAN: "Untapped potential. Too bad he never re-signed."

JIM ROSS: "CM Punk."

PAUL HEYMAN: "Not right for the XWF."

JIM ROSS: "LJ Havok."

PAUL HEYMAN: "A guy that has improved steadily. He has so much potential and one day, if and when he returns to the rings of the XWF, I hope he'll continue to let me guide him."

JIM ROSS: "The Senator."

PAUL HEYMAN: "The best natural talent I've ever witnessed and he'll soon be King of the XWF. And just his presence gets under Neonero's skin. What could possibly be better than that?"

JIM ROSS: "You've started The Axis. A group of individuals that are intent on raising hell on Madness. Why?"

PAUL HEYMAN: "As you know, the Network stole my show from me. They rendered me powerless. The Axis is designed to get that power back. One way or another."

JIM ROSS: "The Axis is barely even mentioned. I think you're failing."

PAUL HEYMAN: "The thing is, Jim, is we've not yet begun. When the time is right, The Axis will strike."

JIM ROSS: "Can you tell me about this proposed brand, Road To Xtreme?"

PAUL HEYMAN: "It is owned and operated by me. Financed by me. It's also a farm for the XWF. Where the young minds of the Xtreme Wrestling Federation come to seek my guidance. You tell me Jim, is it a bad move for me to shape the minds of the XWF stars of tomorrow?"

JIM ROSS: "I know you, Paul. What's RTX really designed for?"



Heyman just smiles.



JIM ROSS: "What if you never get back control of Madness?"

PAUL HEYMAN: "Then I'll die trying."

JIM ROSS: "Whether those that watch the XWF like you, love you, or hate you, it is an undeniable fact that you've etched a legacy within the XWF. What would you like those that watch the XWF to remember when you decide to hang it up?"

PAUL HEYMAN: "I want them to remember that I took a show that was in defib. A show that was basically on life support. A show that had no roster. A show that the XWF was ready to pull the plug on, and made it special. I took Madness from the brink of extinction and I made it something. Within weeks of taking over, its heart rate was stabilized. Promo limits were gone. A roster had begun to take shape.

"My debut alone, those numbers already doubled anything TNA ever got.

"Within a month and a half, we were beating both RAW and SmackDown!

"By the end of Witasicks tenure as GM of Bore-fare, Madness was the most watched wrestling show on the entire planet.

"Monday Night Madness is my legacy. It was my gift to the XWF and wrestling fans as a whole. A clear alternative to the John Cena bore fest on USA Network. A clear alternative to Bore-fare on Wednesday nights. If you stack my show against that show, on any given week, Madness was the place to go. Madness was the show to watch.

"Whether they loved me or hated me, they always tuned in, the arenas and stadiums always sold out. Why? Because I'm a god damned mastermind and they never knew what I'd do next.

"And that, Jim Ross, is my XWF legacy."

Fade.