Paul Heyman dives deep into the creative process behind The Bloodline storyline.
Heyman has been paired with Roman Reigns since 2020, and they were later joined by The Usos, Sami Zayn and Solo Sikoa. Throughout the group’s run, the storyline has been praised as one of the most compelling programs in wrestling, and it reached a new level when Zayn betrayed Reigns at WWE Royal Rumble. The storyline continues to unfold, with Jimmy Uso’s questionable loyalty being a key factor on the road to WrestleMania.
During an appearance on the Jimmy Traina on the SI Media podcast, Heyman opened up about the creative process of the storyline and emphasized that it’s a team effort. He noted that he and Reigns often discuss ideas, and he also gave The Usos credit for their ideas. Heyman then named Michael Hayes, the SmackDown writing team, and others as well.
“You know the old expression, ‘it takes a team?’ It certainly has with us. There are a lot of people who have worked really hard to make this work. It kind of all filters through Roman Reigns’ field. There are several people that come to me to present things to Roman, and then Roman and I will talk about it and comeback with either something that fits into their narrative or something that we would hope, we could perhaps enhance it or put it in our own words, or come back with, ‘that doesn’t work for us, what about this?’ and start a different process and we’re bouncing ideas off of them. When I say ‘them,’ the thing with Sami started when Vince (McMahon) was still running creative, so it started under Vince McMahon’s creative regime. it was a seamless transition to Paul Levesque [Triple H]. There are times when we’re sitting in the room and it’s Roman, me, the Usos, and one of the Usos, will just say, ‘You know what would be really good with Sami?’ ‘Oh my God, why aren’t we doing that already?’ You’ll find things that come from the Usos that would shock you, just how great they are. There is Michael Hayes. He has an understanding about telling a story within the body of a match that very few in history could ever claim to be on par with. The SmackDown writing team, which is led by Ryan Callahan, who is an unsung hero in what we’ve put together. Ryan Callahan and his team. Michael Kirshenbaum, who you never hear about. On a week to week basis, along with a gentleman named Chad Barbash, Zach Hyatt, there are all people who will come and sit in a room with us or on Roman’s bus or on a conference call and we’ll throw around ideas. ‘What resonates with you? You have teenage kids, this story of acceptance, what tales are they telling from the cafeteria at lunch time in high school?’ It’s really a team and a lot of unsung heroes and a lot of people you don’t read about online because they very intentionally keep their names out of the headlines, who have worked their asses off to put this together.”
Heyman also highlighted Zayn’s role in the process before he praised the group as a whole. He noted that the creative team vet their own ideas, and The Bloodline always has a plan when they present their ideas.
“Sami has had a big voice in it too, and rightfully so, he’s the person presenting the character. In terms of me just shooting down…with this group, there have not been a lot of ideas that I sit there and say, ‘that’s not even worth me reaching out for.’ It’s a pretty damn smart group. The people that I’ve mentioned don’t just throw crap up against a wall and see what sticks. They vet their own ideas out. It’s never just, ‘Hey, I have this one little thing and one word,’ there is a plan with anything that is presented to us. On the flip side, when we present to them, we always have a plan, ‘this leads to this leads to this, which we call back on in a few weeks where the very same thing happens but it’s the mirror image.’ We try, everything that we do, we try to give meaning to, so that when it happens again, there is a story behind the action itself.” (H/t Jeremy Lambert of Fightful for the transcription)
The Bloodline storyline will continue on the March 6 episode of WWE RAW, as Zayn will face Jimmy Uso. WrestleZone will have coverage of the show as it airs.
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