Backstage News On Paul Heyman's Past Talks To Join TNA Wrestling

In late 2009/early 2010, there were talks between TNA and Paul Heyman regarding the former ECW owner coming in. Those talks broke down after Heyman requested total control of the product, something then-TNA President Dixie Carter refused to give him.

During a recent appearance on The Kurt Angle Show podcast, NWA owner Billy Corgan revealed his role in trying to get Carter to hire Heyman;

"I'm sitting at a table, and she says, 'If you were me, would you hire Paul Heyman?' I said, 'Give him whatever he wants'. She told me what he wanted. It was a big pile of money and he wanted absolute total control. He gave one interview where he later said, after the whole thing didn't happen and he was back working with WWE, he said what he would have done, and he said he would have cleaned out every veteran except [Kurt]. He would have kept Kurt Angle, went young, and went more MMA-shooter style. It was very interesting. 

"Back to the conversation with Dixie. I said, 'Please, give him whatever he wants'. 'Well, he wants this and that. He wants total control of my company'. I said, 'Please, give it to him. Number one, your ratings will double overnight. Number two, you'll get all the smart marks off your back, instantly. Number three, they'll hail you as a genius for bringing in Heyman. Number four, the company will be on fire within six months. I guarantee it. Just do it'. She said, 'what about giving up control?'. I said, 'I don't care, just give it to him'. I begged her. Imagine what that company would have been, with that roster, or whoever he would have brought it. It would have been hot fire. I think she was very reluctant to give up control," Corgan said.

Corgan did concede that, as the current owner of the NWA, he would have to think long and hard if faced with a similar proposition.

Heyman would ultimately return to WWE in 2012 and has worked there as both an on-screen character and in a backstage capacity ever since.

H/T Fightful