Heyman Talks Ronda Rousey, X-Pac Discusses Lesnar's MITB Win, Road Dogg in NXT

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.

Paul Heyman Talks Rousey, Backstage Roles

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Paul Heyman was among the contingent inside WWE who helped Ronda Rousey make the transition from MMA to pro wrestling. Heyman was known to help out with Rousey's promos and persona, and it was a natural fit given his relationship with Brock Lesnar.

Heyman spoke about Rousey and his role in general with Scott Fishman of TV Insider:

"I like the speculation as to where my role is and where my role isn't in WWE because I think people should have the opportunity to simply enjoy the product, not worry about if Paul Heyman is involved in this idea or Paul Heyman wasn't involved in that idea. I had a blast working with Ronda Rousey. Working with Ronda Rousey was a life-changing experience for me, and I hope I get a chance to work even more with Ronda Rousey in the future."

"There are other people that I contribute to their presentation at the moment, but it's not public knowledge. It is speculation, and I would rather leave it that way. If you're noticing what I'm doing behind the scenes, then you're missing the point of what I want you to pick up on, which is the characters and the storylines. I'm glad that many people don't know what I'm doing right now because it gives them an opportunity to simply judge the product, and oh my God, enjoy the product for what it is."

Rousey is currently on a WWE hiatus, as she looks to start a family with her husband, Travis Browne. It's unclear whether she will return to the business, but she is under contract through April 2021.

Rousey's last match was at WrestleMania 35, where she was pinned by Becky Lynch in her first-ever loss.

X-Pac Sides With Wrestlers Upset About Brock Lesnar's MITB Victory

To say Brock Lesnar winning the 2019 Money in the Bank briefcase was an unpopular decision would be an understatement. Fans railed against the move for it ruining arguably the greatest MITB match in history. The wrestlers themselves even seemed a bit perturbed by the booking, especially given the fact many of them were kept in the dark about Lesnar's return.

X-Pac spoke on the matter in his latest podcast (h/t Ross Kelly of Wrestling Inc.):

"I would not blame anyone in that match for being pissed off. That they had no idea [regarding the finish] if that's true. You put this match together and you're out there risking your neck, you're doing all this s--t, you got this finish you think is [gonna happen]. Trust me, when you're a wrestler and you do this, when you're a pro wrestler and you're in a match, this is like your canvas that you are painting your masterpiece on. You're trying for a masterpiece every time you go out there. You're trying for a Mona Lisa… and you're just about finished and all of a sudden you have no idea and this guy comes out and just paints a mustache on the Mona Lisa."

Lesnar's victory was meant to anger fans, so in that case, it was successful. Brock as the briefcase holder also makes some sense from a story perspective. No one ever knows when Lesnar is going to show up...because he hardly shows up.

If WWE can avoid its tendency to over-promote and keep Lesnar's appearances a secret until he cashes in, there will always be a level of suspense—which is the original purpose of the briefcase. It also avoids a situation where we have to spend an entire cycle with the tired storyline where the briefcase holder runs down, nearly cashes in and then doesn't quite do it.

That said, it's not hard to see why it's frustrating.

Road Dogg Joining NXT

The last we heard of Road Dogg's role in WWE, he was leaving his role as the co-lead writer of SmackDown Live. He'd reportedly become frustrated with Vince McMahon's last-minute changes to scripts and decided he needed to step away.

It was unclear if that meant his time with the company was over entirely, or if he would be transitioned into another role.

It appears the latter is the case. Mike Johnson of PW Insider reported Road Dogg has joined NXT in an undisclosed role. Odds are he will help with creative with the brand, though an official title has not been determined.