Paul Heyman On Trying To Stay Connected With The Youth

WWE has gone away from signing independent talent for "NXT" and is putting an emphasis on recruiting younger, college athletes. Paul Heyman, who plays the on-screen role of special counsel to Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, was at the most recent tryouts and discussed what he saw in the recruits and what he does to stay connected to the youth of today.

"Youth, enthusiasm, vision, desire, ambition, the unknown, the pursuit of a dream, and for an old guy like me, that's something to be around," Heyman said on "WrestleRant." "I learn from them because I'm in my 50s. ... I'm not around a bunch of 21-, 22-, 23-, 24-, 25-year-olds, so to hear them in their own environments, around their own peers within their own culture speak their own lexicon, tell me what resonates with them. ... When I speak on television, I have to not only communicate with people my own age, I have to communicate with people far younger than I am. ... I benefit from this probably far more than they do."

WWE's most recent tryouts took place this past July during SummerSlam weekend in Nashville, Tenn., with NBA star Dwight Howard being one of many hopefuls who tried out. WWE stars Big E, Bianca Belair, and WWE Chief Content Officer and Executive Vice President of Talent Relations Triple H also were on hand to get a look at those who could be the next generation of WWE stars.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "WrestleRant" with an h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.