Diamond Dallas Page Praises Paul Heyman, He Helped Me Launch My Career!

Diamond Dallas Page might not be where he is today if it weren't for Paul Heyman ... 'cause DDP tells TMZ Sports the legendary wrestling personality actually helped launch his career!!

Page said the assist came many decades ago ... after Diamond sent the American Wrestling Association -- where Heyman worked at the time as "Paul E. Dangerously" -- an audition tape of him "managing" a group of aspiring wrestlers.

Initially, Page said the org. laughed at the submission ... after it found out neither he nor the wrestlers he filmed with had any sort of real experience.

But, DDP said after Heyman left the Association for the National Wrestling Alliance ... AWA execs gave him a call about potentially filling Heyman's boisterous void.

Of course, DDP stepped in ... and the rest was history.

"If Paul Heyman does not leave there," Page said, "that spot never opens up. So I have always been a Heyman guy."

Page went on to congratulate Heyman on his upcoming induction to the WWE Hall of Fame -- adding he believes the microphone maestro could have made it even without his most recent twenty-or-so years in the squared circle!!