5 greatest WWE managers of all time
The role of a WWE manager has always been of paramount importance. Managers have shaped some of the best superstars' careers, providing them with that extra edge that allowed them to shine brighter than their peers.
From serving as mouthpieces to influencing matches, WWE managers are typically people who are well-versed with every art of the business. Paul Heyman, for example, has managed the likes of Roman Reigns, Brock Lesnar, and Curtis Axel, and has catered to each superstar's demands and needs.
However, like every other aspect of pro wrestling, some managers are greater than others. On that note, we look at five of the greatest managers in WWE history.
#5. On our list of the greatest managers in WWE history: Jimmy Hart
Jimmy Hart was a revolutionary manager. He was among the first who started a trend among managers, and that was staying in the corner of the wrestler he was managing. This was picked up by WWE in the future, and it is pretty much an obligation today.
Hart took it one step further and always arrived at ringside with a megaphone in his hands. He used to tick off his client's opponents by screaming through it. The Mouth of the South was also a genius at drawing heat. His elite talent saw him manage elite, well, talent like Hulk Hogan and The Hart Foundation.
#4. Vickie Guerrero
We are not listening to anyone who says Vickie Guerrero isn't a legend. She was one of the finest managers to have worked for WWE. More impressive is the fact that she did it at a time when there were very few of her kind on the roster, especially female managers.
After Guerrero's arrival, managers were all the rage. She guided Edge and Dolph Ziggler to championships, and did so through some crafty politics and manipulation. Her work as a heel was simply stellar. If you disagree, all we'll say is "EXCUSE ME?!"
#3. Paul Bearer
Paul Bearer is quite literally a superhuman manager, having managed some of the more outlandish characters in WWE history. Mick Foley, Kane and especially The Undertaker all benefitted from his presence, making him a star-maker in his own right.
Bearer's voice was simply legendary, and using it, he struck terror into the hearts of fans and other superstars alike. What makes him an all-time great is the fact that he managed performers whose gimmicks could have very easily flopped. However, he put in a lot of effort to make them believable threats, and the results speak for themselves.
#2. Paul Heyman
Ladies and gentlemen, his name is Paul Heyman, and at least in his mind, he is the reigning, defending, undisputed WWE managerial champion of the world. He is without a shadow of a doubt up there with the best of them, having devoted his entire life to wrestling.
Heyman has an extraordinary ability to elevate anything just by talking about it. He is the kind of man who can sell water to fish. When you pair him with talented superstars, he rises above and beyond anyone's wildest expectations. We have seen it with Brock Lesnar and we are seeing it with Roman Reigns.
The Advocate's obsession with putting the spotlight on his clients and what they are doing make him a master among managers. According to him, his victory when it comes to this list isn't a prediction, but a spoiler. However, this is one thing he hasn't managed to get right.
#1. Bobby Heenan
Paul Heyman may have claimed on TV that he is the greatest manager of all time, but ask him again backstage and he will retract his point. That designation goes to Bobby Heenan, who is the only one who can pip Heyman to the top spot here.
Heenan was the benchmark when it came to getting fans to eat out of his hands. He was also one of the greatest talkers in the business. The Brain masterfully built up one of wrestling's greatest attractions in Andre the Giant by simply talking. Doing so made him the ultimate foil to the all-conquering Hulk Hogan.
The fact that Heenan possessed managerial chops in spades and was also one of the greatest commentators of all time speaks volumes about the kind of legend he is in wrestling folklore. When it comes to managers, he is the G.O.A.T., and by a distance.