5 WWE Legends who could return as managers
Being a WWE Superstar is a challenging career path. While the fame and fortune that can come with success in the industry are great, there are many unfortunate realities.
The biggest downside to wrestling is that, at some point, a superstar has to retire. Generally, WWE Superstars have to cease competing at a fairly young age compared to other lines of work because of the physical demands of the industry.
Some wrestlers have to stop because of injuries or their bodies breaking down, while others can feel that they're slowing down and choose to stop. Meanwhile, others have grown tired of the physical toll the business takes on them. Regardless, most legends retire while still having more to offer the industry.
With so many talented veterans no longer actively competing in the ring, WWE may choose to utilize their star power and microphone skills to help the product and potentially elevate younger stars. All Elite Wrestling has done this with Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, and Jake Roberts, among others. It may be wise for World Wrestling Entertainment to do the same thing.
Below are 5 WWE legends who could return as managers.
#5. JBL may potentially be managing a superstar already
Wait...was that @JCLayfield?!
@BaronCorbinWWE #SmackDown https://t.co/ZjTanAIjLU
John Bradshaw Layfield began wrestling professionally in 1992. He wrestled in Texas, Japan, Mexico, and Germany before signing with WWE in 1995. He went through various characters at first but found success as part of The APA with Farooq.
JBL eventually splintered off into a singles competitor. With an updated gimmick, he defeated Eddie Guerrero for the WWE Championship. He has held numerous championships throughout his career but ultimately retired from full-time wrestling in 2009. He has since worked as a commentator and analyst for the promotion over the past decade.
While many of the legends on this list are just possibilities, JBL becoming a manager may be a reality. Following a recent loss, Happy Corbin was picked up by John Bradshaw Layfield in his limousine.
He then tweeted that he would get Corbin, a manager, for his birthday. If JBL does return as a manager, they both will be great at generating heat from the audience.
#4. Melina is an underrated female superstar
Melina Perez made her professional wrestling debut in 2001. She was briefly part of Tough Enough before officially signing with WWE in 2004. While she made sporadic appearances, she primarily worked in Ohio Valley Wrestling. In the summer of 2005, she debuted as part of MNM with Johnny Nitro and Joey Mercury on the main roster.
While Melina was primarily a manager at first, she eventually transitioned into becoming a full-time wrestler. She has held the WWE Women's Championship three times and the Divas Championship twice. She was released from her contract in 2011.
Melina still occasionally competes. She was even part of the 2022 Royal Rumble match, albeit for a brief period. While the former Divas Champion is likely winding down her in-ring career, she could return as a manager. She played a conniving heel quite well in the past and will probably do well in the role today.
#3. Kurt Angle could share his knowledge with various wrestlers
Kurt Angle's pro wrestling debut was in 1998, but he spent most of his life in amateur wrestling before entering Sports Entertainment. He even won a gold medal at the 1996 Olympics with, say it with me, "a broken freakin' neck."
The Olympic Gold Medalist adapted to WWE like a duck to water. He quickly rose through the ranks and became a multi-time world champion. Unfortunately, his body took a toll, and he dealt with substance abuse issues that ultimately led to him leaving the company in 2006. He returned in 2017 and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
While Angle is likely suffering from several health ailments to compete again, the entertaining superstar could be a manager. There's been speculation of him managing Riddle and even Alpha Academy in the past, so there's a chance those ideas could come to fruition. Kurt Angle leading The Diamond Mine could also be a way to push the NXT stars.
#2. Eric Bischoff had a similar role in WCW
Eric Bischoff first broke into professional wrestling in 1986 with Verne Gagne's AWA. He worked behind the scenes and later on-camera as an interviewer before moving to World Championship Wrestling. While he served as a commentator and interviewer for WCW, he eventually became the president of the company and a villainous on-screen character aligned with the nWo.
In 2002, Bischoff joined WWE and served as the on-screen General Manager of Monday Night RAW. He was involved in numerous memorable moments. He later worked for IMPACT Wrestling and even worked briefly behind the scenes with WWE in 2019.
The 67-year-old is still a fantastic talker and hosts two podcasts. Given his past work with the New World Order, Eric could be a tremendous heat magnet for a WWE Superstar. While he's unlikely to take any bumps at this point, his promos alone will make the role work.
#1. Trish Stratus occasionally appears on WWE television already
Trish Stratus began training in professional wrestling in 1999 and officially debuted on WWE programming in 2000. She started primarily as a valet but eventually became a full-time in-ring competitor.
During her time, Trish captured the women's championship an impressive seven times. She had big matches at WrestleMania and other pay-per-view events. She even competed in the main event of RAW alongside Lita before women regularly did so.
While Trish Stratus retired from full-time competition in 2006, she has made several appearances. The former women's champion last competed at SummerSlam 2019 and appeared on RAW just a few weeks ago.
While Trish has some ongoing health issues to overcome, she would be fantastic as a manager. Stratus has a lot of personality, and she's comfortable on the microphone.
She could help get over a superstar or even a tag team if she spoke for them. Plus, she's a great heel. While fans don't currently boo her, they might if she appeared on television regularly as a villain.
While many legendary figures may be unable or unwilling to wrestle regularly, they can still have a significant impact. If a legend can manage up-and-coming stars, it will keep the legend's legacy alive while also potentially elevating the talent they work with.