5 WWE Superstars who were elevated by their managers
There was once a time when the likes of Captain Lou Albano and Freddie Blassie added a unique flavor to the presentation of WWE Superstars. Managers would often lead factions of wrestlers and engage in feuds with top babyfaces.
In the 1980s, the Heenan Family, led by the legendary Bobby Heenan, were among Hulk Hogan's greatest adversaries. 'The Brain' even managed King Kong Buddy and Andre The Giant for their WrestleMania matches against Hogan.
However, during the 21st century, Vince McMahon slowly weeded managers out of his product. This proved to be a mistake as managers can hide the shortcomings of certain performers, most notably on the microphone, and establish them at a higher level.
The value generated by Paul Heyman's presence onscreen has led McMahon to change his mind in recent times, leading to a mini resurrgence for managers in the WWE.
Here are five WWE Superstars who have been elevated by their managers:
#5. Zelina Vega helped Andrade find his footing in WWE NXT
After thriving in CMLL and NJPW as La Sombra - a masked luchador - Andrade experienced a rocky beginning to life in WWE NXT. His inability to cut promos in English hindered him and he was quickly left stranded in the doldrums.
However, 'El Idolo' saw his fortunes turn around in 2017 when he turned heel and formed an alliance with Zelina Vega. Vega's presence and range on the microphone played an enormous role in establishing Andrade as one of the best acts in all of WWE.
Andrade went on to defeat company favorite Drew McIntyre for the NXT Championship at the first NXT Takeover: Wargames show. His reign with the title included a memorable feud with Johnny Gargano which was highlighted by a 5-star match at NXT Takeover: Philadelphia.