The art of great wrestling managers is something that has really been lost in modern WWE, but throughout the history of the company, there have been some incredible managers who really have added to the product.
A great manager can really take a wrestler from being unappealing and average to being incredibly interesting and engaging, adding layers and different dimensions to matches and storylines without stealing all of the limelight for themselves.
Within this article we will take a look back throughout WWE history, ranking the 10 greatest managers in the history of the company, from those who could cut an incredible promo to those who would always get involved in matches and everything in between.
10 Sensational Sherri
Sensational Sherri might have had a good career in the ring, earning the Women's Championship, but it was her time on the outside of the ring that was really memorable with her time in charge of Randy Savage and Ted DiBiase.
However, whilst she was influential for both of those men, it was her time managing Shawn Michaels where she was really able to showcase how influential she could be as a manager.
HBK was a young, upcoming talent at the time, really breaking in and finding his stride with Sherri playing a key role in that, constantly whispering to Michaels and helping to develop him.
9 Paul Ellering
Paul Ellering had not just one, but two fantastic runs as a manager throughout his career, which is why it isn't a surprise to see the WWE Hall Of Famer making this list for all of his efforts.
His initial run saw him work alongside The Road Warriors, helping to make them seem like a huge deal as he grew the team to the very top, making them both feel like an attraction rather than just any other tag team.
Ellering then returned to WWE randomly and proved that managers still belong in WWE with his work alongside AOP in NXT where he helped take a very green tag team and turned them into absolute monsters.
8 Miss Elizabeth
Miss Elizabeth provided a very different style of management to many on this list, and it certainly worked. She wasn't a top promo or someone who would run in and help situations, instead, allowing her appearances doing a lot of the talking for her.
Her ability to inspire power in other talent was her biggest, pushing both Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan to new heights, playing a pivotal role in one of the most exciting storylines in wrestling history.
Elizabeth is looked back on as one of the legends of WWE and it all came from her work at ringside, helping to put over her talents through looks and expressions, which really were second to none.
7 Jimmy Hart
The mouth of the south was a game-changer when it came to how managers worked in WWE, as he was one of the first men to stay at ringside during his client's matches, continuing to be a presence at ringside, which is something other managers would follow.
Hart, with his megaphone in hand, would be a major annoyance to opponents throughout matches, which is why he was so effective at not just getting heat in the build-up to matches but also throughout them.
Jimmy Hart managed a real who’s who of WWE talent from the likes of Hulk Hogan and Jerry Lawler to the Hart Foundation and Ted DiBiase, making him one of the most influential managers of all time.
6 Vickie Guerrero
During her run with WWE, managers really were few and far between, with the landscape of WWE being very bare when it came to managers, which is where Vickie Guerrero stepped in, showing how managers can still be relevant.
The cougar worked with both Edge and Dolph Ziggler, helping to guide them to championship success which came through her brilliant politics work, manipulating things in the favor of her client's.
Vickie was also a major heat magnet and was one of the most hated people on the entire roster, with a simple "Excuse me" catchphrase being enough to set the crowd off going crazy.
5 Jim Cornette
He might be a very controversial figure in wrestling nowadays, often complaining about the current product on social media, but Jim Cornette is one of the very best managers to have ever appeared on WWE television.
Cornette was the perfect manager at gaining heel heat for his teams with the Midnight Express becoming a detested duo, mainly down to Cornette’s work on the microphone, ensuring people hated them.
He knew exactly when to get involved in matches, working the officials to perfection by getting involved whenever he needed to with his famous tennis racket helping to win many matches over the years.
4 Freddie Blassie
'Classy' Freddie Blassie had an incredible in-ring career as a wrestler, dominating the Georgia territory for years, whilst also being one of the first gaijin to regularly work in Japan, but his time as a manager was just as good, if not better.
Blassie joined WWF late in his career and managed Iron Sheik to a World Title run, as well as helping him and Nikolai Volkoff earn multiple Tag Team Championships, becoming one of the most hated men in wrestling in the process.
Blassie just knew how to get under the skin of wrestling fans and used to drop new terms on a regular basis during his promos. He may not have been as flashy as some of the managers that came after him, but he was certainly one of the elite managers to ever grace WWF.
3 Paul Bearer
Whether it was Mick Foley, Kane, or The Undertaker, whoever Paul Bearer managed was always improved by his incredible talent. With one of the most iconic voices in wrestling history, audiences always sat up and listened whenever Bearer had anything to say.
Because the people he managed had such gimmick heavy characters that were all extraordinary, Bearer had a very difficult task in trying to make them feel as believable and realistic as possible, and it was through him that the fans really got to understand them.
He also played a huge role in adding to them during their matches with the urn in his hand, powering his talents throughout, Bearer is a manager that will always be remembered and he was certainly one of the all-time greats.
2 Paul Heyman
When it comes to selling a match to the WWE Universe there is nobody better than Paul Heyman. No matter how bad the storyline might be, he will do everything in his power to get the fans interested in the match of whoever he is managing.
Of course, when you think of Heyman your mind instantly goes to Brock Lesnar, which is a testament to how good of a job he has been doing with the Beast, constantly hyping him up and making him feel like the greatest WWE Superstar of all time.
Heyman’s best skill is his gift of the gab, and he always uses it to enhance his talent, not himself. He also always does a great job in putting over his talents opponent, selling things with facial expressions or hyping them in promos to make the matches that much more interesting. Simply put, he is a master at his craft.
1 Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan
There are few people who could command a crowd better than Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan, who was one of the greatest promos in wrestling history, commanding an audience with his every word, helping to get over his talent.
Bobby Heenan was a key player in the whole Hulkamania period of professional wrestling as he did everything to construct a perfect villain in Andre The Giant to go up against the Immortal One, which was needed to make him even more popular.
Heenan proved just how quick and clever he was on the microphone when he joined the commentary table, which is possibly where he is best remembered by some, but there is a reason he was called ‘The Brain,’ and that was all down to his fantastic management tactics.