Wrestling: it’s two guys (or girls) running around a squared-circle, punching, kicking and generally beating the bejeesus out of one another, all whilst a paying audience of rampant fans watches and enjoys the sadistic madness. That sums it up pretty well, right? Well, as it turns out, to build a successful wrestling company, you need a lot more than this, which means you’re gonna need to hire some people who aren’t wrestlers. WWE history is littered with personalities who weren’t known for being fighters; commentators, managers, backstage interviewers etc., all with characteristics and storylines to rival even the most high-profile athletes. Some of these personalities have gone on to become some of WWE’s most beloved figures; enhancing the in-ring action and playing pivotal roles in some of wrestling’s greatest stories. Others have ruined said stories, demoted promising talent and mispronounced former world champions’ names.

As with everything in wrestling, there are some good and some bad, but since I’m a positive, optimistic person (just ask my therapist), I’m going to give you more light than dark, but just be warned, some of these guys are pretty damn terrible. To clarify, we’re not including former wrestlers who transitioned into a non-wrestling role (so, no Jerry Lawlers or JBLs here) but non-wrestlers who had the occasional match are included (the likes of the McMahons, most of whom won titles in the WWE, are not included). Everyone understand? Do I need to go over it again for those at the back of the class? No? Great. Then let’s begin. Here are 15 of the best and worst non-wrestlers in WWE history.

29 15. BEST: Bobby Heenan

via comicbook.com
via comicbook.com

We’re kicking things off with one of the greatest heels in wrestling history – wrestler or not – and one of the most influential managers of all time. Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan debuted in WWE in 1984 and would quickly become manager to Big John Studd. In doing so, Heenan was involved in one of the marquee matches of the first WrestleMania in 1985; the $15,000 Body Slam Challenge, in which Heenan put $15,000 against Andre The Giant’s career if the Giant couldn’t slam Studd. Heenan would become involved in numerous high-profile feuds, including Andre The Giant’s 1987 heel turn and his now-legendary match with Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania III. Managing the likes of The Brainbusters, Rick Rude, Mr. Perfect. Bobby would lead his "family" to numerous championships and elevated many a performer to prominent positions on the card. One of the original heel managers and still one of the best to this day, Bobby Heenan is a man devoted to the business and one of the classiest acts of all time. A Hall of Famer who more than deserves his place in the hall, Bobby Heenan is a true legend and one of the greatest managers of all time.

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27 14. WORST: Vickie Guerrero

via weight.sdghealth.com
via weight.sdghealth.com

Ok, so, I didn’t really want to put Vickie on the bad part of this list; she’s a great worker and has genuinely been a part of some memorable moments in WWE. But, God, was that voice annoying. Vickie’s WWE career didn’t get off to the best of starts; her first storyline appearance was alongside her husband, Eddie Guerrero, during his feud with Rey Mysterio, during which Eddie claimed that he was Dominick’s (Mysterio’s real life son) biological father. The storyline was uncomfortable as it got a little too personal at times and the blow-off match to the feud, a ladder match at SummerSlam 2005 for the custody of Dominick (yes, really), was pretty ridiculous, even for WWE. Vickie was featured more often on TV following the death of her husband in late 2005, often as a means of including Eddie in programming even after his death, something that is still controversial amongst many wrestling fans to this day. After shaking off the Guerrero name, Vickie did manage to break out as her own character; becoming manager to the likes of Dolph Ziggler, Jack Swagger and Edge and even competing in a few matches (including a Hog Pen match with Santina Marella. Yay?). Vickie’s work rate cannot be doubted, it’s just a shame that she featured in so many controversial and, to be honest, terrible storylines. Often thrown in to act as a needless love interest, Vickie’s presence in feuds was often criticised by fans, leading to negative reactions to her during her WWE run. As much as I hate to do it, Vickie has to go on this side of the list. Sorry, Vicks, I love you. Well, maybe love is a strong word. You’re alright, I guess.

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25 13. BEST: Paul Bearer

via de.wwe.com
via de.wwe.com

One of the most iconic manager/wrestler combinations of all time has got to be The Undertaker and Paul Bearer. William Moody joined the WWE in late 1990 and was given the Paul Bearer gimmick because of his real-life connections with the funeral industry (pallbearer, d’ya get it?). Bearer was put with The Undertaker in early 1991 and by the end of the year had managed the future-Deadman to a WWE Championship when Taker dethroned Hulk Hogan at Survivor Series. Bearer would flick between siding and feuding with The Undertaker, managing the likes of Mankind, Vader and The Executioner (best known as Fabulous Freebird, Terry Gordy) against The Phenom in the mid-90s. Bearer and The Undertaker became even more connected when, in 1997, it was revealed that Taker’s mother had had an affair with Bearer (and, quite frankly, who wouldn’t, what a hunk) resulting in the birth of Taker’s half-brother. At Badd Blood 1997, this half-brother revealed himself; Kane arrived in WWE with Paul Bearer by his side. Moody’s portrayal of Bearer was spot-on; creepy, but charismatic and without this performance, it’s quite possible we’d have no Kane or Undertaker today. He was influential in the careers of two of the best in the business and a die-hard wrestling enthusiast to his last day. Will Paul Bearer be remembered as one of the greatest? Probably. What? Did you think I was gonna say “Oh, yeeeeessss”? Please. I’m better than that.

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23 12. WORST: Brother Love

via pwhistorylesson.wordpress.com
via pwhistorylesson.wordpress.com

Again, not to say that Bruce Pritchard didn’t work incredibly hard and wasn’t an extremely influential man in WWE, but the Brother Love character was pretty damn terrible. Brother Love made his on-screen WWE debut in 1988 as a red-faced, smug preacher-type, who had run-ins with the likes of Roddy Piper, Hulk Hogan and Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts . Brother Love is perhaps best known as the original manager of The Undertaker, leading the Deadman to the ring at Survivor Series 1990 when he was unveiled as the mystery member of Ted DiBiase’s team. Brother Love was really annoying; his shrill Southern accent was painful, his constant wittering on about love and kindness was wearing and the man was just very hard to like. However, this did make him a great heel, with viewers eager to see the pompous preacher have his ass handed to him. The gimmick itself caused quite the controversy though; it was eerily similar to the real life televangelist scams that were common in America during the 1980s and a segment in which Brother Love was seen to “heal” a blind man rang too close to home for many people affected by the religious hoax. Pritchard was released as a result of this controversy, but would return to WWE shortly after, even appearing as Brother Love a few more times. For the annoying nature of the gimmick and the controversy it caused, Brother Love ends up on the negative side of this list. I’d like to say Pritchard won me back to his side with his other work in WWE, but the man was also Senior Vice President of Programming and Talent Relations for TNA. Nope. No chance of forgiveness now.

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21 11. BEST: Earl Hebner

via newwrestlecrap.proboards.com
via newwrestlecrap.proboards.com

The first non-manager on this list and it’s one of the most iconic (if not the most) referees in all of wrestling. Earl Hebner first arrived in WWE in 1988 and made a huge impact in his debut match. Earl was the referee for the now-infamous Andre The Giant vs Hulk Hogan title match at The Main Event, during which he counted to three even after Hogan got his shoulders off the mat. It was revealed that Earl had switched places with his identical twin brother, Dave (a regular referee on WWE TV at the time) and had been paid off by Andre’s manager, Ted DiBiase, to fix the match. This set up WrestleMania IV and the world championship tournament that would crown one Randy Savage WWE Champion for the first time. I can dig that. It was in 1997 when Hebner’s legacy was truly secured, however. Hebner was the referee who called for the bell after Shawn Michaels had Bret Hart in the Sharpshooter submission hold at Survivor Series 1997. And if you don’t know what that was, then seriously, how did you find this site? Following the Montreal Screwjob, Earl became one of the most recognisable and iconic referees on WWE’s roster, even managing a feud with Triple H, costing him the WWE Championship against Chris Jericho on an episode of Raw (the decision was reversed later that night, but it was still great, so shush). He might have been controversial and, yes, he does now work for TNA, but for all the classic WWE moments he helped create, I think I can forgive Earl this time. Sorry, Brother Love.

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19 10. WORST: The Gobbledy Gooker

via wwe.com
via wwe.com

From one non-manager to another, this time we have a... uh... uh... uhhhhh... I got nothing. Right, this one is weird. In the months leading up to Survivor Series 1990, an enormous egg was featured on numerous WWE events, leading fans to wonder what might happen when it hatched. And boy, did they all feel like fools when it did. The egg hatched at the Survivor Series show and out came The Gobbledy Gooker; a man dressed as a giant turkey. Ok, so I get that Survivor Series was a Thanksgiving tradition and I get that WWE was more family orientated in those days, but come on, really? A giant turkey? That’s ridiculous even for WWE. How were they going to explain this? Did they really think people would believe that a giant man-turkey had hatched out of an egg and wanted to wrestle? This was during a time where most people still believed wrestling was real! ! Anyway, the fans hated the Gooker; they hated his dancing, they hated his look, they just hated everything about him. After a few appearances in backstage vignettes, the character was scrapped, only returning to WWE to compete in the gimmick battle royal at WrestleMania X-7, the only time he ever fought in a WWE ring. What makes this character even worse is the fact that it was portrayed by Hector Guerrero, brother to Eddie Guerrero, who was a pretty good wrestler. Guerrero’s career in WWE never recovered from the curse of the Gooker and it was only in other promotions like WCW and ECW where Hector would make a name for himself. For wasting everyone’s time and killing such a promising career in WWE, The Gobbledy Gooker will go down in history as one of the stupidest gimmicks of all time. Let’s just be thankful that Vince McMahon’s original idea of putting Mark Calloway (The Undertaker) inside the suit was scrapped. Now that’s terrifying.

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17 9. BEST: ‘Mean’ Gene Okerlund

via wwe.com
via wwe.com

He might have introduced us to The Gobbledy Gooker, but for everything else he did for the company, we’ll let him off. Gene Okerlund was one of the faces of the WWE during its Golden Era of the late 80s and early 90s. As a backstage interviewer, Okerlund rubbed shoulders with the best and brightest WWE had to offer, getting the less-than-comprehensible thoughts of the likes of Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage and The Ultimate Warrior. His kind-hearted persona earned him the ironic nickname of ‘Mean’ Gene and he soon became one of the most recognisable figures in all of wrestling. One of Okerlund’s biggest moments came at the 1993 SummerSlam event, when he was interviewing then-Intercontinental Champion, Rick Rude, and his manager, Bobby Heenan. Just before the interview got underway, the SummerSlam sign behind the three men fell to the ground, causing Okerlund to shout and swear. Supposedly a take gone wrong that accidentally aired live, the moment has become somewhat of a legend in the pro wrestling world, with many fans taken aback by Okerlund’s blue-mouthed tirade, and it remains one of the funniest on-screen gaffes of all time. Swearing at signs aside, Okerlund worked tirelessly to provide the best backstage interviews and give the fans watching an insight into the world of WWE. This not only helped the audience connect with their favourite wrestlers, but also further feuds in the ring, leading to some of WWE’s greatest moments. A Hall of Famer and a true icon, ‘Mean’ Gene is one of the best. Still waiting for his grudge match with SummerSlam sign, though. That’s gonna kick ass.

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15 8. WORST: Momma Benjamin

via goliath.com
via goliath.com

Since Shelton Benjamin is returning (or has returned, depending on when you’re reading this) to the WWE, let’s drag up something embarrassing from his past, shall we. Following his run as a part of Team Angle/The World’s Greatest Tag Team, Benjamin embarked on a losing streak on TV, often missing easy victories and losing in embarrassing fashion. Enter Momma Benjamin. Played by actress, Thea Vale, Momma Benjamin was loud, obnoxious and violent towards her on-screen son, Shelton, whom she attempted to get back on track by encouraging him before matches and slapping him when he didn’t win. Benjamin would eventually turn heel, using his mother as a distraction to beat Ric Flair for the Intercontinental Championship in 2006. Whilst Momma Benjamin did help her “son” to a title win, it didn’t exactly make him look good. In storyline, Shelton, one of the most athletically gifted talents in WWE at the time, could only beat Ric Flair, who was in his fifties at the time, with the help of his mother. What a champion, eh? Whilst the character itself was kinda funny at times, it was mostly embarrassing and made Shelton look incredibly, despite him being one of the most gifted superstars in WWE at the time. Let’s just hope that, when Shelton does eventually return to WWE, he leaves his mum at home.

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13 7. BEST: Miss Elizabeth

via fansided.com
via fansided.com

One of the classiest, elegant and most beloved figures in all of wrestling and one of the greatest managers in the history of the industry. Elizabeth Hulette made her WWE debut in 1985, being selected by the Macho Man, Randy Savage, to be his new manager. A total unknown at the time, the glamorous woman was compared to a movie star based on her good looks and class. Audiences would later know this woman as Miss Elizabeth and one of the greatest partnerships in wrestling history was forged. A real-life married couple, an on-screen romance between Savage and Elizabeth that would define both of their characters forever. Elizabeth was at Savage’s side for all of his finest moments; his Intercontinental Championship match with Ricky Steamboat at WrestleMania III, his WWE Championship victory at WrestleMania IV, his match with Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania V and many more. Elizabeth would split with Savage in 1989 during his heel run and the two would remain broken up for over a year, until Savage’s retirement match against The Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania VII. When Savage lost the match, his new manager, Sensational Sherri, attacked him, kicking him whilst he was down and humiliating the former fan favourite in front of a huge crowd. From he position in the crowd, Elizabeth could take no more and rushed the ring, pulling Sherri away and reuniting with Macho Man in a genuinely heart-warming moment that left many a fan in tears. Sure, Savage was back in the ring less than a year later, completely negating this match and its stipulation entirely, but shut up, it made people actually cry, come on. Elizabeth’s beauty and pure innocence drew plenty of emotion from wrestling fans in the 80s and 90s, with many feeling a personal connection to her, which made any storyline she was involved in genuinely emotional and engaging. One of WWE’s greatest female personalities, Elizabeth holds a special place in many a fan’s heart and will always be remembered as one of the greatest managers ever to grace WWE. Fun fact, when she wasn’t doing wrestling, Elizabeth commentated for ESPN on speedboat races. The more you know.

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11 6. WORST: Michael Cole

via cagesideseats.com
via cagesideseats.com

In wrestling, commentators are an invaluable tool. A television audience is the majority of a large wrestling company’s crowd, so having the right voice to reach those fans can make or break a company. The right voice can create countless memorable moments, add weight to a crucial moment and convey vital information that audiences may have missed. The wrong voice can end up as Michael Cole. Cole joined WWE in 1997 as a backstage interviewer, but would transition into the role of commentator in 1999, replacing Jim Ross on Monday Night Raw after his Bell’s Palsy flared up, and eventually becoming the regular play-by-play announcer for Smackdown when it debuted later that year. Cole became Raw’s lead announcer in 2008 and has remained there ever since and his bland, emotionless delivery has left plenty of Raw viewers disappointed, annoyed and just plain bored. However, the absolute worst thing about Michael Cole was his heel run from 2010-12. Oh, it was awful. Cole became cocky, arrogant and obsessed with The Miz for some reason, even interfering in a TLC match on Raw to prevent Jerry Lawler from winning Miz’s WWE title (don’t ask why Jerry Lawler was in a world title match in 2010, just... just don’t). Cole’s feud with Lawler lead the two to have a match (and I use that term very lightly) at WrestleMania XXVII, which Michael Cole actually won after Lawler was disqualified. Michael Cole has lost less times at WrestleMania than The Undertaker. Let that sink in for a while. Ok, now you can cry. He was bad as a heel, bad as a face, bad as a wrestler and bad as a commentator, and the worst part is, you just know he’s gonna be in the Hall of Fame one day. Up there with Bruno Sammartino and Shawn Michaels. It makes your stomach turn, doesn’t it? For being terrible at everything (even reading emails), Michael Cole will go down in WWE infamy. And you can quote that one, Michael.

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