Jimmy Hart became a legendary figure in the wrestling business thanks to his managing career. The various roles of Hart behind the scenes would see him thrive off camera, but fans know him for his run managing quite a few different wrestlers. WWE recently brought him back to television with Hulk Hogan for the Hogan/Flair team matches. However, his career would see success in various promotions.
We will look at all the major names to get managed by Hart at some point. The ranking will showcase the best performers that had great chemistry with Hart at their side. Many diehard fans instantly think of the Mouth of the South when seeing a megaphone since that was his weapon of choice. Find out just which wrestlers helped create his legacy. These are the top ten wrestlers that were managed by Jimmy Hart to success.
10 Honky Tonk Man
The legendary Intercontinental Championship reign of Honky Tonk Man made him a mid-card star for WWE. Honky Tonk Man rarely had classic matches, but his character work helped him get over as a hated heel by most of the fan base.
Jimmy Hart spent some time as the manager of HTM leading to great heel chemistry together. Fans hated Hart when he portrayed a heel, but the pairing with Honky Tonk Man just made it so easy to boo them both.
9 The Nasty Boys
Jimmy Hart managed quite a few tag teams during his entire wrestling career. The ability to get two wrestlers over as a duo helped Hart become such a successful manager. Hart became the manager of the Nasty Boys in the early 90s for WWE.
Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags lacked the athletic ability, but they were brawlers that could get over with the right booking. Hart doing the talking for the Nasty Boys made them a successful act together. Knobbs and Sags won the WWE Tag Team Championship with Hart as their manager.
8 Kevin Sullivan
WCW signed Jimmy Hart when Hulk Hogan joined the company due to their close relationship together. Hart would eventually run heel on Hogan to become the manager of wrestlers involved in the Dungeon of Doom faction.
Kevin Sullivan had the moniker of the Taskmaster leading the Dungeon of Doom. Hart became his full-time manager for the rest of Sullivan’s run as an in-ring competitor. Sullivan had memorable feuds with Chris Benoit, Brian Pillman, and a few others with Hart at his side.
7 Greg Valentine
The first wrestler managed by Jimmy Hart in WWE was Greg “The Hammer” Valentine in the 1980s. Valentine was established as a credible heel partially due to the presence of Hart. The personality of Hart allowed Valentine to just get his work done in the ring.
Many wrestlers could benefit from having a manager in this scenario, but WWE now tries to force the talent to develop mic skills. Someone like Valentine thriving with a manager as good as Hart showcased how pivotal a manager/wrestling pairing was in the past.
6 The Funks
The tag team pairing of Terry Funk and Dory Funk Jr. saw the two brothers achieving great success together. WWE would bring them in with Hart becoming their manager in the mid-80s. The incredible work of the Funk brothers allowed Hart to have another great tag team to represent.
It would have been great to see this act later in the '80s or early '90s when WWE started expanding with a bigger audience. Hart did an outstanding job adding to the overall act as the Funk brothers clearly always worked well together as a duo.
5 The Giant
Big Show started his career off as The Giant in WCW. Hulk Hogan feuded with him in the role of Andre the Giant’s son looking for revenge against the man that embarrassed his father. Jimmy Hart joined The Giant and Dungeon of Doom by stabbing Hogan in the back.
The role of Hart as The Giant’s manager helped the young wrestler find success in the top heel role. Hart often cut the promos for Giant considering he entered WCW with no real wrestling experience. The WCW Championship reigns for Giant all came when Hart was his manager.
4 The Faces of Fear
The Faces of Fear gave WCW the best act that had instant chemistry with Jimmy Hart. Even when the Dungeon of Doom faction ended, Hart remained as the manager of Meng and Barbarian for both their singles and tag team matches.
The tag team was a consistent force in the WCW tag division. Neither Meng nor Barbarian were known for their promo skills. Hart represented them as the promo man making noise on their behalf while the Faces of Fear presented an intimidating presence in the ring.
3 Money Inc.
The tag team of Ted DiBiase and I.R.S. would see Money Inc. form with Jimmy Hart as their manager. All three heel personalities were hated by the audience thanks to their superb promo skills. Money Inc. didn’t have a long run due to DiBiase’s injury, but they worked perfectly together.
The short run allowed them to showcase how great a group with three effective personalities could be. Hart could have had a stronger run as their manager if Money Inc. could have lasted a few more years. Even DiBiase having Hart as his manager in the 80s may have made him an even bigger star.
2 The Hart Foundation
The Hart Foundation was clearly the best tag team managed by Jimmy Hart. Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart had the perfect complementary skill sets. The incredible in-ring work of Bret eventually made him a huge singles star while Neidhart had the presence that was important in the '80s.
Jimmy becoming their manager put them over the top as a spectacular heel act. The Hart Foundation was always a top team in the tag division. Even when they had great matches, fans booed them thanks to the managerial work of Jimmy adding to the act.
1 Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan is the biggest name and the wrestler most synonymous with having Jimmy Hart as his manager. The face turn of Hart in WWE came when he aligned with Hulk Hogan and Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake against his former duo of Money Inc.
Hogan and Hart worked well together in Hogan’s final singles matches at WWE. They already had a close bond that led to Hart jumping ship to WCW with Hulkster. Hart managed Hogan in WCW for his first few months before turning heel. The relationship between them often sees Hart showing up as Hogan's right-hand man at WWE shows and other events.