The role of General Manager can be an entertaining opportunity for superstars to flourish in WWE without necessarily having to compete in the ring. Over the years, several wrestling personalities have occupied the role, some of whom are now considered legends in the company.
Wrestlers have stepped out of retirement for their tenure as a General Manager, as well as stepping into the WWE spotlight for the first time in their careers. It's quite a responsibility to take on, and it can certainly go either way. Here are five superstars who thrived in the opportunity... and five who didn't.
10 Best: Paige
It was a heartbreaking moment when Paige announced her retirement on the post-WrestleMania episode of Raw in 2018. However, any doubts surrounding her future were resolved when she was announced as SmackDown's new General Manager the following night.
The Brit thrived in this role, as she made an active point to interact with fans on Twitter before booking matches the WWE Universe wanted to see. The General Manager role was quietly dissolved by the McMahon family in December, though Paige remains an active force in WWE as the manager of the Kabuki Warriors.
9 Worst: Mick Foley
Mick Foley's announcement as Raw's General Manager was received well by fans. The Hall of Famer had been vocal on social media when it came to criticizing WWE, whilst also demonstrating a passionate love of wrestling. Big changes were expected with Foley and they were delivered... sort of.
Foley immediately pitted Cesaro and Sheamus in a Best of 7 series, despite the crowd having grown tired of seeing the two fight. Although this did lead to the creation of The Bar, Foley's actions as GM showed he wasn't as in touch with the fans as he thought.
8 Best: Daniel Bryan
Fans were concerned that they had seen the last of Daniel Bryan following his retirement. Concussions forced him out of action as WWE doctors refused to clear him to compete. Bryan later overcame this with a triumphant return to the squared circle at WrestleMania 34, though he still had an active role with the company beforehand.
Bryan proved to be a popular choice for SmackDown General Manager, as he also represented the voice of the indie circuit wrestler who had overcome the odds to dominate WWE.
7 Worst: Anonymous General Manager
The Anonymous Raw General Manager was a bad decision, consistently used as a prop for Michael Cole's villainy. The mysterious figure controlled the Raw brand from June 2010 to July 2011, communicating with Cole via emails and making their presence known by interfering in matches and feuds.
The identity of the Anonymous Raw General Manager eluded fans, though many red herrings were dropped in the form of hidden clues and catchphrases. The enigmatic figure was eventually revealed to be Hornswoggle, much to the crowd's disappointment.
6 Best: Vickie Guerrero
Vickie Guerrero was the perfect heel. Her shrill, high-pitched shriek sounded like nails on a chalkboard and was perfect in drawing the ire of fans. She has been the General Manager of Raw more than once, initially resuming the mantle during Stephanie McMahon's absence in 2009.
Guerrero's storyline with Edge was a ridiculous angle that still managed to be entertaining given the performances of the superstars involved.
5 Worst: Stephanie McMahon
Like Guerrero, Stephanie McMahon thrives in the role of a heel. The Billion Dollar Princess has been one half of WWE's power couple The Authority (alongside husband Triple H) since 2013, ruling the company before that during the McMahon-Helmsley era.
McMahon has not always played a heel, however. The wrestling personality has also been Raw and SmackDown's General Manager, the latter involving an uncomfortable storyline that saw her feuding with her villainous father. This led to a controversial "I Quit" match between the two, which she lost after her father refused to release a chokehold with a lead pipe.
4 Best: William Regal
William Regal made the progression from the commentary booth to General Manager of NXT in July 2014. This decision was a smart choice inside of kayfabe and outside, as Triple H has stated that Regal plays a crucial part in recruiting wrestlers from the independent circuits into NXT's ranks.
Regal has made a few appearances on NXT, including the signing of Bobby Roode in 2016. For the most part, the Brit has opted to play a minor on-screen role, leaving the spotlight to the up-and-coming wrestlers of WWE.
3 Worst: John Laurinaitis
John Laurinaitis was harshly criticized by CM Punk during his infamous 2011 outburst. This led to Laurinaitis moving from backstage to an on-screen role, making his presence felt acting as Raw General Manager as he clashed with Punk and other Superstars.
Laurinaitis was good at generating heat, though it arguably may have been too genuine. He later feuded with SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long, forcing Long to retire at WrestleMania XXVIII.
2 Best: Eric Bischoff
The former President of World Championship Wrestling made an interesting addition to the WWE roster. Eric Bischoff was announced as Raw General Manager in 2002, quickly resuming the arrogant, heel persona he had crafted as the former boss of the nWo. His three-year run as a general manager saw him feud with superstars such as Stone Cold Steve Austin, John Cena, and former ECW owner Paul Heyman.
Bischoff's feud with Cena would culminate in him being "fired," as Cena and Vince McMahon threw him into a garbage truck. He remains with WWE and acts as SmackDown's Executive Director.
1 Worst: Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle was announced as the new Raw General Manager during the post-WrestleMania 33 episode. His tenure seemed promising until WWE began pursuing another illegitimate son storyline, this time with American Alpha's Jason Jordan revealed as Angle's mystery child.
The storyline was no more successful with Angle than it was with Vince McMahon. The Olympic Athlete competed in a match against Baron Corbin which did little for his legacy, before retiring from the company once more.