The role of a manager is to enhance the wrestler they are representing by highlighting their strengths and hiding their flaws. Quite a few managers developed legendary reputations for having great runs and taking their wrestlers to the next level in their careers. However, wrestling promotions often split up pairings to try something new with mixed results.
Many of the wrestlers thrived when separating from their managers since the timing was right for the performers to move forward on their own. Others struggled immensely trying to succeed without a huge part of the act that put them over the top. Find out what caused the talents to have one of two drastic scenarios. The following wrestlers either thrived or struggled without their manager.
10 Thrived: Steve Austin
WWE struggled to find the right vision for Steve Austin when initially signing him. Austin was coming off solid runs in WCW and ECW, but he was hungry to prove he deserved a bigger spot in the main event picture.
Ted DiBiase had success as a heel manager leading The Million Dollar Corporation faction before pairing up with Austin. The chemistry was off to hurt Austin’s early push. WWE split them up when DiBiase was heading to WCW and Austin benefited immensely. The rise to the top spot in the company started when getting more promo time without a manager.
9 Flopped: Goldust
The ‘90s run of Goldust was successful in the early run. Dustin Rhodes took on a new gimmick that was quite ambitious and found huge success. Goldust started getting managed by Dustin’s real wife Terri Runnels playing the Marlena character.
WWE splitting them up led to Goldust struggling to remain over at a high level. Dustin started showing more risqué looks and went in and out of the Goldust character. WWE saw the rest of his run flopping until a return in the early 2000s allowed him to bounce back somewhat. Although for much of the 2000s, Goldust was used as an enhancement talent despite one brief reign as World Tag Team Champion with Booker T in 2002. He'd later have a career reassurance in the 2010s, but that was with his brother Cody Rhodes by his side.
8 Thrived: Kurt Angle
The start of Kurt Angle’s WWE career saw him easily getting over as a heel. Angle instantly earned heel heat with his promos making him a strong performer. The matches of Angle also played a huge role in fans enjoying his work.
Bob Backlund was Angle’s manager for a few weeks as WWE felt it could add to his heel momentum. Angle ditching Backlund worked out better since he had the natural charisma that often saw a manager not needed.
7 Flopped: Tajiri
Torrie Wilson and Tajiri did a great job working together as an odd couple during the Invasion storyline. Tajiri was over as a fun face character who had great moments in the ring and in the comedic backstage segments.
The fans wanted to cheer Torrie despite starting off as a heel in The Alliance. Both talents benefited from having the angle together until Tajiri turned heel. The heel character of Tajiri was meant to dominate the cruiserweight division, but he fell off quickly and missed out on having a manager he had chemistry with.
6 Thrived: Edge
Edge didn’t get over at the highest level until the storyline of Lita becoming his love interest and manager. The first couple of WWE Championship reigns for Edge had Lita in his corner providing help to cheat out victories over John Cena, Mick Foley, and a few other wrestlers.
Lita opted to retire from WWE in late 2006 upon growing frustrated with the booking of having such a hated character based on real-life issues. Edge didn’t miss a step and remained a credible main event star for the rest of his WWE run.
5 Flopped: Essa Rios
One wrestler that needed Lita more than Edge was Essa Rios in the early years of her career as a manager. Lita and Rios started off together with the hopes of Essa becoming the top star for WWE’s failing Light Heavyweight Division.
Fans ended up liking Lita significantly more than Rios, with her in-ring moves during his matches stealing the show. Lita leaving Essa to unite with The Hardy Boyz and have her own matches saw Essa falling apart as fans lost all interest in his matches.
4 Thrived: The Undertaker
WWE found superb chemistry between The Undertaker and Paul Bearer when trying to make The Deadman a top star. Bearer played the spooky role, perfectly cutting promos for the silent superstar, and was great at adding to the presentation from entrances to match time.
The duo split in 1996 when Bearer turned on Undertaker to join forces with Mankind. Undertaker started to cut his own promos and the fan respect was already there for him. The time apart helped Undertaker get over at the highest level to continue growing as a main event act.
3 Flopped: Rusev
The first year of Rusev in WWE saw him thriving as a dominant heel with Lana as his manager. WWE utilized the real-life relationship to find an ideal act of a credible wrestler and a talented manager to help highlight each performers’ strengths and hide their weaknesses.
The end of Rusev’s undefeated streak saw the changes coming by splitting them up. Vince McMahon reportedly viewed Lana as a bigger star and wanted her as a face. Rusev struggled immensely without her to lose all his momentum from a superb first year. The duo reunited, but they could never find the same success again.
2 Thrived: Shawn Michaels
The Rockers splitting up saw Shawn Michaels getting a huge singles push on his own as a heel. Michaels united with talented heel personality Sherri Martel to get more heat. Martel was arguably the best manager in the industry, knowing how to add to the matches of her talents.
WWE eventually split them up with Michaels having more potential on his own. The promos of Michaels added to his heel character which put him over-the-top as arguably the best performer in the company. Michaels put together a legendary career without needing a manager.
1 Flopped: Yokozuna
WWE made Yokozuna one of the top heels in the company in the New Generation Era. Yokozuna had a dominant WWE Championship reign after defeating Hulk Hogan when he was leaving the company. Mr. Fuji was the manager of Yokozuna to help him steal wins.
The duo worked out well with Yokozuna never having to cut his own promos. Yokozuna struggled after his push ended and eventually had to be paired with Jim Cornette. WWE had a small window for Yokozuna’s rise that ended in disappointment without Mr. Fuji.