While the classic wrestling manager has seen somewhat of a renaissance in recent years thanks to guys like Stokely Hathaway, it still pales in comparison to the golden era of wrestling when any major company not only had one featured heel stable centered around a manager, but also a handful of other managers in lower card positions.
Thankfully, many of the classic managers were retired wrestlers because wrestling managers were also often required to wrestle. Their central role as masterminds behind dastardly heels required them to get into the ring so that the babyface could get their revenge. Despite that, many of these bouts were not memorable (although a few do seem to stick around, for example Jim Cornette vs. Paul E. Dangerously from the Great American Bash 1989). Here are ten examples of matches featuring wrestling managers you probably completely forgot about.
10 J.J. Dillon Wrestles In Madison Square Garden
Until the 1980s, the MSG network would broadcast WWE house shows from Madison Square Garden in the New York area. As a result, many WWE fans were surprised to see J.J. Dillon challenge for the Intercontinental Title on April 23rd, 1984 against Tito Santana. Dillon, a long-time wrestler who had all but turned full-time manager, was portrayed as a capable ring veteran before finally succumbing to the champion. Dillon's one-off appearance was never mentioned on WWE national television.
9 Cornette's Only Match on Monday Night Raw
Jim Cornette was one of the most prolific in-ring managers who had never undergone proper wrestling training. Despite his many in-ring appearances, Cornette only wrestled one match on WWE's flagship show Monday Night Raw. On the September 30, 1996 episode, Jim teamed with Vader against Shawn Michaels and Jose Lothario. Although Vader pinned Michaels, they never faced off again afterward because of Shawn's displeasure with the big man. Either way, the match gives Cornette an undefeated record on Monday Night Raw.
8 Paul Heyman Beats The Hardys
Brock Lesnar's first feud upon arriving in the WWE was against the Hardy Boyz. After destroying both Matt and Jeff in singles matches, the brothers wanted to face Brock in a tag team match. Brock's partner of choice: his manager Paul Heyman.
The match happened at Judgment Day 2002 and, as expected, Heyman spent most of the time on the apron. However, he did tag in at the end and scored the deciding pinfall - after Brock had laid out both Matt and Jeff, of course. The match was short and is mostly forgotten about today.
7 Bobby Earns His Nickname
Bobby Heenan debuted in the WWE in 1984. His nickname - 'Weasel' - was quickly introduced but never explained (Dick the Bruiser and The Crusher had given Heenan the nickname in the AWA). So the WWE needed a way to explain the name. At Wrestlefest 1988 - a special event, albeit not on PPV - Heenan had to face the Ultimate Warrior in a match where the loser had to wear a weasel suit. Of course, Heenan lost, and the WWE fans finally had a cause to chant 'weasel' at Heenan.
6 Mister Fuji Is Kung Fu Fighting
Mister Fuji had been an active wrestler well into 1984 before transitioning into a manager role. By late 1985, Fuji was managing the Magnificent Muraco and the two were involved in a feud with Ricky Steamboat. The program led to a Kung Fu Match at the third edition of Saturday Night's Main Event where Steamboat beat the manager handily in under four minutes. Fuji would step into the ring occasionally until 1992.
5 Paul Ellering Faces The Legion of Doom (and Droz)
In mid-1998, Paul Ellering returned to the WWE. However, instead of joining the Legion of Doom, Ellering immediately turned on them and joined the Disciples of Apocalypse, Skull and 8-Ball. This angle lead to a six-man tag team match at In Your House: Judgment Day in October where the LoD teamed up with their friend Droz to take on the DoA and Paul Ellering. Of course, the babyfaces would win to end the feud but the match - like the entire angle - was completely underwhelming and about ten years too late.
4 Teddy Long As The Supreme General Manager
Teddy Long was a referee-turned-manager during his NWA days in the late 1980s. His hair vs. hair match with Paul Ellering from Capital Combat 1990 is well remembered. In a repeat of history, Long started in the WWE as a referee before transitioning to manager. He finally found his calling as general manager of Smackdown in 2004. By the time the Survivor Series 2005 rolled around, he found himself in a feud with Raw-GM Eric Bischoff. The two faced off at the PPV and Long defeated his heel rival thanks to interference by The Boogeyman. As expected, the match was short and forgettable and therefore deserves his entry on this list.
3 Brother Love In A Bar Fight
At Vengeance 2003, the APA had invited everybody who was willing to fight to a Bar Room Brawl. The entire lower card of the Smackdown locker room showed up, along with Doink the Clown and the Easter Bunny.
Another entry was Brother Love who actually managed to make it to the final two before being eliminated by the winner, Bradshaw.
2 Jimmy Hart Loses To A Radio DJ
WCW 2000 was a mess. One example of how big of a mess it was is the Jimmy Hart vs Mancow feud. Mancow was a prominent local radio DJ in the Chicago area and he somehow got into an argument with Jimmy Hart. At Spring Stampede 2000, the two squared off in a match that Mancow won. For whatever reason, WCW decided that a rematch was a good idea and Jimmy got his win back at Mayhem 2000 later in the year. Why this all happened and why it was televised (instead of being a dark match attraction for the local fans) nobody will ever know.
1 Paul Bearer's Only WWE Match
The largest Monday Night Raw audience in the show's history tuned in on May 10th, 1999. The show featured a number of matches intended to punish members of the newly formed Corporate Ministry. One such match pitted Paul Bearer, in his only WWE match, against The Big Show. In typical Attitude Era fashion, this was not much of a match and it ended when The Undertaker got involved. Technically the match was a No Contest, so Bearer remained undefeated during his WWE career. But the match is as forgotten as Bearer's later association with L.A. Knight.
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