The manager’s role continued to slip during the Ruthless Aggression Era. WWE didn’t put much effort into developing the role; instead, it focused on the wrestlers’ character work. This was a successful endeavor, but it saw the diminishing of a side character that every wrestling fan came to love.
That said, some great managers were still present during the Ruthless Aggression Era. These managers served their charges well and became endearing members of an era that was short on managers. Below is a short list of great managers who were around during the Ruthless Aggression Era.
Vickie Guerrero
At the beginning of her WWE tenure, Vickie Guerrero was the sympathetic wife of her late husband. That, and her career, changed when she became perhaps one of the best heel characters of the Ruthless Aggression Era.
Guerrero had the type of heat that most wrestlers could only dream of obtaining. When she was given her authority/managerial role, the boos rang down from the rafters. She was using all of her clout to push whichever wrestler she was tied with toward the main event.
Guerrero didn’t hide her favoritism, Which made the fans hate her even more.
Her shrill voice and arrogant demeanor were a perfect fit. The fans couldn’t stand to listen to or watch Guerrero, which is a testament to how great she was during her time.
“Cowboy” Bob Orton
Randy Orton’s program opposite The Undertaker was fantastic, but it needed something extra to make it stand out. That is when WWE decided to bring Orton’s Hall of Fame father back to amp things up.
Bob Orton was a fantastic addition to the Ruthless Aggression Era. As with his previous time with WWE, he had no issues getting involved in the action. He consistently put his body on the line to make sure that his son would be able to walk away the winner.
“Cowboy” would break whatever rule possible to help his son, which piled heat onto the Legend Killer.
Orton was a famous face who helped increase the value of his charge and assisted with his son being a huge heat magnet. When it comes to managers, there aren’t many better qualities.
Queen Sharmell
The King Booker gimmick was a masterstroke for Booker T. It breathed new life into his character and gave us one of the most detestable heel managers WWE has ever produced.
As Booker’s real-life significant other, Sharmell was the perfect choice for his manager. The chemistry was already there, and Queen Sharmell leaned into the role better than no one could have.
Sharmell carried herself with the swagger that one would expect from someone saddled with a royal gimmick. It immediately made her one of the most hated managers in the company, so much so that fans wanted her to get her comeuppance more than her husband.
Queen Sharmell was one of the most despised managers of her era. Who can forget the chanting of “King Bookah” driving the entire world crazy? Sharmell was a perfect manager in an era short on them.
Daivari
It takes a lot of talent to manage multiple wrestlers and become a different character while taking charge of them. It is a talent not many have but one that sets Daivari apart from other managers.
As Muhammad Hassan Daivari’s manager, Daivari was exactly what he needed to be. WWE was playing off international fears, and Daivari slid into that role. He played off the fans’ fears and became as hated as Hassan.
When Davari moved on to another wrestler, he changed his character and became just as despised.
With Kurt Angle, he was more of a slimy character who would constantly get in the way. This was a deviation from his previous managerial gimmick and one that showed his incredible talent.
Paul Heyman
Before becoming a Paul Heyman Guy was a thing. The creator of ECW was creating an on-screen persona that would become one of the best of an era. His swagger to the ring in his trench coat and Yankee’s hat was a perfect image of the man that we all came to know as the Wiseman.
Heyman was the perfect man to guide Brock Lesnar. The Beast had all the tools to be great but was missing one thing. Heyman filled in that gap and used his incredible promo skills to make Brock Lesnar one of the greatest forces to ever step foot inside of WWE.
Paul Heyman had an eye for talent like no other. He knew what it took to be successful, and he used this eye to make his charges better. Heyman was a man who filled in the gaps for his wrestlers, and they were the better for it.
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