Unnecessary manager/wrestler pairings

[Deleted]

The Don Callis/Kenny Omega thread over in the AEW section got me thinking about when CM Punk was managed by Paul Heyman for a whole ass year and how unnecessary I thought it was at the time…and still do. I know I’m likely in minority opinion on this but I stand by it.

Talk about the most weird thing to do for a guy who is in the top all time list of mic workers and just for me added to the annoyance of the misstep that was the CM Punk heel turn in 2012.

It’d be like if The Rock got saddled with Paul Bearer in 2000 or something.

What are *your* unnecessary manager/wrestler pairings?

[Deleted]

RVD and Ricardo Rodriguez

[Captain Stud Muffin (BLM)]

Yeah, you def on your own with Punk/Heyman. It was brilliant. A manager is no just there to talk for you, they are there to be an accessory to you and make your act better. By having Heyman, he did not need to talk for Punk, just hm fawning over Punk added a whole diff element to what he was doing before in somewhat the same way he is doing for Roman now

But to answer the question

Drake Maverick and AOP. If you wanted Maverick to manage someone you had diff options and AOP was at their best with Paul Ellering but it was not a necessary pairing considering his size and lack of intimidation did not much AOP. Ellering matched AOP with his cold glaze and commanding nature

[bob]

Alberto Del Rio and Zeb Colter

[Deleted]

Paige with Kabuki Warriors

[XIII]

Yo, I can’t be the only one that thinks the Rock managed by Paul Bearer would be some good comedy.

[fg]

Aug 27, 2022 20:46:08 GMT -5 @negan said:

RVD and Ricardo Rodriguez

I remember that one. It was explained that RVD was a friend of the Mexican people. I at first thought that that was so random that RVD was a friend of the Mexican people.

Later on, I realized that that wasn’t random. It is because of Mexico’s reputation and the fact that no one gets as HIGH as RVD. You know what I mean?

[chronocross]

Johnny Valiant and Demolition in early 1987.

["Playboy" Don Douglas]

Hulk Hogan with Jimmy Hart has to be top of the list. Hogan didn’t need a manager and Hart didn’t need to be a face.

[jimmyjackezekiel]

Aug 27, 2022 21:19:02 GMT -5 "Playboy" Don Douglas said:

Hulk Hogan with Jimmy Hart has to be top of the list. Hogan didn’t need a manager and Hart didn’t need to be a face.

I was thinking this one as well. I liked it as a kid when I started watching wrestling, but in hindsight it helped no one.

[DSR]

Aug 27, 2022 20:58:47 GMT -5 XIII said:

Yo, I can’t be the only one that thinks the Rock managed by Paul Bearer would be some good comedy.

Just imagining his patented high-pitched "OH YES!" after each of The Rock's catchphrase.



Also he holds a pie instead of an urn.

[mcmahonfan85]

Jonathan Gresham and Prince Nana

[Captain Stud Muffin (BLM)]

Randy Orton and Stacy Keibler when he was floundering as a babyface and they made her his girlfriend

[Deleted]

Aug 27, 2022 20:53:44 GMT -5 Captain Stud Muffin (BLM) said:

Yeah, you def on your own with Punk/Heyman. It was brilliant. A manager is no just there to talk for you, they are there to be an accessory to you and make your act better. By having Heyman, he did not need to talk for Punk, just hm fawning over Punk added a whole diff element to what he was doing before in somewhat the same way he is doing for Roman now

But to answer the question

Drake Maverick and AOP. If you wanted Maverick to manage someone you had diff options and AOP was at their best with Paul Ellering but it was not a necessary pairing considering his size and lack of intimidation did not much AOP. Ellering matched AOP with his cold glaze and commanding nature

I can definitely see that side of it, makes sense. Thinking about it, I feel I may have been to harsh on the pairing…it did get foreshadowed the year before with Punk namedropping Heyman. I don’t know, it just felt wrong for a guy known for his mouth to have a mouthpiece, but I do get it lol.

[tafkaga]

Freebirds managed by DDP and Big Daddy Dink is at the top of my list.

Hayes was one of the best talkers in the business, and yet DDP takes over as the team's mouthpiece. Then, I guess Oliver Humperdink needed a job, because WCW brings him in as second manager/additional dead weight.

[wildojinx]

I've been binging the OVP WWF reviews and in the 1982 episodes, they discuss how ridiculous it is to have Jesse Ventura have Freddie Blassie as a manager, since Jesse, even back then, already had mic skills.

[Mozenrath]

I get why Nyla Rose wanted Vickie Guerrero as a manager, despite honestly being plenty fine on promos on her own, but even though managers do more than just cut promos, ideally, I do feel that partnership has outlived its usefulness, if only since Nyla's really due for a face turn.

[Captain Stud Muffin (BLM)]

Aug 27, 2022 23:51:02 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

I get why Nyla Rose wanted Vickie Guerrero as a manager, despite honestly being plenty fine on promos on her own, but even though managers do more than just cut promos, ideally, I do feel that partnership has outlived its usefulness, if only since Nyla's really due for a face turn.

I never liked that pairing. Nyla didn’t need Vickie and I don’t feel Vickie adds anything to her act.

Weren’t they teasing a break up like a year ago ?

[karl100589]

I seem to remember Shawn Michaels being paired with Luna circa 93 which didn’t fit either party.

[Hit Girl]

HBK and Jose