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AEW has brought back the magic of managers in their own way. Managers in wrestling serve multiple purposes, each unique to the client they handle. Someone like Paul Heyman can be as loudmouthed as he wants to build up Brock Lesnar because Brock will do the talking in the ring.
But a manager like MVP not only builds up his clients but also helps in masking Bobby Lashley's less-than-stellar promo skills. Then you have Arn Anderson managing Cody Rhodes who doesn't necessarily need managing, but having the former Horseman in his corner lends more seriousness and credibility to his character.
AEW has a wide range of managers on their roster.
The managers in AEW range from comedy relief like Leva Bates and Peter Avalon to serious, non-nonsense managers like Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard and Jake Roberts.
With WWE releasing Ric Flair, it is plausible that the Nature Boy joins AEW in a managerial capacity to add to an already stacked list of managers. On that note, let's look at the top 5 managers in AEW currently. Some honorable mentions:
- Konnan- Occasional manager of Proud-n-Powerful
- Vickie Guerrero- Nyla Rose's manager
- Alex Abrahantes- Penta El Zero Miedo's manager
- Sting- Darby Allin's manager
#5. Arn Anderson- Cody Rhodes' manager in AEW
The only reason Arn Anderson ranks lower than one would expect is because Cody Rhodes doesn't exactly need a manager in AEW. Cody's in-ring skills are great, his promos are captivating and his character is compelling and well defined.
There are plenty of reasons to like this pairing, though. Arn Anderson was part of the legendary Four Horsemen and Cody's father, the late great Dusty Rhodes, regularly feuded with the Horsemen and later Arn called Dusty his brother.
More than a manager, Arn is a father figure to Cody and does a lot more backstage to help the American Nightmare. At ringside, Arn always carries papers with charts and graphs that add a small but noticeable edge to Cody's character and Arn's character as a manager who looks at the tiniest details to benefit his client.
#4. Jake 'The Snake' Roberts- Lance Archer's manager in AEW
Jake 'The Snake' Roberts made his AEW debut in 2020, interrupting Cody Rhodes and leaving him speechless with a typically scathing promo.
Roberts promised to bring a monster to AEW to take down Cody Rhodes and did just that when he brought Lance Archer to AEW. The vignettes preceding Archer's debut saw Archer taking down wrestlers in a backyard ring upon Roberts' behest.
The Murderhawk Monster and Cody Rhodes battled for the inaugural AEW TNT Championship match, but Archer fell just short. Since then, Roberts has done a fantastic job of being Archer's mouthpiece and letting Archer take care of business in the ring.
The Snake even tried to help Archer during his match against Miro at AEW Double or Nothing 2021 when he walked to the rink with a snake in a bag. Archer is now an IWGP US Champion which is a great achievement for the monster. Being alongside Roberts has benefitted him in improving his mic skills too, with Archer comfortable in cutting his own promos in AEW.
#3. Tully Blanchard- Shawn Spears and FTR's manager in AEW
Shawn Spears was dangerously close to being the same performer in AEW as he was in WWE, an afterthought jobber with no direction.
Luckily for him, he had a manager who saw potential in The Chairman and sought to get Spears back on track. The manager was none other than the legendary Tully Blanchard.
Tully even got in the ring to help Shawn Spears pick up big wins in AEW and were it not for him, Shawn Spears might not have found himself being a part of The Pinnacle, arguably the biggest faction in AEW and one of the biggest in any wrestling promotion.
Shawn Spears looked down and out following a series of losses in AEW and it was Tully Blanchard who gave him a wake-up call to find his place in the company and realize his potential, even conferring the formerly Tye Dillinger with the black glove.
"Athletically, Shawn is phenomenal. He is big. He is tall. He is quick. I told him a couple of months ago, 'Dude, I couldn't jump over the top rope. I couldn't do this. I couldn't do that. You need to show your abilities that you can do that stuff, and then if the situation arises like back in my career, people knew I could wrestle, but I chose to be a bad guy. That usually ticked off people even more. If people can grab a hold of you in that vein, I think it will push you up the ladder some,'" Tully Blanchard said about the Chairman.
Spears has been involved in a number of high profile matches in AEW as part of The Pinnacle, which is a testament to Tully Blanchard's work.
Tully Blanchard has played a substantial role in helping FTR establish themselves AEW from the get go as well. FTR are widely regarded as the best team in the industry and their reputation has only grown under Tully. The former Revival dethroned Kenny Omega and Adam Page as AEW Tag Team champions and have been an integral part of The Pinnacle.
FTR's serious nature fits perfectly with Tully Blanchard's demeanor and there's a lot more to come for Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler.
#2. Taz- Team Taz's manager in AEW
Taz introduced Brian Cage to the world at AEW Double or Nothing 2020 during the Casino Ladder match, which The Machine ended up winning to get an AEW world title shot against Jon Moxley.
Taz was Brian Cage's mouthpiece and manager, even protecting his client against Jon Moxley at AEW Fight for the Fallen by throwing in the towel to protect Cage from long-term damage.
Taz then proceeded to recruit more members in what became Team Taz with Brian Cage as the centerpiece and conferred Cage with the FTW Championship. Taz added Ricky Starks, Powerhouse Hobbs and Hook to Team Taz as the group feuded with the likes of Sting and Darby Allin.
With Brian Cage out of Team Taz, Ricky Starks is the center of Taz's attention and Taz enabled The Absolute Starks to win the FTW Championship.
Taz's leadership, we got an excellent feud between Starks and Cage. Starks received an excellent reception proving he's over with the fans. Taz has played a monumental role in helping Starks become a star in AEW and one to watch out for in the future. Under
#1. Don Callis- The Elite's manager in AEW
3 of the 4 men's belts in AEW and IMPACT Wrestling belong to the Elite. The AEW and IMPACT Wrestling World Champion is Kenny Omega and the tag team champions are the Young Bucks. Add to that the Good Brothers holding the IMPACT Wrestling Tag Tem Championship and you have the most successful faction in all of wrestling right now.
The mastermind behind this success? The Invisible Hand, Don Callis. The former IMPACT Wrestling EVP made his presence felt at AEW Dynamite: Winter is Coming by aiding The Best Bout Machine against Jon Moxley as Omega won the world title. Under Don Callis' leadership, Omega went on to win the IMPACT Wrestling world title as well. There are a total of 5 championships in the Elite's possession.
It's not just the gold that makes Don Callis so great. He works overtime on the mic, backstage and on the commentary table to put over his clients and draw as much heat as possible. He's a constant presence at ringside, distracting officials when needed and is ultra-protective of Kenny Omega.
All things considered, Don Callis is the best manager in AEW, and perhaps in all of wrestling.
What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.
