A valet means a female manager in a wrestling. The manager of a superstars plays the role of either being a mouthpiece of the performer or the one in charge of the performer. Usually a manager is used for having better mic skills or because their alliance will enhance the character of the performer they’re managing.
A great manager can really bring the character across in the best way possible and make it look entertaining. Their ringside antics, trash talking and sometimes physical altercations can make a match go from good to great.
Here are the 10 best female managers or valets till date in the WWE-
#1 Sensational Sherri Martel
Possibly, the standard bearer for a heel valet. Sensational Sherri Martel’s managerial skills belongs in the elite list which has Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan, Paul Heyman and Paul Bearer. Neither was Sherri a damsel in distress nor one to shy away from an altercation. If needed, she would interfere on behalf of the wrestler she was managing.
She managed Randy ‘Macho Man’ Savage’ and helped make HBK’s singles’ career great (the influence of that partnership still rings true in his entrance theme). Her heat garnering tactics helped make both men memorable heels.
Her aura, the painted face, her promos with its perfect crescendos and sotto voce plus the scream made her a really sensational character
#2 Miss Elizabeth
Miss Elizabeth was a polar opposite to Sensational Sherri. She was much shy, petite and started off being more of a pretty face until she grew in everybody’s hearts as the one and only for Macho Man Randy Savage. She got much empathy for Macho Man’s babyface character but don’t doubt her skill to surprise you.
She provided us with one of the first moments of ‘attitude’, shall we say? She took off her skirt to distract the heel tag team of Ted Dibiase and Andre The Giant at SummerSlam. The two were more shocked than thrilled. This distraction quite easily cost the heels the match.
#3 Lana
When Rusev and Lana came to the main roster donning the gimmicks of being foreign heels, one would certainly have mixed feelings about how such a gimmick could work in this day and age but these two made it work. Despite the predictability of Rusev’s match, Lana’s hold over the Bulgarian brute, her promos, her accent and her tough demeanor made her one of the most interesting heel characters to watch out for.
WWE would make a flurry of bad booking decisions by having her turn face, get verbally abused by Rusev, align with Ziggler and begin a non-sensical feud only to get them back together after she announced her real life engagement to Rusev. But aren’t you just so glad that these two are back?
Whether she is throwing shoes at Zayn or explaining how Rusev will rip Kalisto’s little heart away, she’s one of the most interesting, ruthless managers we have in this era.
#4 Sunny
Even though WWE is discarding the word ‘diva’ , back when the word still mattered, Sunny was known as the first ever diva. That was even before the word originated. She made a career out of managing tag teams like Legion of Doom and Smokin’ Guns amongst them and was majorly influential in getting them cheers or boos.
She began getting a lot of attention for being not just a pretty face but having no qualms whatsoever in getting into the ring and assert herself. Throughout her career she has managed a lot of both male and female wrestlers and in the end all of this led to her being one of the youngest members in the WWE Hall of Fame.
#5 Sable
Taking the baton away from Sunny, is Sable. These two had quite a real-life based rivalry in the company. Sable began her career managing Hunter Hearst Helmsley and then went on to manage her husband Marc Mero who ‘rescued’ her from an abusive Helmsley, but she soon became the center of attention as the audience awaited her appearance more than Mero’s.
This led to a storyline where Mero would be jealous of her success and rising popularity. Her popularity will lead to her winning the Women’s Championship once and becoming a very underrated part of the massive success of The Attitude Era. She left in 1999 to return in 2003 and becoming massively popular again.
#6 Stephanie McMahon
When it comes to wives managing their husbands, there is nobody more ruthless, supportive and show-stealing like Stephanie McMahon. She has evolved so much more over the years as an on-screen character. From being the spoilt brat of a daughter to Vince McMahon to actually assuming more and more power, she has aced playing the evil, authoritative boss.
Just go back and watch her introduce Triple H and tell the world that all hope is lost at WrestleMania 32 and you know just how much of an influence her character has had on so many superstars. Her mere appearance brings the boos out and performing just one simple move on her will make the audience celebrate.
#7 Lita
Lita, like many female performers at the time, started off being a valet to Essa Rios. But she quickly gained attention for doing some of the moves Rios performed like the hurricanrana and moonsault. The WWE audience had never seen a woman perform all these moves. Rios, once in his rage over a loss, attacked Lita who was helped by The Hardy Boys.
She then became their manager and teammate. The team would be called ‘Team Xtreme’. They immediately became the coolest trio in the Attitude Era and Lita quickly became the most popular woman the company had. The pops for her were sometimes as big as The Rock or Stone Cold would get.
Years later she would return to that role, but this time as a heel manager to Edge. Those two became controversy’s favorite children with their real-life based affair making it to television. The heat on Lita was majorly influential on Edge finally making it to the main event stage and becoming the WWE Champion.
#8 Trish
Even though she was green as a wrestler, Trish Stratus had no difficulty gaining attention courtesy of her strong screen presence and arrogant demeanor. She became the manager to Test and Albert but everybody knew that she was the one in control of this team.
Her heel tactics during her team’s matches against The Hardy Boys would lead to several altercations between herself and Lita and that would be instrumental in them beginning to revitalize the women’s division and kick off their feuds.
The audience LOVED Lita and despite Stratus’ good looks in this hyper-sexualized era, the audience booed her out. She played the best heel to Lita’s babyface and hence the next glorious chapter for the women’s division was born.
#9 Marlena
Marlena has the distinction of being one of the first managers who was more assertive, dominant and authoritative than the male wrestler she managed. Marlena managed her real life husband Goldust and would walk the ramp in her seemingly grandiose, expensive gowns, smoking a cigar and looking just too better off to be anywhere but in an arena.
She supported Goldust, only if he would gain a victory or shower her with gold. Goldust is one of the most bizarre yet successful creations of the company and that aura was enhanced by the presence of Marlena by his side.
#10 Maryse
The Miz never really needed anyone as a mouthpiece but his gimmick, that he so brilliantly portrays, is enhanced by a supporting character. Just like Mizdow previously and now his manager / wife Maryse. But Maryse is far from being just a pretty face alongside her husband.
Maryse is a former Divas Champion and a heel extraordinaire. She shouts at her husband’s opponents in French, flawlessly plays the arrogant persona and is the perfect cheerleader for the ‘Hollywood superstar.’
She, with The Miz, provide for two of the most entertaining characters on television (just go and watch what they think about ‘domestic water’) and their team really works because you get that these two have a great sense of understanding between them.
