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The role of the authority figure in WWE has typically been taken on by non-wrestling personalities. Whether it be as Commissioner, General Manager, or simply as an 'Official', these characters have played a key role in moving storylines forward on WWE television for years.
Such positions have been filled in the past by individuals with real-life corporate experience, including (recent SK Wrestling interviewee) Eric Bischoff, Paul Heyman - and even Vince McMahon himself.
Retired Superstars such as 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin, Kurt Angle, and Mick Foley have also held on-screen authority roles in WWE. Having been a big name in professional wrestling history, though, is not the major qualification to be considered for one of these posts.
As the likes of Vickie Guerrero and Teddy Long proved during their various stints as General Managers in WWE, the ability to perform strongly on the microphone is a much more vital consideration.
A preferable scenario for WWE, though, is to have a performer in power who can both carry authority figure segments - but also mix it up in the ring.
On a recent episode of SmackDown, Sonya Deville returned to WWE in an authority figure role, seemingly set to work alongside Adam Pearce on the blue brand.
Although she lost a 'Loser Leaves WWE' match to Mandy Rose at SummerSlam last year, Deville seems intent on returning to the ring at some point this year:
"2021 is going to be the year of Sonya Deville," she declared on last week's edition of Talking Smack.
Should Deville end up pulling double duty as both an on-screen authority and an active Superstar, then she will join a list of several others that have done the same in the past. Here are five times that active WWE Superstars were used as authority figures.
#5 Baron Corbin held various authority roles during his time on WWE RAW
Shortly after Baron Corbin switched from SmackDown to RAW as part of the 2018 WWE Superstar Shake-Up, he was handpicked for greater responsibility on Monday nights.
On the June 4 episode of RAW, Corbin was appointed by Stephanie McMahon as Constable of the brand. The idea behind this move was for Corbin to keep watch over then-RAW General Manager Kurt Angle on McMahon's behalf.
To mark his new role, Corbin changed up his look. Now sporting a shaved head and typically wearing a suit, Corbin quickly became a key figure on RAW.
Corbin's presence only increased when Angle was removed from his post a few months later. Corbin was swiftly appointed as Acting General Manager - and instantly inserted himself in the RAW main event scene.
Frequently appearing in major matches, Corbin even granted himself a Universal Title opportunity against Roman Reigns on the September 17, 2018 edition of RAW - which he ultimately lost.
Corbin was eventually removed from all authority when he lost to Braun Strowman at the TLC pay-per-view in December of the same year.
However, at WrestleMania 35 in 2019, Corbin would gain a measure of revenge over his longtime rival Angle, when he defeated the Olympian is his final-ever match.
#4 AJ Lee served as the WWE RAW General Manager
An authority figure position in WWE is a highly-prized spot. So sought after, in fact, was the role of RAW General Manager by AJ Lee in July 2012 that she actually stopped her wedding to Daniel Bryan at RAW 1000 to accept it.
Having been offered the job by Mr. McMahon earlier in the day, AJ ditched Bryan at the altar after confirming that she would take the role.
AJ Lee debuted on WWE television as part of Season 3 of NXT in 2010. However, it was her association with Bryan after she moved to SmackDown the following year that really saw AJ make a name for herself.
After the shocking betrayal of her former love interest, AJ's behaviour became increasingly outlandish. Accusing Bryan of only wanting to marry her in order to gain the legal power to have her committed, AJ ran RAW entirely on her own whim during her reign as General Manager.
After just under three months in her post, AJ was fired by the WWE Board of Directors following storyline allegations of an affair with John Cena.
After her removal from power, AJ would eventually refocus herself upon in-ring competition. This proved a wise choice as AJ won the WWE Divas Championship from Kaitlyn at the Payback 2013 pay-per-view.
Embarking upon a 295-day run as Champion, AJ would hold the title until April 7 the following year, when she would lose to Paige on RAW.
Less than a year after that match, AJ would announce her retirement from the ring, citing injuries, as well as a desire to spend more time with her husband, CM Punk.
Since moving away from professional wrestling, the real-life April Mendez now works primarily as an advocate for both mental health and animal rights.
#3 Kane became Director of Operations for The Authority in WWE
Given the monstrous manner in which Kane debuted in WWE during the first-ever Hell In A Cell match in 1997, it would have been almost unthinkable at the time for him to appear on television in a suit and tie.
That, though, is exactly what we saw from Kane after he joined The Authority in November 2013. The faction, headed up by Triple H and Stephanie McMahon, recruited Kane to be their new Director Of Operations.
Wearing his new attire at all times out of the ring, 'Corporate' Kane frequently defended The Authority against anyone who dared opposed their will - including CM Punk and Daniel Bryan among others.
Kane would serve as an authority figure in situations where his WWE bosses were absent. His menacing presence made him highly effective in the role.
So loyal was Kane to The Authority that he even surrendered his trademark mask to Stephanie following a loss to Roman Reigns in August 2014.
Eventually, Kane would part ways with The Authority, returning full-time to his 'Demon' persona.
His spell in authority turned out to be good practice for Kane. The man behind the mask - Glenn Jacobs - was elected as Mayor of Knox County, Tennessee in August 2018.
#2 William Regal has held a number of authority figure positions in WWE
William Regal is the current General Manager of NXT (and, by extension, 205 Live). However, his role on the black and gold brand is far from his first authority position in WWE.
The veteran Englishman became WWE Commissioner all the way back in March 2001, when he defeated Al Snow in a match on SmackDown to earn the job. That particular run would last just a few months, but Regal absolutely delivered in all areas during it.
From crucial angles involving the WWE Championship, to backstage comedy segments and everything in between, Regal excelled in his new non-wrestling post.
Regal maintained an in-ring presence during this period as well, most memorably working a program with Chris Jericho.
Regal's spell as WWE Commissioner would end when he defected to The Alliance to take on the same role with WCW.
However, Regal would find himself back in an on-screen authority role in WWE when he became the full-time RAW General Manager after winning a Battle Royal in August 2007.
Regal again continued to wrestle whilst performing his duties as General Manager, even winning the 2008 King Of The Ring crown in a one-night tournament on the April 21 episode of RAW.
Although Regal would leave his authority figure role shortly afterward, he would continue as an in-ring performer across various WWE brands until late 2013. His final career match took place on the December 25 edition of NXT, where he wrestled Cesaro.
One of the most successful performers to transition into an authority figure position, Regal continues to bring his trademark style to his present day WWE roles.
#1 Triple H enjoyed several WWE Championship reigns whilst holding an on-screen position of power
The current Executive Vice President of Global Talent Strategy & Development for WWE, Triple H held on-screen power in storyline long before he ever achieved real-life corporate success.
'The Game' first took on an authority figure role on WWE programming as far back as 1999. Triple H formed an alliance with Stephanie McMahon at Armageddon 1999, after Stephanie turned on her father, Vince, in his main event match with the former WWE Champion.
The fall-out saw the heel pair reign over WWE as the McMahon-Helmsley regime. Triple H, still very much an active Superstar at this point, would win his third WWE Championship just weeks later when he defeated The Big Show.
The Triple H and Stephanie storyline, of course, became very real after the two began dating - and they would be married just a few years later in October 2003.
His part in the McMahon-Helmsley faction, however, was just the beginning of Triple H's resume as an authority figure on WWE television. Over the years, the 51-year-old legend has featured on RAW and SmackDown under several other job titles.
Triple H took on a solo role as the Chief Operating Officer of WWE in 2011, before being joined by his wife to form The Authority in 2013.
Throughout their time as The Authority, Triple H was still a key-in ring performer for WWE. A long-running rivalry with Daniel Bryan led to an epic match that served as the opener of WrestleMania 30. Bryan defeated Triple H before going on to lift the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the headline bout of the evening.
Triple H also used his on-screen authority role in great effect when claiming his 14th World Championship in the 2016 Royal Rumble match. Arranging for himself to enter the match in the coveted No. 30 spot, 'The King of Kings' was able to win the bout and take the WWE Championship from Roman Reigns in the process.
Reigns would win the title back in the main event of WrestleMania 32 a few months later. The Executive Producer of NXT has not been a regular part of the WWE main event picture since, preferring to concentrate on his backstage responsibilities.
Triple H still makes his presence felt in WWE where necessary, though. Most recently, he appeared on this past week's episode of RAW to confront Randy Orton.
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