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For many years, WWE was blessed with some of the greatest minds in professional wrestling history roaming around ringside. The manager, or cornerman, would always escort his charges into the ring, speak for them during interviews, and (on occasion) interfere in matches when the situation called for it.
WWE has minimized this role for several years, carrying only one or two legitimate cornermen on their entire roster at a time. More often than not, the performers were being escorted to the ring by a fellow grappler, either an onscreen love interest or their trusted tag team partner.
The manager, it seems, was going the way of the dinosaur; it would be an extinct species before we knew it.
But in recent years, the managerial role has taken on a new life. From a couple of grizzled veterans to some young upstarts, WWE is seeing a resurgence in its talent pool.
Having said that, let's take a look at the five main managers in the company right now and see where each one stands in the promotion's pecking order.
#5. Max Dupri's grade so far in WWE would have to be marked as 'incomplete'
Former NXT Superstar LA Knight has now finally made his way to the main roster after a couple of attempts, years of waiting, and another name change. Along with all that turbulence comes a new position as well.
Now known as Max Dupri, he's launching his new faction and talent agency, Maximum Male Models. Thus far, he hasn't done enough to really warrant a thumbs up or thumbs down.
But if the former IMPACT World Champion gets enough mic time, he will get the new character over. He's one of the best talkers in the industry today. So although he hasn't done much in the yet, fans will have to stay tuned.
#4. Maryse continues to stand by her man
The recently returned Mrs. Mizanin wasted no time in aligning herself with her husband in his mini-feud with Edge. Although the story was a bit of a dud, many in the WWE Universe were happy to see the beautiful blonde bombshell by her husband's side once again.
Critics scoffed when Maryse originally returned, but it almost seems like The Miz isn't the same without her. The couple is so intertwined within the culture of WWE and reality TV that when she's not there, there's just something missing.
While Maryse will never be of the caliber of some of sports entertainment's elite managers, she fits perfectly right next to her spouse. They are one of the promotion's 'power couples,' and their heel personas never mind letting us know. It's perfect for this cocky, heel duo.
#3. Ludwig Kaiser is a throwback character who is already finding success with Gunther
It was a given that Gunther could potentially be a huge star when he moved up to the main roster. However, one couldn't have foreseen what a great combination of the big Austrian and his manager, Ludwig Kaiser, would be.
The former Marcel Barthel can mix it in the ring if he has to, but he really seems to be a great fit as the second to Gunther. Seeing them side-by-side in the ring with their parochial style salutes is both intimidating and impressive.
It's just a great visual presentation on the parts of the performers and the promotion. So, they and the WWE production team can all take a bow.
The pairing has already put everyone in WWE on notice as Gunther claimed the Intercontinental title this past Friday on Smackdown by defeating Ricochet. You can bet that it won't be the last championship for the deadly duo.
#2. MVP went from dynamic athlete to terrific cornerman
MVP got his name for a reason when he was an active wrestler. He was a franchise player in terms of his appearance, attitude, and off-the-charts athleticism. He was the whole package.
He's taken that same brash behavior and translated that into big-time success with The Hurt Business. He guided Bobby Lashley to the WWE Championship before they parted ways.
MVP has now been given the assignment of leading The Nigerian Giant Omos to glory. Considering his intelligence and experience, the bold cornerman will likely take the massive monster to heights he couldn't achieve on his own.
#1. Paul Heyman is WWE's manager of champions
Paul Heyman is not only the best manager in the company today but also ranks right up there with the greatest of all time.
Even before he entered WWE, he already had an impressive resume, having managed champions in Memphis, the AWA, WCW, and all points in between. His 'Dangerous Alliance' in World Championship Wrestling is still one of the most underrated factions in history.
In WWE, however, Heyman has taken things to insurmountable heights, guiding the careers of two of the greatest grapplers of our time, Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns.
For the better part of the past decade, the former Paul E. Dangerously has been at or near the top of the card on a consistent basis. That's because the very best want to work with him. He's that big of an asset to their careers.
Heyman is potentially a future Hall of Famer and a living legend, so he's almost automatically due for the top spot. The funny thing is that he's still going. So we can't even be sure how many more accolades he might still rack up before his tenure is over.
