The Best Manager-Wrestler Pairings | Wrestling With Wregret

Managers can be an important part of a wrestler's character ... but the truly great pairings can elevate wrestlers to legendary status! Find out Brian's picks for the best combinations!
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[@MarkSmith-qo7zd]

“Im a little bit of a Karen, because I LOVE to see ‘The Manager’” 😂😂😂😂😂😂 You kill me with your dry humour Bryan 🤣👏🏼

[@claymathewselevator8121]

He’d be a Chelsea Green now 😂

[@Ariurotl]

Sherri doesn't get enough credit for all she's done in wrestling. Her name should be up there with other all-time greats of the era.

[@DrDoomBloom]

I love Sherri Martel

[@BenDowdy]

I agree. A great wrestler, manager, & heel.

[@user-fu3fu4ye7j]

She does just not from KZbin marks who started watching in 2010

[@exilhamburger4802]

Her problem was: There weren't any capable women as her opponents. That match against Dusty and Sapphire was more of comic relief than actual work.

[@princesstamika]

@@user-fu3fu4ye7j she doesn't, if she did she would have had an a&e special or at least a fucking DVD. Since she was also in awa and wcw.

[@sethfreakinrollins9889]

Sherri Martel doesn't get the recognition she deserves. She was the whole package. She was a fantastic heel, a brilliant manager and a great wrestler. My grandfather used to love her.

[@Phyrre56]

It never occurred to me as a kid the juxtaposition of Elizabeth vs. Sherri. Elizabeth was the balancing force to Savage's madness. Sherri was the opposite, she encouraged the madness and Savage with Sherri was the worst version of himself.

[@pygmalionxxx]

13:26 Mr. Perfect:hey Bobby the Brain what do you wanna do today? Heenan: Same thing we do every night, Perfect. Try to annoy Hulk Hogan. Sorry, couldn't resist.

[@Eminem200183]

Mr. Perfect and Bobby the Brain, Brain, Brain.

[@pygmalionxxx]

@Paul Blackman like an RKO that was outta nowhere…😐

[@danieldees9686]

@Paul Blackman

[@jav3134]

Can we just all agree...Bobby Heenan with anyone was magic. The trifecta of Heenan, Flair and Perfect was awesome

[@Tearsheet]

Heenan and Bockwinkel was also pretty awesome, if you got to see it. Heenan is pure gold. Quick witted, clever, cunning, and a veritable heat magnet.

[@Morthaniel]

Find someone who looks at you the way Heyman looks at Lesnar in the thumbnail.

[@FixerFour]

That's how I look at my paycheck, too

[@ChrisWolff2013]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@byff2323]

Bravo Zane for putting any personal feelings aside about Cornette and giving him his due with the M.E. You are a true pro!

[@gordonarmstrong2208]

What are Brian’s personal feelings about Cornette? Did I miss something?

[@snuff3188]

Brian made a comment on something that pissed off cornette and they never reconciled because of difference of opinion

[@wozthescott2804]

@@gordonarmstrong2208 Cornette blocked him on Twitter for defending comedy wrestling.

[@richstiltner2246]

Cornette pisses everyone off just get over him. Personally I love the drive thru and id rather hear Brian Last instead of Conrad bullshit shows. Its amazing how everyone loves these guys until they listen to there podcast ie.JR and Corny

[@12345Yeah]

@@richstiltner2246 you seem so angry

[@samirabdel-aziz498]

I think Heyman and Punk are underrated. Punk never needed a mouth piece but he needed a partner in crime. Heyman was able to be the annoying sidekick, the guy who could rule up the crowd so Punk could rile them up further. Great list though!

[@alexshayatovich8722]

Love Heyman and Punk.

[@ChrisWolff2013]

I LOVED Punk with Heyman. The personal friendship they had mixed with the fact they could verbally assassinate anyone on the roster made them so much fun.

[@85futureshock]

They were awesome together. They reminded me of Paul E's earlier association with the late, great Hot Stuff Eddie Gilbert.

[@guillermosierracuellar9812]

12:27 Zelina: take that and I love you Aleister: me too

[@patricknguyen7530]

Few more honorable mention picks: Shawn Michaels and Sensational Sherri Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan Harley Race and Vader Bill Alfonso and RVD and Sabu Tommy Dreamer and Beulah Gary Hart and Great Kabuki Captain Lou Albano and Wild Samoans The Sandman and Woman Joel Gertner and the Dudley Boys Jimmy Hart and the Nasty Boys Eddie Gilbert and Missy Hyatt Shane Douglas and Francine Jimmy Garvin and Precious

[@enigmaskull3495]

King Booker and Queen Sharmell

[@DrSlasher]

@@enigmaskull3495 Sherri and Harlem Heat (especially during THAT promo)

[@BrimstoneButcher]

Mr. Fuji & Demolition...

[@princealigorna7468]

Mr. Fuji and Yokozuna Paul Bearer and Mankind/Kane Lita and the Hardyz Melina in MNM Trish with Test and Albert The Grand Wizard and Superstar Billy Graham (actually, the Grand Wizard is is so important to 70's WWWF that you could put any of the people or teams he managed here. But Graham was the man that revolutionized the business) Father James Mitchell and Abyss (and later Su Yung) Classy Freddie Blassie and....who do I even pick from the list of fucking legends and hall of famers under him?

[@thekidfromiowa]

DDP and Kimberly Goldust and Marlena Luna and Bam Bam

[@megamarsonic]

Sherri climbing the cage while cutting a promo as well as that Wrestlemania: The Arcade Game bit at the end got laughs out of me.

[@cappy2282]

Sherri and Shawn were my favorite

[@BrandanTheBroker]

A little upset Bill Alfonso with RVD and Sabu didn't make the list but this list was so stacked

[@christophersuswal9544]

Honestly Alphonso with Taz was better

[@fredmillsaps5268]

Alfonso was a JOKE 🥴

[@Devilsblood]

I liked Bill Alfonso. He was a great hype man

[@PierzStyx]

In the Honorable Mentions category: Bobby Heenan and Ric Flair. Talk about a combination of talkers who could drive each other to even greater heights.

[@RBlair69]

You gotta be fair to Flair!

[@kevinramsey417]

I might hate the current WWE product but I never get tired of watching Heyman work us. He really is the mad genius. The man could sell water to a fish. Sherri was absolutely underrated, because she could do it all. There was never a moment where I wasn't entertained by the Sensational One. As for Paul and Taker, they were pretty much lightning in a bottle Sonny and Cher magic. Just perfect. "The Road Warriors looked like they were bouncing for the biker bar from Hell". Brian. Bruh.......you put that perfectly.

[@barrodexteriit.9301]

Andrade and Vega could've been a fantastic nemesis to McIntyre's championship run. What a shame...

[@Puncherjoe1]

Y'all have no idea how much the new theme gets me hype

[@kenterminateddq5311]

One of my favorite worker/manager pairings and one of the most underrated is Rob Van Dam & Bill Alfonzo. Those two are fun to watch together and Rob needed Fonzie or someone to hold a chair for his most devastating move in his arsenal: THE VAN TERMINATOR! BTW, I'm surprised Zane didn't mention Buddy Rose, Doug Somers & the late Sherri Martel.

[@celtic69]

They can get to fuck for that whistle though

[@12345Yeah]

Bill alfonzo makes matches unbearable with the constant blowing of the whistle

[@djpegao]

¿Didn't he mentioned Sensational Sherri when talking about Randy Savage?

[@kenterminateddq5311]

@@djpegao He did but Zane also mentioned Heenan twice when he managed Perfect and Bockwinkel.

[@Supervillain725]

I agree with the others that the whistle was annoying as shit.

[@stingrey1571]

man i loved that term, "heenan and bockwinkel were a promo voltron."

[@billybattle]

I guess I’m the only one who liked James Mitchell & Abyss.

[@princesstamika]

I liked that and James Mitchell and tajiri/whiplash

[@TheIceAnt]

Love them together.

[@assclown452]

Ah abyss and father Mitchell not bad and the unholy alliance, tajiri and whipwreck not bad

[@fredmillsaps5268]

Yes you are 😲

[@christopherbenoit5585]

@@princesstamika tajiri and William regal

[@rakkjack]

Zane, if you make a parody of pinky and the brain called "perfect and the brain" I will pay money, lots of it, to see that.

[@dbone3356]

That's such good shit, pal!

[@ThatTransMuffinOfficial]

They're Perfect and the Brain Yes Perfect and the Brain Perfect dropped the Genius to his immense gain. Perfect will show his might while Brain yells all night. They're Perfect. They're Perfect and the Brain, brain brain brain brain brain brain brain.

[@RikoJAmado]

Perfect.

[@snerdterguson]

Wrestling Stables of the World Song Fooooooour Horsemen The Freebirds Oddities and The Flock D X and N W O Anyone have a second verse?

[@RikoJAmado]

@@snerdterguson Evolution, Ministry of Darkness, Hart Foundation, Million Dollar Corporation and then just The Corporation toooo.

[@wildfiremicro6877]

First two pairings I thought of were: Heyman and Lenser Bearer and Taker Also thank god Heyman saved Roman

[@toma15]

I loved the pairing of Lita and Edge, the heat on them was nuclear and she helped elevate him to the main event. Lita always played a hand in his matches until her retirement and it was always great

[@isitoveryet9525]

They had nuclear heat bc they were having a real life affair lol

[@wmen48]

Edge and vicky g were golden together

[@Aragorn7884]

Bobby Heenan is a G. O. A. T.

[@ChrisWolff2013]

Sherri could make any of her clients feel like a big deal. She was that good.

[@jcace13]

Current best pairing: MVP and Bobby Lashley, I don't think The Almighty becomes the true almighty that he is now without P there with him.

[@ivanburden4658]

I always liked Harley Race and Big Van Vader. It just seemed that Harley hitched his wagon to his best bet for a world championship.

[@12345Yeah]

Wtf you talking about bruh

[@RBlair69]

Harley Race was a 7-time World Champion.

[@chaospoet]

That combination was just scary to see. The meanest, toughest guy of the 70s and 80s and the meanest, toughest guy of the 90s. They looked like they were there to legit kill people with their bare hands. I remember when Vader "broke" Ric Flair's back and Harley kept telling Vader to do more to Ric. They weren't messing around. They wanted to hurt everybody.

[@Celticgamer89]

At Least Brock Knows he needs Paul Heyman to do the talking for him because he has lack of mic skills and his voice doesn't suit his dominant physical power

[@benmcgill2018]

He can say small amounts of things like “Paul, say something stupid” or “I don’t give a shit about your kids”

[@jasondyrkacz8270]

Kurt Angle brought out the best of Lesnar.

[@12345Yeah]

@@jasondyrkacz8270 relevant

[@maklame3318]

Lets do this?

[@djpegao]

Never forget the : _"Let's do_ *THiiS"*

[@drozwalker9]

Managers/ Valets are a key element when it comes to telling stories in and out of the ring. This great list is very complete far as covering many decades of pro wrestling. Thanks for putting this together.

[@85futureshock]

I would also add Gary Hart and The Great Kabuki. They had such a unique dynamic for wrestling in the 80’s. You had the usually calm, cool and sinister Hart unable to control and even was terrified of his own creation.

[@ziahamm1603]

Gary Hart really was one of the most underrated managers in the business

[@SystemFan20]

Another honorable mention, Okada and Gedo were probably one of the better wrestler manager pairings in modern day wrestling

[@ConfusedProud]

Absolutely. Having the literal booker of the show paired with the unbeatabl ace worked waaaaay better than it had any right to.

[@rajamicitrenti1374]

I think the thing with Paul Ellering and Jim Cornette is that they didn't really feel like an add-on to their listed team. They were just an intergal part, like you couldn't imagine the team without them. Paul Bearer started that way as well, but ultimately, Taker had too long and successful of a career in that character without Bearer by his side (and as you noted, in a lot of key parts with Bearer *opposing* him) for that to stick.

[@TheDoubleA12]

This man really put himself on his own list. What a heel

[@heisensaul5538]

I'm a little surprised that Bobby Heenan and Andre the Giant didnt make the list. Putting Heenan with anyone is like money, he was the greatest manager ever for a reason.

[@tristenwendling]

Mr. Zane I have to say this is easily my favorite list you have ever made! I was expecting very generic list, but you clearly did your academics on this one. Seeing picks like Bockwinkel and Heenan made me pop, and led to this being my favorite of your lists on this channel. Bravo good sir!

[@CGaboL]

That Karen joke at the beginning killed me 🤣 Easily one of the best opening lines you've ever done!

[@victorselby359]

Haven't even watched this yet but Cornette and the Midnight are the absolute slam dunk #1 imo

[@evanhanley6437]

Man this is an amazing video. Its crazy to see how young and different the managers looked in the 70s compared to now. Bobby Heenan and Paul Heyman will always be the best managers in wrestling history. Love the WrestleMania arcade dialogue at the end.

[@GetBenched2010]

Props for putting Heenan and Bockwinkel on the list. That combo has always been underrated.

[@SteelyDanzig]

An interesting thing about Paul Ellering is that he was the Road Warriors' legit manager, handling their real life hotel and travel accommodations, finances, etc.

[@DrSlasher]

I believe Heenan did the same for the Heenan Family?

[@miguelEguzman]

It was not uncommon back then. It has not COMPLETELY died out even in this century. I was never famous, but I used to do all that for my stable, too. My most experienced wrestler used to get the bookings, but I negotiated the payoffs, booked our hotels and arranged our travel. That last one was usually me driving because the boys needed the rest more, as I only had to talk.

[@RoXolid]

Perfect and the Brain. *Slow Claps* Bravo! One could say that was absolutely... Perfect

[@SubZero-lh2tj]

That top eight could not have been picked any better. Great job Zane

[@Montega11]

I used to get a kick out of Sonny Ono and Ultimo Dragon

[@templeofthehut]

Heenan and Andre is one of those combos that just works so well. I'd also want to give a quick kudos to Lou Albano and Don Muraco. Maybe not iconic enough to make the list but the Magnificent Muraco run with Albano was a lot of fun.

[@MuscleManMalcolm]

That Mega Ran intro HITS🔥

[@upthereds1892]

That opening joke had me dying 🤣

[@xsteveconwayx]

What a great opening line. I also love managers. I especially love it when a great talker/personality has a manager and they can play off each other. It’s just so great.

[@borakwarman]

I was a big fan of Armaaaaaaaaaaaando Alejaaandro Estraaaaada, and Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuumaaagaaaa!

[@elneco4654]

That's the one guy that I occasionally ask myself where he's at now, where'd he go after WWE?

[@claymathewselevator8121]

@@elneco4654 he made a cameo in 2011 with Tyson Kidd on WWE Superstars

[@UncledadBFD]

Such shrewd and accurate and expectedly expertly edited content. You’re a a Z-Nius Byran

[@frylock97]

It's a good list, but why no love for Mr. Fuji and Yokozunna?

[@Curlyman172000]

Hi Brian I just want to say thank you for the incredible content. Been watching since 2017 I think or maybe 2018.. but am not sure but I been watching for a long time.

[@m.d.1395]

Zane, once again, knocking it out of the park with this countdown

[@monkeyman5866]

I'm waiting for what number Brian Zane and Levi Shapiro are.

[@cobras35]

The wrestlemania the arcade game tips video audio gave me a flashback. Nice choice Zman

[@edenvanvugt]

I haven't heard what you're going to say about it yet but I already want to say that acknowledging both Elizabeth and Sherri is a masterstroke, totally agree.

[@paulweston8408]

Thank you for your best list in a long time! I couldn't disagree with any of your picks. I would have maybe added CM Punk with Paul Heyman, but otherwise this is perfect.

[@iamlatka]

Heenan and Bockwinkel were perfect, i wish Nick wasn't too old so they could reunite in the WWF during late 80's when Bockwinkel was supposed to be the Million Dollar Man.

[@mrpink99]

@Awesome Sauce I never got Triple H calling himself “The Cerebral Assassin”; no one but Tricky Nick deserved that moniker

[@andymassingham]

I still remember laughing my ass off when Nick referred to Bobby as “Sir Robert of Heenan.” With the straightest face possible.

[@jasonjimerson7046]

I have to say this, but this may be the best list you have ever made, Brian! Great video!!!

[@MaverickJay1977]

Great list once again! Nice one Brian!

[@paulcoy9060]

Jesus, that "Wrestling!" caught me off guard. Thumbs up.

[@GrumpleslamAlabaster]

Great list concept! Never seen this one before 👍

[@heyyoitsmebrian]

ive been dying for a video about this for years!!! thank u !!!!!! i havent even watched it yet but mr fuji + yoko and 90s undertaker + paul bearer.... i mean you GOTTA have a manager for a lot of these silent wrestlers

[@erikmuniz3802]

Perfect list !! Maybe Cpt Lou and the Wild Samoans as a honorable mention

[@PhatGirlLuvr68Comix]

Never enough love given to Gary Hart and The Great Kabuki.

[@douglasmaddox3308]

Macho Man's heel run with Sherry and Babyface/ heel run with Elizabeth was worked so well by him and the two ladies it was damn near perfect

[@fowof]

I love the intro,plus Brian the few youtubers I’d actually like to meet and have a drink with.

[@ShinRyojin]

Heyman’s promo skills are so god tier, that I would love to see him use his talents to do fun promo segments putting over fictional villains like Thanos. Hell, I can see it as a special episode of Upupdowndown.

[@ShawnSandiego]

Damn. Now I wanna see that too!

[@ronniefromOR]

Awesome stuff as always

[@pynkeethepink3329]

I love the little shine you give yourself with that fan reaction. Well deserved sir.

[@ronniejdio9411]

Paul bearer's singing of HBKs theme at in your house is a top ten moment of wrestling history

[@frankiesosa1766]

Totally digging that intro!!

[@josephsaiz9144]

You should do a worst manager wrestler pairing video.

[@sunshineholmes3487]

HBK and Jose Lothario on the list? Jose added nothing and Shawn hated having him there.

[@GareksApprentice]

I don't know how long they were together, but Shawn Michaels & Luna Vachon

[@claymathewselevator8121]

AW and PTP

[@perrylx]

Everytime I try to walk away from wrestling, you pull me back in. Thank you sir! This was definitely one of my favorites

[@jamalvargas6146]

Father James Mitchell and Abyss Those 2 were one of the reasons I enjoyed TNA Impact on Spike TV 2 decades ago besides Sting

[@crisistian_]

I personally think he did better with the Disciples of the New Church

[@KingLex87]

Click .. DOOMSDAY!!! James Mitchell was a great manager for Abyss

[@ryankeefe6222]

They were great together I think Abyss went kinda downhill as a character after they broke up

[@steve5by5]

I always really enjoyed the Edge and Lita partnership. I know theres a lot of other stuff around that but think it really worked for that brief period. Also I'd have had Perfect and Heenan in the actual list, there Vignettes where so good.

[@jasonmedeiros4712]

Good intro music. Good work whom ever did it.

[@JDWanko]

Great list! Others: Bill Alfonso and Taz-The Whistler did a great job making the Human Suplex Machine a monster heel, which made Taz's face turn even bigger; Rev. James Mitchell and Abyss-At a time when the manager role almost completely disappeared, the Sinister Minister allowed the monster heel of TNA a new dimension of fear and helped illustrate the need for the manager role; and Eric Bishoff and the NWO-The idea that the de facto leader of a company was also the head of a group bound to take over or destroy said company created more heat than Krakatoa and was wrestling's most fascinating ongoing story line until the Vince-Stone Cold feud.

[@ASANYC93]

Great list Brian! Especially on the honorable mentions as well, Paul & taker was my pick to be number 1 they were just the perfect of example of a duo that brought their characters to life every time you seen them on tv.

[@adamuber41219]

ITS HERE. I love the intro song still, love your picks Brian

[@malBOROkid]

Totally with you on this one z man, growing up my favourites were heenan slick Rick and mots jimmy hart

[@tylerstadt9957]

Love the intro/song!!!!

[@docthemetalfreak]

thank you Brian for putting Paul Ellering with the Road Warriors on this list. I really hoped they would make it on here. thank you again.

[@vankook]

Ok, that's two videos with Jimmy Hart and no Jimmy Hart impression. You're killing me, Zane. Loved the ending bits of Bearer and Taker though. I'm sure you've heard their "Happy Birthday" hot line message before. That's unbelievably funny.

[@CodingAbroad]

I loved Johnny Polo and Adam Bomb!

[@jetblack99]

That pic of Sherri in cheetah makeup for some crazy reason doing an angry cat face while Savage poses behind her is just the most Sherri Martel thing ever. "I'm wearing what? Sure. Where's my mark? Got it. Let's go." Total pro, totally committed 100% to everything she did. What a legend!

[@DARC-87]

I always thought Cornette, Owen & Davey made such a natural team. Owen and Davey were so good and smooth and Corny could just talk amongst the best ever.

[@540jade]

I haven’t seen this intro is it new? This shit fire

[@jonmel]

I never new Cornette and the midnight express worked together he never mentions it 😉

[@princesstamika]

Say what you want but that's the pairing that got him out of Memphis

[@agphoenixlek3517]

Okada and Gedo should have gotten some love too.

[@jermaineperry7527]

This truthful well done countdown Video

[@serplunk7146]

Again, the intro that makes me feel like i am too young and missed a whole bunch of lore in this channel.

[@Quatrixjs1]

It’s good to see there’s still some great managers going today with MVP, Don Callis, Jake Roberts and Taz among others.

[@undertakernumberone1]

Me sitting through the list "No Taker and Paul Bearer yet? They have to be on the list! Now we're through with the honourable mentions and still no showing of them. Only the Number 1 spot left..." Brian "And my Number 1 pick... Paul Bearer and the Undertaker!" Me "YEEES!!!"

[@JB-hl1qx]

Slick & Akeem really complimented each other... classic!

[@Reddgameplus]

Well made video. I loved your recap of the Macho Man Randy Savage/ MissElizabeth/Sherri Martel saga, oh yeeeeaah. I gotta shout out Chavo Sr/Chavo Jr pairing for it’s ability to make me hate them as a kid.

[@princealigorna7468]

I was way too young to remember it (I was around 18 months at the time), but I was there in Dallas in the late-80's watching Paul Bearer as Percy Pringle and Undertaker even before he was Mean Mark Callows. Those two have been fixtures of my entire life, from practically the day I was born until now, almost 35 years later. Call me biased, but these two had to be number 1. At least for me personally. No other combination in wrestling has ever meant more in my entire life. They were there, if separately, before my first memories were even formed, and they're among my first wrestling memories ever (namely, the series of vignettes with Undertaker making the casket for the casket match with Yokozuna). And 50 years from now, on my deathbed, the last thing I'll probably hear in my head when I cross back over into that deep rest before my next life will be Taker telling me to "Rest in peaaaaaace," and Paul screeching out an "Ohhhhhhh YEEEEEEEESSSS!"

[@lanagievski1540]

In recent memory, Jay White and Gedo come to mind for honourable mention

[@jordancarter4884]

I want you to know that when I’m bored I yell out “Wrestling with Wregret let’s get it!!”

[@EgoPanikBG]

gotta love Brian putting himself over in the honorable mentions