WWE: Top 5 Greatest Women Managers

Behind every great man is a greater woman.

No matter the moniker of Diva, manager, or valet, there’s absolutely no doubt that some of the greatest wrestlers of all time had their best moments when they were assisted or had the benefit of a woman at ringside. Some of have been gorgeous beyond words, others were as hard as a diamond.

With March being International Women’s Month, it’s more than apt that we take a look at the best of the best that made good men great and, in some cases, outshone their male counterpart. Who all paved the way for the women of the future of the industry and provided some of the best moments WWE has ever had?

Let’s take a look at the five most influential and greatest women managers of all time, starting with a rather contemporary number.

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The Ravishing Russian, Lana

Yes, it’s true. Lana hasn’t been in the WWE for too long, but already has made an incredible impact on Rusev’s career. 

With Rusev pledging his allegiance to Russian, as well as Vladimir Putin, there had never been so much heat on a performer probably since Sgt. Slaughter as an Iraqi sympathizer. He rode in WrestleMania in a freaking tank! 

But his promo work was a bit stiff in the beginning. It was his “social ambassador” (and now legit wife) Lana who helped him shape into one of WWE’s top heels and an actual threat in the roster. The way she commands the crowd but not just berating them, but also to show how impressive Rusev actually is devious, but all the while amazing. 

In her short amount of time, she’s mastered all these little things that set her apart from the rest of her current generation and somebody who will likely influence the next one as well. 

Sunny

There’s managers before Sunny and after her, and nothing would be the same. 

Sunny encompassed that right mix of 90’s bad girl with classic Hollywood diva that helped propel some WWE’s acts to the top slots they were destined to be. Her main focus seemed to be working with tag teams. First, the Bodydonnas, then the Godwinns, but would eventually be known for working with the Smoking Gunns as they were one of the most dominant tag team champions of the mid-90’s. 

The woman behind Sunny is a woman by the name of Tammy Sytch. While her later exploits would make her more infamous, she’s seen treatment for her substance abuse that plagued her at the latter of her career. Despite all the drama (and real-life conflict she caused for Bret Hart), she was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2011 because Sunny truly was the trailblazer in her era. 

Lita

While known for her singles career as well, it’s hard to ignore what Lita brought to the likes of the Hardy Boyz as well as Edge. 

Originally brought in with luchador Essa Rios, Lita turned her attention to the daredevil team of the Hardy Boyz, Matt and Jeff. Dubbed Team Xtreme for their collective feats of risktaking, Lita was the first woman involved with the TLC matches and took some incredible bumps along the way. 

Eventually she became Women’s Champion and one of the marquee players in the women’s division of her age, but when personal drama between her, Edge, and Matt Hardy became public, it was a time for a change. 

One of the greatest faces of the Attitude Era, Lita evolved into her “Sinister Sexpot” persona, aiding Edge in his championship conquests. After it was revealed that she had a real-life affair with Edge while she was with Matt Hardy, the Internet wrestling community as well as fans took it personal and Lita turned her back and embraced what the fans were calling her. 

She was the missing piece to Edge’s new persona of the Rated-R Superstar, even performing a live sex show on Monday Night Raw, but it was with her help that Edge not only became one of the greatest heels of his era, but one of the greatest champions as well. 

Miss Elizabeth

There is no Randy Savage without Miss Elizabeth. End of story. 

Savage and Elizabeth’s love story is one that stands the test of time. Considered professional wrestling’s greatest couple, they provided some of the most memorable and emotional moments of the Golden Age of the WWE. Who can forget Savage winning the title at WrestleMania IV or their reunion at WrestleMania VII? Elizabeth hardly spoke, but the glamorous brunette brought more emotion to the ring than anybody ever could. 

Elizabeth was incredibly loyal to Randy, even after his heel turn in the early 90’s and was sided with the Sensational Sherri Martel. She kept an eye on him from ringside but never interfered, but when the camera would cut to her, there would be a longing in her face to reconcile with the man who had broken her heart. 

Managers of her day were usually older men in suits or had some crazy gimmick, so Elizabeth stood out among the crowd with her stunning ballgowns and quiet demeanor. She let Randy do all the talking, but stood by his side and supported him no matter how wild he got.

She was also the subject of Flair and Savage’s feud leading up to WrestleMania VIII, but Randy defended her honor with only how he could and made their bond stronger. 

Sherri Martel

If you don’t realize how great Sherri Martel was, you need to educate yourself immediately. 

Dubbed Sensational Sherri and then Queen Sherri, Martel brought a level of heat to her clients that might not have gotten over the way they did had she not been there to guide them. When Randy Savage turned heel and became the Macho King, Sherri was there to give him that villainous appeal and finally gave him somebody who could match his intensity during his promos. 

Together, Savage and Martel were like a dark force of chaotic nature that went wild through the WWE, making the duo the top heels in the company. After Martel dropped Savage after his so-called retirement match at WrestleMania VII, he reunited with Elizabeth. So, Martel looked towards the up and coming generation and in the roster, she found her new client in the shape of a Shawn Michaels. 

Michaels was in the midst of establishing himself as a singles competitor after he broke up with Marty Jannetty and the Rockers disbanded. Martel provided that extra element of heat that saw Michaels through his first push as Intercontinental Champion and lent credibility to Michaels as she had been with the top-tier talent for all of her career. 

Martel’s ferociousness and rock gothic attire made her stand out in the sea of what fans perceived as beautiful women and truly redefined what it meant to be a manager in her day.