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There was once a time when the likes of Captain Lou Albano and Freddie Blassie added a unique flavor to the presentation of WWE Superstars. Managers would often lead factions of wrestlers and engage in feuds with top babyfaces.
In the 1980s, the Heenan Family, led by the legendary Bobby Heenan, were among Hulk Hogan's greatest adversaries. 'The Brain' even managed King Kong Buddy and Andre The Giant for their WrestleMania matches against Hogan.
However, during the 21st century, Vince McMahon slowly weeded managers out of his product. This proved to be a mistake as managers can hide the shortcomings of certain performers, most notably on the microphone, and establish them at a higher level.
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The value generated by Paul Heyman's presence onscreen has led McMahon to change his mind in recent times, leading to a mini resurrgence for managers in the WWE.
Here are five WWE Superstars who have been elevated by their managers:
#5. Zelina Vega helped Andrade find his footing in WWE NXT
After thriving in CMLL and NJPW as La Sombra - a masked luchador - Andrade experienced a rocky beginning to life in WWE NXT. His inability to cut promos in English hindered him and he was quickly left stranded in the doldrums.
However, 'El Idolo' saw his fortunes turn around in 2017 when he turned heel and formed an alliance with Zelina Vega. Vega's presence and range on the microphone played an enormous role in establishing Andrade as one of the best acts in all of WWE.
Andrade went on to defeat company favorite Drew McIntyre for the NXT Championship at the first NXT Takeover: Wargames show. His reign with the title included a memorable feud with Johnny Gargano which was highlighted by a 5-star match at NXT Takeover: Philadelphia.
#4. The Miz and Maryse were a memorable pairing
Following his run as WWE Champion, which saw him headline WrestleMania 27, The Miz largely floundered for the next 5 years.
The Cleveland native even admitted to losing confidence during this rough patch. It wasn't until he was managed by his wife, Maryse, that he re-emerged as a credible force in WWE.
The pair even had a memorable 2016 run as one of SmackDown's most crucial acts. They went on to have a tag-team match against John Cena and Nikki Bella at WrestleMania 33.
#3. Paul Heyman helped Big Show win the WWE title and return to prominence
When Big Show debuted in WWE, he was expected to follow in the footsteps of Andre The Giant.
However, despite being booked strongly, Big Show eventually fell out of favor and was sent to OVW in 2000 to improve his cardiovascular fitness.
Upon his return the following year, the South Carolina native struggled to return to the main event picture. That was until he was paired with Paul Heyman, who complimented 'The World's Largest Athlete' wonderfully.
During a WWE Championship match between Brock Lesnar and Big Show at Survivor Series 2002, Heyman turned on 'The Next Big Thing' and helped Big Show claim the title.
The pair even reunited in 2006 when the New York native helped Big Show defeat Rob Van Dam to win the ECW World Heavyweight Championship.
#2. MVP and Bobby Lashley form one of the best acts in WWE
Bobby Lashley returned to WWE in 2018 amid much fanfare, but the first 2 years of his run were largely forgettable. He was mostly squandered and even found himself in a critically panned romantic storyline with Lana.
However, the former amateur wrestling standout saw his fortunes turn around when he went on a winning streak and aligned himself with MVP.
MVP's promos instantly elevated Lashley who rose through the ranks to become the third ever African-American WWE Champion.
#1. Lita set up Edge for his WWE Hall of Fame career
For all of his brilliance in the ring and on the microphone, Edge was pigeonholed as a tag-team wrestler during the initial phase of his WWE career.
After he broke away from Christian, the Orangeville native's outstanding performances just weren't enough to establish him as a main-event player.
However, once he formed an alliance with Lita, WWE fans quickly accepted him as a top heel.
This was in no small part due to Edge's feud with Lita's former boyfriend Matt Hardy which drew upon real-life tensions between the trio.
After his feud with Hardy, 'The Rated-R Superstar' won his first WWE Championship and had a memorable hardcore match with the legendary Mick Foley at WrestleMania 22.
Ex WWE writer blasts Liv Morgan HERE
