10 Great Wrestler-Manager Combos That Deserved More Respect

Managers can play a huge part in the business, which is something that has led to some amazing storylines and moments. Fans often recall people like Paul Heyman, Jim Cornette, and Paul Bearer, all of which have made a great impact. However, while they are praised on a regular basis, there are other people that have gone under the radar.

There are plenty of fantastic WWE manager and wrestler combinations that have been forgotten over time. They don't get the same type of attention from fans that others do, which is a shame. That's because these partnerships have brought a lot of quality to the shows, but have not been hyped up as often as others.

10 Armando Estrada (Umaga)

Fans always remember Umaga, he was a destructive force who dominated everyone in his path, blending real pace and athleticism to his hard-hitting style. However, audiences often overlook Armando Estrada, and the relationship that they had together, as he worked as the manager for him.

Estrada made Umaga an even bigger monster overall. He was a fantastic talker, and allowing him to do that while Umaga was totally silent was something that worked perfectly. They don't get enough credit, which is likely because Umaga didn't take the World Title at this point, as he should have done.

9 Luna Vachon (Goldust)

Goldust was an eccentric and over-the-top character, who brought a lot of personality to everything that he did. Therefore, finding someone to be his manager was never going to be easy, as most wrestlers would end up being overshadowed as a talent.

However, that wasn't the case with Luna Vachon. She was able to match Goldust in every way, and actually added to his insanity as well. Because they were not the main event characters, people have forgotten this partnership, but it was an extremely effective one.

8 Ranjin Singh (The Great Khali)

Ranjin Singh And The Great Khali Cropped

The Great Khali is certainly a memorable character, but fans don't often talk about him as he wasn't a great wrestler. The Hall Of Famer proved to be more of an attraction, eventually slipping into the comedy. But when he first got brought to the main roster, he was a monster who dominated everyone in sight.

This happened with Ranjin Singh by his side. The partnership was a brilliant one, and a combination that is often forgotten about. It's a partnership that deserves more credit, because Ranjin was an excellent talker, and he made Khali interesting at the time.

7 Alicia Fox (Noam Dar)

This is another manager-wrestler combination that has been forgotten, but it does deserve more respect. A lot of it took place on 205 Live, which is one of the reasons that it got overlooked. However, Alicia Fox and Noam Dar worked well together, with their flirty relationship working out.

The two of them had a great connection, and their personalities worked perfectly. They were over the top, and it helped to get a lot of interest in them. That is a credit to the work they put in, but it's not a partnership that is pushed as much as others.

6 Maria Kanellis (Mike Bennett)

Because WWE didn't put much focus on Maria Kanellis and Mike Kanellis when they were part of WWE, a lot of people like to overlook them. However, the work they have done outside the WWE world was far more intriguing and is what ultimately got them signed by the company.

The two of them did great work on the independent scene, with Maria working brilliantly on the outside, while Mike put in the work as a wrestler. Their real-life relationship helped them to have genuine chemistry, but they deserve a lot more credit for the work they put in.

5 Melina (Joey Mercury & Johnny Nitro)

Melina had a great career within her own right, which is why a lot of fans overlook her time as a manager. However, as part of MnM, she did an amazing job. Joey Mercury and Johnny Nitro were a solid tag team who put together great work on a regular basis inside the ring.

But it was truly Melina that got everyone talking in this group. From the entrance to her actions at ringside, Melina was able to captivate an audience, and that led to them having a great connection.

4 Ric Flair (Charlotte Flair)

Ric Flair is always hyped up by fans for being one of the greatest of all time. He did a great job managing Evolution, and that is something that was spoken about a lot. However, his partnership with his daughter, Charlotte is often overlooked, as this was a great period for them.

Because the Queen has gone on to achieve so much in the business, fans overlook this original run on the main roster. Ric was brilliant by her side, where he would cut fantastic promos and do everything to cheat at ringside, which ended up building her up perfectly.

3 Lio Rush (Bobby Lashley)

When fans think about Bobby Lashley having a manager, it is MVP that people go to. That's the combination that took him to the main event level in WWE, and has certainly proven to be a real hit with fans. However, prior to that, he got the chance to work alongside Lio Rush.

He was a great mouthpiece for Lashley, and the difference in size worked perfectly. Lio hyped him up perfectly, making Bobby seem like a monster. While this didn't get him to be World Champion, it did lead to Lashley having a much stronger place, being the starting point for his rise.

2 Paul Ellering (Authors Of Pain)

Paul Ellering is an incredible manager, and he gets credit for that due to his connection with The Road Warriors. However, because that group is so legendary, the work he did with Authors Of Pain doesn't get the credit it deserves. He was incredible with Akam and Rezar, who brought true destruction.

He didn't get the chance to move with them to the main roster, for some reason. Because of that, a lot of fans forget about this partnership, as it only took place on NXT. However, he brought a level of seriousness to their presentation, with great mystique overall.

1 Zeb Colter (Jack Swagger)

The work that Zeb Colter put together for Jack Swagger was fantastic, with the two of them having a great connection together. Push the patriotism to the point of becoming heels was unique, and it worked perfectly for them, with Zeb being a terrific mouthpiece.

His promos were excellent throughout this entire run, and it created Swagger's best period in WWE. He felt like a top star, and that was done with the presentation. Together, they were a great package, but for some reason, they have ended up being overlooked with time.