10 Greatest Manager/Wrestler Combinations Ever

It is something of a lost art in 2016. No, I'm not talking about occupational gimmicks, I'm talking of course about managers in professional wrestling. 

Until the late 1990s the manager was a true staple of pro wrestling TV, with a whole host of legendary names performing the role for a variety of performers.

Acting as a second vehicle to garner heat or sympathy, the manager can perform a vast range of roles for their charge. The most widely acknowledged of these comes in giving promos, but managers can also provide a helping hand for inexperienced wrestlers making their way through choppy waters.

Whilst the role has certainly diminished over the years, history has thrown up some truly legendary manager wrestler combinations. Whether seconding a face or a heel, most wrestling fans of generations gone by will have their favourite pairings. 

Managers would also more often than not manage a number of performers, leading to loose factions such as the Heenan Family, the Dangerous Alliance and Camp Cornette.

Despite this, there will always be specific pairings that stand out. Without further ado, here are the 10 greatest manager wrestler combinations in the history of professional wrestling.

I'll start with one of the loudest managers to ever grace the squared circle, and I'm not just talking about volume.

'The Mouth of the South' Jimmy Hart was a staple of WWF TV in the 80s and early 90s, before going on to have a run in WCW once buddy Hulk Hogan made his way to working for the enemy.

Hart managed a whole host of competitors, including the aforementioned Hogan, Jerry Lawler, Ted DiBiase, The Honky Tonk Man and my old favourite, Dino Bravo. His finest association, however, came with the tag team with which he shared his last name.

I'm talking, of course, about the Hart Foundation.

The team came together when Jim Neidhart was paired up with his real-life brother-in-law Bret Hart due to the fact neither was really up to much. Jimmy Hart was already the manager of Neidhart, and together the three compiled the original Hart Foundation.

In fact, the Hart Foundation actually referred to the faction of wrestlers managed by the Mouth of the South, but before long it was used solely for The Anvil and The Hitman.

The Foundation would experience great success, defeating the British Bulldogs for the WWF Tag Team Championships in 1987. The end for the trio came when Jimmy signed the Fabulous Rougeau Brothers, which somehow led to the French Canadians claiming 25% of the Harts' payment.