Where These Forgotten Wrestling Managers Are Now

It is rather unfortunate that in recent years, the art of the wrestling manager, advocate, or valet has seemingly gone by the wayside in professional wrestling. In the Golden Age of wrestling, WWE was stacked with legendary wrestling managers like Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, Mr. Fuji, Jim Cornette, Paul Bearer, Classy Freddie Blassie, Sensational Sherri, Miss Elizabeth, and Captain Lou Albano to name just a few.

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While some wrestling managers like Paul Heyman, Stokely Hathaway, and Zelina Vega do a great job, top-level managers and valets are few and far between. Instead, the idea of a wrestler being accompanied to the ring and having someone distract the referee, blind their opponent, or even slip them their weapon of choice, is largely unutilized in mainstream wrestling promotions. Even AEW's roster of managers has been whittled down since the departure of William Regal, Vickie Guerrero, Tully Blanchard, Marco Stunt, and Chavo Huerrero Jr.

10 Catalina Was The First Masked Valet In WWE History

Years Active in WWE: 2019-2021

In a desperate attempt to bill him as the new Rey Mysterio, the WWE pulled out all the stops to try and make Sin Cara the latest masked wrestler who would connect with the audience. Unfortunately, things seemed to constantly go pear-shaped when it came to the Sin Cara character, with injuries, drug-related suspensions, backstage issues, and eventually creative frustrations leading to the wrestler requesting his release.

In 2019, Sin Cara was paired with a masked female wrestler named Carolina, and the two faced off against Andrade and Zelina Vega. The partnership was short-lived as Catalina was sent back to NXT and was eventually released from WWE in November 2021.

9 Former Divas Champion Alicia Fox Spent Her Final Years Outside The Ring

Years Active in WWE: 2006-2019

In 2008, Alicia Fox made her WWE main roster debut after having spent the previous two years in WWE's developmental territories of Ohio Valley Wrestling and Florida Championship Wrestling. On debut, Fox would be paired with Vickie Guerrero and Edge. After the storyline ended, Fox was paired with DJ Gabriel on ECW before Fox was moved to SmackDown. In 2010, Fox defeated Eve Torres to win her first and only Divas Championship, holding the title for almost 2 months before losing it to Melina.

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In December 2017, Fox began an on-screen relationship with 205 Live competitor Cedric Alexander. Fox would eventually turn on Alexander, aligning herself with Noam Dar. The pairing would end with Dar breaking up with Fox after losing an "I Quit" Match to Alexander after the latter returned from an injury.

8 Summer Rae Worked As A Valet For Both Members Of Breezango

Years Active in WWE: 2011-2017

Summer Rae spent six years in WWE during her first run with the company after signing a developmental contract in November 2011. Rae was originally brought in as a ring announcer and the General Manager of Florida Championship Wrestling before WWE moved the developmental program to NXT. In 2013, Rae made her main roster debut, escorting Fandango as his dance partner during his debut feud with Chris Jericho.

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Rae would then align with Damien Sandow but turned on him to align with The Miz. Rae then briefly replaced Lana as Rusev's on-screen manager and girlfriend. The angle was abruptly dropped after Lana and Rusev announced their legitimate engagement, angering WWE management. Rae would then briefly manage Tyler Breeze, introducing him on his main roster debut, before being released in 2017. Rae has since returned to WWE making cameo appearances, including participating in the 2022 Royal Rumble.

7 Sylvester LeFort Was Active In WWE Until 2016

Years Active in WWE: 2012-2016

Less than a year after making his on-screen debut as a part of a trio of enhancement talents taking on the Big Show on an episode of SmackDown, Sylvester Lefort was signed to a WWE developmental contract. Lefort was then introduced on NXT television where he managed the team of Scott Dawson and Garrett Dylan. After Dylan was released from his WWE contract, Lefort continued to accompany Dawson as a singles competitor as well as taking on Alexander Rusev as a client, before Rusev turned on Lefort to align with Lana.

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Lefort would then form The Legionnaires tag team with Marcus Louis and briefly teamed with future American Alpha wrestler Jason Jordan before briefly managing Billie Kay at house shows before being released from his WWE contract in February 2016.

6 Eddie Guerrero's Daughter Managed The Ascension

Years Active in WWE: 2010-2014

Raquel Diaz joined WWE in 2010, becoming the second third-generation member of the Guerrero family to sign with WWE after Chavo Guerrero Jr. Diaz was the eldest daughter of Eddie Guerrero and Vickie Guerrero, both of whom were on-screen characters in WWE. WWE didn't allow Diaz to use the Guerrero name during her time with the company, hoping that she would establish herself without her famous family name.

Unfortunately, Diaz never made it to the main roster only making appearances in developmental promotions Florida Championship Wrestling and NXT. During her time in Florida Championship Wrestling, Diaz would briefly manage Rusev before managing the Ascension and Tito Colon, better known as Epico. Diaz was eventually released from her WWE contract in 2014. Diaz would later marry Aiden English and returned to wrestling as a ring announcer for AEW during the promotions Women's Tag Team Cup Tournament.

5 Alexa Bliss Held Many Roles Before Finding Her Place

Years Active in WWE: 2013-Present

Alexa Bliss is mainly remembered now for her runs with the SmackDown and Raw Women's Championships as well as her alliance with the Fiend, Bray Wyatt, however, before all of that. Bliss was used in a variety of different roles by WWE in NXT. In her on-screen debut, Bliss was used as a ring announcer, and at WrestleMania 30 she was part of Triple H's entrance.

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In 2015, Bliss began managing the team of Wesley Blake and Buddy Murphy. Bliss would accompany the team during their feud against Enzo and Big Cass, clashing where the pair's manager, Carmella. Bliss would continue to accompany Blake and Murphy during their feud with The Vaudevillains. Behind the scenes, Alexa dated Buddy Murphy and the pair were briefly engaged before breaking up in 2018.

4 Lio Rush Was An Excellent Heat Magnet For Bobby Lashley

Years Active in WWE: 2017-2020

In 2017, WWE signed independent wrestling star Lio Rush to an NXT contract where he attracted criticism after posting a joke on Twitter after Emma was released from her WWE contract. A year later, Rush was paired with Bobby Lashley, encouraging Lashley to attack Kevin Owens. Rush would continue to work as Lashley's hype man as Lashley captured his first Intercontinental Championship.

Lashley eventually turned on Rush after Lashley abandoned Rush to face off against Braun Strowman by himself. The duo was then split with Rush sent back to NXT where he won the Cruiserweight Championship from Drew Gulak. Rush would eventually lose the title to Angel Garze before being released from his WWE contract in 2020.

3 Rosa Mendes Came Out As Bi-Sexual While In WWE

Years Active in WWE: 2006-2017

Rosa Mendes joined WWE after participating in the 2006 Divas Search competition and finished fourth behind Layla. Despite not winning, Mendes was still signed to a WWE developmental contract and a few years later was reintroduced as a plant in the crowd supporting Beth Phoenix and attacking Melina. Mendes would then move on to managing Carlito and then Zack Ryder.

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In 2011, Mendes began accompanying the Colons tag team of Primo and Epico as they won the WWE Tag Team Championship. Mendes would also go on to manage Fandango as one of his many dance partners before retiring from WWE in 2017 following the birth of her first child.

2 TNA Legend Made His WWE Debut As A Manager

Years Active in WWE: 2019-Present (Producer)

It would take until the very end of his career before TNA Legend Abyss would make his debut in WWE, but that is exactly what happened in 2020. In August 2020, Abyss made his on-screen WWE debut alongside another TNA Legend. On an episode of SmackDown, Abyss as Joseph Park appeared alongside AJ Styles as his Statistician.

Styles would lose his anger at Abyss after the former lost the Intercontinental Championship to Jeff Hardy on an episode of SmackDown. This was the only on-screen appearance that Abyss has made in WWE and there have been no additional references to Styles' statistician.

1 Bob Backlund Returned To WWE To Take On Darren Young As A Client

Years Active in WWE: 1976-1984, 1992-1997, 2000, 2007-2017

Before becoming a manager, Bob Backlund was a former 2-time WWE Champion who held the prestigious titles in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. On his return to WWE in 2016, Backlund would work as a life coach for former Prime Time Player Darren Young aspiring to "Make Darren Young Great Again". Initially, Backlund was successful, helping Young win a Battle Royal to become the number one contender for the Intercontinental Championship, held at the time by The Miz.

Young would fail to capture the title from the Miz, and Young was eventually released from his WWE contract after getting injured. Young's release was followed shortly by Backlund's release from the company as well, marking the end of his fourth run with the promotion.