![]() While most women were labeled "valets," Martel exceeded that label, becoming every bit as good as her male counterparts and for that reason, finds a place on this list. ![]() An extraordinary performer, she took her place among the immortals in 2006 when she was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Ironically enough, their greatest rivals? Michaels and Jannetty, The Midnight Rockers.Ī wrestler herself, she was never afraid to get physical or take a big bump and knew exactly when to interject herself to generate the desired reaction. Prior to her run with WWE, she managed AWA tag team champions Buddy Rode and Doug Sommers. He had adopted the Heartbreak Kid moniker and changed up his in-ring gear but he needed that one missing ingredient to really establish himself as a primetime player in WWE.Įnter Sherri, who immediately added credibility to Michaels, provided him with said ingredient and helped him develop into the top-tier performer he would eventually become. Michaels had just turned on longtime partner Marty Jannetty and was in search of an identity. It was her run with Shawn Michaels that stands out as, arguably, her greatest managerial highlight, though. There was a point in the late 1980s and early 1990s where Sherri Martel only managed bona fide main event heels.īeginning in 1989 with a two-year run alongside "Macho King" Randy Savage, she carved out a career as a manager that saw her second Hall of Famers like "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase, "Nature Boy" Ric Flair and Harlem Heat across WWE and WCW. Whether it was as a heel or babyface, Albano solidified his status as one of the greatest managers in wrestling history by guiding 13 different teams to the titles, including The Valiant Brothers, The Yukon Lumberjacks, The Blackjacks, The Moondogs, The Masked Executioners, The US Express, The British Bulldogs and The Headshrinkers.Īn over-the-top character with an enormous personality, he had the ability to incite choruses of boos or enormous ovations anytime he stepped through the curtain with his latest charge or spoke on the microphone.Īlbano also crossed over, finding success in mainstream pop culture with his appearance in Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" music video and as Mario in the Super Mario Brothers Super Show.Ī performer with a captivating presence and unwavering ability to entertain the audience regardless of his role, he absolutely deserves placement on this countdown and there is a real argument to be made that his championship resume should have him ranked higher on it. Super Show!" according to the Internet Movie Database.No manager in WWE history led more tag teams to championship gold than Captain Lou Albano. His persona earned him the distinction of "one of the most hated men" in wrestling for 15 years, the WWE biography said.Īlbano's image evolved in the 1980s, when he teamed with Lauper on several music videos, such as "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," and wrestling appearances.Īs his celebrity status grew, Albano landed acting jobs, including a role on several episodes of the "Miami Vice" TV series, the biography said.Īlbano became a cartoon in 1989, when he was the voice of Mario "Jumpman" Mario for 17 episodes of "The Super Mario Bros. He started as a tag team wrestler in the 1950s but became a successful manager of champion wrestlers in the 1970s, according to a biography on the WWE Web site.Īlbano was recognizable by his penchant for unbuttoned Hawaiian shirts and a trademark beard, which was usually bound by a rubber band. ![]() "He will be greatly missed by the WWE and his fans."Īlbano, who was with the WWE from 1983 to 1996, was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1996. McMahon in the 1960s as one half of 'The Sicilians' tag team with his partner Tony Altimore," the WWE said. ![]() "Albano began his storied career with Vincent J. The cause of death was not immediately disclosed. Albano, 76, was "one of the company's most popular and charismatic legends," the company said in a statement. ![]()
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