Wrestling Managers Part One of Three Quiz

Answer: Oliver Humperdink

John began his career in the AWA in the 1960s. His first job was neither as a manager or a wrestler, but as security. He would later move to Florida Championship Wrestling, a NWA territory at the time. He would manage the team of Buddy Roberts and Jerry Brown known as "The Hollywood Blonds". Under Humperdink's guidance the two men won the NWA Florida Tag team Title. Oliver is probably best known for his stint in the then WWF as the manager of Bam Bam Bigelow and Paul Orndorff. Oliver was brought into the WWF in an angle where all the "heel" managers were trying to recruit Bigelow to their stables. Bigelow himself had just entered the WWF. One by one all the managers were eliminated, it was finally revealed that Oliver was Bam Bam's new manager.

John was a very boisterous over the top personality. He had a flashy way of dressing that often involved a sequined jacket. The personality was what I liked about him most. Although I never got to witness him as a heel manager, I am sure it would have been extremely entertaining. John sadly passed away in March of 2011 from pneumonia.

Answer: Percival "Percy" Pringle, III

Percy has managed several WWE Champions including Vader and The Undertaker. My first recollection of Percy was when he managed Rick Rude in the now defunct WCCW. Percy had managed Rude to the then NWA American Heavyweight Championship. Rude under Percy's guidance would successfully defend the title for 8 months before he lost it to Chris Adams. Percy also managed The Ultimate Warrior and Lex Luger in the early days of their careers.

Answer: CWA

Jimmy began his career in the Continental Wrestling Association or as it was more commonly known as the CWA. He was the top heel manager in the area. Jimmy had at one point in time managed his high school friend, Jerry Lawler. Jerry Lawler was the top draw for the company as he often held the territory's highest title. Jerry was later injured and Jimmy brought in Paul Ellering to replace Jerry. Jimmy deemed Paul the new "King" of wrestling which was Jerry's moniker. When Jerry returned, he and Ellering battled in a lengthy feud. Jimmy also managed Andy Kaufman during his tenure in CWA. Kaufman and Lawler's feud brought worldwide media to the CWA.

Jimmy achieved his greatest success in the WWF. He managed The Hart Foundation to the World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Titles. The team consisted of veteran wrestler Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart and Bret "The Hitman" Hart. They were my favorite tag team in the area even though they were considered "heels" at the time. Jimmy also managed The Honky Tonk Man to the Intercontinental Championship. The Honky Tonk Man defended the title successfully for 64 weeks.

Answer: The Weasel

Early in his career Bobby was known as "Pretty Boy". Many years later after he moved to the AWA, Heenan managed Nick Bockwinkel to the AWA World Title. Bockwinkel was feuding with Dick the Bruiser. Bruiser subsequently called Bobby a weasel. The name stuck and Bobby has been called it throughout his career. Bobby even wrestled in matches where he would lose to his opponent and they would dress him up in a weasel costume.

Next to Jimmy Hart, Bobby was my second favorite manager. He had a gift for the gab and was always entertaining. Bobby managed many champions in the AWA. His first champion in the WWF was Rick Rude. He helped Rick secure a victory over then Intercontinental Champion, the Ultimate Warrior.

Answer: Paul Jones

Long before Paul was an accomplished manager he had a successful wrestling career. He held several major singles and tag team titles. Ricky and Paul defeated Greg Valentine and Ric Flair in Greenville, SC. The held the titles for well over a year before losing to Ric Flair and "Big" John Studd. Paul would hold the tag title four additional times with different partners.

Paul would become a "heel" manager in the 1980s. His stable was known as Paul Jones' Army. The group consisted of many different wrestlers including Rick Rude and Manny Fernanadez. He managed the duo of Rude and Fernandez to a World Tag Team Title victory. All though his stable contained different members one of his main nemeses stayed the same. His Army always targeted "The Boogie Woogie Man" Jimmy Valiant. Jones and several members of his entourage had their heads shaved by Valiant.

Answer: Johnny Valiant

Johnny Valiant had recently acquired the contract of Greg Valentine from Jimmy Hart. He aided his team in victory over Mike Rotunda and Barry Windham. While the referee had his back turned, Johnny rubbed a lit cigar in the eye of Barry Windham. The duo would hold the title until their loss to The British Bulldogs.

John Sullivan is Johnny's real name. He began his career with Jimmy Valiant where the two held the WWA Tag team Titles. They defeated the team of Dick the Bruiser and Bruno Sammartino. After Johnny left the WWF, he went to the AWA as a color commentator. He did lead "The Destruction Crew" Wayne Bloom and Mike Enos to the AWA Tag Team Championship.

Answer: Harvey Wippleman

Bruno began his career as Dr. Lennerdy Spazzinsky. It was not until he joined the then WWF that he took on the name and persona of Dr. Harvey Wippleman. Lauer was involved in a great many gimmick matches. As of the year 2013, Lauer is the only man to have won the WWF Women's Championship.

He defeated the then champion The Kat while in drag, but lost the title the next day to Jaqueline.

Answer: Devastation, Inc

After Skandor retired from active wrestling, he became a manager. He was extremely loud and boisterous so slipping into a manager's role was easy for Akbar. Akbar spent the majority of his career in the Texas territories mainly in World Class Championship Wrestling. His stable Devastation, Inc included Abdullah the Butcher, Butch Reed, and Black Bart among many other top heels in WCCW.

Skandor was born in 1934 as Jim Wehba. He choose the name Skandor Akbar because it translated to "Alexander the Great". This fits perfect because Skandor was an extremely arrogant and opinionated man. His antics in the outside the ring were extremely unique for the time. He often would help his wrestlers win by throwing fire at their opponents.

Answer: Miss Linda

Miss Linda and Adrian met in the late 1960s and formed a team. Miss Linda would often interfere on Adrian's behalf to help win bouts. Although the two had been a couple, they did not get married until 2005.

Miss Linda always had a strong in ring appearance, she often seemed tougher then Adrian. She complimented Adrian's in ring demeanor very well. Street was often dressed in outlandish outfits. The one thing I vividly recall is he had his hair in pigtails when he wrestled. He was an extremely entertaining personality in and outside the ring. I think he was the inspiration for Dustin Rhodes character Goldust.

Answer: Eddie Gilbert

Hot Stuff" was the manager of The Ultimate Warrior then known as Rock and Sting briefly. Rock left for WCCW where he would become The Dingo Warrior. Sting stayed under Eddie's management until he turned "face". Eddie's stable was known as "Hot Stuff International, Inc." it included Rick Steiner, Iceman Parsons, and Dick Murdoch.

Eddie married Missy Hyatt in 1988, he had stolen Missy's affections from "Hollywood" John Tatum. Eddie renamed his stable after the marriage to Missy as "H & H International, Inc.". Eddie continued to manage and wrestle until his death in 1995.