The beloved WWE Hall of Famer Bobby “The Brain” Heenan is renowned for being one of the greatest managers in the history of wrestling. This view is echoed by current wrestling star Cody Rhodes, who also recognizes and appreciates Heenan’s legendary status.
During a candid interview with Jimmy Traina of Sports Illustrated, Cody Rhodes confidently declared Bobby Heenan as the greatest manager of all time. While he acknowledged Paul Heyman’s significant impact on the wrestling industry as a disruptor and creator of an alternative project, Rhodes emphasized that, in his view, Heyman goes beyond the traditional role of a manager.
Heyman serves as Roman Reigns’ real-life representative, both on and off-screen, with an unparalleled level of influence and involvement in various aspects of the industry. However, when it comes to purely managing talent, Rhodes firmly believes that Bobby Heenan stands as the ultimate benchmark.
Rhodes believes Bobby “The Brain” Heenan to be the best manager ever
Rhodes reinforced his argument by highlighting that anyone who had the opportunity to work with Heenan experienced a surge in their popularity and became a star. He agreed with the sentiment that Heyman is indeed talented in many aspects, but he firmly believes that Bobby Heenan holds the title of the best manager ever.
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The discussion comparing Heenan and Heyman emerged when Rhodes playfully corrected Traina for not acknowledging him as “the most popular wrestler of all time.” Traina recollected a tribute piece he wrote about Bobby Heenan, in which he referred to him as “the greatest manager in pro-wrestling history,” a claim that Heyman strongly disagreed with.
Traina shared an interesting anecdote from his podcast with Heyman, where he received a vehement response from Heyman, who passionately expressed his dissent for several minutes without stopping to take a breath.
Know more about Bobby “The Brain” Heenan
Bobby “The Brain” Heenan was a multifaceted personality in American professional wrestling. He excelled as a manager, color commentator, and wrestler, and even showcased his comedic talents. Throughout his career, he was associated with prominent wrestling organizations like the American Wrestling Association (AWA), the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE), and World Championship Wrestling (WCW), performing under the iconic ring name, Bobby “The Brain” Heenan.
He earned a reputation for his remarkable ability to amplify the villainous personas of wrestlers on-screen, skilfully eliciting negative reactions from the crowd towards both himself and his wrestlers. He was associated with numerous wrestlers. One notable example is Nick Bockwinkel, whom he guided to victory in capturing the AWA World Heavyweight championship.
During the 1980s professional wrestling boom, Heenan played an important role by managing high-profile wrestlers like King Kong Bundy and Andre the Giant in WWF, main event matches, most notably against Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 2 and WrestleMania 3, respectively.
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Throughout his career, the wrestlers under his guidance were collectively referred to as “The Heenan Family” during different periods, reflecting the close-knit and impactful partnership he formed with his clients in the wrestling world.
Apart from his managerial and wrestling roles, Heenan was admired for his sharp sense of humor and comedic talent, which he brought to the forefront as a color commentator. He is fondly remembered for his entertaining banter and exchanges with Gorilla Monsoon during their on-screen Commentary.
Beyond the wrestling world, Heenan showed his versatility by authoring two books and making appearances on various television shows. Notably, he briefly hosted a parody talk show called “The Bobby Heenan Show” on WWF Prime Time Wrestling, which added to his repertoire of entertaining ventures.
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