Since the beginning of the WWE original brand extension, about a year after WWE purchased both ECW and WCW, the general manager’s position on a respective brand has always been one of much power. From making matches, hiring & firing wrestlers, and even putting themselves in high-profile matches, it seems that the general managers of SmackDown throughout the years have done it all. Here is my listing of the 3 greatest managers in SmackDown Live! history.
3. Paul Heyman
Heyman was only SmackDown General Manager from October 2003-March 2004 but made a lot of history while in his position. He took over when then-General Manager Stephanie McMahon lost a “Daddy vs. Daughter I Quit” match to her father Vince, at the No Mercy pay-per-view (Seriously, that is how it happened). As soon as Heyman took the post, he surrounded his champion, Brock Lesnar at the time, with a group of giants that still stand out as the largest Survivor Series team of all-time at the event in 2003. He had tried to keep the title on Lesnar at all costs, but Eddie Guerrero ended up becoming champion. He “quit” WWE when he became the 1st and only General Manager to ever be drafted to a different show. In this case, Heyman was drafted to RAW to become Eric Bischoff’s assistant general manager on March 25th.
2. Stephanie McMahon
The very 1st General Manager in SmackDown history. She was credited with creating the WWE Tag Team titles, which was a very strong focal point of SmackDown in its early history. During the summer of 2002, the “SmackDown Six” of Los Guerreros, Chris Benoit, Edge, Kurt Angle, and Rey Mysterio Jr., were tearing down houses all over the world in forms of singles and tag team matches. Not only that, but she also had a hot feud for the WWE Championship between Brock Lesnar and The Undertaker. She also re-activated the United States Championship. She lost her spot as general manager when she lost to her father in the aforementioned “Daddy-Daughter I Quit” match to her father at No Mercy in 2003.
- Teddy Long
The longest-reigning SmackDown General Manager, as well as the only one to have 2 stints at the job, Long was also by far the most popular of any GM in SmackDown history, although, with most of the GM’s being heel, that’s not saying much
He took over in July of 2004 after Kurt Angle was fired from the job just 4 months after taking over. On his first night as GM, he fined Kurt Angle $1000 for not having his wrestling gear. This became a theme of his reign, giving fans what they want, and putting the heels at a disadvantage, often putting them in tag team matches. He even got in the ring himself, defeating Eric Bischoff in the first match between general managers in WWE history at Survivor Series in 2005.
He also brought about the SmackDown talent initiative in 2005 and 2006, bringing the likes of Bobby Lashley, Mr Kennedy and MVP into the SmackDown fold.
His first reign as SmackDown general manager ended when he slipped into a coma when he had a heart attack during his wedding to Kristal Marshall during an episode of SmackDown in 2008. When he was revived, he moved on to become the General Manager of ECW and continued to be the popular force that he was with SmackDown.
His 2nd stint as SmackDown General Manager wasn’t as impactful as the first, but he did have a long-standing feud over brand superiority with RAW General Manager John Laurinaitis. He ultimately lost that feud in a “Winner Runs Both Shows” match at WrestleMania 28.
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