Dan Lambert has hailed Jim Cornette as the greatest wrestling manager of all-time while also tipping his hat to a current star.
During his time in AEW Dan Lambert cemented himself as one of the most abrasive performers in the game. His promos pulled no punches often shocking those listening, while he did everything he could to ensure that the wrestlers under his charge found success.
Although managers have been in and out of fashion over the decades, the right manager or mouthpiece can still prove valuable.
Speaking in a new interview with Chris Van Vliet, Lambert broke down who he believes is the greatest manager of all-time. Although the founder of American Top Team gave a nod to Bobby Heenan and Paul Heyman, he explained that Jim Cornette remains at the top of his list.
“Jim Cornette is the greatest manager of all time. He just is. I think [better than Heyman] and I love Heyman, but I grew up with Cornette. A lot of it, who you remember as the greatest football player or basketball player is who you were the most exposed to when you were younger. Bobby Heenan towards the end of his run, I have been watching since the late 70’s, but it was towards the end of his run when he was in the AWA when I first started watching wrestling, so I didn’t have much exposure to him before he went to WWE.
We didn’t get AWA until it was on ESPN for a short period. But Cornette was right in my wheelhouse. Man, he was just so good. I know a lot of people have said that the things I have said in your promos are what Cornette has said on his podcast, but I don’t listen to podcasts. So I’m like oh cool, if Cornette says it, then it must be right. I always took that as a complement, I thought the guy was so great back in the day.”
Jim Cornette began his managerial career in the early 1980’s with Sherri Martel coming under his wing. Over the next two decades he went on to manage the great and the good of professional wrestling including The Midnight Express, The Rock n’ Roll Express, The Heavenly Bodies, Owen Hart and Vader to name just a few.
Elsewhere during his interview with Van Vliet, Lambert opened up about his departure from AEW and what it would take for him to return.
If you use any of the quotes from this article please give a h/t and link back to Inside The Ropes.