3 Biggest WWE Superstars who came from other companies, and 3 who were created in WWE itself

When one looks back at WWE's history and compares it with that of pro-wrestling as a whole, it isn't hard to understand how much influence this single promotion has had on the business. WWE has been around for decades and was bought off by Vince McMahon from his father, around four decades ago. Ever since then, Vince made it a point to work towards turning the company into one of the biggest media conglomerates in the world.

With decades' worth of history, it isn't a surprise that some of the biggest Superstars in this business were created in WWE itself. These legends of the ring have etched their name in wrestling history courtesy their must-watch performances in the ring and their ability to engage the fans while holding a mic.

On the other hand, there have been numerous megastars who weren't created in WWE. They made it big in other promotions and utilized that popularity to make their way to WWE. Let's take a look at 3 Superstars from each category in the following list.

#6 AJ Styles (became big elsewhere before making his way to WWE)

AJ Styles kicked off his pro-wrestling career way back int the late 90s and was featured in WCW during the promotion's final weeks before it was bought off by Vince McMahon. Styles soon had a WWE tryout but it didn't lead to the company offering him a contract. He went on to work for several other promotions over the next one year or so, and also signed a deal with Total Nonstop Action, a promotion created by former WCW star Jeff Jarrett. He remained with the company for the next decade or so, becoming one of the biggest and most popular stars in the wrestling business in the process.

Styles went back to the Independent circuit and had a two-year stint with NJPW as well, where he won the IWGP World title on two occasions. By this point, Styles had become a legit in-ring legend and possibly the greatest wrestler of his generation. He signed a contract with WWE in 2016, and the rest is history. Styles was used incredibly well in WWE, contrary to what many feared at the time. He had feuds with the likes of John Cena, Roman Reigns, and Chris Jericho, and is a 2-time WWE Champion. He is currently the Intercontinental Champion on SmackDown, and will certainly go down as one of the biggest Superstars in WWE history.

#5 Roman Reigns (homegrown)

Roman Reigns was brought in to WWE a decade ago and spent around two years honing his craft in FCW. He debuted on the main roster at Survivor Series 2012, as a part of The Shield. Reigns, Dean Ambrose, and Seth Rollins dubbed themselves "The Hounds of Justice", and quickly established themselves as one of the biggest heel acts on the roster. When The Shield broke up in 2014, Roman was the one to become the breakout star of the stable and was soon pushed to main event status.

He was clearly a homegrown talent, and many believed that Vince McMahon was hell-bent on turning him into this generation's John Cena. Reigns went on to headline the next four WrestleManias, against the likes of WWE greats such as The Undertaker, Brock Lesnar, and Triple H. He is a sure-fire first-ballot future Hall of Famer. There aren't many who can declare that they have defeated The Undertaker at WWE WrestleMania, and have pinned John Cena clean, both of which Reigns was able to accomplish.

#4 Sting (became big elsewhere before making his way to WWE)

For a long time, Sting was the biggest Superstar to never have stepped foot in a WWE ring. He wrestled for a handful of promotions before making his debut in WCW in the mid-80s and was with the company until it was bought off in 2001. Sting was heavily featured as a babyface throughout his WCW stint and is a 6-time WCW World Champion. He wrestled a string of in-ring greats during his time in WCW and had legendary feuds with the likes of Vader, nWo, and many others.

Sting signed a contract with TNA in 2003, which lasted just over a decade. He won the TNA World title on four occasions and was inducted into the promotion's Hall of Fame in 2012. For years on end, the WWE Universe had clamored for a Sting vs The Undertaker match. Their hopes were raised when Sting made his WWE debut at Survivor Series 2014. He went on to lose to Triple H at WrestleMania 31, while The Undertaker put down Bray Wyatt at the same event. Sting then had a program with Seth Rollins, soon after which he had to call it quits due to suffering a neck injury during his match with the latter. Sting was inducted into the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame for his contributions towards the business.

#3 The Undertaker (homegrown)

After a forgettable stint in WCW as 'Mean Mark' Callus, Mark Calaway signed a contract with WWE in 1990 and first appeared at Survivor Series that same year. Initially a heel, The Undertaker soon became one of the hottest acts on WWE TV and his popularity led to him defeating Hulk Hogan for the WWE title at Survivor Series 1991. Three decades later, The Undertaker is still affiliated with WWE and Vince McMahon has stated on many occasions how much Mark Calaway means to him as a person.

The Deadman's legendary WrestleMania winning streak was one of the biggest USPs of the show at one time. He reinvented his character and donned the biker persona in 2000, ditching it in late 2003. The Undertaker has won 7 World titles during his WWE run. He has only been defeated twice at a WrestleMania. At one point in "Undertaker: The Last Ride" documentary, Vince McMahon almost broke into tears when asked what The Undertaker means to him, and refused to answer the question.

#2 Goldberg (became big elsewhere before making his way to WWE)

After he realized that his NFL career was going nowhere, Goldberg saw professional wrestling as a possible alternative. This was after he met Sting and Lex Luger, who convinced him to try his hand at wrestling. Goldberg was soon signed to a WCW contract, and he defeated Hugh Morrus in his debut match. This was the beginning of his undefeated streak that lasted well over a year and saw Goldberg registering a record of 173-0. He was finally defeated by Kevin Nash for the World title, thus putting an end to the streak.

Goldberg was one of the major WCW stars who didn't sign a contract with WWE when WCW's ship sank in 2001. He made his WWE debut 2 years later and defeated The Rock in his first feud. He ran roughshod over the WWE roster over the next one year and ended his run with a win over Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 20. Goldberg made his return 12 long years later and defeated Lesnar in a matter of minutes at Survivor Series 2016. The feud ended at WrestleMania 33, where Lesnar finally put down Goldberg to win the Universal title. Goldberg made several brief returns in 2019-20, winning the Universal title for the second time in his career.

#1 Brock Lesnar (homegrown)

Brock Lesnar was signed to a WWE contract in 2000, after which he spent 2 years in Ohio Valley Wrestling. He was moved to the main roster immediately after WrestleMania 18, and his intimidating form was enough to establish him as a top heel soon after. It didn't take long for Lesnar to become one of the hottest Superstars in all of WWE. He won the King of the Ring 2002 tournament and went on to defeat The Rock at SummerSlam 2002. Lesnar dominated SmackDown for the next two years, before making his exit.

Lesnar made it big in NJPW, and later UFC. By 2012, he had become a major mainstream star thanks to his UFC stint. WWE brought him back after an 8-year hiatus and pushed him more than ever this time around. He went on to defeat The Undertaker and break his WrestleMania streak in 2014 and squashed John Cena at SummerSlam that same year. Lesnar is one of the most dangerous entities in all of WWE, and still has a lot left in him at 43-years-old.

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