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There is an old saying for many in every profession, whether it is business, sports or entertainment, "You gotta start at the bottom." That is no different in the world of WWE. Many wrestlers have started out working as extras or jobbers. Some of the those jobbers have gone on to do big things in WWE, while others have now succeeded in other wrestling promotions.
With the advent of the internet, fans are able to relive every episode of every show piece by piece and more often than not, spot future WWE superstars playing 'extras' or making appearances in specific roles.
Also read: 11 Wrestlers who have appeared in AEW, WWE and Impact Wrestling
With that in mind, here are 23 wrestlers who made WWE cameos before they were famous.
#23 - #20 Braun Strowman, Becky Lynch, Simon Gotch and Elias as Rosebuds
While Adam Rose launched his gimmick in 2014 in NXT, it was well received by management. He would prance his way to the ring, surrounded by a cadre of supporters known as Rosebuds. The entrances were highly energetic and it was all about the party.
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While Adam Rose's gimmick waned over time, the people who portrayed his Rosebuds rose to new heights within WWE. Elias has gone on to become a very popular act with his "Walk with Elias" gimmick where he taunts crowds and other WWE Superstars interrupt his performances.
Simon Gotch was one half of The Vaudevillains with Aiden English. They had a successful run on NXT before Gotch departed the company. Since then, Gotch has been successful with other promotions.
Becky Lynch was also a Rosebud. She is now arguably one of the biggest acts in the company. Lynch is being equated with 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin in terms of her impact and there is no telling how far she can go.
Braun Strowman is the most interesting person in the group. It's amusing to think that 'The Monster Among Men' was hamming it up as a party animal. Considering that he is considered one of the toughest men on the roster, it's still quite marvelous to think how far he has come.
#19 Robert Roode as a Police Officer
If WWE fans are looking at this, they might be rubbing their eyes. While it's well known that Bobby Roode was a WWE jobber before his successful run in Impact Wrestling, he actually made his debut on WWE TV much earlier than many even realize.
A few days before their first epic encounter at WrestleMania 17, police officers were stationed around the SmackDown ring to stop The Undertaker from brawling with Triple H. It was epic and the crowd was into it. In the picture above, you can notice a very young and clean shaven Bobby Roode. It's glorious to see how far he has come.
Rhoode was a mainstay on TNA's tag team division before he made the shocking switch to WWE.
#18 DDP as Pink Cadillac Driver
The one and only DDP was known as 'The People's Champ' in WCW. At one point, he was the essential foil for Hollywood Hogan and the rest of the NWO. Before all of that ever happened, Diamond Dallas Page was a color commentator and manager for independent wrestling promotions.
He actually made his WWE debut back at WrestleMania 6, driving the pink Cadillac alongside The Honky Tonk Man, Greg Valentine, and Jimmy Hart. It was an audacious cameo and certainly one for the WWE History books.
#17 and # 16 The Hardy Boyz as King of the Ring Squires
This goes back to the days of New Generation Era WWE, way back to the 1990s. While The Hardy Boyz were initially jobbers in WWE, they also did extra work at King of the Ring in 1995. The best way to describe their role was that of "squires in hokey suits" opening up the doors to let each "warrior" into the battle arena.
While King of the Ring 1995 was criticized as having a lackluster main event with Mabel and Savio Vega, the WWE Universe will always now know that there was a legendary tag team ready to burst onto the scene just three years later.
# 15 Shawn Spears aka Tye Dillinger as Stan
Shawn Spears is perhaps one of the most underrated wrestlers of all time and he proved how good he was when he took on Cody at All Out. Before all that ever happened, Shawn Spears spent a lot of his time in OVW and NXT. Like most developmental talent, he was used on the main roster for physical spots.
As Stan, he found himself as the unfortunate recipient of a Shawn Michaels superkick. After watching Spears' All Out performance, many fans would probably be wondering if a match with Michaels could have happened. We'll never know.
Michaels was at a maniacal stage trying to superkick anything that moved and it made for a great comical segment.
#14 and #13 Cesaro and EC3 as Police Officers
During the McMahons vs DX feud, there was always developmental talent being used as backstage hands, police officers, and as tapestry background. In the image above, wrestling fans can clearly see a young Cesaro and EC3. Both men were still on the independent scene, long before they became WWE Superstars.
Perhaps what is most interesting about this scene is that EC3 just stares right through Michaels and Triple H, and doesn't crack up at their jokes. On the other hand, it's also interesting to see Cesaro with a receding hairline, as fans have always been used to his bald presence.
Quite a massive change in fortune for Cesaro who has gone on to establish himself as one of WWE's best pound-for-pound wrestlers.
#12 Mr Kennedy as Enthusiastic Brock Lesnar Fanboy
Another WWE superstar destined for greatness was Mr. Kennedy. While he reached his career peak during the mid-2000s, he is perhaps most noticeable in this backstage SmackDown segment featuring Brock Lesnar. While a young CM Punk can also be seen, it is Mr. Kennedy who steals the scene as an overzealous fanboy.
Mr. Kennedy makes a point to give a thumbs-up after Brock Lesnar signs a lady's shirt, which is quite amusing, to say the least. While Mr. Kennedy had great moments in WWE, this segment will probably rank high even though this was well before his run with the company.
#11 and #10 The Young Bucks as DX
Before they became the greatest tag team in the world and EVP's of AEW, Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson were used as backstage talent and jobbers in WWE. In a 2008 segment on the now defunct ECW, The Young Bucks were dressed as Shawn Michaels and Triple H, in a DX parody. Their main purpose was to get beaten up by John Morrison and The Miz.
If there is anything great about the segment, it's that The Young Bucks do a great DX impression.
#9 Tommaso Ciampa as Muhammad Hassan's attorney
Tommaso Ciampa, one of the best and the toughest stars in NXT, actually made his debut on SmackDown. This was many years before first appearing on NXT. Ciampa had the unfortunate role of being Muhammed Hassan's attorney, who was speaking on behalf of his "client," just before The Great American Bash.
The Undertaker didn't take too kindly to his presence and gave him a chokeslam and tombstone pile driver for his trouble. To his credit, Ciampa plays his role well and goes all the way as the "scared attorney." On a lighter note, it's more stunning to see Tommaso Ciampa with a full head of hair and no beard.
#8 and #7 SCU (Christopher Daniels and Scorpio Sky)
In AEW, Socal Uncensored is probably one of the better-known tag teams, especially on Being The Elite. With their high-octane style, their AEW matches have been quite entertaining and enjoyable to watch. It's not hard to see why AEW fans are fond of them. While Frankie Kazarian was actually a featured star on WWE Velocity in 2005, Christopher Daniels and Scorpio Sky weren't as well known.
In the late 1990s and 2000s, Christopher Daniels was used as an enhancement talent, aka jobber, on the "B" shows like Sunday Night Heat and Metal. While Daniels went on to great things in Impact Wrestling and AEW, he did have to pay his dues the hard way in WWE.
Scorpio Sky was a different story. He is the youngest of the group and was heavily showcased in the anger management group that featured Kane and Daniel Bryan, as Harold. While nothing came of that appearance in WWE, Scorpio Sky went on to work in places like ROH, Impact Wrestling and now AEW.
Like other wrestlers before them, SCU had to go through the school of hard knocks to get to their destination.
#6, #5 and #4 Alexa Bliss, Sasha Banks, and Charlotte Flair as Triple H's WrestleMania 30 maidens
While Triple H has never been known to discuss his love of pop culture in public, it's certainly quite clear that he's an Arnold Schwarzenegger fan. Specifically, he loves the Conan The Barbarian character, which he has used a couple of times before in his entrances. At WrestleMania 30, he went "Full Conan" with 3 maidens accompanying him.
This was during the early days of NXT and like others before them, developmental talent were always used as extras, but it's rare to get 3 main-event stars like Sasha Banks, Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair in the same scene together. Perhaps, Triple H saw something before the fans ever took notice of them.
#3 MVP as police offer
For whatever reason, WWE seems to love casting their developmental talent as police officers. This list features a lot of them. MVP was no different to this ongoing WWE trend, but like all the talent before him, they had to start somewhere.
This was back in 2005 when he was seen holding Kurt Angel's Olympic gold medals and "protecting" them from thieves. Since then, MVP has had a pretty interesting career.
Kurt Angle's invitational featured him calling out competitors to compete in a match with his Olympic gold medal on the line.
#2 MJF as a security guard at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 2
If you ask anyone in professional wrestling to name the best heel in the business, it won't be surprising if many point to the one and only MJF. Maxwell Jacob Friedman has been a sensation in every company he has ever worked for. Fans detest him and he's a fantastic heel. At the young age of 23, he already has the audience eating out of the palm of his hand.
For instance, during the Double or Nothing Casino Battle Royale, he was consistently gaining heat from the audience. When he was dispatched by Hangman Page, the crowd cheered as Page won the Casino Battle Royale. It was clear that MJF had done his job.
But like every other wrestler, MJF started on the independent scene. During that time, he eventually worked as an extra dressed as security, accompanying Samoa Joe to the ring at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 2. While he's only slightly ahead of Samoa Joe, he's shoved and made to stay behind Joe. The look that MJF gives is priceless.
It's not clear whether this was intentional or just Samoa Joe being in character. MJF still manages to grab the spotlight for just an instant. It was only a sign of what wrestling fans were going to be treated to in the future.
#1 CM Punk as Gangster at WrestleMania 22
The Best Wrestler in the World. The Voice of the Voiceless. The one and only CM Punk. If there is anything to be said about CM Punk, it's that he has become a legend unto himself. The fact that after 5 years, his name is still chanted across arenas, especially when WWE comes to town, is a tribute to how big of a star he actually was. Fans are still holding onto the hope that he may return one day.
When CM Punk was first signed by WWE, he had to start in OVW. Like many of his OVW brethren, he was used as an extra for WWE related entrances. Punk was there as one of the gangsters who hung from the car for John Cena's WrestleMania 22 entrance. Of all the men, CM Punk is probably the most visible.
CM Punk would later reference this in a promo when he was feuding with John Cena a few years later. It's these skills as a professional wrestler that has made him a legend in the hearts of milllions of fans across the world. CM Punk may never wrestle again, but WWE and wrestling fans can always relive the everlasting memories.
Is there any other WWE Superstars who made cameos? Comment below.
