5 wrestlers who appeared on WWE TV before they were superstars

WWE superstars start their careers long before they are signed by WWE, even though there are a number of stars who were signed to the company with no relevant wrestling experience.

The company often ask independent wrestlers to appear on WWE TV when they are in their state, who go to play small roles in whatever storyline is happening on Raw or SmackDown Live at that time.

Over the years, WWE has recruited a number of extras to use backstage or in small roles on the show and these stars have then gone on to become some of the best-known superstars on WWE TV today.

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#5. Tye Dillinger - Stan

One of the most famous backstage segments in the history of WWE happened back in 2006 when Shawn Michaels was seen backstage with Triple H being told that he doesn't know the meaning of controversy.

Michaels took offence to this and randomly decided to superkick a few staff backstage including "Stan." Many of the WWE Universe have noticed that Stan was current SmackDown superstar Tye Dillinger.

Dillinger has climbed the ranks in WWE over the past few years after being signed to NXT back in 2013 and is now being used sparsely on the SmackDown brand.

This wasn't the first time that Dillinger was signed to WWE though since his original stint took place back in 2008 when he was part of the ECW brand under the ring name Gavin Spears.

#4. Cesaro - Security

Cesaro is currently one half of the Raw Tag Team Champions, but it seems that back in 2006, he was another superstar who was climbing the ranks in the wrestling world and hoping to be noticed by the biggest company in the world.

Cesaro made a one-off appearance as part of a backstage segment with DX almost 12 years ago, when the reunited team of Shawn Michaels and Triple H were embroiled in a feud with Vince McMahon.

The duo was making jokes about McMahon backstage before they were joined by Shane McMahon and a host of personnel who were obviously there to ensure that Shane O'Mac wasn't harmed.

Cesaro was one of these security men who didn't have any lines to say as part of the segment but was easily recognised by many of his fans at this point as Claudio Castagnoli who he had become known as in Ring of Honor.

#3. Alexa Bliss - Goddess

Alexa Bliss is the current Raw Women's Champion, but back in 2014 she wasn't a well-known name in WWE but she was part of the NXT roster.

It seems that the company made the decision to use Alexa along with Charlotte and Sasha Banks as part of Triple H's WrestleMania 30 entrance. This gave the girls their first taste of a WrestleMania before Sasha and Charlotte later wrestled in the Women's Championship match at WrestleMania 32 and Alexa defended her Raw Women's Championship at WrestleMania 33.

This was Alexa's first televised appearance on the main roster, her NXT debut didn't come until a month after her appearance at WrestleMania and it seems that she hasn't looked back ever since, being promoted to the main roster as part of the WWE draft back in 2016.

#2. CM Punk - Backstage

CM Punk was the self-proclaimed "Best in the World" during his time in WWE before he left the company back in 2014.

Many of the WWE Universe thought that CM Punk made his official debut back in 2006 as part of the ECW roster when it was rebranded under the WWE banner, but Punk actually made his first appearance on WWE TV a number of years before.

CM Punk appeared in a backstage segment alongside Mr Kennedy and Brock Lesnar as a fan of The Beast Incarnate who was attempting to congratulate the new Champion following his victory over Chris Benoit at WrestleMania XIX. Punk was seen shaking Brock's hand before he moved over to sign the chest of a female fan.

Punk later appeared as part of John Cena's WrestleMania 22 entrance where he was one of the gangsters, a few months before he made his ECW debut in June 2006.

#1. Dean Ambrose - Druid

Dean Ambrose is one of the most popular WWE superstars on the Raw roster right now as one-third of The Shield and a former Raw Tag Team Champion along with Seth Rollins.

Ambrose has been around the wrestling world for most of his life and had appeared on WWE TV as a wrestler a number of times before he allowed to make his official debut back in November 2012.

Ambrose actually appeared six years before his debut as a druid for The Undertaker back at the 2006 Royal Rumble, even though Ambrose was hardly seen in his robe, many of the WWE Universe have picked up on his features and realised that the former World Champion was once used as an extra in one of the most iconic entrances of all time.