1. This thread will be a growing list of “Before They Were Stars” highlights. Most of the featured wrestlers will be WWE Hall of Famers. Some will be green as grass, others wil be veterans of the territories getting their shot on a larger stage!

2. This clip from 1979 features 4 WWE Hall of Famers. First, ring announcer @howardfinkel! Second, a young @MDMTedDiBiase! Finally, accompanied by “Classy” Fred Blassie, making his @TheGarden debut, the Fabulous @HulkHogan!

3. Staying in 1979, here @MDMTedDiBiase battles Jose Estrada on an episode of All Star Wrestling!

4. By 1981 @R_Roddy_Piper had held championships in several different territories, most notably Don Owen’s Pacific Northwest Territory. He moved to Crockett’s Mid-Atlantic territory where he feuded with @RicFlairNatrBoy and held the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship 3 time’s.

5. This 1990 clip from USWA features a 25 year old “Stunning” @steveaustinBSR!

6. @MDMTedDiBiase was an established star by 1986. His opponent here from an episode of Mid-South TV is a very green Blade Runner Rock, Better known as @UltimateWarrior!

7. This clip from a Feb. 1994 episode of Eastern Championship Wrestling Hardcore TV features the Tazmaniac ( @OfficialTAZ) and the TV debut of @mikeywhipwreck_. Mikey was only 20 and Taz was 26!

8. This clip from March, 1994 in Smoky Mountain Wrestling features two youngsters from making their in ring debut for the promotion... @LanceStorm and @IAmJericho...the high energy Thrill Seekers!

9. @EdgeRatedR, as Damon Striker, faces Meng/Haku in WCW in February of 1996! @Tama_Tonga

10. A babyfaced @TheFranchiseSD, under his real name Troy Martin, faces “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff in September of 1986. The future “Franchise” was only 21 years old!

11. Undertaker. “Mean Mark” Callous, accompanied by Paul E. Dangerously ( @HeymanHustle) battles @GenuineLexLuger at the 1990 Great American Bash! Mark would debut as “Kane the Undertaker” a few months later at Survivor Series 1990, accompanied by Brother Love ( @bruceprichard).

12. @KaneWWE . The Undertaker travelled to Jim Cornette’s Smoky Mountain Wrestling in August 1995 to battle “Unabom”, accompanied by @TheRealAlSnow. Glen had worked a dark match as Unabom at a Raw taping, and debuted as Isaac Yankem, but he was primarily working in SMW.

13. @RealMickFoley Cactus Jack Manson faces Mil Mascaras at Clash of the Champions X: Texas Shootout from February 1990 in Corpus Christi, TX. Mick takes a hellacious bump to the concrete. @JRsBBQ and @TheJimCornette on commentary with ring announcer @GaryCappetta.

14. @REALBobbyRoode faces currrent NXT trainer @NXTMattBloom on an episode of Velocity in 2002!

15. @KennyOmegamanX cuts a promo before a match with Cru Jones in Deep South Wrestling in 2006 while part of WWE developmental.

16. @TheRealXPac and Jerry Lynn. This was from the Global Wrestling Federation In January 1992. The future 1-2-3 Kid/X-Pac, wrestling as The Lightning Kid, was 19, and the future New F’n Show was 28. Both were pretty new to the business in 1992!

17. @Tess_Blanchard. Numerous future stars appeared as “Rosebuds”. Tessa is the current @IMPACTWRESTLING Knockouts Champion. Her Grandfather is Joe Blanchard, her Father is Tully Blanchard, and her Stepfather is Magnum TA. (Other future stars are in this clip, see next tweet.)

18. @BraunStrowman This is the same clip as the previous tweet. This was May, 2015. Strowman made his wrestling debut only 6 months earlier at an NXT Live Event in December 2014.

19. @WWERoadDogg and @TripleH. Terra Ryzing battles Brian Armstrong in February, 1994 in WCW. Both guys were only 24 years old in February of 1994. The ring announcer was @GaryCappetta.

20. @GenuineLexLuger Before he was the Narcissist, and before he boarded the Lex Express, Lawrence Pfohl was known simply as “The Lugar” in Championship Wrestling from Florida, and was managed by Percy Pringle (Paul Bearer). This segment also features Rick Rude and Gordon Solie.

21. Davey Boy Smith and Dynamite Kid. The future British Bulldogs go head to head in Stu Hart’s Stampede Wrestling in 1982!

@DBSmithjr
@georgiasmith87

22. @Sting Blade Runner Flash and his tag team partner Rock ( @UltimateWarrior) in action on a 1986 episode of Mid-South’s Power Pro Wrestling. Both guys were green as grass, and managed by “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert.

23. @WWEDanielBryan and @mrbriankendrick Daniel, as “American Dragon” faces Kendrick, as “Spanky”, in a tryout tag match on Feb. 8th, 2000.

24. @SamoaJoe. Joe battles @facdaniels in a loser leaves town match for the UPW Heavyweight Championship on March 14th, 2001. Joe was a few days shy of his 22nd birthday!

25. @TheRock. Before he was the People’s Champion, before he was the Corporate Champion, a member of the Nation of Domination, or even Rocky Maivia, Dwayne Johnson competed in @JerryLawler’s Memphis-based USWA in 1996 as Flex Kavana!

26. @AJStylesOrg Before he was WWE Champion, before Bullet Club, before @IMPACTWRESTLING, even before he faced @ShaneHelmsCom on Heat in 2002, Styles appeared in WCW in spring 2001 in a tag team called “Air Raid”! He even hits a Styles Clash!

27. @SCOTTHALLNWO At AWA WrestleRock 1986, Big Scott Hall and Curt Hennig defended their AWA Tag Team Championship! Scott had been in the business about 2 years at this point. Scott received a “Most Popular Wrestler” trophy before the match.

28. @ShawnMichaels. HBK began training under Jose Lethario in 1984. He debuted for “Cowboy” Bill Watts’ Mid-South Territory in early 1985. He faces @JakeSnakeDDT on this 2/1/1985 episode of Mid-South TV. The in-ring introductions are by @JRsBBQ!

29. @Szzandman. Before he was the beer drinking hardcore icon we know and love today, Sandman used a surfer gimmick,and was one of the first ECW Heavyweight Champions. (It wasn’t yet a “World” Championship.) He first won the title by defeating Don Muraco in Nov. 1992.

30. The Gangstas and D’lo Brown. @newjackuncut187 and Mustafa Saed debuted in Jim Cornette’s Smoky Mountain Wrestling in 1994. @dlobrown75 was their head of security. Here they are interviewed by the legendary Bob Caudle on a July 23rd, 1994 episode of SMW TV.

31. @TheMarkHenry, @BrockLesnar, @Sheltyb803, @JohnCena. This clip from the 5/26/2001 episode of Ohio Valley Wrestling, which was WWE’s development territory at the time, features 4 guys that would go on to do quite well on the main roster...

32. @PJPOLACO. Before he made an impact in ECW, even before he was Aldo Montoya, Peter Polaco began his career as “P.J. Walker”. He made his WWF TV debut on a March 1st, 1993 episode of Monday Night Raw against the “Narcissist” @GenuineLexLuger!

33. @RealMMartinez. Mercedes had her first match in 2000, and has since made a real name for herself on the independent circuit. Here she faces @REALLiSAMARiE on a 6/12/2006 episode of Heat. Listen to @TheCoachrules really put her over!

34. Molly Holly. Molly was one of the few female wrestlers that had any credibility with me as the women’s division transitioned away from the Attitude Era. Here we see “Starla Sexton” pull off an upset over Malia Hosaka in WCW! She would have been about 21 years old here.

35. @AmyDumas. Before Amy was a WWE Hall of Famer or 4 time Women’s Champion as Lita, she debuted in ECW in 1999 as “Miss Congeniality”! Here she teams with Doring and Roadkill against Chris Chetti, Nova, and current @NWA Women’s Champion @Phenom_Jazz!

36. @EBischoff. Seven years before the nWo, before he was a third string announcer for WCW, Eric was an announcer for Verne Gagne’s AWA. Here he interviews @_SgtSlaughter in October 1989.

37. @theraveneffect. Before “Raven”, “Johnny Polo”, or “Scotty Flamingo”, Scott Levy wrestled as “Scott Anthony” in the Global Wrestling Federation!

38. @OfficialHTM. Wayne Farris began wrestling in 1977. This clip shows Wayne wrestling the Junkyard Dog In Bill Watts’ Mid-South territory in April, 1981. He wouldn’t join the WWF as “Honkey Tonk Man” until 1986.

39. Randy Savage. The Macho Man started his career in 1973 during the baseball offseason. He wasn’t yet a big star when he teamed with Magnum TA in this 1983 match from Georgia Championship Wrestling! Magnum was a bigger star at this point..listen to the pop during introductions!

40. @RealKurtAngle. Kurt won a Gold Medal at the 1996 Olympics (with a broken freakin’ neck). Later that year he appeared in ECW, famously walking out after Sandman was crucified by Raven, and threatening to sue if he was shown on the same broadcast as that incident!

41. @OfficialHacksaw. Jim Duggan’s first professional match was in 1979. On this December 1980 episode of All Star Wrestling Jim faced the Fabulous @HulkHogan! Vince and Pat Patterson were on commentary. @GaryCappetta was the ring announcer.

42. @ECWDivaFrancine. The “Queen of Extreme” made her TV debut on the 8/15/1995 episode of Hardcore TV as @bWoStevie’s girlfriend. This was also round one of the years long feud between Francine and Beulah! @theraveneffect

43. @Rhyno313. I first remember Rhyno as the “Man Beast” and final ECW World Heavyweight Champion. Terrance Gerin worked as enhancement talent for both WCW and WWF as Terry Richards. He made his WWF TV debut on the 11/6/1995 episode of Raw against Henry O. Godwinn.

44. @THETOMMYDREAMER. This October, 1993 match marks the @NWA debut for the 22 year old. He faces another man that will become synonymous with ECW, @OfficialTAZ! Listen to @JoeyStyles on commentary. It’s no surprise the ECW fans started to boo Dreamer not long after this!

45. Mike Awesome. Mike was well known in Japan by 1994, but not in the US. His biggest success in the US would come in ECW in the late 90’s. Here we see Mike against @TerryBrunk on the 3/29/1994 episode of ECW Hardcore TV!

46. “Flyboy” Rocco Rock. Ted Petty began wrestling in 1978 as “Cheetah Kid”. Here we see Rocco, as “Colonel DeKlerk”, taking part in the Pat O’Conner Memorial International Cup Tag Team Tournament at Starrcade 1990. @JRsBBQ on commentary with ring announcer @GaryCappetta.

47. @TherealRVD. Rob first wrestled as “Rob Van Dam” in 1991. He signed with WCW in 1992, where he wrestled as “Robbie V”. Here we see Rob wrestle another future ECW legend @theraveneffect, as Scotty Flamingo, on a Feb. 1993 episode of WCW Worldwide!

48. @Goldust. 7 years before debuting as Goldust, Dustin was introduced by his father for Championship Wrestling from Florida. Dustin was only 18 years old!

49. @nunzio_guido. James Maritato is best known as Little Guido or Nunzio. Here we see him as “Damion Stone” on the 5/31/1994 episode of ECW Hardcore TV against Pitbull #1.

“This could be it! We could be seeing a @mikeywhipwreck_ part 2!”

50. Balls Mahoney. Jonathan Rechner is best known for his late 90’s run in ECW as the “Hardcore Chair Swinging Freak” Balls Mahoney. Here we see him as “Boo Bradley” in Smoky Mountain Wrestling in 1995.

“Boo saw the light, and recognized @RealMickFoley as his friend.” @JRsBBQ

51. @JohnCena. John already appeared on this list in OVW, but this match from UPW against @ECWAnderson from March 2001 was several months prior to that. John kicks out of CW’s spine buster!

52. @RobertStrauss. Strauss is best known for his 7 year run in Impact as “Robbie E”. He has also competed on The Amazing Race and the Titan Games.

This clip from the 5/5/05 episode of Smackdown shows a 21 year old Strauss, as “Rob Eckos”, getting destroyed by Matt Morgan.

53. @DavidKidKash. Kid Kash is best known for his late 90’s run in ECW, as well as being an important part of the X Division in TNA. Here we see Kash, as “David Jericho”, wrestle Taka Michinoku on an April 28th, 1998 episode of WWF Shotgun Saturday Night.

54. @MsCharlotteWWE. Years before she was a multiple time WWE Women’s Champion, a 7 year old Ashley Fliehr appeared with her family in an emotional send off as @RicFlairNatrBoy leaves for his WCW World Heavyweight Championship match at Starrcade 1993 against @itsvadertime.

55. @ImChelseaGreen. Before she signed with NXT, before she was “Reklusa” or a Hot Mess, Chelsea appeared on the 8/11/2014 episode of Raw as Daniel Bryan’s physical therapist Megan Miller. Stephanie McMahon calls her into the ring to make a confession...

56. Curt Hennig. The future “Mr. Perfect” had his first professional match in 1980. On this June 27th, 1981 episode of WWF All Star Wrestling Curt scores an upset over fellow WWE Hall of Famer Johnny Rodz!

@RealCurtisAxel
@GaryCappetta

57. @facdaniels. Daniels signed a developmental deal with WWE in 1998, and was sent to Dory Funk’s Funkin’ Dojo to train. He also made several appearances in ECW. This match against @Rhyno313 aired on the 10/2/1999 episode of ECW Hardcore TV!

58. Chris Candido. Chris made his debut in 1986 while training at Larry Sharpe’s @4MonsterFactory. Here we see Chris and Johnny Hotbody debut in ECW as the “Suicide Blonds” on the 4/27/1993 episode of ECW Hardcore TV!

59. @MinisterReal James Mitchell is best know from his time in ECW as the Sinister Minister and in TNA/Impact under his real name.

Mitchell also worked for @TheJimCornette’s SMW in the early 90’s as Daryl Van Horne, where he managed a mummy named Prince Kharis.

60. @BrockLesnar and @RandyOrton. Brock already made this list (Tweet 31) in a match from OVW. This 2001 dark match with Orton was a few months later. Both guys are really green here, but the talent is undeniable! Randy was 21 and Brock was 24!

61. @TheScotty2Hotty and @OfficialTAZ. Taz is on this list as part of @mikeywhipwreck_’s TV debut in Feb. 1994 (Tweet 7), but this match against the future Scotty 2 Hotty, as Skippy Taylor, was about 9 months earlier in May, 1993. Scotty was 19, and Taz was 25.

62. @realKILLERkross Killer Kross signed with WWE in Feb. 2020. Five years earlier he appeared on the February 16th, 2015 episode of Monday Night Raw as Darren Young’s tag partner against The Ascension. Kross doesn’t even get a proper introduction!