• Dean Ambrose: He was an independent wrestler who signed a developmental deal with WWE back in 2011. A year later, he would make his main roster debut at Survivor Series as part of The Shield. As a singles competitor, he’s held the WWE Championship, US Championship, Intercontinental title, and Raw Tag Team championship. He also won the Money in the Bank briefcase last year. Courtesy WWE
    Dean Ambrose: He was an independent wrestler who signed a developmental deal with WWE back in 2011. A year later, he would make his main roster debut at Survivor Series as part of The Shield. As a singles competitor, he’s held the WWE Championship, US Championship, Intercontinental title, and Raw Tag Team championship. He also won the Money in the Bank briefcase last year. Courtesy WWE
  • Alexa Bliss: A former cheerleader and gymnast, she turned towards wrestling when she signed a developmental contract in May 2013. While she initially appeared as an unnamed ring announcer and then aligned herself with the tag team of Blake and Murphy, she’s found success as a singles competitor. She made her main roster debut on July 2016 on SmackDown. Her career highlights include being the first female wrestler to win both the SmackDown Women’s Championship and the Raw’s Women’s Championship belts. Courtesy WWE
    Alexa Bliss: A former cheerleader and gymnast, she turned towards wrestling when she signed a developmental contract in May 2013. While she initially appeared as an unnamed ring announcer and then aligned herself with the tag team of Blake and Murphy, she’s found success as a singles competitor. She made her main roster debut on July 2016 on SmackDown. Her career highlights include being the first female wrestler to win both the SmackDown Women’s Championship and the Raw’s Women’s Championship belts. Courtesy WWE
  • Kevin Owens: Before signing to a developmental contract in August 2014, the wrestler known as KO had an impressive career as an indie wrestler. Just a year later, he would make his main roster debut on Raw in May 2015. He’s held the Universal Championship, United States Championship, Intercontinental Championship, and NXT Championship. Courtesy WWE
    Kevin Owens: Before signing to a developmental contract in August 2014, the wrestler known as KO had an impressive career as an indie wrestler. Just a year later, he would make his main roster debut on Raw in May 2015. He’s held the Universal Championship, United States Championship, Intercontinental Championship, and NXT Championship. Courtesy WWE
  • Charlotte Flair: The daughter of famed WWE wrestler Ric Flair, she signed a developmental contract back in May 2012. She made her debut on Raw on July 13, 2015. Since then, she’s been a six-time champion on the main roster in the WWE. Career highlights include: Raw Women’s Championship, WWE Women’s Championship, Divas Championship, and NXT Women’s Champion. She also made history by headlining the PPV Hell in a Cell with Sasha Banks, the first time a WWE network special had a women's match in the main event. Courtesy WWE
    Charlotte Flair: The daughter of famed WWE wrestler Ric Flair, she signed a developmental contract back in May 2012. She made her debut on Raw on July 13, 2015. Since then, she’s been a six-time champion on the main roster in the WWE. Career highlights include: Raw Women’s Championship, WWE Women’s Championship, Divas Championship, and NXT Women’s Champion. She also made history by headlining the PPV Hell in a Cell with Sasha Banks, the first time a WWE network special had a women's match in the main event. Courtesy WWE
  • Big E: The former collegiate football player turned powerlifter signed a developmental deal in 2009. He made his main roster debut in December 2012 by attacking John Cena. Eventually he found his footing as one third of The New Day faction alongside wrestlers Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods. His career highlights include being Intercontinental Champion, WWE Tag Team, Raw Tag Team Champion, Smackdown Tag Team Champion, and NXT Champion. Courtesy WWE
    Big E: The former collegiate football player turned powerlifter signed a developmental deal in 2009. He made his main roster debut in December 2012 by attacking John Cena. Eventually he found his footing as one third of The New Day faction alongside wrestlers Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods. His career highlights include being Intercontinental Champion, WWE Tag Team, Raw Tag Team Champion, Smackdown Tag Team Champion, and NXT Champion. Courtesy WWE
  • Sasha Banks: She started off as an independent wrestler before attending a WWE tryout camp and signing a developmental deal in August 2012. Working her way through NXT, she made her main roster debut in July 2015. Her career highlights include: Raw Women’s Champion, WWE Women’s Champion, NXT Women’s Champion, and headlining Hell in a Cell with Charlotte Flair. Courtesy WWE
    Sasha Banks: She started off as an independent wrestler before attending a WWE tryout camp and signing a developmental deal in August 2012. Working her way through NXT, she made her main roster debut in July 2015. Her career highlights include: Raw Women’s Champion, WWE Women’s Champion, NXT Women’s Champion, and headlining Hell in a Cell with Charlotte Flair. Courtesy WWE
  • Bray Wyatt: The third generation professional wrestler appeared in developmental in April 2009. He also comes from a prominent wrestling family as his father, brother, and uncles all wrestled. He originally made his WWE main roster debut as part of The Nexus stable in June 2010. He would return to developmental and get re-branded as Bray Wyatt and find more success. Career highlights include being WWE Champion and a Smackdown Tag Team champion. Courtesy WWE
    Bray Wyatt: The third generation professional wrestler appeared in developmental in April 2009. He also comes from a prominent wrestling family as his father, brother, and uncles all wrestled. He originally made his WWE main roster debut as part of The Nexus stable in June 2010. He would return to developmental and get re-branded as Bray Wyatt and find more success. Career highlights include being WWE Champion and a Smackdown Tag Team champion. Courtesy WWE
  • Bayley: She started off as an independent wrestler before signing her developmental contract in December 2012. In 2016, she main a one-off appearance at the Battleground pay-per-view as a surprise tag-team partner of Sasha Banks and made her official main roster debut on August 22, 2016. Her career highlights include being the Raw Women’s Champion and NXT Women’s Champion. Courtesy WWE
    Bayley: She started off as an independent wrestler before signing her developmental contract in December 2012. In 2016, she main a one-off appearance at the Battleground pay-per-view as a surprise tag-team partner of Sasha Banks and made her official main roster debut on August 22, 2016. Her career highlights include being the Raw Women’s Champion and NXT Women’s Champion. Courtesy WWE
  • Roman Reigns: A former football player turned wrestler, he signed his development contract with WWE back in July 2010. He comes from a prominent wrestling family as both his father and brother were also wrestlers. He made his debut as a member of The Shield faction. Career highlights include being WWE World Heavyweight Champion, US Champion, WWE Tag Team champion, and 2015 Royal Rumble winner. He has also appeared in the last three main events at WrestleMania. Courtesy WWE
    Roman Reigns: A former football player turned wrestler, he signed his development contract with WWE back in July 2010. He comes from a prominent wrestling family as both his father and brother were also wrestlers. He made his debut as a member of The Shield faction. Career highlights include being WWE World Heavyweight Champion, US Champion, WWE Tag Team champion, and 2015 Royal Rumble winner. He has also appeared in the last three main events at WrestleMania. Courtesy WWE
  • Seth Rollins: Another member of The Shield who started as an independent wrestler before signing a developmental contract in August 2010. Despite injuries, he has held impressive titles throughout his career so far. They include WWE Champion; US Champion, WWE Tag Team Champion, Raw Tag Team Champion, NXT Champion, and 2014 Money in the Bank ladder winner. Courtesy WWE
    Seth Rollins: Another member of The Shield who started as an independent wrestler before signing a developmental contract in August 2010. Despite injuries, he has held impressive titles throughout his career so far. They include WWE Champion; US Champion, WWE Tag Team Champion, Raw Tag Team Champion, NXT Champion, and 2014 Money in the Bank ladder winner. Courtesy WWE

Lifestyle

From developmental to world champion: 10 WWE superstars who found success in their careers

Although the road to WWE stardom isn’t easy, it can be worth it

Evelyn Lau
Evelyn Lau
Abu Dhabi

October 17, 2017

  • English
  • Arabic

Shadia Bseiso has become the first Arab woman from the Middle East to sign a developmental contract with the WWE. She is set to start training at the Performance Center in Orlando, Florida in January.

The Performance Center is used to help upcoming wrestlers hone their skills through strength and conditioning programmes as well as physical preparedness and character development with hopes of making it on to the main roster.

Although the road to WWE stardom isn’t easy, it can be worth it. We take a look at 10 current wrestlers who started off in the company in developmental and have gone on to turn into successful WWE Superstars.

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