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Although they are now famous wrestlers, several AEW Stars previously appeared as extras on WWE TV.
WWE has used several wrestlers as extras on its shows. For example, superstars like Becky Lynch and Elias used to be among Adam Rose's Rosebuds before they became known to the WWE Universe.
Likewise, several AEW Stars were also used as extras on WWE TV earlier in their careers. They played different roles like backstage employees, bodyguards, and WWE fans. While some were involved in the action, others just stood in front of the camera.
Some of these current AEW wrestlers had success in their WWE careers following their cameo appearances. Others, however, had forgettable stints before finding success in AEW.
Here are eight AEW Stars who worked as extras on WWE television.
#8. AEW Star Powerhouse Hobbs
Powerhouse Hobbs never wrestled in WWE. However, he recently revealed that he once appeared as an extra on WWE TV.
In 2018, Roman Reigns relinquished the Universal Championship due to his battle with leukemia. That same night, his Shield teammate Jon Moxley (F.K.A. Dean Ambrose) turned on their third partner Seth Rollins. After turning heel, Moxley said he wanted to free himself of Rollins' illness.
On the December 3, 2018, episode of Monday Night RAW, Moxley came out to the ring with a SWAT team. They all wore gas masks. One of the members of Moxley's SWAT team that night was Powerhouse Hobbs.
Hobbs spoke about appearing as an extra on WWE TV during his interview with Renee Paquette on Oral Sessions.
"I actually did some extra work with [Moxley] in WWE before. Do you remember when he would have his entourage come out with a gas mask? Yeah. We were talking about how hard it is to breathe and I'm just like, 'Man.' And it was cool that he remembered me. He didn't remember my name, but he went, 'Don't I know you from somewhere?' And I told him, and it clicked."
Hobbs and Moxley now work for the same company. Nonetheless, they are yet to share the ring, either as partners or opponents.
#7. AEW Star Jon Moxley
Like Powerhouse Hobbs, Jon Moxley was also once an extra in another superstar's entrance.
At the 2006 Royal Rumble pay-per-view, Moxley appeared as a druid during The Undertaker's entrance. Although he wore a robe that covered most of his features, several fans later recognized him.
Five years later, Moxley signed a developmental contract with WWE. He went on to have a very successful WWE career, becoming a Triple Crown and Grand Slam Champion before leaving in 2019.
The 35-year-old joined AEW a few months following his WWE departure. He is a former AEW World Champion and one of the company's top stars.
#6. AEW Star Scorpio Sky
AEW Star Scorpio Sky made a few appearances as an extra on WWE TV nearly a decade ago.
In 2012, Bryan Danielson (F.K.A. Daniel Bryan) and Kane were forced to attend Anger Management sessions hosted by Dr. Shelby by the orders of RAW General Manager AJ Lee.
One of Danielson and Kane's classmates was a man named Harold, played by current AEW Star Scorpio Sky. During a session, Sky, as Harold, spoke about having issues with his boss. He revealed that he felt angry because he does all the work and his boss takes all the credit. Sky's story angered Danielson, who went on to complain about having AJ Lee as boss.
In the same segment, Sky also confronted Kane. The current AEW Star thanked Kane for sharing his feelings with the group. The WWE Hall of Famer was not pleased and almost attacked his classmate.
Scorpio Sky also appeared as an extra on WWE TV a year later. At the 2013 SummerSlam pay-per-view, Sky played the role of a firefighter during the Ring of Fire match between Kane and Bray Wyatt.
Despite appearing on WWE TV as an extra, Sky never wrestled in a WWE ring. He joined AEW in 2019, where he won the AEW World Tag Team Championship alongside Frankie Kazarian.
#5. AEW Star Shawn Spears
AEW Star Shawn Spears appeared as an extra in a backstage segment on WWE TV.
In November 2006, during the Cyber Sunday pay-per-view, D-Generation X members Triple H and Shawn Michaels went into a heated discussion after The Game told his partner that Eric Bischoff said they weren't controversial enough.
Michaels got angry and decided to superkick a few backstage employees, including a guy called Stan. Fans later recognized that Stan was none other than current AEW Star Shawn Spears.
Spears spent three years between developmental and ECW before leaving WWE in 2009. Four years later, he returned to Vince McMahon's company to join NXT, where he spent a few years. He was then promoted to the main roster, joining SmackDown.
The 40-year-old spent another two years on the blue brand before leaving WWE again in 2019. Later that same year, he joined AEW. He is currently a member of The Pinnacle.
Last Wednesday, Spears went one-on-one against Darby Allin on AEW Dynamite but lost the match.
#4. AEW Star Matt Hardy
AEW Star Matt Hardy is a legend in the wrestling industry. He wrestled in several promotions throughout his career, finding mainstream attention while contracted with WWE.
Matt Hardy and his brother Jeff appeared as extras at the King of the Ring pay-per-view in 1995. The Hardy Boyz's job was to open the door for the wrestlers to enter the arena.
Despite his humble beginnings, Matt Hardy went on to achieve a lot in WWE. In the following years, Matt, alongside his brother, became one of the best Tag Teams in WWE history. Together, they won nine Tag Team Titles. Matt also won two other Tag Team Championships with MVP and Bray Wyatt.
Individually, Matt Hardy also won several championships in WWE. He is a former ECW Champion, United States Champion, European Champion, and Hardcore Champion.
Hardy ended his third WWE run in 2020. Later that same year, he joined AEW. Following AEW Revolution last March, Matt created a stable in AEW called Hardy Family Office. The group includes The Butcher and the Blade, Private Party, and The Hybrid 2.
Matt Hardy's last match came at AEW All Out earlier this month. He teamed up with Private Party and The Hybrid 2 to face Best Friends and Jurassic Express. Matt's team lost the match.
#3 & #2. AEW Stars The Young Bucks
Before they found success in AEW, The Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson) made an appearance on WWE TV nearly 13 years ago.
In August 2008, The Young Bucks appeared on The Miz and Morrison's Dirt Sheet show on ECW. Miz and Morrison made Matt and Nick dress up as D-Generation X before beating them up in the ring.
The Young Bucks did not go on to have a career in WWE. However, they found much success elsewhere. They won several championships on the independent circuit before joining AEW in 2019.
In addition to being in-ring competitors, the Jackson brothers are also AEW's executive vice presidents.
A few months ago, The Young Bucks joined forces with Kenny Omega and The Good Brothers to become part of The Elite.
The Young Bucks recently defended their Tag Team Titles in a steel cage match against The Lucha Brothers at All Out. The Jacksons suffered defeat to lose their championships.
#1. AEW Star CM Punk
AEW Star CM Punk appeared as an extra on WWE TV twice in the early and mid-2000s.
Three years before making his WWE debut in 2006, CM Punk appeared in a backstage segment on SmackDown. He played the role of a Brock Lesnar fan and shook hands with The Beast Incarnate.
Punk made his second extra appearance on WWE TV just two months before making his debut on ECW. He participated in John Cena's WrestleMania 22 entrance as one of the gangsters hanging from Cena's car.
CM Punk went on to have a very successful career in WWE. He spent several years in Vince McMahon's company, winning many championships, including six World Titles. He left WWE in 2014 before later announcing his retirement from pro wrestling.
The 42-year-old recently came out of retirement to join AEW. Punk made his debut last month on the August 20 episode of Rampage. He had his first AEW match at the All Out pay-per-view, where he defeated Darby Allin.
On the latest episode of Dynamite, CM Punk's second opponent was announced. The Straight Edge Superstar will go one-on-one against Powerhouse Hobbs next week on AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam.
