5 Wrestlers who were jobbers before they were superstars

George South was one of the greatest “jobbers” to ever get in a wrestling ring. Heel or babyface, he knew his job and did it well. For years, he spent time in the NWA and WCW taking bumps, getting knocked around and losing match after match. Ric Flair even referred to him as one of his all-time favorites.

The role of the “jobber” isn’t the lowly position you might think of in today’s business. The role is exactly what it sounds like – to do a “job” to help put the popular talent over as superstars. It takes a special kind of performer to make someone like Flair or Randy Savage look good week after week. While we talk about some of the best jobbers in the business from time to time – which include Barry Horowitz, “Wild” Bill Snyder and even the Mulkeys, there are some superstars who started their careers in the same role of wrestlers who helped to make them famous.

This is a list of five superstars who rose to fame in the business but filled the role of jobber before they attained superstar status.

5: Christopher Daniels

Christopher Daniels is a huge success in TNA and ROH

The man who is known as the Fallen Angel and has a track record of success in TNA, ROH and internationally, was also a jobber in WWE before he moved on to success. Daniels performed his duties during the Attitude Era and was a solid performer, but never got the big break others got.

Daniels was a tag team champion in TNA as well as an X-Division Champion. He also found title success in ROH. He is still a great competitor with Frankie Kazarian as a tag team combination. He also competed in New Japan Pro Wrestling.

4: Edge

Edge spent time in WCW as Damon Striker

Does anyone remember the character Damon Striker? Yes, that was the Rated-R superstar long before he became a world tag team and WWE world champion in Vince McMahon’s circus. Adam Copeland got his start in WCW and was on the wrong side of squash matches against the likes of Meng, amongst others, on different episodes of WCW B-shows. However, after being noticed by different WWE officials on the television show, Edge was contacted and signed in 1998.

It was the best thing to ever happen to him. After making it to Stamford, Christian joined him in The Brood and later as one of the most successful tag teams ever. Edge also became a main event singles star and a multiple-time WWE World champion.

3: Daniel Bryan

Daniel Bryan was a jobber in Memphis before become a mega star

Even one of the greatest fan favorites of all time spent time as a jobber before he became an icon on the Independent circuit and later a WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Arguably one of the smaller champions to ever wear a title, Bryan was brought along in Memphis in WWE’s affiliate promotion to learn his craft.

Although they two groups severed ties a little while after, the WWE used Bryan, first as an enhancement talent on Heat and Velocity, and then as someone who would gain longer matches on those shows, yet still lose. Bryan left the company to find success as one of the founding members of ROH and in Japan before he came back to the states and rejoined WWE. The rest as well know is history.

2: Triple H

Triple H was Terra Ryzing in his days with WCW

Yes, the man who runs WWE was a jobber. How appropriate is that? In WCW has was known as then known as Terra Ryzing, was predominately used a bad guy to help put over the good guy characters. His big break came when he jumped ship and joined WWE.

The rest is history. At the time, Triple H had long dyed blond locks of hair and was just jacked – he looked like a more muscular version of Ric Flair. Triple H got his start in WWE as Hunter Hearst Helmsley, a snooty aristocratic figure with a valet (Sable) who was a solid midcard wrestler. Once his character was repackaged, he became the superstar you see today.

1: Shawn Michaels

Shawn Michaels was a jobber in the NWA

What? Are you serious? Not the Heartbreak Kid! Michaels, a four-time WWE Champion and a member of the WWE Hall of Fame got his start in the business from humble beginnings.

He worked his way through territories in the National Wrestling Alliance in the early and mid-1980s, competing against top stars in different regions of the country. Michaels moved on to the AWA and was a member of The Midnight Rockers with Marty Jannetty and later became a hit in the WWF as The Rockers.