10 Secret WWE Pasts Of AEW Wrestlers
4. Jon Moxley
Old shots of Jon Moxley working as an unhinged version of his CZW persona with pink hair in the WWE Heat/Velocity wasteland of the mid-2000s drew mild derision when they surfaced long after the 'Lunatic Fringe' had become a bonafide star for the company, but this turn as one of The Undertaker's druids did more to protect the future Shield member's eccentric aura long before he'd make it to the main roster.
The 2006 Royal Rumble saw 'The Deadman' return at the very end to spook new World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle into giving him a shot at his title the following month. Very, very eagle-eyed viewers on rewatch saw Ambrose hidden under the hood literally holding a torch for 'Taker. Taking the moniker 'Death Rider' for his New Japan Pro Wrestling run was perhaps a less literal tribute.
The company have often used in-house wrestlers rather than paid extras in an act of magnanimity as much as a money-saver - local workers are glad of the "opportunity" to mix backstage and upfront with existing stars, and the company don't need to worry about making sure the faceless f*ckers are already on the up-and-up if something doesn't quite work out. Things turned out well for Moxley in the end, and at least his memories of this particular bout of blink-and-you'll-miss it Sports Entertainment silliness didn't trigger his eventual exit.