10 WWE Jobbers Who Became World Champion

Ready for a heartwarming tale?

AJ Styles knocked back a WWF developmental contract in the early-2000s so his family wouldn't have to move. That, in turn, meant his wife could continue training to become a teacher. Let's just say the universe smiled on that decision, so much so that AJ got to live his dreams tenfold a decade or so later. Good things come to those who wait, and all that.

Styles appeared on and before (in dark matches, mainly) 'C' and 'D' tier federation programming like Sunday Night Heat and Metal between 2001-2002. That's when he turned down the developmental role to stay home, and he'd eventually become a mainstay on upstart promotion TNA's weekly pay-per-views. Being honest, AJ surely wouldn't have been much more than an entry level worker under still-size obsessed boss Vince McMahon back then anyway.

TNA changed AJ's life. He was ready for a proper crack at WWE by 2016. His Royal Rumble debut that year was brilliant, then Styles surpassed even his biggest fan's expectations for him in the E by becoming WWE Champion by September. That's when AJ began referring to SmackDown as "the house that AJ Styles built". It caught on, and so did his flashy in-ring performances against literally everyone creative programmed him with.

Staring at the lights for The Hurricane and Rico became a distant memory once AJ started tearing it up on top as champ. He'd go on win the WWE Title again in 2017, and has also scored a whole host of other belts throughout his stellar run with the group. Not bad for someone who said no to OVW!