10 WWE Superstars Who Didn't Debut As Wrestlers

5. Rob Van Dam

Simon Gotch Rosebud Adam Rose
WWE

First Appearance: 1987

Official Debut: 9 July 2001

Jim Ross always liked to talk up Rob Van Dam's educated feet, but good ol' JR never mentioned that some of RVD's earliest lessons came from Ted DiBiase. The Million Dollar Man was fond of humiliating common wrestling fans for money, and one of them was a certain Michigan teen who would one day grow to become the Whole F'n Show. A Partial F'n Show, if you will.

Rob grimaced and begrudgingly bowed down before Ted to kiss his feet for the tidy sum of $100, nothing to sneeze at at the time. Young Rob was a proud lad, sure, but $100 could buy a king's ransom in weed and airbrushed tees, and his allowance could only be stretched so far.

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Long-time fan (scholar?) of professional wrestling, kaiju films and comparative mythology. Aspiring two-fisted adventurer.