Hager played footballand was a junior varsity defensive tackle behind the National Football League players Tommie Harris and Dusty Dvoracek. He met with Jim Ross, who was World Wrestling Entertainment head of Talent Relations, and Ross Hager invited to contact him after graduation.
Hager had a WWE Test in Deep South Wrestling, and in September 2006 under his real name, he got his in-ring debut for DSW, beat Antonio Mestre in a dark match. Hager has been referred to the Florida Championship Wrestling, where he began a feud with TJ Wilson.
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