Stone Cold Steve Austin, Ron Simmons, Ernie Ladd, Bill Goldberg, The Rock, Bill Goldberg and John Bradshaw Layfield.

Many of sports entertainment’s biggest names didn’t start in a wrestling ring but rather on the football field.

WWE is looking for more players to make the transition from the gridiron to the squared circle through NXT, its developmental territory. In May, WWE’s Jim Ross met with the NFL Players Association in Washington D.C. in developing a partnership to recruit new talent.

NXT’s Baron Corbin, a former pro football player, hopes to be one of the company’s success stories.

The consummate athlete joined the program last year with an impressive resume. Corbin is not only a three-time Golden Gloves boxing champion, but he was also an NCAA Division II All American offensive lineman. He caught the attention of pro scouts, earning stints with the Indianapolis Colts and Arizona Cardinals.

In Arizona, he met Dean Muhtadi, an enthusiastic defensive linemen also trying to make the team. They forged a friendship. Muhtadi is NXT superstar Mojo Rawley.

“Mojo was a D tackle, so we actually got to play against each other in practice,” Corbin said smiling. “We had some good battles on the football field. He’s an extremely tough, hard-nosed player, and we’re both physical players, so we hit each other a lot.”

Who better?

“It was a good toss-up,” Corbin, 28, said. “We’re both good in our own ways, and I’ll leave it at that.”

Rawley said: “Baron and I were very similar when we were playing football in Arizona. We were guys who worked extremely hard who came from nothing and fought our way onto teams. We were never the most recruited guys; so when we were in practice or games, you could tell we had an extra chip on our shoulder, out to prove ourselves. Our motors were running a little faster than everyone else, and that created a mutual respect between us.”

When Corbin (Tom Pestock) and Muhtadi decided time to hang-up the football cleats, the next journey began.

After 2 1/2 years of pro ball, Corbin was ready to pursue his dreams of becoming a WWE superstar. So did Muhtadi.

Life is funny sometimes.

Neither knew the other intended to try out for WWE through FCW, now NXT.

Each made the cut, inked a developmental deal and journeyed to Tampa. Surprise. Surprise.

Rawley, who turns 27 on July 17, said: “When we learned we’re ending up here together, that was an unreal conversation. Him and I were great friends in Arizona. We hung out off the field. We joked around. So one day [after the football career ended], I called him at random. I said, ‘Hey Baron. How’s it going? What’ve you been up to? What are you doing these days?’ He goes, ‘You’ll never believe it, but I just signed with WWE, and I’m headed to NXT.’

“I just started laughing. I go, ‘You are kidding me. I just signed the same contract.’ So there was that moment like, ‘Oh my gosh. There’s no way this is happening like this.’ We had the same start date. We came in together. We practiced our moves on each other, trying to help each other assimilate into a completely different industry, a different career, different skill set.”