Former NRL player Daniel Vidot has revealed his WWE TV debut was “very alike” his first game for the Canberra Raiders.

Vidot, who has made the switch from rugby league to pro wrestling over the last few years, got his biggest break yet last week when he wrestled former WWE champion Sheamus on an episode of SmackDown.

In front of over two million viewers on Fox over in the US, Vidot did his job and lost handily to Sheamus.

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It was an earlier audition than even he expected, helped by the coronavirus shutdown – WWE is currently filming shows at its Performance Center training base in Orlando, Florida, where Vidot is based as a developmental performer.

Vidot revealed to Foxsports.com.au he was told he was about to make his first appearance on WWE television just a day before the match – and he was even more nervous than for his NRL debut.

“One day before. It reminded me of my debut for the Raiders,” he said.

“My coach being David Furner (at the Raiders) and he let me know, and now my coach here, Matt Bloom, he did the message. It was very alike, the next day as well.

“The difference was being in a team and being an individual, by myself. The nerves were definitely a lot higher, I had two million people watching me live, and then I had a legend standing opposite me in the ring.

“Sheamus is obviously someone I used to watch growing up as well. It’s crazy, man. It was a dream come true.

“I was over the moon, I didn’t tell my family or anything. They saw it for themselves, which was awesome.”

This was only a stepping stone for Vidot. It’s certainly important to get TV time in WWE, but there’s a big difference between the way some wrestlers are presented compared to others.

In Vidot’s case, he was used to make Sheamus look good, rather than to show off his own skills.

“To get any time on Smackdown or WWE itself, on the main stage, it’s crazy, man. It’s definitely a stepping stone and it’s lit a fire inside me to put my head down and keep going,” he said.

“I really felt like I belonged there, I really enjoyed there. Obviously now I just want to learn more about the craft and get a couple more matches under my belt.”

Vidot admits he needs to keep improving, though he believes he’s come a long way since moving across to the US – and being doubted only helped him.

“A couple of years ago, people were laughing about it and what not, but I used that as fuel. I always knew I was going to get there,” he said.

In the mean time, Vidot just needs to keep training at every aspect of the wrestling business in order to make sure next time he’s on WWE TV, he’s the guy being made to look good instead.

That would normally mean working out inside the Performance Center, but that’s not possible at the moment, so instead Vidot has been using the WWE Network streaming service to study old matches and promos, as well as Facetimeing with coaches.

“Any airtime is good time for me, just to be out there and get that exposure, get that experience. People in different weight classes, from different countries, just to get all the knowledge I can,” he said.

“I’m always learning, every single time … I’m just ticking boxes and the box I ticked of being on Smackdown was definitely up there. I’m really looking forward to the future and my hunger to get on television is just growing.

“Hopefully all the people that doubted me look at this as a positive, and I’ve inspired little kids running around Australia that if you really want your dreams, you can follow them.”

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