In 1998, Daniels signed a developmental deal with the World Wrestling Federation and trained at Dory Funk Jr.'s Funkin' Dojo. He made his WWF debut on January 19, 1998, losing a dark match to Mick Tierney, and went on to be used as a jobber on the WWF's B-shows, Sunday Night Heat and WWF Shotgun Saturday Night, throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s.
