[6] In April 2011 Polinsky, using the ring name "Buddy Stretcher", began working for WWE's developmental league, Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW).
[13] On April 27, 2017 Polinsky worked on an episode of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's television show under the name "Bill Callous", losing to Ethan Carter III.
[14] On May 1, 2016, Adonis worked his first match in Mexico, defending the British Heavyweight Championship against Mexican wrestler Black Fire, on a Desastre Total Ultraviolento (DTU) show.
[15] A few weeks later he began working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL), Mexico's largest and the world's oldest wrestling promotion.
His first major appearance was for the 2016 version of the International Grand Prix, a 16-man tournament featuring native Mexican wrestlers facing foreigners.
In the fall of 2016, Polinsky approached the CMLL promoters with a suggestion to tweak his "pretty boy" character, playing off the political situation of the time.
[2] His older brother is retired professional wrestler-turned-color commentator Matthew Polinsky, better known under the ring name Corey Graves and formerly known as Sterling James Keenan.
In subsequent years, Sam Polinsky has stated that he never wanted to exploit the fact that his brother was a well known "name" in professional wrestling, preferring to make it on his own merit.
[19] When US news outlets picked up on the story of Polinsky playing a "pro Trump" character in Mexico Polinsky was quoted as stating: He also made a point that the "Sam Adonis" character did not reflect his personal beliefs, especially his feelings for Mexico and Mexicans in general, pointing out that he had a Mexican girlfriend.