Jump to content

Spirit Squad

This is a good article. Click here for more information.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Spirit squad)

Spirit Squad
Nicky, Mikey, and Kenny in the ring in 2006
Stable
MembersKenny
Johnny
Mitch
Nicky
Mikey
Name(s)The Spirit Squad
The Squad
Squad World Order
Billed heightsKenny:
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Johnny:
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Mitch:
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Nicky:
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Mikey:
5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
DebutJanuary 23, 2006
Years active2006
2009
2014–2019

The Spirit Squad was an American professional wrestling stable in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) consisting of Kenny, Johnny, Mitch, Nicky, and Mikey. The team's ring personas were those of an all-male cheerleading squad.

Before forming the group, all members competed in OVW, WWE's developmental territory, where they were once opponents. In January 2006, the Spirit Squad made their television debut on the Raw brand. Three months later, the team won the World Tag Team Championship and, by "executive decision", were all collectively recognized as champions and internally decided which two defended the championship at any given time. Their reign marked the first time five wrestlers had been simultaneously recognized as World Tag Team Champions.

After losing the tag team championship in November 2006, the team disbanded. Kenny remained on WWE television regularly, Nicky, Mikey and Johnny returned to OVW, and Mitch was released from his WWE contract in May 2007.

By 2009, Nicky would be repackaged as Dolph Ziggler and the rest of the group was released from WWE. From 2016 to 2019, Kenny and Mikey reunited as a duo and made appearances for WWE, Major League Wrestling (MLW), and the independent circuit. In 2021, Kenny returned to WWE as a trainer and Nicky was released in 2023.

Concept

[edit]

The idea for the Spirit Squad came directly from WWE chairman Vince McMahon. Originally, the group was scheduled to be made up of four wrestlers from WWE's developmental territory Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW); Ken Doane, Nick Mitchell, Nick Nemeth and Elijah Burke. Burke, however, turned down McMahon's offer to join the Spirit Squad, feeling that he could not perform the acrobatics required from members of the group, and chose to remain in OVW. Burke was replaced in the Spirit Squad by Johnny Jeter and Mike Mondo.[1] The five members were given new ring names Kenny, Johnny, Mitch, Nicky and Mikey.

History

[edit]

World Wrestling Entertainment / WWE (2006–2008, 2016)

[edit]

Formation (2006–2007)

[edit]

The Spirit Squad made their first appearances in WWE at house shows and in dark matches.[2] On January 23, 2006, they had their television debut, when they appeared on Raw and helped Jonathan Coachman win a Royal Rumble qualifying match against Jerry "The King" Lawler by performing cheers for Coachman and distracting Lawler.[3] In subsequent weeks, the team was hired by several wrestlers to perform cheers for them.[4]

They eventually became a part of the ongoing scripted feud between WWE chairman Vince McMahon and Shawn Michaels. The villainous McMahon ordered the Spirit Squad to perform disrespectful cheers about Michaels, attack him on numerous occasions, and face him in multiple handicap matches.[5][6]

While involved in the Michaels-McMahon feud, they also continued wrestling in the tag team division, and on the April 3 episode of Raw, won the World Tag Team Championship when Kenny and Mikey – with outside help from the other three Spirit Squad members – defeated Big Show and Kane.[7][8] After winning the championship, an "executive edict" was declared stating that all five members were recognized as the champions, with any two members allowed to defend the championship at once under the Freebird Rule.

On May 1, the night after the Backlash pay-per-view, the five members of the Spirit Squad were jointly named "Co-General Managers" of Raw.[9] During the night, after drawing "spirit straws", they placed Kenny into a title match with WWE Champion John Cena.[9] Before the match they ordered play-by-play analyst Joey Styles in their office to instruct him on how to call Kenny's upcoming win (which never did come to pass), instructing him to do it "with spirit" or they would force him to call all of the following Raw episodes while wearing a female cheerleading uniform.[9] This led to Styles confronting color commentator Jerry Lawler and eventually quitting the show in a worked shoot promo.[9] Kenny lost the match after special referee Triple H, who was conspiring with the Spirit Squad, walked out on the match.[9]

Three weeks later, on Raw, Vince McMahon signed another handicap match pitting the Spirit Squad against Shawn Michaels.[10][11] The match never started, however, because the Spirit Squad attacked Michaels, ripping apart his ring attire and, in storyline, shattering his knee with a steel chair.[11] McMahon then called Triple H to the ring to attack Michaels with a sledgehammer, however, Kenny snatched the sledgehammer away, disrespecting Triple H, which led to him attacking the group.[11]

The Spirit Squad wrestling against D-Generation X in a handicap match at a house show

Triple H and Shawn Michaels revived D-Generation X (DX) when Michaels ran to the ring to aid Triple H in a 5-on-1 gauntlet match against the Spirit Squad (ambushing Mitch before he could enter it) and as a team began a feud with the Spirit Squad.[12][13][14] DX played various sophomoric pranks on the Spirit Squad and the McMahons (Vince and his son Shane),[12][14][15] including DX dumping green slime onto the group and embarrassing the team afterwards, by defeating them,[12] and dumping feces on the Spirit Squad and the McMahons.[14] DX defeated the Spirit Squad in handicap tag matches at Vengeance, and scoring a clean sweep in an elimination handicap match at Saturday Night's Main Event XXXIII.[16][17]

At the same time as their feud with DX and their alignment with McMahon, the team also wrestled other teams in Raw's tag team division over their World Tag Team Championship. The Spirit Squad successfully defended the championship against the teams of Jim Duggan and Eugene, Charlie Haas and Viscera, and Snitsky and Val Venis before entering a lengthy feud with The Highlanders.[15][18][19] They eventually defeated The Highlanders to retain the titles at the Unforgiven pay-per-view.[20]

At the end of September and beginning of October the Spirit Squad as a whole began a losing streak, with separate members losing singles matches to Ric Flair on consecutive episodes of Raw.[21][22][23] After Johnny and Mikey lost to the debuting Cryme Tyme on October 16,[24] Kenny started yelling at the other members of the Spirit Squad in the ring and walked off shouting "I'm tired of losing".[24] Tensions further escalated the following week, when the Spirit Squad lost to Cryme Tyme for the second consecutive week.[25] After the defeat, Kenny attacked Mikey, then announced he would defeat Flair, since no other member of the group could do it.[25] Later in the night he was successful, with help from the rest of the Spirit Squad, despite Flair bringing a number of fellow "Legends" (Dusty Rhodes, Sgt. Slaughter, and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper) to the ring with him to even the odds.[25] It was then decided that Flair and one of those legends, of the fans choosing, would wrestle the Spirit Squad at Cyber Sunday for the World Tag Team Championship.[25] At Cyber Sunday the fans chose Piper and he and Flair defeated Kenny and Mikey to win the titles.[26] At the time of their loss the team had held the title for 216 days, the longest since the team of Owen Hart and The British Bulldog held it for 241 days in 1996 and 1997. At Survivor Series, The Spirit Squad (with Mitch) went on to face the legends consisting of captain Ric Flair, Sgt. Slaughter, Dusty Rhodes, and Ron Simmons (with Arn Anderson) in a losing effort.

Breakup and aftermath (2007–2008)

[edit]

The group disbanded on the November 27 episode of Raw, when they were defeated in a five-on-three handicap match by DX and Flair.[27] In a backstage segment later that night, DX placed all members into a crate stamped "OVW, Louisville, Kentucky", a reference to the developmental territory from which the Spirit Squad had come.[27]

After the breakup, Kenny emerged as the only member to remain on WWE television, gaining the last name "Dykstra" and continuing the feud with Flair that led to the Spirit Squad's break up.[28] At Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW), Nicky and Mikey were repackaged as a tag team, called The Frat Pack. Johnny also returned to OVW after the breakup of the Spirit Squad, save for an appearance during a battle royal on an episode of Raw. Mitch was released from WWE on May 18, 2007,[29] Johnny in the beginning of 2008,[30][31] Mikey on June 13, 2008,[32] and Kenny on November 10, 2008.[33] In September 2008, Nicky was repackaged as Dolph Ziggler[34] and has gone on to have success as a singles wrestler, having won the Intercontinental, United States, World Heavyweight and NXT Championships.[35][36][37] His run would last until September 2023.[38]

Feud with Dolph Ziggler (2016)

[edit]

In late 2016, Mikey and Kenny returned to WWE for a short storyline with Dolph Ziggler (formerly Nicky in the Spirit Squad). On October 4, on SmackDown, they taunted Ziggler about his time in the Spirit Squad, before attacking him at the behest of the Intercontinental Champion The Miz and Maryse.[39] Five days later, at the No Mercy pay-per-view, they attempted to distract Ziggler in his career vs. title match against The Miz, but were unsuccessful.[40] On the October 11 episode of SmackDown, Mikey and Kenny faced Ziggler in a two-on-one handicap match; Ziggler won but was attacked by The Miz before being saved by Rhyno and Heath Slater.[41] This led to a six-man tag team match the following week, which Mikey, Kenny, and The Miz won.[42] Mikey and Kenny unsuccessfully challenged Slater and Rhyno for the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship on October 25.[43] They appeared throughout November in tag team matches, before disappearing off television.

By 2021, Kenny would later return to the company as a trainer and producer for Raw and SmackDown brands.[44]

Independent circuit (2009–2019)

[edit]

On September 26, 2009, Kenny and Mitch reunited as the Spirit Squad in the National Wrestling Alliance's New Jersey territory in a match against Fire Power (Danny Inferno and Jim Powers) for the vacant NWA New Jersey Tag Team Championship but lost the match.[45][46]

On August 21, 2014, the Chikara promotion announced that Johnny, Kenny, and Mikey would be reuniting as the Spirit Squad for the 2014 King of Trios tournament.[47] After a win over Sinn Bodhi and the Odditorium (Qefka the Quiet and Sir Oliver Grimsly) on September 19, the Spirit Squad was eliminated from the tournament in the second round on September 20 by the Golden Trio (Dasher Hatfield, Icarus and Mark Angelosetti).[48]

In 2016, Kenny and Mikey appeared for New York Wrestling Connection. On November 12, they captured the NYWC Tag Team Championship from Hounds of Hatred (Boo and Bam Sullivan) at Firestorm 3.[49] 15 days later, Spirit Squad lost the titles back to Hounds of Hatred.[49]

On February 26, 2017, Kenny and Mikey defeated the UK Hooligans and 2 mates Pissing Around to win the Preston City Wrestling's Tag Team championship.

On April 8, 2017, Kenny and Mikey answered The Young Bucks' open challenge for the Ring of Honor (ROH) World Tag Team Championship, losing the subsequent title match.[50]

House of Hardcore (2016–2018)

[edit]

At House of Hardcore 23, The Squad (Kenny & Mikey) made their House of Hardcore (HOH) debut, losing to Tommy Dreamer and The Sandman.

Major League Wrestling (2019)

[edit]

On July 24, 2019, it was announced that Squad members Mike Mondo and Kenny Dykstra were now signed to Major League Wrestling (MLW). They would go on to debut at that months Never Say Never show.[51] In MLW they are known as Doane and Mondo, the Spirit Squad. They wrestled on the pre-show main event to MLW Saturday Night SuperFight on November 2, 2019 in a 3 way tag match vs Contra Unit (Simon Gotch and Ikuro Kwon) and the team of Douglas James and Dominic Garrini. Contra Unit won the match by pinning Dykstra.

Championships and accomplishments

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Namako, Jason (October 20, 2015). "D'Angelo Dinero on TNA commentary, Spirit Squad rumor". Wrestleview. Archived from the original on October 23, 2015. Retrieved October 20, 2015.
  2. ^ "The Spirit Squad". Online World of Wrestling. Archived from the original on December 28, 2007. Retrieved December 26, 2007.
  3. ^ "Ready to Rumble". World Wrestling Entertainment. January 23, 2006. Archived from the original on January 21, 2018. Retrieved December 26, 2007.
  4. ^ "Wasted opportunity?". World Wrestling Entertainment. January 30, 2006. Archived from the original on February 14, 2012. Retrieved January 16, 2008. Mickie brought out the Spirit Squad to give Trish a cheer.
  5. ^ ""Big Time" Pedigree". World Wrestling Entertainment. February 20, 2006. Archived from the original on March 21, 2006. Retrieved January 16, 2008.
  6. ^ "Sneak Attack". World Wrestling Entertainment. March 13, 2006. Archived from the original on January 1, 2008. Retrieved January 16, 2008.
  7. ^ "The Champ bows down to the "King of Kings"". World Wrestling Entertainment. April 3, 2006. Archived from the original on February 24, 2008. Retrieved January 5, 2008.
  8. ^ a b "Spirit Squad". World Wrestling Entertainment. April 3, 2006. Archived from the original on January 10, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2008.
  9. ^ a b c d e Williams III, Ed (May 1, 2006). "Chaos in Columbus". World Wrestling Entertainment. Archived from the original on January 5, 2008. Retrieved December 30, 2007.
  10. ^ Golden, Hunter (May 22, 2006). "Raw Results 5-22-06: Las Vegas, NV (Triple H Turns, ECW, and more!)". WrestleView. Archived from the original on February 12, 2009. Retrieved January 6, 2010.
  11. ^ a b c Dee, Louie (May 22, 2006). "Apology Accepted?". World Wrestling Entertainment. Archived from the original on December 18, 2007. Retrieved January 16, 2008.
  12. ^ a b c Dee, Louie (June 19, 2006). "DX breaks it down". World Wrestling Entertainment. Archived from the original on December 17, 2008. Retrieved January 16, 2008.
  13. ^ Golden, Hunter (June 26, 2006). "Raw Results - 6/26/06 - Fayetteville, NC (RVD vs. Cena — WWE Title)". WrestleView. Archived from the original on March 11, 2010. Retrieved January 6, 2010.
  14. ^ a b c Dee, Louie (June 26, 2006). "It happens". World Wrestling Entertainment. Archived from the original on February 11, 2018. Retrieved January 16, 2008.
  15. ^ a b Golden, Hunter (July 3, 2006). "Raw Results - 7/3/06 - Philadelphia, PA (New WWE Champion, More)". WrestleView. Archived from the original on March 11, 2010. Retrieved January 6, 2010.
  16. ^ Plummer, Dale; Tylwalk, Nick (June 21, 2006). "DX returns with a Vengeance". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Archived from the original on July 14, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  17. ^ Zeigler, Zack (July 15, 2006). "DX dismantles the Spirit Squad". World Wrestling Entertainment. Archived from the original on February 13, 2010. Retrieved January 16, 2008.
  18. ^ Golden, Hunter (July 24, 2006). "Raw Results - 7/24/06 - Cleveland, OH (Hogan & Randy Orton, more)". WrestleView. Archived from the original on March 11, 2010. Retrieved January 6, 2010.
  19. ^ Golden, Hunter (July 31, 2006). "Raw Results - 7/31/06 - East Rutherford, NJ (HBK vs. Umaga, more)". WrestleView. Archived from the original on March 11, 2010. Retrieved January 6, 2010.
  20. ^ Martin, Adam (September 17, 2006). "Unforgiven (Raw) PPV Results - 9/17 - Toronto, Ontario (Edge/Cena)". WrestleView. Archived from the original on March 10, 2010. Retrieved January 6, 2010.
  21. ^ Zeigler, Zack (September 18, 2006). "Winning the war". World Wrestling Entertainment. Archived from the original on March 29, 2007. Retrieved January 21, 2008.
  22. ^ Zeigler, Zack (September 25, 2006). "SmackDown beatdown". World Wrestling Entertainment. Archived from the original on December 31, 2007. Retrieved January 21, 2008.
  23. ^ Zeigler, Zack (October 9, 2006). "Cyber Sunday Blockbuster". World Wrestling Entertainment. Archived from the original on December 9, 2017. Retrieved January 21, 2008.
  24. ^ a b Zeigler, Zack (October 16, 2006). "Let the voting begin". World Wrestling Entertainment. Archived from the original on December 26, 2007. Retrieved January 1, 2008.
  25. ^ a b c d Zeigler, Zack (October 23, 2006). "On the same page?". World Wrestling Entertainment. Archived from the original on February 5, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2008.
  26. ^ Elliott, Brian (November 6, 2006). "K-Fed costs Cena at Cyber Sunday". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  27. ^ a b Plummer, Dale (November 28, 2006). "Raw: The return of the Hardys". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Archived from the original on July 21, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  28. ^ "Kenny Dykstra Profile". World Wrestling Entertainment. Archived from the original on January 10, 2008. Retrieved February 1, 2008.
  29. ^ "Ariel, Scotty 2 Hotty & Nick Mitchell released". World Wrestling Entertainment. May 18, 2007. Archived from the original on December 24, 2010. Retrieved March 29, 2010.
  30. ^ "Johnny Jeter Profile". Online World of Wrestling. Archived from the original on June 12, 2008. Retrieved March 29, 2010.
  31. ^ Adams, Scott (June 23, 2008). "WWE reveal Johnny Jeter was "quietly released from the company months ago"". KocoSports. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved March 29, 2010.
  32. ^ "Mike Mondo released". World Wrestling Entertainment. June 13, 2008. Archived from the original on April 14, 2009. Retrieved March 29, 2010.
  33. ^ "Kenny Dykstra, Elijah Burke and Lena Yada released". World Wrestling Entertainment. November 10, 2009. Archived from the original on April 16, 2009. Retrieved March 29, 2010.
  34. ^ Martin, Adam (September 16, 2008). "Dark match from Raw in Memphis, identity of wrestler, The Condemned". WrestleView. Archived from the original on January 2, 2018. Retrieved January 21, 2010.
  35. ^ "History of the Intercontinental Championship: Dolph Ziggler". World Wrestling Entertainment. August 6, 2010. Archived from the original on August 19, 2010. Retrieved August 16, 2010.
  36. ^ "History of the United States Championship: Dolph Ziggler". WWE. June 19, 2011. Archived from the original on May 11, 2008. Retrieved June 20, 2011.
  37. ^ "History of the World Heavyweight Championship: Dolph Ziggler". World Wrestling Entertainment. Archived from the original on February 23, 2012. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  38. ^ Lambert, Jeremy (September 21, 2023). "Dolph Ziggler Released By WWE". Fighful. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  39. ^ Howell, Nolan (October 4, 2016). "SmackDown: Ambrose, Styles and Cena meet before No Mercy". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Archived from the original on May 3, 2018. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
  40. ^ Melok, Bobby. "Dolph Ziggler def. Intercontinental Champion The Miz (Title vs. Career Match)". WWE. Archived from the original on October 13, 2016. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
  41. ^ Plummer, Dale (October 12, 2016). "Smackdown Live!: Enhancement talent James Ellsworth pulls the upset over WWE Champion AJ Styles". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Archived from the original on May 3, 2018. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
  42. ^ Plummer, Dale (October 19, 2016). "Smackdown Live!: James Ellsworth gets his shot at the WWE World Title". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Archived from the original on May 3, 2018. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
  43. ^ Plummer, Dale (October 26, 2016). "Smackdown Live!: James Ellsworth costs Dean Ambrose a shot at the WWE title". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Archived from the original on May 3, 2018. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
  44. ^ "Kenny Dykstra Working As WWE Main Roster Producer". Fightful. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  45. ^ "NWA Roll Call of Champions for the State of New Jersey". National Wrestling Alliance. Archived from the original on February 21, 2009. Retrieved January 8, 2010.
  46. ^ "Dennis Coralluzo Tribute Show This Saturday!". NWA: New Jersey. Archived from the original on July 9, 2009. Retrieved January 8, 2010.
  47. ^ Caldwell, James (August 21, 2014). "Chikara news: Former WWE faction officially announced for King of Trios tournament". Pro Wrestling Torch. Archived from the original on September 14, 2014. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
  48. ^ Namako, Jason (September 20, 2014). "9/19-9/21 Chikara Results: Easton, PA (King of Trios weekend)". Wrestleview. Archived from the original on September 22, 2014. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
  49. ^ a b c "NYWC Tag Team Championship". New York Wrestling Connection. Archived from the original on November 13, 2016. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
  50. ^ "ROH TV taping results: A new number one contender is determined". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. April 9, 2017. Archived from the original on April 25, 2017. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
  51. ^ "Mike Mondo & Kenn Doane of Spirit Squad Join MLW | Fightful News". Archived from the original on July 24, 2019. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  52. ^ "ComPro Tag Team Championship « Titles Database « CAGEMATCH - the Internet Wrestling Database". Archived from the original on July 9, 2017. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  53. ^ "PCW Kris Travis Memorial Tournament 2017 - Tag 2". Cagematch.net. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Spirit Squad.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Spirit_Squad&oldid=1224023012"