Mike Mondo never thought fans would still be talking about the Spirit Squad twenty years after the group debuted in WWE.
Mondo recently spoke with WrestleZone Managing Editor Bill Pritchard about his current reign as NWA National Champion. During the conversation, Mondo reflected on his debut as “Mikey” in the Spirit Squad, a group of enthusiastic and villainous male cheerleaders. Mondo says it was a special time in his career because it was his first big run on national television, and he credited Vince McMahon for coming up with the idea.
“It was a special time in my career because it was my first run in a mainstream promotion — obviously WWE. That was a Vince McMahon idea,” Mondo shared. “I don’t think it was long thought out. I think Vince just woke up one day and said, ‘I want cheerleaders on my show. Find me five cheerleaders.’ It was one of those things, and I just happened to be one of the five members selected.”
Mike Mondo says he wasn’t one of the original members of the Spirit Squad
“Originally, I wasn’t supposed to be part of the gimmick. But, things played out the way they did, and I found my way into it. The best way I can describe that run is the invaluable experience I gained from it,” he continued. “We had about a 10-month run, but I probably got 10 years’ worth of experience crammed into those 10 months — working with guys like Triple H, Ric Flair, Roddy Piper, Shawn Michaels, Kane, Big Show, all these veterans with years and years of experience.”
Mike Mondo was only in the wrestling business for four years at that point, but says he really took advantage of the situation and learned what he could.
“I don’t think they ever had a timeline for how long it was going to last. Because I remember showing up to TV and being told, ‘All right, this is the last week, guys.’ And then we’d get another month out of it,” Mondo noted. “It was basically just spur-of-the-moment decisions, and that’s pretty much how it ended. But I had a lot of great times, a lot of great experiences. It definitely elevated my game and helped shape me into the wrestler I am today.”
Mike Mondo can be seen on NWA Powerrr, airing each Tuesday on The Roku Channel.
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