Skip to main content
Inside The Ropes
  • News

    WWE News

    AEW logo for their Dynamite TV show

    AEW News

    Japan News

    Wrestling News

  • Features
    10 Former WWE Superstars We'd Like To See Return Under The Triple H Regime

    10 Former WWE Superstars We’d Like To See Return Under The Triple H Regime

    AEW Battle of the Belts

    How To Improve AEW Battle Of The Belts

    Shooting Star Press

    5 Most Insanely Dangerous Pro Wrestling Moves

    5 Times The Undertaker Was Genuinely Scary

    5 Times The Undertaker Was Genuinely Scary

  • Interviews
    Rick Boogs

    Interview With Rick Boogs

    JONAH

    Interview With JONAH

    Rosemary Interview

    Interview With Rosemary

    Jay White

    Interview With Jay White

  • Podcasts
    Power Slam Podcast #251 – Post SummerSlam RAW, Pat McAfee & More

    Listen
    What’s Going Down #85 – SummerSlam, Ric Flair & More

    Listen
    Wrestling Roast #70 – Tractors, Returns & Retirements

    Listen
    Power Slam Podcast #250 – Triple H As Head Of Creative, WrestleMania 40 & More

    Listen
  • Quizzes
    Play Word Rumble

    Play Word Rumble

    WWE logo

    Can You Name Every WWE Pay-per-view?

    WWE Survivor Series sole survivors quiz

    Can You Name All The WWE Survivor Series Sole Survivors?

    WWE Smackdown logo

    Can You Name Every Wrestler That Competed On The First SmackDown?

  • Live Tours
  • Shop
    Magazine
    Clothing
    Accessories
    Collectibles
  • Trending
  • Follow us:
    • Facebook Facebook
    • Twitter Twitter
    • Instagram Instagram
  • Watch us:
    • YouTube YouTube
    • Twitch Twitch
  • Subscribe to the Magazine
  • Play Word Rumble
WWE News

Dolph Ziggler Says He’s “10 Times Better” Because Of The Spirit Squad

By Lyle Kilbane. Published 18th May 2021.
Spirit Squad

Dolph Ziggler says his early experiences on the main roster of WWE were pivotal in making him the enduring competitor he is today.

Ziggler made his WWE debut as Nicky, one-fifth of the male cheerleading group, The Spirit Squad. Alongside Kenny, Johnny, Mikey, and Mitch the group debuted on Raw in January 2006. They soon became an integral part of the ongoing feud at the time between Vince McMahon and Shawn Michaels.

Using their significant numbers advantage they helped the villainous WWE Chairman in his vendetta against Michaels, and later his DX teammate Triple H. One night after WrestleMania 22, the group became World Tag Team Champions when they defeated Big Show and Kane for the gold.

The Spirit Squad then had the longest tag team title reign in WWE for ten years before they lost the belts to Ric Flair and Rowdy Roddy Piper.

It was being in the ring with these legends and WWE Hall Of Famers that Ziggler says helped his development as a wrestler immensely.

Speaking on the Out Of Character podcast, Ziggler explained:

“Being in the ring with Shawn Michaels, Vince McMahon, Triple H, Roddy Piper, Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes – anyone you can imagine – getting those few minutes on TV, that juicy TV time, is amazing, and you learn.

“But our live events on the weekends, where we got Ric and Shawn and Hunter rotating in and out, tagging against us three, four nights a week, and the main event of the show, that is where you learn so much.”

“Because of that Spirit Squad one year, I am 10 times better than I should’ve been, no matter how hard I try, because of that experience with all those legends. There’s no way you can ever replicate that in a school or even on television.”

The Spirit Squad group came to an end when they were packaged up and posted back to ‘OVW, Louisville, Kentucky’ which was WWE’s developmental territory at the time.

Ziggler became the stand out of the group, re-debuting under his new name and character in 2008. Since then Dolph Ziggler has captured the Intercontinental six times and is a two-time World Champion. His second of those wins came as a result of cashing in his Money In The Bank contract the night after WrestleMania 29.

Credit: Out Of Character podcast

  • Facebook
    Share
  • Twitter
    Tweet
  • WhatsApp
    Send
  • Share

Popular Stories

  1. Former WWE Superstar Details Wanting To Sleep With Paul Heyman
  2. Jim Cornette Responds To Triple H’s Wrestling Moves Comments
  3. Asuka Wants A Tag Team Partner, Ex-WWE Star Responds
  4. Former WWE Diva Opens Up About Heat With Batista
  5. AEW Star Hidden For “Not Being Friends With The Boss” – Jim Cornette
  6. USA Network Pitched Interim Raw World Title During Roman Reigns’ Reign
  7. Corey Graves Airs Frustration At WWE In Now-Deleted Tweet
  8. “Tony’s Struggling” – Dave Meltzer On Growing Gap Between AEW & WWE
  9. Backstage Reason Why AJ Styles Won The WWE Championship In The UK
  10. WWE Star Seemingly Suffers Head Injury During Live Event
Inside The Ropes
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Podcasts
  • Magazine
  • Write For Us
  • Facebook Facebook
  • Twitter Twitter
  • Instagram Instagram
  • YouTube YouTube
  • Twitch Twitch
© 2022 ITR Digital Media Limited. Read about our privacy policy.