Pro wrestling veteran and TNA Wrestling star Nic Nemeth recently appeared on Caged Minds Combat Sports News to discuss various topics, including his initial reaction to the Spirit Squad gimmick.
Nemeth said, “So at first, I was told, ‘Hey, Kurt Angle is doing great. Maybe we’ll do something where he’s your mentor.’ And I go, ‘This is — he’s my hero in real life. This is the greatest thing that could ever happen.’ And they brought me into TV and Vince told us that we’re going to be a group of cheerleaders. And my heart dropped into my stomach and I was like, ‘Oh, okay. I guess I can quit, right?’ No, I was just — my heart was broken. And then once you realize what the situation is, you go, ‘Hey, I worked my whole life to get a shot. Just to get a shot at being on TV with this company. I’m not gonna halfway do this or complain.’ I go, ‘I’m going for it. I’m gonna try and make this happen the best.’”
On the benefits of being in the Spirit Squad:
“And what turned out is, it becomes almost a 12-month run. Ric Flair was an honorary member of DX. So on live events, it would be Shawn Michaels, Triple H, and Ric Flair. And they would rotate two of those three guys every weekend, because they were still working full-time live events. So for three nights a week for six months, we get to be in the ring with three of the greatest of all time. So I’m going, ‘Oh man, what are we doing? We’re getting beat up.’ Meanwhile, I’m learning the business 10 times more intensely from some of the greats on a full-time basis. That was the greatest training I could ever, ever have. Learning from those guys as we moved on, and then when we moved on to different opponents, I could apply some of the greats’ input into our matches. It really — it’s the reason I got so good so fast, is because you get to be out there. And you’re like getting in the rub as like, ‘Hey you’re on screen with John Cena. Isn’t that cool?’ Like this is being in the ring for 30 minutes three nights a week with some of the greatest of all time and learning directly from them.”
You can check out the complete podcast in the video below.
(H/T to 411Mania.com for transcribing the above quotes)
