10 Wrestling Facts We Didn't Know Last Week (Jan 18)

9. Elijah Burke Turned Down The Spirit Squad Gimmick

D'Angelo Dinero, Elijah Burke
ImpactWrestling.com

Speaking of cringeworthy, here's a little story on Kenny, Johnny, Mitch, Nicky and Mikey, collectively known as The Spirit Squad back in 2006.

On Jim Cornette's Drive-Thru podcast, the legendary manager, booker and announcer revealed that somebody else was supposed to be in the faction, but he wanted nothing to do with it. That man was Elijah Burke (who would go on to become 'Pope' D'Angelo Dinero in TNA). To him, a male cheerleading gimmick would be the kiss of death.

Corny worked with Burke in WWE's then-developmental system OVW, and so he'd know first hand about the hopes and fears of fledgling talent. Elijah, likely feeling the idea didn't have a lot of staying power, spurned the chance to join Dolph Ziggler in green and get walloped by D-Generation X.

In hindsight, he was right, but it was hardly an improvement when he appeared later the same year as Sylvester Terkay's cornerman. You win some and you lose some, it seems.

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