Professional wrestlers have all kinds of different backgrounds.
While there are plenty of wrestlers who get involved because of their love for the business, others come after successful careers in other sports.
Numerous WWE Superstars are former football players (Roman Reigns, Goldberg), gymnasts (Tiffany Stratton),
Now, WWE can add a cheerleader to that list.
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Recently, Danielle Sekelsky, a former NFL cheerleader for the Tennessee Titans, announced on Instagram that she had begun training for WWE NXT.
“LIFE UPDAAAATE that I’ve been waiting to share with y’all for some time now!” Sekelsky said. “Back in April, I attended the Wrestlemania tryout in Philadelphia, and fast forward… I packed up and moved to Orlando to start training with WWE in July!”
“To say I’m grateful for this opportunity is the understatement of the century and to say I’m HUNGRY for my future with this company is a FACT. Thank you [WWE NXT] and WWE Recruit] now it’s time to bring a lil’ spirit into this NXT locker room.”
Apart from the NFL, Sekelsky was also a cheerleader for Penn State and is a cheerleading World Champion.
WWE NXT also shared an image on X of Sekelsky alongside other members of her NXT class.
Other wrestlers in the photo include Leigh Laurel and Penina Tuilaepa.
Sekesky isn’t the first cheerleader to find her way over to WWE.
Former WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion, WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion, and Women’s Money in the Bank winner Carmella spent three seasons with the New England Patriots and was a member of the Los Angeles Lakers dance team.
Additionally, former WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion and WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Naomi was a member of the Orlando Magic cheerleading squad and dance team.
Finally, Alpha Academy member Maxxine Dupri is a former Phoenix Suns dancer and Los Angeles Rams Cheerleader.
Additionally, there used to be an entire cheerleading faction in WWE called the Spirit Squad, although the team is looked back on less fondly than the previous three wrestlers.
The Spirit Squad was made up of five male cheerleaders. At one point, they won the WWE World Tag Team Championship.
The most notable wrestlers to come out of the group were the leader, Kenny Dykstra, and Nick Nemeth, AKA Dolph Ziggler. Nemeth went on to hold the World Heavyweight Championship twice.
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