Former American Gladiator Host Mike Adamle Joins WWE

[Enigma 0]

WWE.Com

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As co-host of the original American Gladiators series, Mike Adamle has witnessed his fair share of punches, kicks and body slams. Good thing, too. All the better to prepare him for his latest role: WWE on-air personality.

 

Best known for his Gladiator role (1989 – 1996), Adamle joins the WWE broadcast team this Sunday at the Royal Rumble, where he'll get his feet wet interviewing Superstars. From there, Adamle will join team Raw on Monday nights doing, as he describes it, "a little bit of everything."

 

Growing up near Chicago, the sportscaster says his ties to wrestling go way back. "I remember going to see matches with my Dad and my sister," Adamle fondly recalls. "We would watch Bobo Brazil do his move called the Coco BUTT, [a head BUTT]."

 

Adamle says he appreciates the innovation of Superstars such as "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and current American Gladiators co-host Hulk Hogan.

 

"Anytime you have an athlete who's remembered years afterward, that's special," he says.

 

These days, Adamle admires a host of Superstars, but when pressed on which pair he'd particularly be thrilled to see clash, the man who's covered two Olympic Games doesn't hesitate.

 

"Triple H going up against Randy Orton would be a great match," replies Adamle. "You've got two tremendous athletes and a lot of showmanship."

 

As a former NFL running back in the early 1970s, Adamle says he's encouraged by the showier aspects of sports-entertainment.

 

"Even as a [football player], I always felt I was an entertainer first," he says. "After I'd make a great play on special teams, I'd try to wave to the crowd. Now, when someone scores a touchdown and celebrates, they're penalized. In the WWE, they're encouraged."

 

Adamle's NFL days may be behind him, but that doesn't mean he's confined to the couch. Several years ago, after feeling a few aches and pains and having put on some extra poundage, Adamle decided to refocus by training for a triathlon. "I finished in about 14 hours," recalls Adamle of his first crack at the competition.

 

Since then, he's competed in four more triathlons and shaved roughly two hours off his time. Despite being so fit, however, Adamle says he's more comfortable interviewing Superstars as opposed to battling them.

 

"I feel like I'm not big enough to compete against these guys," says the 5-foot-9-inch Adamle, with a chuckle. "They'd have to start me off against Hornswoggle."

 

 

[Black Lushus 0]

whoa...I'm not sure about this one. Can't be any worse than Michael Cole...but Adamle gives me a Schiavonne vibe.

[Slickster 0]

HELL FUCKING YES.

 

All we need is to replace the Royal Rumble with the Eliminator.

[Jaxxson Mayhem 0]

This might be a good thing.

 

He was good on American Gladiator.

[Thanks for the Fish 0]

Probably an FU to Hogan somewhere in this news...

[DerangedHermit 0]

Probably an FU to Hogan somewhere in this news...

An FU to Hogan? DO NOT GIVE THE WWE ANY IDEAS.

[MillenniumMan831 0]

Colin Delaney unable to get any offense on Big Daddy V. He still has zero points heading into the Eliminator Chamber Larry, I mean Joey.

[The Truthiness 0]

Damn, Its The 'lets look for younger guys, without Southern accent, so we can fire JR" season again? I though surely they'd wait until atleast 2010.

 

[St. Gabe 0]

Adamle is a consomate professional. He has been on NBC 5 in Chicago as a sports anchor for the last few years and does an impeccable job. He brings a level of professionalism and poise that no one..NO ONE save JR brings to either Raw or Smackdown, it's a great move by Vince. If anyone has the ability to eventually take over for JR successfully, it would be this guy. Great move.

[geniusMoment 0]

Damn, Its The 'lets look for younger guys, without Southern accent, so we can fire JR" season again? I though surely they'd wait until atleast 2010.

Considering he was an NFL player in the early 70's he might be older than JR, not younger than him.

[DerangedHermit 0]

Damn, Its The 'lets look for younger guys, without Southern accent, so we can fire JR" season again? I though surely they'd wait until atleast 2010.

Considering he was an NFL player in the early 70's he might be older than JR, not younger than him.

I was like "you're thinking of Larry Czonka" but holy crap, I didn't realize Mike Adamle was also a former NFL player as well.

 

Also Mike Adamle is 58, 2 years older than JR. (Compare to Gene Okerlund who is 69 and Bobby Heenan who is 63)

 

Here are the ages of the commentary teams:

Tazz: 40

Joey Styles: 36

JR: 56

Jerry Lawler: 58

Coach: 35

Michael Cole: 39

[The Tino Standard 0]

LOVE Mike Adamle and was pissed when he didn't get the AG hosting gig. I can really see him doing well with this.

[cabbageboy 0]

The dude already made a major miscue at the Rumble tonight calling Jeff Hardy "Jest Harvey" or something like that.

[Slickster 0]

Adamle looked out of place tonight. He'd work better backstage or in a studio position.

[BifEverchad 0]

The dude already made a major miscue at the Rumble tonight calling Jeff Hardy "Jest Harvey" or something like that.

It was "Jeff Harvey".

 

Big fucking deal. Don't make it out to be worse than it was, it was a simple mistake.

Considering it was the guys first night on the job, cut him some slack.

He seems like he'll be just fine, kinda brings some legitimacy to the broadcast team.

[The Tino Standard 0]

Give Adamle a couple shows to familiarize himself with the current roster, and he'll be fine. Probably not the best idea to debut him on major PPV trying to set up storylines that he hasn't even been around for. Even when he made the mistake with Hardy's name, he immediately realized his error and corrected himself.

 

After seeing just about every American Gladiators episode ever, trust me when I tell you Mike Adamle isn't just another clueless microphone stand they've hired to try to get rid of JR.

[Hawk 34 0]

I just hope this means the end of Todd Grisham.

[majormayhem1 0]

He is the ultimate Sean Mooney and I mean that in the sincerest way possible. He adds a whole other level of professionalism to announce team and I'm glad to see him with the company.

[Enigma 0]

PWInsider is reporting that Mike Adamle is done with WWE. Both sides agreed that he just wasn't cut out for the job and agreed to part ways.

[ChrisMWaters 0]

PWInsider is reporting that Mike Adamle is done with WWE. Both sides agreed that he just wasn't cut out for the job and agreed to part ways.

Now who will be the BUTT of everyone's jokes in WWE?

[PILLS! PILLS! PILLS! 0]

So leave the memories alone...

[Silence 0]

Now who will be the BUTT of everyone's jokes in WWE?

 

Michael Cole.

 

"Batista! The animal is unleashed!"

 

It's just as bad as JR getting a boner for Stone Cold.

[ChrisMWaters 0]

Now who will be the BUTT of everyone's jokes in WWE?

 

Michael Cole.

 

"Batista! The animal is unleashed!"

 

It's just as bad as JR getting a boner for Stone Cold.

That's what SHE said.

[Psycho Penguin 0]

I hope he gets a nice severance package. I didn't mind the guy.

[2GOLD 0]

 

Which part of the job wasn't he cut out for? The walking out and setting up matches or the walking out and umm...telling wrestlers they would be forced into matches?

 

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

If anyone has the ability to eventually take over for JR successfully, it would be this guy. Great move

 

He seems like he'll be just fine

 

Give Adamle a couple shows to familiarize himself with the current roster, and he'll be fine

 

Full of Epic Fail.

 

Given how well Adamle apparently did on AG, maybe giving him him bullet points rather than a whole bunch of lines to memorize would have been a better way to go.

 

 

[Enigma 0]

You have to remember too that American Gladiators was never live.

[Chazz 0]

I hope he gets a nice severance package. I didn't mind the guy.

 

I read somewhere that he signed a one year deal for aprox. $300,000. They'll just have to eat the final couple months of his contract while Adamle gets paid to sit at home.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

Season 1 of AG was on CityTV here during the summer. It was pretty amusing watching Adamle run through the games to explain them (especially Assault).

 

Here's some random non-wrestling Adamle stuff from the you tube:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Enigma 0]

That 24/7 logo looks a bit familiar...