Since the mid 2000s, The Miz has been one of the most enduring WWE Superstars. Entering the professional wrestling world as an outsider, largely due to his background in reality television, The Miz was on the back foot from the get-go. However, through hard work and cunning, he has been able to slowly crawl his way to the top of the largest wrestling company in the world. Nineteen championship wins are a collective testament to how far he’s come. To this day, he remains one of the featured stars on WWE programming.
When looking back on The Miz’s career, many fans will immediately look at his promo work. Seeing as how he’s often viewed as one of the most confident speakers in WWE, it may surprise new fans to know that one of his earliest segments ended in disaster. Enter the Diva Search promo on Monday Night RAW from July 10th, 2006, which saw The Miz flub miserably on live TV. Little did viewers at the time know that he would become one of the most comfortable stars on the mic, whether in the ring or outside venues like Talking Smack.
Given how many times The Miz excelled on the mic, it’s easy to forget his catalog of in-ring work. The “Most Must See” WWE Superstar has developed a methodical, underhanded style. When he faced wrestlers that performed athletic feats, The Miz would often find ways to cut their momentum, either in plain view of the official or behind their back. Nonetheless, he has gone on to perform solid matches against a variety of opponents. Today, on his 40th birthday, we celebrate the man himself. Here are the 5 matches of the Miz that, like the man himself, are “must see.”
The Miz vs. Sami Zayn vs. Cesaro vs. Kevin Owens (Extreme Rules – May 22, 2016)
If there is any one accolade synonymous with The Miz, it would be the WWE Intercontinental Championship. He won the title in question a total of eight times, amassing nearly 600 combined days as champion. One can argue that it was through his efforts that the title became more relevant than it had been in the years prior. The Miz treated as if it was just as important as the WWE or Universal Championships. This led to a number of incredible matches, including this particular fatal four-way at Extreme Rules in 2016.
This match was praised after it took place and for good reason. It accomplished numerous goals. First, it furthered the feud between Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens; Zayn struck Owens with a Helluva Kick mere seconds after the bell rang. From there, their animosity grew. Second, it highlighted the in-ring acumen of Cesaro, massive German suplexes, uppercut trains, and all. Cesaro was white-hot as a fan favorite during this period. Lastly, it exemplified the opportunistic nature of The Miz. Ultimately, he capitalized on Zayn’s Helluva Kick to Cesaro to retain his championship. The Miz excels at multi-man matches, as we will touch on again later, and this is one of the best examples to highlight this case.
The Miz vs. Jerry “The King” Lawler (Monday Night RAW – November 29, 2010)
Who would have thought that the loudmouth reality TV show star turned wrestler would become the WWE Champion? When The Miz won the Money in the Bank briefcase in July of 2010, it was difficult to imagine he would win the top prize in the company. Fast forward to November, when he cashed in his opportunity on a weakened Randy Orton. One Skull Crushing Finale later and The Miz reached his dream of becoming WWE Champion. When discussing The Miz’s matches as WWE Champion, many often look at WrestleMania XXVII, where he successfully defended his title against John Cena in the main event, with some interference from The Rock.
However, in terms of matches worth rewatching, his bout on RAW against Jerry “The King” Lawler the following November is highly underrated. Yes, Lawler was a full-time commentator by his point and past his in-ring prime. However, he put on his working boots in this rare RAW Tables, Ladders and Chairs Match. He looked competitive against The Miz, too. The crowd at the Wells Fargo Center was amped to potentially see Lawler win the title. The only downside of this match was interference from Michael Cole, who was in full heel mode during this time. Despite this, it remains a solid match that should be discussed more often.
The Miz vs. Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor (WrestleMania 34 – April 8, 2018)
When it comes to WrestleMania matches of The Miz to remember, one would have to fast forward eight years. As stated earlier, The Miz was an incredibly successful Intercontinental Champion. This would lead to WrestleMania 34, where he defended the strap to open the show proper. His opponents were Seth Rollins and Finn Balor, both of whom confronted the champion during the weeks leading up to this match. At WrestleMania 34, what culminated was another multi-man classic to add to The Miz’s pile.
Opening matches, whether at WrestleMania or otherwise, are used to excite crowds early on. The Miz, Rollins, and Balor did exactly that on this night, working a fast-paced style that allowed everyone to highlight their strengths. Furthermore, this match featured legitimate competition, as all men were former world champions. The fact that they fought so hard for the Intercontinental Championship only augmented the title’s importance. This was a match that I had the privilege of seeing live in New Orleans and the energy it brought couldn’t be denied.
The Miz vs. Dolph Ziggler (No Mercy – October 9, 2016)
In terms of The Miz’s pay-per-view showings in 2016, few were as strong as the ones against Dolph Ziggler. Fans today may know “The Show Off” as the braggadocious competitor on RAW Underground. Only a few years prior, he was a babyface with plenty of support. Furthermore, fans wanted to see him win the Intercontinental Championship, which The Miz had a stranglehold on. While The Miz and Ziggler had multiple matches together in 2016, such as at TLC in December, it was their No Mercy showdown two months prior that was arguably their best encounter.
Outside of the athleticism of this match, what made it memorable was the emotion. Only a few months before, The Miz had his memorable Talking Smack promo on Daniel Bryan. Furthermore, The Miz personally attacked Ziggler, taunting his parents and mocking his career. At No Mercy, Ziggler was not only fighting for the Intercontinental Championship but his career, the latter of which he put on the line in order for The Miz to agree to this match. Simply put, this match is a feather in the individual caps of The Miz and Ziggler.
The Miz vs. Daniel Bryan (Night of Champions – September 19, 2010)
Without question, the most iconic rivalry of The Miz is the one he has had with Daniel Bryan. This took root in February of 2010, during the first season of NXT. The Miz served as the “Pro” of Bryan, who entered the show as a “Rookie.” This partnership proved to be a powder keg. The differing philosophies of these men clashed time and time again. Once NXT concluded, and Bryan returned as a babyface following his real-life firing, it only made sense for his feud with The Miz to continue. Their first major match occurred the following September at Night of Champions. On this night, Bryan challenged The Miz for the WWE United States Championship.
Months of frustration and abuse led to this match, where Bryan finally unloaded on The Miz. This match was an uphill battle, not only due to The Miz’s nefarious antics but the added element of Alex Riley, who had been recruited by the loudmouthed United States Champion as a protege of sorts. Bryan had to utilize every technical maneuver and submission attempt in his arsenal if he had any chance of overcoming the odds. This feud would persist in the years to come, even when Bryan was disallowed from in-ring competition. This match’s importance to said feud can’t be understated.
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