The Miz is one of WWE’s most successful stars, but his journey started with serious doubt.
Speaking with Chris Van Vliet, The Miz revealed that after taking his first bump at Ultimate Pro Wrestling 20 years ago, he questioned if he was cut out for the business. He spent the next three years struggling to get noticed by major promotions like WWE or companies in Japan.
Miz described the mental exhaustion of balancing his reality TV fame with the harsh realities of independent wrestling. He recalled cutting promos as “The Miz” for thousands of college students because of his Real World fame, only to wrestle in back alleys for $20—or nothing—the very next night.
“It was like that kind of contrast,” Miz said. “But I was learning the art of professional wrestling while also doing speeches in front of 1000s of people. It was preparing me.”
