The Miz recently opened up about the difficult start to his WWE career and explained how those experiences shaped the way he now treats younger talent backstage.
Before becoming one of WWE’s most recognizable veteran stars, The Miz struggled to gain acceptance inside the locker room because of his reality television background. Many wrestlers questioned whether he truly belonged in WWE, and at one point he was even banned from the locker room for several months.
Despite the criticism, The Miz continued working to prove himself and eventually earned respect throughout the company. Now, years later, he says those painful experiences motivate him to make sure new WWE talent never feels isolated the way he once did.
Speaking on Almost Athletes with Dude Perfect, The Miz explained that he takes his role as a locker room leader very seriously and wants younger wrestlers to feel supported when they arrive in WWE.
“My job right now as a WWE Superstar is to make sure that when new people come into WWE, they are successful in everything they can possibly do,” Miz said. “That is our job, to make sure they’re successful and to make them feel as comfortable as possible.”
The former WWE Champion admitted that he personally never felt comfortable during the early stages of his career because he was treated differently due to his time on The Real World.
“I was ostracized. I was thrown out of the locker room. I was not wanted because everyone was like, ‘He’s from The Real World. He just wants another 15 minutes of fame,’” Miz explained.
According to The Miz, many people backstage failed to understand how passionate he truly was about professional wrestling growing up. Because of that experience, he now works hard to create a more welcoming atmosphere for newer WWE Superstars.
“I don’t want anyone to ever feel that coming into WWE,” he said. “I want the best possible performance ever.”
The Miz also praised WWE’s current backstage environment, calling it the best locker room atmosphere he has seen during his career. He explained that talent now spends time together backstage, watches each other’s matches, and constantly shares advice to help improve performances.
“Our locker room has literally mended together and is probably the best locker room I’ve seen,” Miz said. “We sit there and play video games. We talk to one another. We observe each other’s matches, give tips, give everything.”
He also defended WWE’s Netflix series Unreal, saying the show gives fans a realistic look at how much work goes into producing WWE programming. While some wrestling veterans reportedly dislike the series, The Miz said he appreciates how it highlights the contributions of everyone involved behind the scenes.
“Every single person counts,” Miz explained. “Whether you’re the microphone person or lighting or cameras, everything matters. Every person that works for WWE matters.”
