AEW star recalls backstage meeting with The Miz: "That is the person and performer that I want to be like"

Despite the rivalry between WWE and AEW, many stars have been influenced by their contemporaries across the promotional divide. WWE Superstar The Miz has become one of the wrestling industry's most successful veterans despite having spent years enduring negativity from a large section of fans. AEW star Ethan Page recently expressed his admiration for The Awesome One.

The Miz has carved his place in the annals of WWE and will be remembered as a multi-time champion and engaging personality when he ultimately hangs up his boots. It speaks to his impact on the industry that several of today's top stars have been compared to The A-Lister, such as All Elite Wrestling's MJF.

Ethan Page is finding his own place in the business, having recently transitioned from AEW to ROH. In a recent interview with Bragman Breakdown, the Canadian star told a story from his early days in wrestling when he was working as an extra for WWE while touring the independent scene:

"I did extra work, very young, I think I was 22, or 23 years old. Still only doing independents. This was pre-IMPACT, pre-EVOLVE even. I was there for extra work, and I was waiting to sign in, you have to fill out these waivers. As I'm waiting, The Miz walks down the hallway. I had greeted maybe a couple of wrestlers at this point. First time I'd ever been backstage, so I was blown away at the whole larger-than-life atmosphere of it, I'd only seen what was on-screen, so my mind was blown. I see The Miz walk by."

The 34-year-old went on to explain how The Miz inspired him:

"He stops to say hello to every extra, every staff member. These are people just filing papers. It didn't matter who it was, he stopped and said hi to everyone. He stops in the admin room to double-check his charity appearances. As he's double-checking, they are adding more to his plate. 'Do you mind stopping to read to kids for Be A Star?' 'Yeah, no problem. Whatever you need. You know that.' I have the clearest mental picture of that experience that I have tried to recreate in my career to give that same...the feeling I got watching it, I was like, 'Oh, that's how you do this job right.' That is the person and performer that I want to be like." [H/T: Fightful].

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AEW star Ethan Page on working with the Hardys and Isiah Kassidy

Ethan Page hasn't found a lot of success throughout his time in AEW, but he's kept his head up and continued putting on the best performances he can.

The 34-year-old has found enjoyment in performing alongside All Elite Wrestling's other stars and is especially grateful to have worked with The Hardy Boyz.

In the same interview, Page described what it was like to work with the wrestling legends:

"For me, honestly, the highlight was when I was with the Hardy Boys. I felt like I was living a dream. I had the opportunity to make our entrance and dance, and I was also close friends with Isiah Kassidy, so working with him as a team was fantastic, although in a somewhat irregular way. We even proposed calling ourselves the 'Moan Event', since Isiah had his moaning feature and we weren't doing much at the time. The ultimate goal was to get to the point where I could be released from my contract with Matt Hardy. Unfortunately, we lost in a fight at his house, in the big fight at the Hardy Compound, and he ended up controlling my contract." [h/t Fightful]

Ethan Page marked his first appearance in All Elite Wrestling during the Face of the Revolution Ladder match at AEW Revolution 2021. This thrilling match also showcased the presence of former AEW star Cody Rhodes.

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What would you consider The Miz a heel or a babyface? Let us know in the comments section.