The exchange between Daniel Bryan and The Miz on WWE Talking Smack earlier this week was nothing short of brilliant. The promo that the Intercontinental Champion cut while taking offense to comments made by the former WWE World Champion was something that CM Punk would have been proud of.
For years, The Miz has been a solid wrestler, a great voice on the mic and the guy who is married to the woman most of us would fantasize about when we were teenagers. Ok, some of us still fantasize about her as adults.
Mike Mizanin is one of the most underrated, underutilized performers in WWE, period. Right now, he could be the biggest misuse of talent on the company roster, sans Kevin Owens. That’s another column altogether.
Bryan minced a few words when he said he did not want The Miz, rather the Intercontinental Title, on Smackdown Live. It was a shot fired at the wrestler Bryan thinks wrestles like a coward when he steps in a ring with his lovely sidekick outside the squared circle, sometimes helping her beau to victory. It is the kindest form of flattery in my estimation and a tribute to just how well Miz’s current persona gets over with WWE fans.
A true heel champion is a bit better in the ring, looks the part and in this case, says the right things. This guy was a reality star before he decided to roll around on a mat for a living. As a person, Mizanin was perfect for professional wrestling and vice versa. In 10 years, we have gotten all parts of a solid heel – like him or not. All things aside from Bryan, an implosion like this only helps him get over with the fans and makes the McMahons see more dollar signs.
Does this set up a “one more match” scenario between the two? I’m not sure it was intended to do so. Bryan put his “employee” over by saying nothing after the tired, walking off the set and leaving host Renee Young to pick up the pieces. It is an architectural masterpiece.
The Miz is the type of wrestler my generation would have loved to hate in the mid-1980s in the NWA or AWA. He could have been a Tully Blanchard-type performer, potentially a Four Horseman candidate and a savant much like Nick Bockwinkle was in the Verne Gagne’s kingdom. I used to think the Damien Sandow character was the most disrespected performer on WWE’s roster, now, I’m not so sure. If The Miz isn’t the most, then he might be a close second.
I doubt seriously if WWE would consider giving him another run at a company title, but he is every bit important to the growth of the mid-card players. My only criticism of him is he must learn to help develop the younger talent who are now part of the roster he has seniority on. Great heels know how to make solid babyfaces look good. Only then, can we define The Miz’s true greatness.
What comes of the confrontation, which would have sold Smackdown Live as the bad ass program it wants to be, is unknown. I suspect it could lead to a confrontation in the ring between the two. For now, I am not sold on Bryan’s general manager act. I am, however, sold on The Miz and have been for some time. Whatever does happen, the company should build on this impromptu confrontation and see how many miles they can get out of it.
