Interview: The Miz talks Maryse's return after pregnancy, blurring the lines between kayfabe & reality and more

We had an opportunity to speak to SmackDown Live superstar The Miz the other day. We spoke to him briefly about the latest happenings in his career and the trajectory of it, among other things. You'll be quite interested to find out what The A-Lister told us.

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SK: Maryse made a quick in-ring comeback, just 5 months after childbirth. What were your thoughts on her comeback? Were you nervous, excited, or both?

Miz: "A little bit of all it. I know her dedication, I know her work ethic, no one works harder to get back to the ring. She must be the fastest out of anyone who had a pregnancy in WWE history to make a comeback.

And to have Brie Bella & Maryse main event SmackDown Live. Two moms going head to head. I mean, that is just amazing and it just goes to show that her work ethic and her ability is something else.

I always say, she has the best genetics I've ever seen. And it's absolutely incredible and she worked very hard for it and it just goes to show that hard work pays off."

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SK: One of the reasons there was such interest in your feud with John Cena and Nikki Bella was because no one knew where the line was being drawn between fiction and reality. Where do you feel a performer has to draw the line between what's real and what's not?

Miz: "I just go out there and do whatever it takes to make the audience believe in what I'm doing and if it needs to get personal, it'll get personal. Sometimes you don't need that. I mean, between John & Nikki and Maryse and myself, there was a lot of backstory.

And so it helped us out during that program. And it worked. It got people invested and it got people talking."

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SK: Since 2016, you've jumped brands every time there's been a Superstar Shake-Up? How do you feel about switching back and forth every year? Do you feel like it always leads to unfinished business?

Miz: "In the superstar shake-up, I've switched brands every time. I think I'm the only superstar to do that. And it just goes to show that every brand wants me and that's a nice feeling. However, whenever I switch to the other brand, I feel like I'm on the verge of becoming WWE or Universal Champion or I'm in an upwards trajectory where I feel I'm doing good and I'm on my groove, and then I get switched.

Whenever you get switched to a new show, it kind of ruffles those feathers. It ruffles that upward trajectory, that upward plan. Then you have to basically prove yourself each and every time. And I'm not one of those guys that's been given everything or thrown things my way. I have to work for everything and it's just one of those things. I'm not a guy that gets looked at like that.

So I have to work for it and I have to prove myself each and every time even though I don't feel like I need to. I feel like I'm one of the best out there."

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