What if The Miz becomes the new leader of the Yes Movement?

As recently as the turn of the year, it would have been hard to imagine The Miz working as one of WWE’s top faces. The transition has happened, though, and perhaps most remarkably of all, fans have begun to cheer Miz on in specific ways that they used to support Daniel Bryan.

Indeed, Miz started using his “it kicks” and other bits of offense as a parody of Bryan, but the fans have started unironically chanting “Yes!” for the A-Lister when he hits these moves. Add in Miz feuding with Shane McMahon, including an underdog face versus politically powerful heel dynamic, and Miz has more face momentum behind than ever before in his career.

What if WWE were to go all the way with this push, essentially casting Miz as a new version of a character much like Daniel Bryan? In other words, what if he were to become the new leader of the Yes Movement? This article takes a look at the possibilities.

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#4. Channeling Jerry Lawler

Based on his ring style and the way he leans on his gift for gab, The Miz could learn a lot from Jerry Lawler

In contrast to Daniel Bryan, whose fast pace and technical style won over hardcore fans, before his charisma tapped into the larger WWE consciousness, The Miz is a different kind of worker. His less complex, more methodical style is largely emblematic of his WWE foundation—never having worked in places like Ring of Honor or New Japan, but rather coming up in the WWE system and growing as a performer before our eyes.

No, Miz is never going to be a Daniel Bryan, but he could emulate a guy like Jerry Lawler, whose promos, charisma, and fire in the ring captured the imagination of his regional audience to elevate him to all time legendary status.

Miz stepping into the role of organic crowd favorite will have less to do with learning new moves and upping his work rate than tapping into the psyche of fans and coming to represent them as a relateable and inspiring character.

#3. Challenging the authority

The Miz's feud with Shane McMahon could give way to a full-blown anti-authority story arc

One of the calling cards of Daniel Bryan’s rise to the top of WWE was the natural anti-authority storyline that developed around him. Unlike guys like Roman Reigns who have had storylines like this thrust upon them at different times, despite clearly being the corporate chosen one behind the scenes, Bryan really felt like a fan favorite whom fans wanted to see overcome the powers that be. The Miz could tap into a similar ethos.

There’s a fair argument to be made that WWE has run the anti-authority hero angle into the ground. Indeed, just as attempts to recreate the super hero dynamics of Hulk Hogan fell flat when assigned to guys like Diesel and Lex Luger, attempts at recapturing the magic of Stone Cold Steve Austin have mostly fallen flat.

Bryan proved that it’s not impossible to touch fans in a similar spot, though, and with the right storyline work, Miz could feasibly find himself in a similar position in the not too distant future.

#2. Another world title reign in his future

The Miz could be en route all the way back to the top of WWE

If The Miz were to succeed at ensnaring fans and becoming their organic choice for top star in WWE, we can only assume that WWE would reward his efforts with another world title reign.

There’s a certain level on which Miz attaining that goal doesn’t seem so unreasonable. After all, he is a former world champion and even won a WrestleMania main event in that run. However, that reign is largely looked at as having been too much too soon for The A Lister and it’s telling that he’s never really broached tip-top star status in the eight years to follow.

Miz threatened to break through to the top with his inspired heel work on each brand since the rosters split in 2016. It’s not beyond possibility that his face character could achieve similar success if booked properly, and wind up bringing The Miz to new heights.

#1. Revisiting the Daniel Bryan issue

Another feud between The Miz and Daniel Bryan may be inevitable

Throughout the on again, off again Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz feud that spanned over eight years of WWE programming, it was hard to imagine this rivalry taking shape with The Miz as the hero and Bryan as the villain.

A lot has changed. In 2019, Bryan is playing one of WWE’s very best heel characters, coming off his WWE Championship reign that saw him carry the title into WreslteMania. By contrast, Miz is more organically over as a face than he ever has been before.

If Miz does reach the top, and claims the Yes Movement as his own, it would only be natural for Bryan to coming knocking on his door, embittered at his old rival stealing a whole swathe of his identity.

The feud could be interesting, as could the prospect of the two eventually mending fences. After all, their first WWE interactions were as makeshift partners in the original NXT, and it could be fascinating to see WWE take a new spin on that oddball dynamic.