Photo courtesy The Miz, Official WWE Universe Facebook Page
These are good times for former WWE Champion The Miz.
Like Tim Tebow, The Miz has fallen far off the radar. It’s hard to believe that he headlined WrestleMania not too long ago against John Cena.
The WWE tried The Miz as a babyface, as a heel, as an announcer, and in WWE films. The Miz’s demise, however, is not entirely his fault. The problem is that he has never really had anyone great to feud with.
The Miz never had that great feud that turned him into a top-level superstar. Diamond Dallas Page had Randy Savage. Stone Cold Steve Austin had Bret “The Hitman” Hart. Razor Ramon had Shawn Michaels.
The Miz never had anyone to get him “over.” As popular as John Cena is, he’s never been able to really get another superstar over. Like The Rock, Hulk Hogan and The Ultimate Warrior, Cena’s entire gimmick is based on getting his character over. And inside the ring, Cena could never make a superstar out of one of his opponents. He’s just not that good inside the ring.
The Miz needs a Ric Flair or Shawn Michaels to take him to the limit and elevate his wrestling ability. Flair made guys like Luger, Sting and Dusty Rhodes. Michaels made just about everybody he stepped into the ring with a better wrestler, from Vader and Mick Foley, to John Cena and Triple H.
If the WWE wants The Miz to become a top-level baby face, he needs to play a top-level heel and be in a months-long feud against a top guy. If these put on great matches, the fans would respond and The Miz would have found an opponent to work with.
