A second week in a row, the Intercontinental Championship has been the centre of attention for both fans and critics in the wrestling world. The person responsible – the champ himself – The Miz. His incredible promo on Talking Smack last week turned all eyes on him and his gold. The fans seemed to be bewildered by the fact that the Miz was great at cutting promos. So much so, that the rumor about it being a shoot got considerably popular. Obviously, the whole confrontation with Daniel Bryan was scripted but the emotion, displayed by the Miz made even the skeptics wonder. Tears in his eyes, cracks in his voice, staring daringly at the camera, the A-lister delivered the full package. Then again, doesn’t he always?
If there’s one thing the Miz is good at, it’s talking. Yes, he was clumsy and made mistakes when he started off in thw WWE but he shook off all the embarrassment and moved on because he had the desire to make it. In the ring, he’s not outstanding, but he’s a solid worker. Therefore, in a business where entertainment is the main money-bringer, the A-lister always had a place. All he said was true – talk shows, movies, ads – the Miz was one of the main superstars, representing the WWE. It’s not a job for everyone. And in the ring with Miz TV, he never stopped talking. This is why it surprised me that the fans realized his potential just now. What made this specific promo that much more exciting? The answer is – realism.
Both Dolph and the Miz now, have delivered post-show promos that made the WWE Universe question their authenticity. The one thing that connects their speeches is the truth. The things that were said were so close to home that the emotion, invested in them, looked genuine. The Miz has always been a coward heel but acknowledging the fans’ perception of his own character is something new. Mixing that with his real-life duties as a member of the WWE roster, made the whole thing feel too real to be scripted. It was the same with those couple of promos that Dolph once did backstage, in which he complained about giving it all, delivering and then being told that he wasn’t good enough. And then, the WWE decided to take these two with their painfully realistic promos and stick them together in a battle of words this week on SmackDown Live.
If Talking Smack was considered to touch upon delicate topics, then Ziggler’s promo last night stuck its hand right in the Miz’s feelings and ripped his heart out. Dolph talked about the difference between a good showman and a great wrestler – the second of which Miz has never been. You must have a tough skin to take that type of storyline. This is where the Miz’s dedication to the business shows through. The tangible feelings in the arena last night and the week before in the studio, drew the WWE Universe to the IC title. Miz was correct when he said that this championship had lost the glory it used to have. This kind of a story, fueled by so many emotions is bound to make the IC title relevant again, even if it’s just for a short while. Being able to create that sort of a buzz by cutting one single promo makes the Miz a worthy champion. Then again, as he spoke last night about the numerous men who failed at being champions and so dragged the IC title down, I couldn’t help but think that both the Miz and Dolph Ziggler both fall into that category. They haven’t changed, the title hasn’t changed and yet, this time around, things look much more entertaining. What has changed then?
The answer is: the era itself. The New Era in the WWE focuses on personalities and on giving chances. The New Era attempts to let the voice of the fans be heard. This is the evolution of the Reality Era. Both new names and superstars that we had lost hope for are allowed to demonstrate their true value. The storylines are heavily based on what the fans believe is true, making it hard to distinguish between real and keyfabe. Both the Miz and Dolph Ziggler are masters at turning the truth into good promo material. With the restrictions of the script considerably lifted and with the entire approach towards the superstars changed, the old Miz vs. Dolph for the IC title feud seems to enjoy renewed interest by the fans. It feels different and exciting. The conclusion is that in the nurturing environment of the New Era, the Miz’s reign has succeeded at making the IC title relevant again.
What do you think? Comment below with your thoughts, opinions, feedback and anything else that was raised