The Miz has opened up about his disappointment over not receiving a final singles match against longtime rival John Cena as Cena prepares to officially retire from in-ring competition.
While appearing on the SI Media With Jimmy Traina podcast, The Miz reflected on his history with Cena and revealed that he believed their most recent tag team match together would not be the last time they shared the ring. “Literally two years ago, I was in the ring at, I believe, Barclays, actually tagging with him, which kind of brought everything full circle,” Miz said. “I didn’t think that would be my last match with John Cena, but I guess it will be. It’s a little upsetting.”
Miz explained that when Cena first announced his “The Last Time Is Now” retirement tour, he immediately made his intentions clear. “I was the first person — literally the first person — to put my name in the hat and say, ‘I want to go up against John Cena one last time. The Miz versus Cena,’” he said. “And it never came to fruition.”
While he admitted he doesn’t know exactly why the match never materialized, Miz suggested fan demand may have played a role in WWE’s decision-making process. “Could it be that the fans didn’t literally ask for it?” Miz questioned. “Because when I saw AJ Styles tweet and then Cena tweet back, that’s how these matches start. That’s how this could have happened. All I had to do was tweet, and all I needed was for the fans to have my back and be vocal about truly wanting it.”
Miz jokingly shifted the blame toward his fanbase, adding, “Well, I guess my fans don’t do that, so I blame them.”
Despite the frustration, Miz clarified that the idea wasn’t outright rejected. He revealed that there were moments when the match was legitimately possible before circumstances changed. “There were instances where it could have happened,” he said. “And things happen in this industry that nobody really knows about — and you don’t need to know about. There was a moment where it could have happened, and then that moment went away because of certain circumstances, and it never came back.”
Rather than dwell on it, Miz emphasized that his experience has taught him to accept how unpredictable wrestling can be. “I’ve been in WWE long enough to know that things happen. Domino effects happen,” Miz said. “If one thing changes and goes this way, another thing goes that way, and then this thing can’t happen.”
He concluded by stressing his focus remains on what he can control. “So I don’t get mad. I get more or less focused on how I can make the best of the situation — what I can do to bring out the best and do my best — because that’s all I can control.”
