During the latest edition of his “Grilling JR” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer and AEW commentator Jim Ross commented on what was missing for The Miz early on in his WWE career, and more. You can check out some highlights from the interview below:
On what was missing from The Miz early in his career: “That was my issue with Miz in the beginning – I always thought that I don’t feel this kid yet. He’s got a decent look, he’s smart, he’s articulate, but something is missing for me. And I deducted, when I thought about it more, well maybe it’s just I believe he’s playing the role of what he believes a pro wrestler is or how a pro wrestler conducts himself. A lot of guys are guilty of that. They didn’t see the territories, they saw one TV show. They didn’t see the terrority system and all the various presentations pro wrestling could conjure up. So they had one style, one way of looking at things, and one point of view. So this is how I perceive a wrestler to be. And we all know the best wrestlers are essentially an extension of their own personality. So all Miz really had to do was be himself and he didn’t learn how to be himself for a while. But when he did, that’s when he hooked me.”
On what eventually changed his mind about Miz: “I’ve come full circle on Miz. I have no problem putting my massive ego aside and saying I was wrong. I thought for a while there in the early part of his career that he needed to be more physical……..he should act like himself, but he needed to be more aggressive. When Miz got past that and started working with some guys that demanded his aggressiveness and he complied, he won me over. His match with Cena at WrestleMania with Rock’s interference was a very outstanding performance based on what the expectations were. I was at RAW 25, Lawler and I were there……Miz had a different persona. When he walked to the ring and he was doing his job with Roman [Reigns], I felt like Miz really, really belonged. That was a major step for me. Miz really did a great job that night – I was there, I could feel it. He had arrived in my eyes before that certainly, but that validated it very definitively that night.”
On why Miz doesn’t need a title to be a top guy: “You never say never in WWE because they do strange booking and they come out of left field from time to time, which is not unusual for any booker or any creative group to come out of left field because they think change is necessary – change for change’s sake. I don’t know that he’ll be the WWE Champion again. Would it surprise me? No, but I kind of doubt it. He’s one of those guys like Jake Roberts used to be – he didn’t really need the title to be over. As long as Miz is able to communicate, in whatever form that may take, he’s gonna be a top guy.”
(h/t – 411 Wrestling)
