Before launching his WWE career through Tough Enough, The Miz aimed to establish himself in Japan’s wrestling scene. During a recent episode of The Undertaker’s Six Feet Under podcast, he recounted his initial challenges, including failed attempts to break into the Japanese market despite his early reality TV fame from MTV’s The Real World.
Miz worried that entering wrestling via Tough Enough might hurt his credibility, especially since he had already faced rejection while training at Ultimate Pro Wrestling (UPW) in California. Encouragement from ECW wrestler Simon Dean, known also as Nova, played a crucial role in convincing him to pursue the WWE reality competition.
Before trying out, I called Simon Dean,
Miz said.
Do you remember Simon Dean? I called him because he was part of UPW and I said, ‘Hey, I want respect in the business. And I know if I go on Tough Enough, I won’t get any respect. I didn’t do it the right way.’ And he goes, ‘It’s for a million dollars. It’s for a million-dollar WWE contract. How many opportunities do you think you’re going to get? This is your opportunity, this is your time.’ And so I said, ‘Okay, I’m going to try out, I’m going to do it.’
Repeated Rejections From Japanese Wrestling Promotions
The Miz detailed his persistent efforts to join Zero1, a respected Japanese wrestling promotion founded by legend Shinya Hashimoto, which maintained ties with UPW. Despite his confidence in his performance, Zero1 consistently declined him, refusing to offer a contract.
Because I tried to go to Japan, they wouldn’t take me. Every time I tried going to Zero1, they would come in and we would wrestle, we’d do a match. I’d think my match would go great. It wasn’t, but I thought at the time I was really special. But, yeah, Japan would never take me. So I was like, ‘this is the opportunity.’ So, tried out and then gave it full force and didn’t win, but got a contract to go to developmental.
Although he did not win Tough Enough season four, losing to Daniel Puder, The Miz still secured a developmental deal with WWE, which paved the way for a career now spanning nearly twenty years.
How Early Challenges Shaped The Miz’s Wrestling Career
The Miz’s early setbacks in Japan, combined with his initial doubts about joining WWE through Tough Enough, highlight the obstacles he faced on his path to becoming a household name in professional wrestling. His perseverance in the face of repeated rejections from Zero1 and the wrestling community at large underscores the tenacity required to succeed in this industry.
His eventual breakthrough with WWE not only launched a long-term tenure but also proved that alternative routes, even those met with skepticism, can lead to lasting success. This backstory offers insight into the sometimes difficult journeys behind wrestling stars, showing that persistence and wise counsel can redirect ambitions toward attainable goals.
