The Miz, recognized as one of WWE‘s most overlooked performers despite being a two-time Grand Slam Champion, recently shared details about a planned tag team that never launched. Speaking on Chris Van Vliet’s Insight podcast, the 45-year-old WWE superstar disclosed that he was set to form a team with the late Matt Cappotelli, a Tough Enough III co-winner, under the name The Reality Check.
The Miz highlighted his extensive tag team success, having secured seven tag team championships on WWE’s main roster alongside six different partners. However, the proposed alliance with Cappotelli stood out as an opportunity that tragically never materialized.
Reflecting on their chemistry during their time together in Deep South Wrestling, The Miz said,
“Matt Capotelli came down to Deep South, and we never met, never talked. And once we tagged, it was electric. It was awesome. I was like, ‘Oh my god, like there’s chemistry here.’ And this guy is so good, so nice and fun. We were going to get called up. I remember we were going to get vignettes and I was writing vignettes. … We were going to be The Reality Check, just causing chaos amongst everyone, the entire tag division.”
The Miz emphasized their plans for vignettes and an impactful presence in the tag division that sadly never came to fruition due to Cappotelli’s declining health.
Matt Cappotelli battled brain cancer, with a tumor removal surgery performed in 2006, and passed away in 2018. His untimely death ended a promising WWE career and the potential for this impactful partnership.
The Miz Opens Up About Limitations in His Wrestling Persona
Since debuting on WWE’s main roster in 2006 after signing in 2004, The Miz has portrayed both villainous (heel) and heroic (babyface) characters. On the podcast, he admitted that his character does not translate well as a babyface because it relies on being able to lose matches while maintaining audience engagement through strong promos.
He explained,
“My character doesn’t really work as a babyface, if I’m being honest. It’s a person that can lose, and then the next day, you’ll forget about that loss, because I’ll just cut a promo and just make you believe.But with the babyface, babyfaces can’t really lose a lot. If a babyface loses too much, you lose [appeal].”
This candid reflection highlights the challenges The Miz faces when positioned as a crowd favorite, pointing to the inherent tension in the storytelling of professional wrestling.
Additional Developments within WWE and Wrestling Circles
Outside The Miz’s revelations, several other noteworthy events have unfolded in the wrestling world. Although a top WWE star appears to be suspended officially, they have nonetheless competed at a live event, raising questions about enforcement with Adam Pearce reportedly uninformed.
Meanwhile, MJF has publicly named a six-time WWE World Champion as the greatest wrestler of all time, adding fuel to ongoing debates about wrestling legacies. Cody Rhodes made a public appearance for the first time since suffering a harsh loss of the WWE Championship, signaling possible renewed activity.
In AEW, Tony Khan has arranged a significant four-way match with major implications for the championship landscape, intensifying competition within the league. Fans have also voiced dissatisfaction over a WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair’s Cameo video, which Flair has addressed directly.
Additionally, a WWE star reportedly damaged a championship belt during a recent Raw event, and The Rock has issued his first public comment following a tough defeat, underscoring an atmosphere of tension and high stakes throughout the wrestling community. Lastly, a popular NXT superstar made a surprise return to the brand, reigniting excitement among fans.
The Miz’s Career and The Legacy of The Reality Check
The Miz’s disclosure about the scrapped tag team with Matt Cappotelli sheds light on a poignant chapter of WWE history that remains untold. His candid insights into his character’s strengths and weaknesses provide a rare glimpse behind the scenes of wrestling storytelling. The delayed partnership—the reality that The Reality Check never debuted—illustrates both professional opportunities missed and personal tragedy endured within wrestling’s demanding environment.
As The Miz continues to compete and evolve his career, this revelation adds depth to his legacy as a versatile competitor capable of thriving in singles and team formats. It also honors Matt Cappotelli’s memory and the potential impact they could have had together in WWE’s tag team division.
