The Miz scrapped championship plans unexpectedly during a pivotal moment in WWE history, the 44-year-old wrestling star recently disclosed. Known for holding 21 titles in WWE, The Miz shared details about a time when he was slated to become WWE Champion but had those plans reversed shortly before a major event.
The Miz’s Lost Opportunity at the WWE Championship Tournament in 2011
Back in 2011, after CM Punk departed WWE while still holding the WWE Championship, the company created an interim title and initiated a tournament to crown a new champion. The tournament culminated with Rey Mysterio defeating The Miz in the final match, only to lose the belt later that same night to John Cena.
During an interview on the podcast Bussin’ With The Boys, The Miz revealed that he had been set to defeat both Rey Mysterio and John Cena to emerge as the new WWE Champion. However, this plan was abruptly changed an hour before the show started.
“There were times where I was going to be a WWE champion, and then I was told, like [an] hour before, ‘Yep, it’s not going to happen.’ […] I remember there was, like, I think CM Punk left the show, and he took the title with him. So, they made up a paper champion or whatever? […] So they’re going to have a tournament, and I think I went up against Rey Mysterio, and I was going to beat Rey Mysterio, then I was going to beat John Cena, and I was going to be a champion,” he said.
– The Miz, WWE Wrestler
The Miz elaborated on why WWE decided to change the finish, citing the promotion’s preference for a classic good guy versus bad guy storyline, particularly during that time period.
“And then they switched it because usually we like babyface versus heel, right? Bad guy versus good guy. But then in this certain instance, especially back then, it would’ve been babyface versus babyface, Rey versus Cena, and they were like, ‘You need a bad guy versus a good guy.’ So I was the bad guy, but then it was like, ‘Well, it is two huge monumental baby faces that are Rey Mysterio and John Cena. Let them go at it, and I think Rey ended up winning that title. But yeah, there was a moment there where I was going to be, I would have been a double champion there,” he added.
– The Miz, WWE Wrestler
Current Status of The Miz on WWE Programming
At present, The Miz is active on WWE’s Friday Night SmackDown, where he partners with former NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes in the tag team division. Following a brief break from television, the duo secured victories over Axiom and the Motor City Machine Guns in mid-August during consecutive episodes of SmackDown.
Building on those wins, The Miz and Carmelo Hayes earned a spot in a Number 1 Contendership match against The Street Profits for the WWE Tag Team Championship the following week. Despite a strong effort, they were defeated by The Street Profits and have not appeared in tag team competition since.
With The Street Profits subsequently losing the tag titles to Joe Gacy and Dexter Lumis at the Clash in Paris event, the future prospects of The Miz and Carmelo Hayes receiving another title opportunity remain uncertain.
The Broader Impact of The Miz’s Deferred Championship Moment
The revelation about The Miz scrapped championship plans sheds light on WWE’s decision-making process during key transitional periods. While The Miz was positioned to hold the WWE Championship twice in a single night, WWE’s preference for a traditional good versus bad storyline reshaped the outcome, favoring a babyface showdown between Rey Mysterio and John Cena. This incident highlights how storyline dynamics and character roles significantly influence championship trajectories.
Despite missing out on that particular opportunity, The Miz’s legacy within WWE remains substantial, with his 21 title reigns underscoring his consistent presence at the top of the roster. Fans and analysts may continue to speculate on how different WWE history might have been had that double championship moment come to fruition.
Looking ahead, The Miz continues to be an active competitor on SmackDown, with his tag team partnership with Carmelo Hayes drawing attention. Whether WWE revisits past plans or creates new opportunities for The Miz remains something for followers of the promotion to watch closely.
