The Miz has opened up about his unlikely journey to becoming a WWE superstar, revealing that he never considered professional wrestling a realistic career option during his childhood.
Speaking during an appearance on Q1043 New York, the former WWE Champion explained that growing up watching larger-than-life performers such as Hulk Hogan made him question whether he had the physical attributes required to succeed in the business.
Although he enjoyed sports and participated in several athletic activities, The Miz admitted that he never viewed himself as exceptional enough to reach the professional level.
The Miz on why becoming a WWE superstar once seemed impossible
Reflecting on his childhood ambitions, The Miz explained that his perception of WWE was heavily influenced by the imposing physiques of the company’s biggest stars at the time.
“On his appearances in WWE: “Well as a kid, I never thought I could be a WWE superstar. Like the guys back then — Hulk Hogan, 6’7″, you know — ‘Pythons!’ He had huge muscles, and I didn’t have that. I wasn’t big by any means. So that was out of the question. I wanted to be a baseball player, basketball player, football player. Like, that was the dream.
“I was average. My dad would say I was average; I would say I was really good. I was the captain of my baseball team, captain of my cross country team. I mean, I was very good at all sports. But I wasn’t exceptional. It takes the top like, 0.1% to become a professional in anything, correct? So, it never really dawned on me that I could become a WWE superstar.”
However, his participation in MTV’s reality television series The Real World eventually changed his outlook. The experience gave him the confidence to consider opportunities he previously believed were beyond his reach.
The Miz explained that his passion for wrestling’s entertainment elements, combined with his appreciation for athletic performances and compelling characters, eventually convinced him to pursue the opportunity.
The Miz explains how The Real World changed his perspective
Discussing the turning point that encouraged him to chase his wrestling ambitions, he said:
“Then I got on The Real World, which was literally kind of right down the street in Greenwich Village. So I got on The Real World and from there, I said, ‘You know what? If I could be on The Real World, maybe — just maybe — I could become a WWE superstar.
“Because I always loved the theatrics. I loved the athleticism; I loved the storylines, the larger life characters. I loved everything about it. I just never thought I could do it until I said, ‘I’m gonna try it.’”
His journey eventually led him to WWE, where he established himself as one of the company’s most recognizable personalities.
Meanwhile, TNA World Champion Leon Slater has discussed how his experiences working with WWE talent contributed significantly to his development and eventual championship success.
During a recent appearance on the Extreme Channel, Slater reflected on his progression from the British independent wrestling circuit to becoming one of TNA’s leading performers.
The young champion believes his opportunities in NXT and on WWE’s main roster provided valuable experience that he was able to bring back to TNA.
Leon Slater explains how WWE opportunities contributed to his championship success
Slater highlighted the importance of making the most of opportunities rather than simply viewing appearances with WWE as career milestones.
“I think I am a prime example of using those opportunities to the max, right? For example, if you look at my career in the past three and a half, four years, I’ve gone from a kid on the British indies where you guys have seen me in The Hanger, The Bread Shed, The Frog and Bucket, like all of these tiny venues up and down our country, right? I’ve gone from that to starting at TNA at the bottom. I was on Xplosion every match; I was losing every match. And then I built my way up, and I built my way up to the point within TNA that WWE reached out to us, you know what I mean?
“Obviously, everybody if they could, would reach out to WWE and be like, ‘Oh, like I’ll show up this Tuesday, this and that.’ But unfortunately, that’s not how it works. They reach out to you, and I feel like for — again, for someone that doesn’t work there and that hasn’t ever signed a deal there, I feel like my run there was as if I’d been working there for two or three years. And I think the difference between me and a couple other people is that I used my opportunity there. I gained the platform, the exposure, countless lessons learned. And I’ve brought them back to TNA. And I’ll be honest; I wouldn’t be TNA World Champion right now if it wasn’t for my time in NXT and those couple of times on the main roster as well. Because like I said, those lessons have been invaluable.
Leon Slater addresses claims that TNA is simply a stepping stone to WWE
Beyond discussing his personal development, Slater also addressed the perception that TNA exists primarily as a launching pad for wrestlers hoping to secure opportunities with WWE.
He disagreed with that assessment, describing the relationship between both promotions as a genuine partnership that benefits performers on either side.
According to Slater, TNA wrestlers gain valuable knowledge by working within WWE’s system, while NXT talents also have opportunities to learn from experienced veterans when they compete in TNA.
He specifically mentioned Nic Nemeth, Matt and Jeff Hardy, and Frankie Kazarian as examples of established performers whose experience provides an important learning opportunity for younger wrestlers.
Explaining his position, Slater stated:
“So to anyone that thinks TNA is just the stepping stone, I don’t think that’s the case at all. I think it is a true partnership where people from our side, from the TNA side, get to go over there and learn a complete style. And the same thing with the people from NXT that have come over to TNA in the past. They get to work with people like Nic Nemoth, like Matt and Jeff Hardy, like a Frankie Kazarian. These guys that have been in the game 20, 25, 30, 35 years, you know what I mean? Which is again, absolutely invaluable experience for wrestlers of any caliber. So I think ‘partnership’ is the perfect word to describe what we’ve got going on with WWE right now, for sure.”
Slater’s comments underline the potential benefits of the working relationship between WWE and TNA, particularly for developing talent. While his appearances with WWE expanded his experience and visibility, he believes the knowledge gained from those opportunities played a direct role in his rise to the top of TNA.
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