Early Life & Television Career
Michael Mizanin was born in Parma, Ohio, on October 8, 1980. In high school, Mizanin competed in basketball, cross country, and swimming. He then studied business at Miami University before dropping out to star in MTV’s The Real World. Miz also appeared in the show’s spin-off series, Real World/Road Rules Challenge. It was during this time that Mizanin began forming a cocky, headstrong alter ego he called The Miz.
In 2003, Mizanin decided to bring his Miz persona to the pro wrestling world. He began training with Ultimate Pro Wrestling and made his debut later that same year.
WWE Development & Debut
Mizanin competed in the fourth season of Tough Enough, a televised competition where aspiring pro wrestlers go head to head for a WWE contract and a prize of $1 million. Despite coming in second place, Mizanin had caught the eye of WWE higher-ups and was offered a developmental contract after the show’s conclusion. Mizanin then trained in WWE’s developmental territories Deep South Wrestling and Ohio Valley Wrestling.
In March 2006, WWE began airing vignettes on Smackdown foreshadowing The Miz’s arrival. He made his debut on April 21 but was “banned” from the venue and escorted out of the building. On June 2, Mz became the host of Smackdown, tasked with hyping the crowd, conducting backstage interviews, and hosting the annual Diva Search competition.
Following the conclusion of Diva Search, Miz became wrestling as a heel. He continued to work on Smackdown before being sent to ECW as part of the 2007 supplemental draft.
Miz & Morrison, First Championship Reigns
In late 2007, Miz formed a tag team with John Morrison. The two found quick success together; on the November 16 episode of Smackdown, Miz & Morrison defeated Matt Hardy and MVP to become WWE Tag Team Champions. The two remained partners until 2009, when The Miz attacked Morrison and brought their tag team to an end.
On April 27, 2009, Miz entered a feud with one of WWE’s most popular stars, John Cena. It was during this time that Miz created his signature finisher, the Skull-Crushing Finale, and debuted his “awesome” catchphrase.
Once his feud with Cena ended, Miz set his sights on Kofi Kingston’s United States Championship. After three unsuccessful attempts at capturing the title at Night of Champions, Breaking Point, and Hell in a Cell, Miz finally won the United States Championship on the October 5, 2009, episode of Raw. He went on to win the Money in the Bank ladder match on July 18, 2010.
On the November 22, 2010, episode of Raw, Miz successfully cashed in his MITB contract against Randy Orton to become the new WWE Champion. He held the title for 160 days until Extreme Rules 2011, where he lost the belt to John Cena.
Miz At The Top Of The Mountain
Over the next several years, Miz collected numerous accolades in WWE, including eight reigns as Intercontinental Champion, another reign as United States Champion, and several tag team title reigns with partners like Big Show, Damien Sandow, and Shane McMahon. At Elimination Chamber 2021, The Miz cashed in his second MITB contract on Drew McIntyre to become WWE Champion for the second time in his career.
In addition to putting on matches, The Miz continues to use his experience in reality television. He regularly hosts a talk show segment in WWE, dubbed Miz TV, where he interviews his fellow WWE superstars. He and his wife, former WWE Diva Maryse, also star in their own reality show called Miz & Mrs. The Miz also competed in the 2021 season of the hit show, Dancing with the Stars.
