The Miz: From Underrated to the Elite of WWE

The Miz and Seth Rollins had the match of the night at WWE Backlash on May 6. It was so good, in fact, that Miz and Rollins should have gone on last, especially considering how the event ended. As fans left early during the Roman Reigns versus Samoa Joe main event, it was clear who the real stars of the night were.

Seth Rollins receives praise as arguably the best hand in WWE right now – and with good reason. He’s at the top of his game, and every match he works is gold. He is on fire and very few Superstars in the company can touch him at this point. But fans cannot sleep on his Backlash opponent.

The Miz has been referred to as “underrated” for the bulk of his WWE career. No matter how many times he delivers and no matter how often impresses both in the ring and on the mic, Miz just doesn’t ever seem to get the credit he deserves. But that may no longer be true.

A guy can only be considered underrated for so long. When the majority of the crowd believes he is breaking through and deserves respect, then that becomes a fact. This has never been truer than in the case of The Miz, who does everything possible to establish himself among the elite of the industry.

He came into the company as an MTV celebrity with a dream. He worked hard to learn his craft and stumbled many times along the way. There were many fans that believed Miz perhaps just did not have what it took to succeed in WWE. Was he just wasting his time?

But whenever he was tested, The Miz fought his heart out. When things went well, he looked good. When things did not go well, he learned from his mistakes. Miz applied himself and committed to improving every aspect of his game. His journey was a slow one but it should have been.

The path to becoming a Superstar in WWE is a marathon, not a sprint. Anyone that travels the fast-track to the top usually does not do well in the long run. As other guys came in and left, Miz continued to work hard. He slowly but surely became a contender. Now he’s at the point that many would likely say he could never reach. The Miz is one of the best talents in WWE.

He earned that distinction. Nothing was handed to The Miz, which is a major reason why many fans respect him. While Reigns keeps battling for approval as WWE’s top babyface, Miz is comes across as a guy that deserves his spot because he put in the work to get it.

He may be a heel and he may even be the most infuriating heel on the program. But fans boo him because he’s entertaining. It’s no longer about hating The Miz; it’s about appreciating him. The crowd only pops for him when it’s convenient. Fans know how to play the game and they are more than willing to play along with Miz.

But how long will The Miz continue to perform at this high level before he eventually moves up the food chain in WWE? The company should recognize his talent and reward his efforts. Does that mean a WWE Championship reign is in his future?

The good news for Miz is he’s back on SmackDown Live. Monday Night Raw is Roman Reigns’ show and Brock Lesnar has a stranglehold on the Universal Championship. It was difficult for Miz to ever become a real threat to the top tier of Raw. But that is not true now. He has more opportunities to not only get over on Tuesday nights but to also go higher than he is.

His long-standing heat with Daniel Bryan may be the key to making a title run happen for The Miz. Bryan lost the Money in the Bank qualifier on the May 8 SmackDown Live but that does not mean the Yes man is down for the count. If he finds another way into the match, then he could conceivably win and later cash in on AJ Styles or perhaps even Shinsuke Nakamura.

Finally Bryan would be back on top. But that moment of success would be short-lived if he dropped the belt to The Miz. Of course things could go in the opposite direction and Miz could win the MITB briefcase. If Bryan were to win the WWE Championship in the meantime, then he could then lose it after a surprise cash-in by Miz. Either way, The Miz would have championship gold and would truly be the man to beat in WWE.

Of course the great thing about Miz is that he does not necessarily need a title to be a top player on SmackDown Live. He’s performing on another level right now and every time he’s in the ring, he proves just how good he is.

Next: What's Next For Daniel Bryan?

He’s finally come into his own and he’s better than ever. The Miz is one of the best in WWE and for many; no one is better right now. He’s very talented. He’s highly entertaining. But he is definitely not underrated.