The Miz Talks Working with Sandow, Dream WrestleMania Match, Being the Go-To Media Guy, Tough Enough Returning & Much More

Donald Wood: WWE recently announced the return of Tough Enough. You were one of the first and most successful stars of the show. Do you think bringing the show back was the right move for the company and what are some of the benefits and disadvantages of participating in Tough Enough?

The Miz: I only see benefits to be honest with you.  You look at me: a person trying to make it to the WWE, trying to get there, it’s difficult, and it’s hard.  Putting a show like Tough Enough on air you get to see what people have to go through to make it into WWE.  That is just a part of it.  That’s just the beginning round.  They don’t tell you about the middle and even the end game.  I think it’s a great opportunity for people and the fans to really appreciate what people have to go through on a day-to-day basis.  I love the show and it gave me the opportunity to be a WWE Superstar.  I thank that show every day because if that show was never there, there may never have been a Miz.

Mike Chiari: With the Royal Rumble in the rear-view mirror, the focus in WWE is now firmly on WrestleMania and the build toward it. There aren’t any guarantees right now aside from Brock Lesnar against Roman Reigns, but for you personally, what are you hoping for and what are you expecting to do at WrestleMania?

The Miz: Everybody wants that moment.  That Monday after WrestleMania that everybody is talking about.  Everybody saw that moment at the Super Bowl yesterday when Butler got that amazing interception and won that game that’s the kind of moment you want.  Did he get the MVP?  No he didn’t, but people are talking about Butler and that’s what I’m doing.  Right now, Roman Reigns VS Brock Lesnar is probably going to be the main event at WrestleMania so obviously I can’t take that.  I can make sure though that I have a moment that everybody remembers and is talking about that next morning.  That is what the goal is.

Brandon Galvin: You’ve already been in the main event of WrestleMania, which included one of your all-time favorites in the Rock. If you could wrestle one person in a WrestleMania main event, would it be the Rock or somebody else now?

The Miz: Right now I would love to wrestle the Rock.  It would be movie star VS movie star.  Obviously I am a better actor than The Rock.  I will be a bigger movie star I just need to find those couple of movies that really elevate me.  I am building my cape and my resume right now to get to that level.  Obviously the Rock is a little older than me and he is going to do great.  I imagine I’ll be bigger, I’ll be the one hoisting up an Oscar and an Emmy and a Golden Globe as well as the WWE championship if we ever do get in that ring.

Mike Chiari: You headlined WrestleMania 27, retained the WWE Championship against John Cena and had a lot of interaction with The Rock along the way. Those are obviously all things that nobody can ever take away from you, but as a performer, what do you believe you need to do in order to get back to that level and get back in contention for WWE’s top prize?

The Miz: Everyone always has different answers for that type of question.  I think they are a lot of things involved with getting to the main event of WrestleMania.  With me when I started going towards the main event, I felt the elevation and kept feeling that every time I did something it got better and better.  Right now I am feeling like I am in those beginning stages again.  It takes a while to build until you get to that main event at WrestleMania.  This WrestleMania main event is already set in stone, so I am looking forward to the next WrestleMania.  To build and build, and get bigger and bigger.  Just keep making entertaining television where people are captivated by the Miz and what I am doing.  They always want to know what I am doing and what I am going to say when I am not there.

Brandon Galvin: Do you feel you’re still trying to prove yourself to fans, but more importantly, to the wrestlers in the locker room because your journey to the top was so unconventional?

The Miz: Every day of my life is a fight.  I don’t think I will ever get the respect I deserve in the WWE.  I will never go to the Philadelphia’s or the New York’s and get cheered or get “Miz is Awesome”.  They just don’t like me and don’t respect me.  They don’t respect the way I got to the WWE even though they respect people whose Daddy got them into the WWE which I find amazing to me.  I felt like I did the right path and I did everything right.  Obviously I did everything right because I am the one being successful and proving everyone wrong.  So I do enjoy the negativity I get because I generate positivity out of it and use it as adrenaline and energy to basically go out there and perform to the best of my availability.