The Miz heaped praise on Sami Zayn and defended the work he has been doing as Undisputed WWE Champion on SmackDown.
Miz recently appeared on New York radio station Z100 and was asked who the most underrated talent in WWE is. He named himself at first, but then picked Zayn and asked why so many people still see the champion as a joke.
“Well, me,” Miz said. “I I mean, am I allowed to say myself? And I also think that Sami Zayn and what he’s doing with the WWE Championship right now is applaudable. Like Like I applaud him. Everyone else is like, ‘Ah, Sami’s a joke. Are you kidding me? Why is this guy He Everything revolves around what he is doing with the WWE championship.’ And there are so many people that are vying for that championship that you literally any given moment, any given SmackDown, he could lose it.”
Zayn has had a rough few months in WWE. His first title reign began in June at Night of Champions in Riyadh and only lasted nine days before he dropped the title to CM Punk on Raw.
Zayn won the title back on SmackDown in Mexico City on September 11 to end Punk’s reign after 67 days. On Friday, he retained against Trick Williams in a No Disqualification match.
Miz then went further and said he would rather be on Zayn’s side than go after the WWE Championship, because he understands everything Zayn is going through.
“And anyone could do it,” Miz said. “I could be thrust into the WWE championship. I don’t want to be actually. I want to be with Sami Zayn because I understand everything he’s going through. He is so underappreciated, undervalued, and I believe that a Sami Zayn deserves the respect from not only the audience, but all the WWE superstars in the locker room, Raw, SmackDown, and what he’s able to do in carrying the show.”
When the host joked that it sounded like a promo, Miz said he meant it. He then reflected on his WWE title run in 2011, during which he was also on the receiving end of criticism, and slammed the hate directed at champions on social media.
“Yeah, that basically that But that’s the way I I truly feel,” Miz said. “Like it angers me because I remember when I was a WWE champion in 2011, and everyone’s like, ‘Ah, The Miz. Uh, how dare him? Why is he winning all the time? Why is everything revolving around him? Uh, uh, uh.’ And you just hear And now with social media, it’s just a bunch of bullies like take it like going after the WWE champion. You’re lucky that you can even talk to him.”
Miz was champion for 160 days, from November 2010 to May 2011, a run that included a win over John Cena in the main event of WrestleMania 27. Zayn has spent a total of 64 days as WWE Champion across two reigns to date.
Zayn will face World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns on Saturday at Crown Jewel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the Men’s Crown Jewel Championship.