WWE: 10 Reasons The Miz Is Already Hall Of Fame Worthy

Mike Mizanin's path to the top of World Wrestling Entertainment has been well documented €“ he started off as a contestant on MTV's Real World before joining the Smackdown!-exclusive edition of Tough Enough. He landed in then-farm systems Deep South Wrestling and Ohio Valley Wrestling, but managed to work his way onto the main WWE roster after two years of toil. From there, he clawed his way to the top through skill, attitude, and hard work, winning titles and shutting the mouths of his detractors. His ascent was unheralded, but in hindsight, it was unavoidable. Still, there are those who would malign the man or minimize his accomplishments. Such an argument is foolish, though €“ The Miz has already done more in his career than the vast majority of pro wrestlers will ever be able to claim. That's why, whether he laces up his boots for another twenty years or whether he hangs them up tomorrow, The Miz is a first-ballot Hall of Famer €“ in WWE, or in any hall that claims to represent sports entertainment. Really? Really!

10. Tough Enough

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GesYPSKGE9o An early criticism leveled at The Miz was that he hadn't paid his dues €“ he made a name for himself on a reality show, rode that momentum onto Tough Enough, and the recognition he had accrued scored him a WWE contract. The fact that The Miz was familiar to a younger audience surely didn't hurt him in terms of getting his foot in the door, but the stigma he was left with would have shattered the potential of a weaker superstar. When your TV experience includes living in a house with cameras and later, kissing Mae Young, neither the locker room nor the fans are particularly impressed. It was through hard work and constant improvement that The Miz dispelled notions that he was a joke or a gimmick. Every time JBL referred to The Miz as a "Diva Search reject" while doing commentary for Smackdown, The Miz worked that much harder. What some viewed as a leg up for The Miz had, in fact, hobbled him €“ but still, he legitimized himself, paying more dues than most.