It was apparent throughout 2014 that The Miz's in-ring skills had diminished greatly from the days when he was one of the hottest young stars in the industry and a candidate to carry the company into the next generation. In fact, so disappointing and lackluster had his work become that he needed a new gimmick to both get over with audiences and cover up his sudden and unexpected deficiencies. His year started disappointingly as the former WWE champion languished as a glorified jobber. He had no real character to speak of and lost far more than he won. His quick elimination from the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania XXX was particularly embarrassing. When Miz returned to the ring over the summer, he did so with a new character, that of a Hollywood star. It immediately helped him back to relevancy in WWE. At the same time, it helped make up for the fact that Miz was very much a wrestler getting worse rather than a Superstar learning from his years of experience and constantly improving. The partnership he has recently formed with Damien Mizdow has done a great deal to entertain fans but most of that can be attributed to the criminally underrated stunt double, rather than the so-called A-list movie star. Of course, Miz being as unlikable as he is only helps matters. Still, when historians look back on 2014, it will be difficult to argue the fact that, if nothing else, Miz was one of the most apathetic stars on the entire roster.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
