WWE Champion The Miz has vowed that despite what many say, he will not be a transitional champion after waiting a decade to begin his second reign.
After The Miz cashed in his Money in the Bank contract at WWE Elimination Chamber 2021 on February 21, with help from Bobby Lashley, many took to social media in order to cite that the reign would end within days as WrestleMania plans began to slowly leak online.
However, such speculation was never going to escape the gaze of ‘The A-Lister’ who refuted that he would be anything but a transitional champion in an interview with Sports Illustrated:
“This opportunity doesn’t always present itself, but this is my chance. It’s been 10 years since I held this title, and I am ready for a run with the WWE championship. I do not plan on being a transitional champion. That idea only fuels my fire, and hearing it is nothing new.
It makes me think back to when I cashed in the Money in the Bank contract and won the belt in 2010. People thought I would lose, but I didn’t. Instead, I won the WWE championship. When I won, I heard I was only going to be a transitional champion, but I went on to main-event WrestleMania and I won, as a bad guy, in the main event, which never happens. Ten years later, I heard the same thing: I’d never win the title. So this is another opportunity for me to prove people wrong, which is what I plan on doing.”
Despite the reaction The Miz obtained from the professional wrestling world, he thrives on the negativity and couldn’t wait to cash in on Drew McIntyre knowing the furor it would cause on social media:
“Let’s be honest, people thought I would cash in and lose. So to finally win back this title, and to do it against Drew McIntyre, who has been incredible as champion, it’s awesome.
I loved seeing the reaction on Twitter. I saw some positive response, and mostly negative comments—people did not want me to win the WWE championship. That fuels me. And if people are talking, then they’ll be watching.”
Following the aid of The Hurt Business’ Bobby Lashley, The Miz was confronted by both the Chief Hurt Officer and MVP on the February 22 edition of Monday Night Raw in order that he honour the deal he struck with MVP twenty four hours earlier.
On the March 1 episode of the red brand, The Miz will defend the WWE Championship against Bobby Lashley in a bout that will have major implications on the main event of WrestleMania 37.
Credit for the interview and transcription: Sports Illustrated