WWE star The Miz pushed back against wrestling fans who haven’t been thrilled about Pat McAfee and Jelly Roll playing pivotal roles on the road to WrestleMania.
“A lot of people will get upset about celebrities coming into WWE,” The Miz, 45, exclusively told Us Weekly on Thursday, April 16, while promoting Prime Video’s American Gladiators. “I’ve always said this: I want celebrities to come in. Because I want a new crop of people who might not watch WWE, but they might be fans of the celebrity. When they come in, I guarantee we will make them a fan because no one does what we do better than us. We are the best at entertainment.”
McAfee, 38, and Jelly Roll, 41, have become major parts of the feud between Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton, which will main event night 1 of WrestleMania 42 on Saturday, April 18.
“It’s interesting that people are talking like this, because isn’t WrestleMania season the time to make the most noise?” The Miz questioned. “And who makes the most noise? More than anybody? Pat McAfee and his big mouth. Sometimes he needs someone to shut it.”
The WWE Grand Slam champion continued, “I believe that person is going to be Cody Rhodes. Randy Orton, though, man. I’ll tell you what, you’re going to attach yourself to someone, Pat knows who to attach himself to. Randy Orton is a GOAT. He’s the person who taught me in the ring how to be a top-tier talent.”
The Miz’s lifelong wrestling fandom was rivaled by his affinity for the original American Gladiators, which premiered in 1989.
“They went hand in hand,” he explained. “I loved American Gladiators. I loved wrestling. I just loved big, powerful people going head-to-head. I loved athletes. I loved athletics. I love competition.”
The reboot of American Gladiators features gladiators from across the sports world, including former Division 1 football player Faysal Shafaat, CrossFit Games athlete Dani Speegle and professional wrestlers like AEW’s Kamille and former WWE star Eric Bugenhagen.
“I remember my agent calling me and he was like, ‘You have a meeting with American Gladiators,” The Miz said. “I literally told him, ‘I’m going to get this. … You don’t understand, this needs to be done the right way. I remember this as a kid.’”
He added, “I had a broomstick with pillows on each end, and I would beat up my dad playing the joust. I was like, ‘This needs to be done correctly.’ Because it’s such a memory I had as a kid. I want the kids of today to have the same memory that I have.”
The first three episodes of the American Gladiators reboot are available to stream now on Prime Video.
