WWE Hall of Famer JBL recently reflected on The Miz’s remarkable journey in professional wrestling, calling his success “almost an impossibility.” Speaking on the challenges Miz faced early in his career, JBL emphasized how rare it is for someone to learn the craft while performing on global television.
“When he came in, it’s not because he lacked talent,” JBL said. “But how do you learn on national, global television? That’s nearly impossible. By the time I got to WWE, I probably had a thousand matches. Most of the guys did.
And Miz is having to learn on global television without that educational background of working a bunch of territories. He has built a Hall of Fame career from that moment, and I think that’s incredibly remarkable.”
JBL: “Hell Yes!” I Hazed The Miz
The Miz and JBL never had a high-profile match or feud in WWE. JBL retired from full-time competition in 2009, before The Miz reached his peak as a main-event star. However, JBL was known for hazing The Miz during his early days in WWE – which became a well-documented instance of backstage bullying.
During a 2010 interview on the “Right After Wrestling” radio show on Canada’s The Score network, JBL said:
“Did I haze the Miz? Hell yes! A lot of people want to talk about me and my hazing. Yes I did. I make no apologies about it what so ever.
When I started, guys were hazed, and for good reason. They wanted to know that in a riot, which we had a few back in the day, were you going to be on the side of the boys or the fans?
Nowadays there’s no room for it, the corporate, sterile world that is the WWE. When the Miz came in, most of the hazing was me working. Me on the mic, me talking to him.
I gave him as much advice as I possibly could because I thought he had the ability to be a good heel. But I’m not going to apologize for hazing him.”
JBL on the Use of Agents in Wrestling
JBL also addressed the role of agents in professional wrestling on Something to Wrestle, discussing well-known representative Barry Bloom and how some wrestlers benefit from having an agent. While acknowledging their impact, JBL noted that he personally never used one for WWE negotiations.
“I’ve never used one,” he explained. “Vince [McMahon] hated agents. Vince was a pay guy, but if you tried to back him into a corner, it would work just the opposite. If you brought an agent, you’d have a worse deal than if you just went to Vince directly.”
He admitted to briefly having an agent for outside ventures like CNBC or Fox but recalled McMahon’s visible disdain when introduced to him. Despite never utilizing an agent in wrestling, JBL acknowledged the advantages they can provide, particularly in understanding salary structures, which are often confidential in WWE contracts.
While JBL preferred handling negotiations himself, he recognized why some wrestlers turn to agents, especially figures like Barry Bloom, to navigate contract details and secure better deals.
