By wrestling standards, celebrity appearances often disappoint. But when global music superstar Bad Bunny stepped into the ring at WrestleMania 37, something extraordinary happened. In a revealing interview with Peter Rosenberg and co-host Stat Guy Greg on Rosenberg Wrestling, The Miz details the surprising journey from skepticism to standing ovation.
The Secret Training Sessions
While Bad Bunny was officially training with WWE coaches, The Miz took matters into his own hands to test the musician’s true abilities:
“I remember the first time I got in there with him, I didn’t call anything. I literally just got in, locked up, and just started having a match with him to see where he was… And honestly, he was training so hard before this. And I was like, I just need to get in there. And I probably beat him up. Not beat him up, but like put some heat to him, you know? And I was like, ‘Oh, this guy’s going to be able to do something.’ And then he kept training and kept training and kept giving ideas that were like not dumb ideas… You could tell he was a fan and that he knew psychology.”
What impressed The Miz most wasn’t just Bad Bunny’s athletic ability, but his understanding of wrestling fundamentals – something rare among celebrity performers.
Behind the Rainy WrestleMania Moment
What fans didn’t see was the weather crisis happening behind the scenes. With rain threatening the outdoor WrestleMania performance, The Miz personally intervened:
“It was raining if you remember… while Bad Bunny was coming out, I had everyone on the outside with towels scrubbing down where Morrison was going to do this maneuver. Him and Bunny were going to do this maneuver ‘cuz that’s a dangerous move, especially in the rain… No one sees it, but I was literally I had a towel and I was in the ring literally scrubbing the ropes because I knew we were going to be utilizing jumping off the ropes. You slip, you fall, you’re done.”
The Bugatti That Proved Commitment
When The Miz realized Bad Bunny allowed WWE to damage his actual Bugatti for the storyline, he knew the musician was fully committed:
“We made fun of him. We tore apart his Bugatti, which was a real Bugatti, and that was real paint. Like, that car is really expensive. And Bunny let us do it. Like, I was shocked. I was like, ‘Oh my god, this guy is in.'”
From Skepticism to Ovation
Despite preparing for rejection from wrestling’s notoriously critical fanbase, The Miz witnessed something remarkable during Bad Bunny’s entrance:
“I was literally going through my brain trying to figure out, ‘Okay, if this happens, we come out, we do our rap… We’re doing this thing.’ And then when he made his entrance at Mania, I don’t know if you heard it, but oh my god, it was an eruption of cheers. It wasn’t boos, it was cheers. They wanted to see him. They were yearning to see him. I was like, ‘This is amazing that you couldn’t ask for a better entrance and a better crowd, live crowd reaction.'”
For The Miz, Bad Bunny’s ultimate validation came in an unexpected compliment:
“The best compliment that we got, John and I, Morrison and I got, were that he said that he watches that match back more than he watches any concert he’s ever done. And I was like, ‘Wow, that’s pretty great.'”
Bad Bunny’s WWE Career
Bad Bunny has wrestled in 3 official WWE matches. The global music star trained seriously at the WWE Performance Center and is credited with raising the bar for celebrity involvement in WWE.
- WrestleMania 37 (April 2021): Made his in-ring debut, teaming with Damian Priest to defeat The Miz & John Morrison in a tag match. His performance received critical acclaim for its athleticism and commitment.
- Royal Rumble 2022: Entered the 30-man Royal Rumble match, eliminated two wrestlers, and was among the final five before being eliminated by Brock Lesnar.
- Backlash 2023: Faced Damian Priest in a San Juan Street Fight in Puerto Rico, winning in front of his home crowd.
Bad Bunny is also a former champion in WWE. He captured the WWE 24/7 Championship on Raw in February 2021 (not a traditional match), held the title for 28 days, and later relinquished it.