Opinion: The Miz As Intercontinental Champion Is A Waste

[MCMG]

I'm a fan of The Miz and putting the IC title on him is logical. The other mid-card title is on a face (Sheamus) who can feud with heels and help bring some relevancy to that belt. Having two faces run around as your mid-card champs isn't great for balance so replacing Barrett with The Miz is fine.

As for The Miz himself, I think he is terrific. This guy is easily the most natural heel on the roster and it is a relief he is no longer a face. He is damn good on the mic and doesn't have redeeming qualities like many other heels.

A Miz/Ziggler feud interests me. These two can be entertaining and deliver inside and outside of the ring. The Miz is the right choice as IC champ given the situation and having Sheamus and The Miz - two conceivably top level guys- run around with the mid-card belts is only a good thing for the WWE.

 

[Flair is Overrated]

I like the idea of heel Miz as IC champ. He's generating a ton of heat, and I think he could have a great, long run as Honky Tonk Man type champ. However, the timing is wrong for a few reasons…

(1) All the signs point to Lesnar winning the world title and keeping it until Wrestlemania. Mainstream fans get turned off when the belts are monopolized by heel champs (I don't want to get into a losing the Civil War psyche dissertation here, but outside of the south, America roots for winners, and heel champs kill the crowds - that's the biggest reason why Harley Race/the Funks/Ric Flair never could break into the mainstream in most of the country the way Hogan did). Fans need a face champ to watch. The money's not in the chase. It's in watching the hero overcome the odds. If both belts are held by heels for the better part of a year, casual fans are going to turn off the TV. it doesn't matter how many fans boo John Cena in the arena. They are greatly outnumbered by the casual fans who watch on TV or PPV and pull for the plucky hero.

(2) He's one of the most marketable and visible WWE stars outside of wrestling, and it's a good bet that he'll need time off for more film appearances.

(3) Back in the late 80's/early 90's, the IC belt was not a "mid-card title". It was the 2nd most prestigious belt in wrestling, more than the WCW and AWA belts (which were regional belts). The monster of the month who challenged Hogan was quickly forgotten, but the holder of the IC belt was seen as the #2 guy in wrestling. That's why Honky's reign was so great. If people just viewed the IC belt as a meaningless, mid-card title, they wouldn't care that he held it so long and kept finding cheap ways to keep it. Until the WWE drops the US title and adds perceived prestige to the IC title, it's not going to work. And for those who try to poke a hole in my post by saying that I already acknowledged that fans don't like heel champs, it works when the number one guy is a face.

 

[Dagger Dias]

Oh, it's not an opinion you have there Jack, it's a grade-A fact.

The Miz fucking sucks.

This, times ten. Miz as Intercontinental Champion is a waste of everyone's time and a waste of an opportunity that should have gone to someone worth pushing.

Miz was the worst choice out of anyone in the entire match at Battleground. He's awful in ANY role other than speaking. If they keep him around as a heel manager for heels who suck at promos, he could be good for that. I like the MizTV segments so it's not like he's 100% useless. It's when he's in the ring and getting pushes he doesn't deserve that bothers me. He NEVER should have been WWE Champion. He NEVER should have gotten pushed over Morrison when they split. And he should not be Intercontinental Champion right now. He doesn't generate heel heat from me. I have no desire to pay any amount of money to see him get defeated for the belt. I just want him off my screen unless it's a MizTV segment. It infuriated me that WWE put the title on someone who is not deserving of pushing. It takes more than mic skills and a myriad of publicity appearances to warrant receiving a push. Until then, he gets the fast forward button from me unless he's got a mic.