Why WWE Star The Miz Says It's 'Weird' For Him To Be A Babyface

One of the better feel-good moments from WrestleMania 40 occurred when the team of The Miz and R-Truth emerged from the Six-Pack Ladder Match as the new "WWE Raw" Tag Team Champions. As the veterans celebrated their moment, it was met with near-unanimous approval from the 70,000-plus in attendance at Lincoln Financial Field, noteworthy because of Miz's standing as one of WWE's most perennial heels. Appearing on "The Pat McAfee Show," Miz described what it felt like being in unfamiliar territory as a babyface.

"It's about time people were chanting my name and celebrating me," Miz first said in heel fashion. "I'm sick of getting booed all the time." He then got a little more candid about his true feelings. "Can I be truly honest with you? This is really weird," he said. "I'm not used to getting cheered. I honestly have no idea what to do, what to say. Because I want to be liked. I've strived for it for so long. I think all you want in WWE is to earn respect and get the respect that you've fought for your entire career. To hear the fans now, to be with [R-Truth], it's been truly an honor and it's been incredible and I've been loving every second of it."

Miz getting cheered is not completely unprecedented, but it's safe to say he's been one of WWE's most dependable heat magnets for nearly 20 years. In fact, the first incarnation of Awesome Truth was a heel team when they first formed in the latter half of 2011. That version disbanded following Survivor Series 2011, before reuniting in January 2024. A surprise John Cena return on the "Raw" after WrestleMania 40 further gave them the rub as fan favorites. During the segment, Cena and Awesome Truth earned a victory against The Judgment Day's Finn Balor, Dominik Mysterio, and JD McDonagh.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "The Pat McAfee Show" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.