Even though they are in different companies, the animosity between The Miz and Bryan Danielson appears to be alive and well. While appearing on ESPN today, The Miz took a clear shot at his long-time rival, referencing Danielson’s past criticisms of his wrestling style. The comments go back to their personal feud that has spanned over a decade, dating back to the original version of NXT.
On the show, Miz said, “I’ve had people tell me that I have a safe way of wrestling,” Miz said. “But that person is no longer here anymore, so we don’t need to talk about him.” The unnamed person he is referring to is clearly Bryan Danielson, who is in AEW now.
The rivalry between The Miz and Danielson began on the original format of NXT, where The Miz was assigned as Danielson’s “pro” mentor. From the outset, there was a clash of philosophies, with The Miz, a polished entertainer, criticizing Danielson, a fantastic technical wrestler, for lacking the charisma and “look” of a WWE superstar. A key moment came when Danielson was brought back to WWE at SummerSlam, replacing The Miz in a top match, which led to Miz attacking him and restarting their feud on the main roster.
The most iconic moment of their rivalry came during an episode of Talking Smack in 2016. At the time, Danielson was retired from in-ring competition due to injury and was serving as the General Manager of SmackDown. During an interview segment, Danielson criticized The Miz for having a “soft” and “safe” wrestling style.
In response, The Miz launched into a fiery, unscripted tirade, passionately defending his style and his career, a promo that is still regarded as one of the best of his career. He would later admit that the anger was genuine, stemming from his frustration with the perception that his safer, more character-driven style was somehow less valuable than the style of performers like Danielson.
Despite the real animosity that has often defined their relationship, both men have also publicly acknowledged a mutual respect for each other. While Danielson is now a commentator for AEW, The Miz remains an active WWE performer.
— . (@xFaMxHD) September 20, 2025
