7 Ways The Miz Resembles a Modern Day Ric Flair

On last week’s Raw, returning WWE star Ric Flair seemingly passed the torch The Miz.

Appearing on Miz TV, the two-time Hall of Famer joked around with the younger star, before the two beatdown the interrupting United States champion Antonio Cesaro. The segment ended with Flair allowing Miz to use his patented Figure Four Leglock on Cesaro, and he’s been using it ever since.

OK, so Miz as the next “Nature Boy” may sound a little ridiculous, but if you actually examine Miz, and his character, it’s not that much of a leap at all.

And here are seven ways in which Miz is quite similar to the wrestling legend.

The Miz Is the Best Dressed Star on the Roster

Let’s be frank: the guys and girls on the WWE roster aren’t, by and large, the most fashionable people around. John Cena is 35 and dresses like he’s ten, Damien Sandow wanders around in a bathrobe and let’s not even get started on the Miami Vice thing Dolph Ziggler has currently got going on.

However, The Miz, with his sharp suits and designer shoes, is always impeccably well-dressed. Considering Flair always tries to look his best too—often bragging about his expensive and fancy suits—this is one similarity between them.

Both Have Mainstream Appeal

Thanks to his high-profile and charisma, Flair is one of the most well-known wrestling names out there. Even if, in recent times, he’s been making gossip sites like TMZ for all the wrong reasons.

Thanks to his success in reality television—he starred in popular MTV show Real World—Miz is also a big name in the mainstream. Remember how much press his WWE Championship title victory in 2011 received?

Both Have Great Talking Skills

Another thing that Flair and Miz have in common is their smooth promo skills. Both rose to the top playing the arrogant, quick-witted heel on the mic and both are among the best talkers in the industry.

Indeed, Miz’s promo ability remains, by far, the best part of his act, compensating for often his inconsistent in-ring ability. In this respect, WWE deciding that he’s the new Flair isn’t that much of a stretch.

The Ladies Love Them

Hey, Flair's on and off-screen womanizing has become an established part of his act. He really has been married—and divorced—four times. With his overwhelming charisma and larger-than-life personality women have been struggling to resist “The Nature Boy” for decades.

Thankfully, the boyishly handsome Miz doesn’t have four divorces under his belt, but he has been romantically involved with former stunning WWE Diva and Playboy model Maryse Oullet for several years. Hey, he must be doing something right.

They Have Similar Physiques

During his ‘80s run, Flair never looked like a bodybuilder or particularly physically imposing.  He just wasn’t that type of a character.  His deal was that he outsmarted his foes; he didn’t over-power them with his massive strength.

Miz has a similar body type. Like Flair, he’s a decent size but can’t really compare to the really muscle-men on the roster.  And he, too, often has to use his brains more to succeed.

Both Play the Cowardly Heel to Perfection

Part of the genius of Flair’s heel character in the ‘80s was that he played the cowardly heel brilliantly. He was always hiding behind his friends or sneakily breaking the rules behind the ref’s back. The fans, unsurprisingly, despised him for it and couldn’t wait to see the virtuous babyfaces give him a well-deserved beating.  

Miz, back when he was a heel, played a similar role. As WWE champion in 2010 and 2011, he was always hiding behind bodyguard Alex Riley and getting the NXT star to fight his battles.

They're Both Very Charismatic

Another similarity between Flair and Miz is that they have the star power, presence and charisma that every top WWE star requires. Whatever they're doing on Raw or Smackdown, you feel compelled to watch them and be entertained. Indeed, both have a unique sort of manic energy that is eminently fascinating and rather rare in wrestling. 

Make no mistake about it: these two have the X factor in spades.