As if WWE Superstar, Michael “The Miz” Mizanin, wasn’t already a huge part of popular culture. The real world star and world heavyweight champion is now ready for another US facility to host. American Gladiators start again. M&F caught up with The Miz to find out why he’s more excited than ever about his career in sports entertainment, and he also revealed to us which Gladiators event he’s most looking forward to.
How The Miz balances WWE, hosting and media
Miz is not easy to get. In the past few days, he’s attended the Masters in Augusta, stopped by his home in Las Vegas before heading to San Jose for Friday Night SmackDown, and when he spoke to M&F, he just landed in Los Angeles to shoot content for American Gladiators, “to host a show that I’m actually a big fan of.” This definition is for American Gladiators not just promotional ads. “I went to a live show when it was at the Gund Arena in Cleveland, OH at the time, and I’ve never forgotten it,” he said. The charismatic star has a busy life, but is he still ‘cool’ after 25 years in the spotlight of the showbiz world? “So, now that I sit here with you, for Muscles and Fitness, and about American Gladiators, WrestleMania 42, and everything I’m doing, yeah! To answer your question, being The Miz is awesome! “
As if his in-ring work and hosting duties weren’t enough, WWE recruited The Miz to officiate the marriage of five fanatical couples during WrestleMania week. So, on top of his already crazy schedule, The Miz tells M&F that he’s now thinking about donning his suit, his wrestling gear, or maybe he’ll become the “best” Elvis impersonator on the strip as he helps those couples tie the knot.
Miz’s favorite event: Why the Atlaspheres are coming back
Prime Video is the place to get a powerful reboot American Gladiators-the ultimate battle between larger-than-life athletes and powerful competitors began in 1989, sparking a worldwide boom in games. In the US, The last season aired in 2008 on NBCleave fans waiting for this last revival almost twenty years. And while The Miz will be performing his hosting duties on the show, the former WWE Champion will be watching the action as an excited fan.
“I loved the Atlassphere as a kid,” says The Miz. In this event, contestants and gladiators walk inside some heavy steel spheres, and the goal is for contestants to avoid colliding with the Gladiator’s Atlassphere and instead make it to the designated scoring areas. “I think the reason I liked it so much is because it reminded me of a hamster wheel. It’s a human hamster wheel, more or less,” he jokes. However, for the contestants, there will be no hairy friends in the arena.
Meet the new American Gladiators cast
New generation American Gladiators includes characters like “Eagle” (Jason Peele), a powerlifter, “Crash” (Dani Spiegel), a six-time CrossFit Games athlete who won Season 2 of the Titan Games. After that harvest bone-fragment professional wrestlers including “Steel” (Jesse Goders), “Fang” (Michael Wardlaw)and “The Storm” (Caley Latimer).
With The Miz confirming that the Atlaspheres will be back in the new season of American Gladiator, he also offers a little teaser. “You’re not only going to see Atlasspheres, you’re also going to see some new Atlasspheres as the season progresses,” he said. “Like I’ve said many times, we’re taking what was old and great and fun that made the show so popular and great, we’re taking it and bringing it into the present. Gladiators is bigger, faster and stronger than ever.”
With a $100,000 prize along with the title of American Gladiator, the show will return for 10 episodes. April 17 on Prime Video.
WrestleMania 42 will take place on April 18 and 19 from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas and will be broadcast live on ESPN in the United States and Netflix internationally.
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