The Miz has revisited one of the most notorious stories from his early days in WWE, offering new insight into the infamous period in which he was banned from the locker room for six months.
Appearing on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, The Miz reflected on the incident that has followed him for nearly two decades. In the mid-2000s, He was forced to dress in hallways and public restrooms after a locker room punishment widely believed to have been instigated by Chris Benoit. The trigger, as commonly told, involved Miz accidentally spilling fried chicken crumbs on a veteran’s bag.
Miz said the situation spiralled due to a backstage “telephone game” rather than any malicious intent.
“I had no idea when I was getting back in,” he explained. “The person who told me I was out said I could not come back until they said so.”
That absence lasted six months. Miz said the wrestler who first issued the ban eventually left WWE, leaving him unsure how to resolve the situation. It took another three months before he finally approached The Undertaker to broker his return.
“No, that person went away,” Miz recalled. “So I had to wait another three months. I asked Taker. I said I have been out of the locker room for a long time. He said, ‘Oh, you have? What did you do?’ I said I ate a piece of chicken in the locker room and it got all over. I still believe it did not, but other people tell you differently.”
Miz described how the rumour snowballed backstage and exaggerated his actions beyond recognition.
“One person says you ate chicken over my thing, the next says you ate chicken over his bag, then someone walks in and hears you ate chicken all over the place,” he said. “By the time the telephone game is played, I was throwing chicken everywhere and smearing it on stuff. That is what it felt like.”
The Undertaker ultimately ended the ban, allowing Miz back into the locker room and, in time, into WWE superstardom.
How Long Has The Miz Been With WWE?
The Miz has been with WWE for over two decades, first signing with the company in 2004 after competing on Tough Enough. He worked his way up through WWE’s developmental system before debuting on the main roster in 2006, rapidly evolving from reality TV outsider to one of the most decorated stars in the company’s history.
In the years since, Miz has captured multiple championships, including two reigns as WWE Champion, eight Intercontinental titles and two United States titles, as well as main eventing WrestleMania 27. Now regarded as one of WWE’s longest tenured full-time performers, his career longevity stands in stark contrast to the rocky start that once had him changing in hallways.
