WWE's 'The Miz' suggests Chiefs star for American Gladiators, talks Browns fandom

USA Today

5 hours ago

WWE's 'The Miz' suggests Chiefs star for American Gladiators, talks Browns fandom
This week, Chiefs Wire's Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Mike 'The Miz' Mizanin about his participation in this year's American Century Championship, which will take place July 9-13 at Edgewood Tahoe, his earliest memory of the Cleveland Browns fandom, and hosting the upcoming American Gladiators reboot while name dropping Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce as an ideal Gladiator.
The Kelce brothers are confirmed to be Miz's competition again this year, as he will seek a better finish than last year's tournament.
Miz is an Ohio native and a die-hard Browns fan, having witnessed the franchise's ups and downs. Cleveland's last divisional round postseason appearance was against Kansas City in 2020, when they lost at Arrowhead Stadium 17-22. He recalled his earliest memory of the team as a child attending school, singing about their quarterback, Bernie Kosar.
"I believe I was in, like, fifth grade, and I was going to school in the bus, and we were just singing, Bernie, Bernie, oh baby Super Bowl," said Miz, "So, yeah, I remember that verbatim, and I also remember us not making it to the Super Bowl. I believe that year was either the fumble or the drive. I'm not sure which one, but those are the two things that really screwed us."
The former WWE champion was recently named host of the upcoming reboot of American Gladiators on Prime Video.
"I can't wait. I think, with this show, we're gonna, you know, give a nod to what, what American Gladiators was in the past, and elevate it and put it, you know, with 100% and go literally, ball to the wall, if you will." said Miz, "I mean, American Gladiators is a staple, and now to be the host of American Gladiators. It's an absolute honor, and I take it very, very seriously. I want to make sure that this show is everything people imagine it to be and more, and it will be. I can't wait for people to meet the Gladiators. I can't wait for people to see the events, and I can't wait for people to see me as the host."
During a recent appearance on NFL Network's Good Morning Football, Miz suggested that Chiefs star Travis Kelce would make a great addition to the show as a Gladiator.
"I'm gonna go with two tight ends. I'm gonna go, George Kittle, I'm gonna go with Travis Kelce, because of personality," said Miz during the broadcast, "A Gladiator has to have a great personality, and got to be out there, not only do that be physically dominating but they got to be someone, either you're root for, or you're gonna boo kind of like a WWE superstar."
The annual tournament awards $750,000 in prize money, much of which the celebrity players donate to local and national charities. Over the years, nearly $8 million has been donated to non-profit causes. Network television exposure on NBC, along with a first-place prize of $150,000, makes the celebrity tournament one of the most prestigious in the golf world.