This Sunday, we get to see Raw battling SmackDown Live. The Miz vs Baron Corbin is a match that may not have gotten as much onscreen build, but that hasn’t stopped these two. There have been weeks on the road to Survivor Series where Corbin hasn’t appeared on SmackDown Live. The Miz is a constant fixture of Raw, but has been used primarily to help move other stories. So what did they do? It’s 2017, they took to Twitter!
In a thirty second promo cut in a dark room on an iPhone, Baron Corbin addressed the Miz and took a shot at his wife. From there, it was on. The Miz has been one of the best on the mic for quite some time now. Talking in a more controlled environment clearly helps Corbin. This was made obvious during both Breaking Ground and Talking Smack. Keeping things short has made his words more impactful as well.
A few Twitter exchanges have led to a match that feels personal. On a card that revolves around wrestlers who do not regularly interact, that can’t be taken for granted. It also helps to build the case for social media. Will Ospreay vs Vader, The Young Bucks using YouTube to build storylines, the Wrestle Kingdom showdown between Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega, social media is being used more and more effectively in the world of professional wrestling.
Prior to the build online, the match had decent appeal. Champion against champion is always going to draw attention. And both of these superstars give fans plenty of reason to tune in. Corbin hit the ground running, winning the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal in his debut. Though he has hit the occasional bump in the road, there is no denying he has steadily been making his way to the top. Many thought he would take a major step back after losing the Money in the Bank briefcase, but he was immediately thrown into the US Title picture. In his relatively short reign, he has scored victories of AJ Styles and Sin Cara. He plays the role of big man with a bad attitude very well. Add in the Deep Six and End of Days, and Corbin is on the rise on SmackDown Live.
The Miz, on the other hand, left SmackDown Live during the superstar shake-up. Seeing The A-Lister on Talking Smack was one of the highlights of any given week in wrestling. MizTV is of similar quality. He is also quickly coming up on Don Muraco, with a very good chance of passing Pedro Morales for longest reigning Intercontinental Champion of all time. Miz is also a former WWE Champion, one of only eight grand slam champions, and has headlined a Wrestlemania.
The Most Must See Superstar in the WWE also holds one of the most important roles on the show. The Miz is so good at being hated, he can work with anyone on the roster. A newer wrestler gets more of the audience caring about his match because they want him to beat The Miz. If there are injuries or illness, he can just as quickly pop into the main event. Fans will line up to see him get his comeuppance, especially from their favorite superstar.
Either of these two getting what they have coming to them is the crux of this match. Corbin is the one that insisted on making things personal, but The Miz, well, he’s The Miz. The Miz vs Baron Corbin is a great heel vs heel match since they aren’t the same kind of heel. The Miz is a sneaky, cowardly heel, hiding his insecurities behind a false bravado. Corbin is a cocky bully. He doesn’t need, or want, your respect. It is great to see a showdown like this at a time when fans are quick to claim that all heels are the same.
So who wins? Really, I could see the match going either way. I expect that The Lone Wolf will physically dominate the match, but could see The Miz-tourage getting involved. If The Miz wins, it will most certainly be through dirty tactics. With that said, I think Baron Corbin will win this match. That’s another win for SmackDown Live.
