Former WWE Intercontinental Champion The Miz, who regularly appeared on Talking Smack while he was on the blue brand and had a famous segment with SmackDown Live General Manager Daniel Bryan on the show, opened up on the moment.

If you recall, it took place on the August 23rd, 2016 edition of Talking Smack. The Miz went off on Bryan after being called a coward for his wrestling style.

It was one of the most memorable promos of the past few years and fans were left wondering if it was scripted or not. Here is what he had to say:

“There was a lot of emotions going on here. This wasn’t just to Daniel, this was to everyone. I unleashed a lot, because what we didn’t see before this was creative had nothing for me that day. And I went ‘what?’ They’re like ‘yeah, you’re not on the show tonight.’

What do you mean I’m not on the show tonight? I’m the Intercontinental Champion. And they’re like ‘yeah but we’re introducing new titles. We’re introducing the new tag title and the new SmackDown women’s title, so we don’t have room for the Intercontinental Championship.’

I’m like ‘wait a second. You’re introducing new titles, but what about the rich history of this title? The title you guys just keep throwing back and throwing back and burying it and burying it, and I’m sick of it.’ And I was so aggravated, I was so sick of it, I was like ‘put me on Talking Smack tonight, I am going to unleash havoc on everything and everyone.’

And Daniel Bryan called me a coward, and it set off everything. I didn’t know if Daniel Bryan was going to hit me, I didn’t know if he was going to punch me, or what was going to happen. But sometimes my mouth just keeps going, and I don’t even know what I’m saying. I’m just going off everything I’m feeling at the time.

Daniel got up and left, and I almost didn’t know what to do. I don’t know if you noticed, but you see me kind of get lost like ‘wait, he’s leaving?’ I was getting ready for him to hit me.

I wanted to make that Intercontinental Championship relevant again. I really did want to make it prestigious. So many times in WWE you have a moment like this, and then the next week [the excitement level] goes down, and then the next week it goes down, and it goes down, and then people just forget. I didn’t want people to forget.”

It’s well known by now that Talking Smack has not aired on the WWE Network after SmackDown Live and 205 Live go off the air due to WWE deciding to cancel the show as a weekly series.
Instead, Talking Smack will continue to air as a post-PPV broadcast. The show, which was hosted by Renee Young and Bryan, had been on the streaming since last August.

It seems that when Bryan decided to take time off for paternity leave for the birth of his daughter Birdie with his wife and former WWE Superstar Brie Bella, the show went downhill and was not as good as it once was. That most likely led to the downfall of viewership.