AEW star Kyle Fletcher has made a name for himself in the ring, but he also understands the importance of mastering the mic. When it comes to promo skills, Fletcher looks to an unlikely source of inspiration: WWE veteran The Miz.
During a recent interview “Battleground Podcast”, Fletcher explained how Miz’s verbal expertise directly affected his current work in AEW.
“I think how much he interacts with the crowd, and not just in the sense of turning to the crowd and yelling at them or anything,” Fletcher said. “A lot of people go into promos, and today I don’t want to say that people use scripts, but there are a lot of people who are scripted for themselves and they memorize and come out and say it. It works for some people. It’s great. The Miz, it’s him, it’s Cena, all these guys don’t say anything when they can come out. Literally everything has been influenced by how the crowd reacts and what they do, I think that’s something I’ve definitely looked at, been inspired by and tried to do something in my own stuff.
As a performer, Fletcher admitted that overthinking is only natural, especially when it comes to promos, which is why some people memorize their promos ahead of time. Seeing The Miz’s successful spontaneity has inspired him to do the opposite, and more than that, to trust his speaking abilities.
The Miz has cut a number of blistering promos throughout his 20-plus year WWE career, including this one. the infamous fire on “Talking Smack” in 2016. Because turning on his heel, shaving his headand joining the Don Callis family in 2024, Fletcher delivered similar performances while making them his own.
If you use any of the quotes from this article, please credit “Battleground Podcast:” with ah/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcript.