When fans rank the greatest celebrity performances in WWE history, Bad Bunny’s name now comes up almost automatically. His WrestleMania 37 debut stunned skeptics, and his San Juan Street Fight at Backlash 2023 elevated him from novelty act to legitimate attraction.
But one lingering debate remains: who deserves the most credit for that breakout WrestleMania moment?
For years, The Miz has been widely praised as the veteran who “carried” the Grammy-winning artist through his first match. It is a narrative that has followed the bout ever since. Yet Miz himself believes that framing oversimplifies what really happened inside the ring.
Reflecting on the match during The Undertaker’s “Six Feet Under” podcast, Miz pushed back on the idea that he alone engineered the success. “I got a lot of credit for that. I don’t think John Morrison, Damian Priest as well as Bad Bunny get enough credit for it,” he said.
The build to WrestleMania 37 took place during the unique COVID-era tapings in Tampa, where training conditions were anything but traditional. According to Miz, Bunny’s dedication was impossible to ignore.
“I remember Bad Bunny training, and this was during COVID times where we were at the baseball field in Tampa, and every time I would come to the show, he was there early in the ring,” Miz recalled. “He would be practicing, then he would go sing at the Grammys. He’d be right back in the ring. He’d go to SNL and he would have the title. I was like, man, this dude just loves what we do.”
That commitment shaped how the match was structured. WWE often protects celebrity guests by minimizing exposure and hiding limitations. In this case, Miz said the approach was the opposite.
“Celebrities, we hide ’em. We hide their flaws. I was like, we’re not hiding you. You are literally going to be doing the entire intro, you’re gonna be involved in every aspect of this match because no one will expect it.”
That philosophy paid off. Rather than delivering a cameo performance, Bad Bunny executed Canadian Destroyers, took bumps, and handled lengthy in-ring sequences. Damian Priest’s presence as Bunny’s partner added credibility and pacing, while John Morrison complemented Miz’s veteran control.
The result was a tag team match that shifted expectations around celebrity involvement in wrestling. It also set the stage for Bunny’s 2023 San Juan Street Fight against Priest in Puerto Rico, a bout widely praised for its atmosphere and physicality.
The broader takeaway is how WWE now approaches crossover stars. In an era where Logan Paul and Pat McAfee have proven capable in-ring performers, the company appears more willing to demand real training and real participation from its celebrity partners. That raises the bar not only for guest attractions, but for the full-time roster sharing the ring with them.
Miz’s comments subtly reframe the narrative. Instead of a veteran carrying a pop star, it was a collaborative effort between four performers committed to delivering something memorable. For an industry built on perception, that distinction matters.
Celebrity matches used to be sideshows. Now, they are often featured attractions. And if the WrestleMania 37 blueprint holds true, the success of those moments depends less on smoke and mirrors and more on preparation, trust, and shared accountability inside the ropes.
