AEW superstar Miro recently spoke to Sports Illustrated to hype up his in-ring debut for AEW on tonight’s episode of Dynamite on TNT. The former WWE United States champion speaks on a multitude of topics, and mentions now that he’s not being held back he can fully unleash his true potential.
On growing up watching Hulk Hogan:
When I was a kid, I watched Hulk Hogan on television and told myself, ‘One day, I’m going to go to America and become a professional wrestler. That stuck in my mind throughout my entire childhood. That’s why I learned English. America was my top priority, and wrestling was in my heart.
On going to Rikishi’s wrestling school:
I had six months with Ric Drasin, and I soaked up every lesson. He gave me lessons in bumping and in-ring. Then Rikishi opened a school, and I was one of the first students. That was my chance to compete. I gave 100%. If someone was faster, I gave 120%. It didn’t matter if I was hurt or sick, or if I had to work in the day or in the night. No one was going to beat me in practice.
Says he knew he would never give up and his early days of paying for wrestling school:
I was working 80 hours, making $2,000 a month, paying for wrestling school and rent. A friend offered me a job to make some money driving a truck. It paid $80,000. That job offered me money, but it was not my destiny. Then is no different from now. I am here to be a professional wrestler. I knew I was fighting life. Before you live your dream, you need to fight life. That’s what I was doing, fighting against whatever life put in my life. Movies have always been important to me, and I thought back to Rocky, the way that movie showed Rocky fight. I wasn’t born with that silver spoon or whatever it is called. It was no different when I got released. I knew in my heart that I should not give up.
On not being bitter after his release from WWE:
People ask me why I’m not bitter. WWE gave me a platform. I have the best fan base in the world. And that is where I met my wife. I love her to death. If nothing else came of it, I met my wife. So I can’t be bitter. There is no point to that.
How he wasn’t given the same opportunities in his home country as he has in America:
I came to America for an opportunity, the kind I wasn’t given in my country. That’s all I want in AEW. That opportunity. I love professional wrestling, and it has so much left to offer me. As soon as I got that call [from WWE], I immediately knew I wanted to go two places. The first one, I’m already here. The second, you’ll find out when the time is right.
How everything in his life has led him to this moment:
Everything in my life has led me to this moment. The chains are off. There isn’t anyone yelling at me, saying, ‘Don’t do this. Don’t sell shirts. Don’t smile. Don’t wave to people.’ All the doors that were closed are now open. My fan base knows I’m good. They’ve seen me perform at the highest level. And that’s why I am where I am, my fan base. There would never have been a Rusev Day or Miro in AEW without the fans. Nothing is going to stop me from achieving my dream, and I’m going to take the fans with me when I do it. AEW is beautiful. I can create something you’ve never seen before anywhere else in the world. Once I get the opportunity to debut, everyone will find out why the ‘Best Man’ is All Elite.
