The Challenge's Mark Long Reveals The Miz's Secret To WWE Success

Reality television star Mark Long always knew The Miz (Mike Mizanin) would be a WWE success.

In an exclusive interview with Wrestling Inc. Senior News Editor Nick Hausman, Long said The Miz's dedication to the WWE allowed him to enjoy a prolonged professional wrestling career.

"I asked him one time, I said, 'Miz, why do you think you've lasted this long?' And he said, 'Mark, honestly it's because whatever WWE asks of me, I say "Yes" and I do it a hundred percent,' " Long said. "This is him going overseas with the troops. This is him going to [visit] a sick kid in a hospital. This is him going and doing a promo, where he might not get as much sleep he should have. So, I applaud Mike for being and taking those extra steps and being a company guy and being rewarded for it."

The Miz and Long appeared together on "Battle of the Sexes 2" – a sequel series to "The Challenge" – in late 2004. Long said they've remained friends since then, catching up after this year's WrestleMania where they "got to spend a few hours one-on-one just chatting in the hotel."

"And I think what he loved most about it was about ten percent of the conversation was about wrestling and the 90 percent other was about me and just normal stuff and life and how Maryse and the kids are doing," Long said.

Long has been training for an in-ring career and predicted he'd be on "NXT" by next year. He will make his in-ring debut against Noah Kekoa at Boca Raton Championship Wrestling's November Takedown event on November 6.

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