In 2009, she was drafted to the WWE Raw brand, and won the Divas Championship for the second time in 2010, making her the first woman to hold it more than once. In 2010, she co-hosted NXT and managed Ted DiBiase, prior to her release from the company in 2011. In 2016, she returned to the company and became the manager of her husband The Miz. That year, she joined the cast of the reality show Total Divas. In 2018, WWE announced a spin-off show titled Miz & Mrs., which starred Mizanin.[6] She and her husband also served as executive producers.
Early life and career
Ouellet was born in Montreal, Quebec, but grew up in Edmundston, New Brunswick.[1] In high school, Ouellet was the only girl in her class, and ran the school's fashion show. She also began developing a range of makeup products.[7] Ouellet began her modeling career as a beauty pageant contestant, winning Miss Hawaiian Tropic Canada 2003 and finishing second at the International Finals of Miss Hawaiian Tropic 2004.[1] She was also on the cover of Playboy's 2007 Girls of Canada calendar.[7]
Professional wrestling career
World Wrestling Entertainment / WWE (2006–2011)
Diva Search and developmental territories (2006–2007)
In mid-2006, Ouellet tried out for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)'s Diva Search.[1] She made the final cut and was one of the top eight contestants, but was the second person eliminated on July 24. Despite her elimination, she was invited to observe workouts and the training facility at WWE's developmental territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW), along with Brooke Adams.[1] Ouellet later said that she was "very, very excited", as it was her "dream to become a WWE Diva".[8]
On the September 22, 2006, episode of SmackDown!, Ouellet, known as simply Maryse, was shown on the TitanTron welcoming the Montreal viewers in French to the season premiere of SmackDown! on the CW Network.[1] Maryse made her first official televised appearance on the May 21, 2007, episode of Raw to present American rapper Timbaland's new music video for the single "Throw It on Me", in which she had appeared.[10]
By the time she began appearing regularly on SmackDown at the beginning of 2008, she had adopted a snobby attitude and become a villainous character.[9][11] On the March 7, 2008, episode of SmackDown, Maryse competed in a swimsuit contest against Victoria, Michelle McCool, Cherry, and Eve Torres, which ended in a brawl between Maryse and Torres.[12] The following week, she was the first eliminated from another swimsuit competition.[13] On March 28, Maryse competed in a "Wet and Wild" match, teaming with Victoria against Cherry and McCool in a losing effort.[14] On a "SmackDown after the bell" video on WWE's website, the tag team Deuce 'n Domino dumped Cherry, who had been their manager, and replaced her with Maryse.[1] Maryse then insulted Cherry, only for Cherry to slap her.[15] On the May 16 episode of SmackDown, Maryse made her in-ring debut in a loss to Cherry, though she defeated Cherry in a rematch the following week.[16][17] On the June 6 episode of SmackDown!, SmackDown General ManagerVickie Guerrero announced the creation of the WWE Divas Championship, and that same night the Divas competed in a Golden Dreams match to qualify for the championship match at The Great American Bash, which was won by Natalya.[18] On the July 4, 2008, episode of SmackDown!, she competed again in another Golden Dreams match to face Natalya for the championship, however she failed to win.[19] For several weeks, Maryse competed in six-person tag team matches with Victoria and Natalya against Cherry, Michelle McCool and Maria. She suffered a minor broken nose after receiving a bulldog from Maria in August 2008.[20]
Divas Champion (2008–2010)
Maryse began a rivalry with Michelle McCool in September 2008, challenging her for the WWE Divas Championship at Unforgiven,[21] and in a rematch the following week on SmackDown, but failed to win on both occasions.[22] On the September 23 episode of ECW, Maryse defeated McCool in a non-title match.[23] After a month-long absence, Maryse returned at Survivor Series pay-per-view event in November, participating in a five-on-five Divas elimination tag team match, eliminating Kelly Kelly, Mickie James and Candice Michelle; Maryse was the sole survivor of her team, but was ultimately eliminated by Beth Phoenix.[24] At the Armageddon pay-per-view on December 14, Maryse teamed up with Jillian Hall, Victoria and Natalya in a losing effort to McCool, Maria, Kelly Kelly and Mickie James in an Eight-Diva Santa's Little Helper tag team match.[25] On December 19, Maryse pinned Maria to become the number one contender for Michelle McCool's Divas Championship.[26] The following week on SmackDown, Maryse defeated McCool, with Maria as the special guest referee, to win her first Divas Championship.[27][28] On December 28, at a house show in Raleigh, North Carolina, Maryse dislocated her knee in a tag team match against The Bella Twins (Nikki and Brie). It was later announced that the injury was not major, and therefore only missed a few weeks action.[29] On the January 23, 2009, episode of SmackDown, Maryse returned and sat at ringside commentating during a Divas' tag team match.[29] She returned to in-ring action on February 20, teaming with Michelle McCool in a win against Maria and Eve Torres, where she pinned Torres.[30]
Maryse made her first appearance on Raw on March 2, as a commentator for a match involving the WWE Women's ChampionMelina, with Maryse attacking her after the match.[citation needed] The following week, Maryse made her in-ring debut on Raw in a champion vs champion lumberjill match, which she defeated Melina.[31] The rivalry extended to a tag team match on SmackDown on March 13, where Melina and Maria defeated McCool and Maryse.[32] On March 27 episode of SmackDown, Maryse made her first championship defense, losing by disqualification after the returning Gail Kim attacked Maryse and McCool, and thus retained the championship.[33] On April 5, Maryse competed in a 25-Diva Miss WrestleMania battle royal at WrestleMania XXV, but she was eliminated by Beth Phoenix and the match was won by Santina Marella (Santino Marella dressed in drag).[34] Maryse made her last appearance on SmackDown on April 24, retaining her championship against Gail Kim.[35]
Maryse as Divas Champion in 2009
As part of the 2009 WWE Draft on April 13, Maryse was drafted to the Raw brand, and in the process, the Divas Championship became exclusive to Raw.[36] She made her first appearance as part of the brand on April 27, teaming with Beth Phoenix, Rosa Mendes, and Jillian Hall in a loss to Santina Marella, Mickie James, Brie Bella and Kelly Kelly.[37] Maryse then began feuding with Mickie James after she cost James a number one contender's battle royal, which was eventually won by Kelly Kelly, by spraying hairspray in her eyes. The following week, Maryse lost a championship match against Kelly by disqualification, meaning the championship did not change hands, and won a rematch by pinfall two weeks later on June 8.[38][39] At Night of Champions on July 26, Maryse lost the Divas Championship to James.[40] Despite being only the second Divas champion, her reign of 216 days remained the longest in the title's history for nearly five years,[11] until AJ Lee surpassed her reign in January 2014.[41]
After losing the championship, Maryse underwent a legitimate knee surgery.[citation needed] She returned on the November 23 episode of Raw, disguised as The Gobbledy Gooker, as the guest timekeeper for a Thanksgiving-themed 6-Divas tag team match. After the match, she revealed herself by attacking the Divas Champion Melina.[42] The following week, Maryse made her in-ring return teamed with Jillian Hall in a tag team match against Melina and Gail Kim, where Maryse pinned Melina.[43] On the December 7 episode of Raw, Maryse defeated Gail Kim by dirty tactics, and following the match, Maryse proceed to attack Kelly Kelly, who was working as ring announcer, ordering her to announce she was the next Divas Champion, but was stopped by Melina.[1]
In early 2010, a tournament was held for the newly vacatedWWE Divas Championship due to Melina's injury.[44] Maryse entered the tournament, and defeated Brie Bella and Eve Torres in the first round and semi-finals, respectively, to advance to the finals.[45][46] The tournament's finals were originally scheduled for Elimination Chamber on February 21; instead, the match was changed by the SmackDown General ManagerVickie Guerrero to an interbrand tag team match, where Maryse teamed with her scheduled opponent Gail Kim against LayCool (Michelle McCool and Layla), which was won by LayCool as a result of Maryse abandoning Kim during the match.[47][48] The following night on Raw, Maryse defeated Kim in the finals to win the championship, becoming the first Diva to have held it twice.[11][49]
On March 15 episode of Raw, Maryse defeated Kelly Kelly in a non-title match, attacking her after the match before being attacked by Eve Torres and Gail Kim, and saved by LayCool, then joining with them and Vickie Guerrero.[citation needed] On March 26 episode of SmackDown, Maryse teamed up with LayCool, Guerrero and Alicia Fox defeating Beth Phoenix in a 5-on-1 handicap match before being attacked by Kim, Eve, Kelly and Mickie James.[50] At WrestleMania XXVI, on March 28, she was part of the winning team of a 10-Diva tag team match with LayCool, Fox and Guerrero against Phoenix, James, Kim, Torres and Kelly Kelly,[51] but the following night on Raw, she was pinned by Torres in a rematch.[52] Maryse lost the Divas Championship two weeks later to Eve Torres on the April 12 episode of Raw,[53] and was unsuccessful to regain it at Over the Limit pay-per-view in May.[54] At Fatal 4-Way on June 20, Maryse failed to regain the title in a Fatal Four-Way match that also involved then-champion Eve, Gail Kim, and Alicia Fox, which Fox would win pinning her to become the champion.[55]
On March 8, Maryse became the co-host of NXT, alongside Matt Striker.[64] As part of NXT Redemption, Maryse was involved in several romantic storylines, most notably with Yoshi Tatsu, Lucky Cannon, and Hornswoggle.[65][66] In April, DiBiase made an ultimatum to Maryse for her to choose to continue on the NXT or continue with him. The following week, Maryse chose to continue appearing on NXT, disbanding their alliance in the process.[67] In August, Maryse underwent surgery for an abdominal hernia and took time off WWE programming.[68][69] After two months of inactivity, Maryse was released from her WWE contract on October 28.[70]
Independent circuit (2012)
On October 5, 2012, Maryse appeared at the Family Wrestling Entertainment (FWE) event Back 2 Brooklyn, performing live commentary.[71] She began appearing regularly for FWE, where she commentated during women's matches.[72][73][74]
On April 4, 2016, episode of Raw, the episode after WrestleMania 32, Maryse returned during a WWE Intercontinental Championship match between the champion Zack Ryder and her husband, The Miz. During the match, Maryse slapped Ryder's father, who was in the front row, in order to distract Ryder and allowed Miz to capture the championship for the fifth time, thus becoming his manager in the process, where the two then became an on-screenpower couple.[75] She formally re-introduced herself three days later on the April 7 episode of SmackDown before once more helping Miz to retain his championship over Ryder.[76] She then began to cut various promos with Miz as his host during the Miz TV segments, while calling themselves the "It" Couple.[77] Following a hiatus due to the shoot of a WWE film, Maryse returned to WWE television on the June 27 episode of Raw, where she helped Miz to retain his championship against Kane after she faked an ankle injury.[78]
After being drafted to Smackdown as part of the 2016 WWE draft which took place on July 19,[79][80] she helped her husband to retain the title on several occasions.[81][82]
In February 2017, Maryse was involved in her first feud since her return when she and The Miz feuded with the also real-life couple Nikki Bella and John Cena.[83] This culminated in a mixed tag team match at WrestleMania 33, where Maryse and Miz would lose in what was Maryse's first match in over six years.[84] On April 10, Maryse was drafted to the Raw brand along with Miz as part of the "Superstar Shake Up".[85] On June 4, at Extreme Rules, Maryse was in Miz's corner when he won the WWE Intercontinental Championship for the seventh time by defeating Dean Ambrose.[86] In September, following her pregnancy announcement, Maryse stopped appearing on television.[87] On November 19, 2017, she made an appearance on the Survivor Series pay-per-view crowd watching Miz fight United States ChampionBaron Corbin.[88]
Maryse returned to Smackdown to manage The Miz in July 2018.[92] Following Maryse's interference in The Miz vs. Daniel Bryan match at Summerslam,[93] Maryse and Miz were put in a mixed tag match by the SmackDown General Manager Paige against Brie Bella and Daniel Bryan at Hell in a Cell on September 16 and won.[94] On the September 11 edition of SmackDown Live, Maryse competed in her first singles match in over 8 years, losing to disqualification to Brie Bella.[95] Following this match, Maryse would again stop appearing on television as Miz began a storyline with Shane McMahon. At Elimination Chamber Maryse returned as a face announcing she and The Miz are having their second child.[96] Although Miz was drafted to SmackDown during the 2019 WWE Draft, Maryse went undrafted. Her first post-draft appearance occurred during a pre-recorded segment on SmackDown in December 2019 for Miz's feud with "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt, where she appeared with Miz at their home.[97] Maryse returned to Raw on April 12, 2021, as part of Miz TV.[98] On the same episode, Maryse accompanied and helped The Miz andJohn Morrison to defeat Damian Priest in a handicap match.[98]
On November 29, 2021, Maryse made a surprise return to Raw, where she accompanied The Miz and confronted Edge in the middle of his first promo after being drafted back to Raw.[99] She made multiple appearances on Raw in the following weeks, including attempting to interfere in the match between Edge and The Miz at Day 1, where Beth Phoenix returned to confront her.[100] On the following week Raw, Edge and Beth Phoenix challenged The Miz and Maryse to a mixed-tag team match at the Royal Rumble, which The Miz accepted.[101] On January 17, 2022, Maryse attempted to persuade Beth Phoenix to cancel their match at the Royal Rumble, and attacked her with a brick in her purse when she refused.[102] The feud concluded in a mixed tag team match at Royal Rumble where Maryse and The Miz lost the match.[103]
Professional wrestling style and persona
Throughout her career, Maryse has been noted for generating heat due to her snobby persona and bossy attitude in the ring, as well as for her comedy skits that often come unexpectedly during her matches and promos.[104][105][106][107]
In 2018, Maryse and her husband Mike appeared in a reality television series titled Miz & Mrs.[123] It was later announced on July 26 that Maryse would not be returning for the eighth season of Total Divas.[citation needed]
In 2013, Ouellet got engaged to longtime boyfriend and fellow wrestler Mike Mizanin, better known by his ring name, The Miz. The two were married in The Bahamas on February 20, 2014.[129][130][131]
On March 27, 2018, Maryse gave birth to their first child, a daughter named Monroe Sky Mizanin.[132][133][134]
During Elimination Chamber on February 17, 2019, the couple announced they were expecting their second child.[135][136] Their daughter Madison Jade Mizanin was born on September 20, 2019.[137][138]
On February 10, 2024, Maryse announced she had been diagnosed with ovarian serous borderline tumors and would be undergoing a complete hysterectomy.[141]
^Caldwell, James (January 17, 2014). "WWE Newswire: A.J. sets record". Pro Wrestling Torch. Archived from the original on January 19, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
^"Hidden Effort of WWE Maryse". Tokyo Headline. Japan Style. August 5, 2010. Archived from the original on September 25, 2015. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
