Ernest Miller facts for kids

Ernest Clifford Miller (born January 14, 1964) is an American actor and a former professional wrestler. He is best known by his ring name, Ernest "The Cat" Miller. He wrestled for major companies like World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).

As an actor, Miller is famous for his role in the 2008 movie The Wrestler. He also appeared on the TV show My Cat from Hell.

Wrestling Career

How It All Started

Before becoming a wrestler, Ernest Miller was a talented athlete. He played football as a linebacker in high school and college. He also became a karate instructor.

One of his karate students was the son of a WCW executive named Eric Bischoff. Bischoff saw Miller's talent and asked him to try professional wrestling. This was the start of his new career.

World Championship Wrestling (1997–2001)

Miller made his WCW debut in 1997. At first, he was a hero who helped another wrestler named Glacier. They became tag team partners and fought against other wrestlers.

Becoming "The Greatest"

Soon, Miller changed his character and became a villain with Sonny Onoo as his manager. This is when he became very popular. He started calling himself "The Greatest" and would boast that he could beat anyone in two minutes.

He was known for his flashy style. He wore ruby slippers in the ring and would dance like the famous singer James Brown after winning a match. He even had a dance-off with the real James Brown on a pay-per-view show. Miller also had fun rivalries, called feuds, with wrestlers like Kaz Hayashi, Scott Norton, and Disco Inferno.

The WCW Commissioner

In 2000, Miller became the WCW Commissioner. This meant he was in charge of making matches and running the show. As commissioner, he often booked exciting main events to keep the ratings high.

He had a long feud with Mike Sanders, who wanted to take his job as commissioner. They fought in a kickboxing match for the role, which Miller lost after Sanders's partner interfered. Miller eventually won his job back. He also had feuds with other wrestlers like Lance Storm and Chris Kanyon. His time in WCW ended when the company was bought by WWE in 2001.

World Wrestling Entertainment (2002–2004)

Miller joined World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in 2002. He first worked as an announcer for the show Velocity. Later, he became a wrestler on the SmackDown brand.

He appeared in the 2004 Royal Rumble match. Instead of fighting right away, he and his manager Lamont started dancing to his theme music. He was quickly thrown out of the ring by Chris Benoit and Randy Orton.

During his time in WWE, his catchphrase "somebody call my momma" became popular. This phrase was even part of his entrance music. Miller left WWE in February 2004. He later said that the company had trouble creating storylines for his character at the time.

Later Career and Returns

After leaving WWE, Miller wrestled on the independent circuit. He took a break from wrestling but returned for special events. In 2018, he teamed up with his old WCW partner Glacier for a victory.

Miller returned to wrestling again in 2022. He also made a special appearance on the TV show Impact! in 2023 to help set up a match. On July 12, 2025, Miller walked with the famous wrestler Goldberg to the ring for his retirement match.

Acting Career

Besides wrestling, Ernest Miller has had a successful acting career. His most famous role was in the movie The Wrestler, where he played The Ayatollah, the main rival of Mickey Rourke's character.

He also played boxer Earnie Shavers in a TV series about Bruce Lee and appeared in the movie Blood and Bone.

Championships and Accomplishments

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • PWI ranked him No. 479 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in 2003.
• Martial Arts
  • He was a 3-time Karate World Champion.

See also

In Spanish: Ernest Miller para niños