WWE Hall Of Famer and former Monday Night RAW General Manager Mick Foley recently did an interview with Sky Sports about his historic WWE Championship win over The Rock on Monday Night RAW back in January of 1999. Here are the highlights:
Seeing his WWE Championship win as a ‘mistake’:
“It meant so much to me on a personal level and I think I’m right in saying the fans have voted it the best ever Raw moment,” Foley said. “I’m excited to have been part of so many big matches on Raw. But I saw me as champion as a mistake. I didn’t think it was a good idea. I always thought the challenger should be chasing the champion, and The Rock was a great champion. But it turned out to be the best thing for everybody. We were going up against a massive live WCW show at the Georgia Dome in front of 40,000 people and nobody thought we’d be celebrating a big victory that night.”
The ratings proving how big of a moment it was:
“It was not seen as a big moment at the time,” Foley said. “I saw it as a big moment for myself because I’d never dreamed of being champion, but we all thought it had been an exciting conclusion to a good show. We didn’t realize the force of the show until the ratings were revealed the next day.”
WCW’s decision to have Hulk Hogan defeat Kevin Nash for the WCW World Heavyweight Title with the “Fingerpoke of Doom” match the same night:
“I did watch Nitro later that night and the ‘Fingerpoke of Doom’ was a dreadful creative decision, but the even worse decision was to give away the ending to our show,” Foley replied. “It obviously backfired. It’s interesting to talk to Eric Bischoff these days and he says he was doing what he thought he had to do to make his show better. He miscalculated and ended up kind of giving us a huge victory.”
You can read Foley’s full interview with Sky Sports by clicking this link here.
Mick Foley recently conducted an interview with NBC Sports. The WWE Hall-of-Famer spoke on advice he gave to Braun Strowman and his thoughts on the 1st ever women’s Royal Rumble match.
Mick Foley Interview Highlights
On what challenges faced by performers in the 1st ever women’s Royal Rumble:
“Just trying to live up to the lure of rumbles in the past will be a challenge. It is almost always the highlight of the show. The match really gains due to the anticipation during it.
I’ll be rooting for the women. I’ll be glued to my TV set and just hoping that it goes as well as possible for everybody. I hope they have a couple of surprise entrees. Both from the past and a couple of new names.
The women are so determined. Through sheer force of will, they’re going to have a very good match, but the one thing you can’t ever … you can’t book magic. I hope there’s that element of magic in the air when they take to the ring.”
Foley on advice he’s given to Braun Strowman:
“I had a major talk with him about the importance of throwing things backstage. [laughs] I told him about a legendary basketball game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Portland Trail Blazers in 1977, when Darryl Dawkins was ejected. I never saw the dressing room after he was done with it, but I heard about it and it was legendary in my mind and I said to him that he had a chance to be Darryl Dawkins after that game.
He had the physical presence to do it. He was the one guy who had the strength to throw things around in a way that would be meaningful and I think he really took that lesson to heart. Anytime I see Braun Strowman throwing items backstage, I smile.”
– A brand new ‘Table For 3’ episode will air on the WWE Network tonight following Monday Night RAW. Tonight’s participants will be former WWE Universal Champion Finn Balor and former RAW Tag Team Champions The Hardys. Here’s WWE’s official description for the episode:
“Finn Balor and The Hardys discuss the motivations behind their most extreme personas and share personal tales of their paths to WWE.”
– WWE Hall Of Famer Mick Foley took to Twitter to praise WWE Champion AJ Styles and SmackDown Live Tag Team Champions The Usos for their performances at Clash Of Champions last night:
WWE Legend Mick Foley recently had an interview with SportingNews.com where he talked about the Raw 25th-anniversary episode and more. Below are a few highlights from his interview:
His recent run as the Raw General Manager:
“It was pretty agonizing just getting to and from the shows but once I was there, I felt like I made a contribution. I really enjoyed working with Stephanie. I’m deeply indebted to her for a really beautiful foreword for my book and I hope I get the chance to interact with her some more when I eventually return in some shape because, eventually, we all return.”
If he will be appearing at the Raw 25th-anniversary show on January 22:
“I’m sure it will be a good show with or without me. I thought a year away is probably proper when you’ve been fired in public but I think 10 months is probably plenty of time. If I get the call; I don’t know what I’ll do if I get the call. I guess I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.”
His recent weight loss:
“I honestly think that when I got down to 236 that I didn’t look like myself, I don’t think people want to see a … It’s like in ‘Rudolph’ where Mrs. Claus says, ‘People don’t want to see a skinny Santa; eat, Santa, eat.’ So, I look at some photos when I was the ‘Raw’ GM and I was like, ‘That’s a little too gaunt.’ People want to see me with a little girth.”
WWE Hall Of Famer Mick Foley recently did an interview with Sporting News to talk about a variety of professional wrestling topics. During the interview, Foley discussed reliving his infamous Hell In A Cell match during his 20th Anniversary tour, realizing how big of a deal the match was, and the writing process behind his book “Saint Mick.” You can check out the highlights here:
Reliving his Hell In A Cell match on stage during his 20th Anniversary tour:
“The first time I watched the infamous Hell in a Cell match in its entirety in many years is because my children wanted to see it. I realized upon watching that match in its entirety that, all these years later, it really packs an emotional wallop. And for years, I kind of tried to distance myself from that match and instead, almost 20 years after the fact, I’m embracing it and looking forward to reliving it on stage at 20 North American stops in the spring of 2018.”
Realizing how big of a deal the match was:
“I’d say at the five-year mark when it was still a daily question, I realized that it had an impact. At the 10-year mark, you started having children who weren’t even born when it took place who were familiar with it. Especially now that the WWE Network reaches a whole new generation, it’s not unusual to have 50 percent of the audience who were born after that match took place but who are, nonetheless, aware of it.
“There are kids out there who say it’s their favorite match despite the fact that they can see really good matches on a weekly basis and great matches on a monthly basis.”
The writing process behind his book:
“When I started the writing process, I realized that I was kind of going to some dark, really personal places. I had to describe the need for this iconic figure in my life before you could realize how fulfilling it was. And I realized it was, by far, my most personal book and in some ways it was a love letter not only to my own childhood, but, to my younger children, in particular and the joy we had shared in celebrating Christmas’ together, traditions, and also the arrival of Santa Claus into our lives.
“I think people are enjoying it but there’s still part of me that kind of wishes I’d just published 100 copies and handed them out to friends and family.”
You can read Foley’s full interview with Sporting News by clicking this link here.
WWE Legend Mick Foley recently had an interview with Sports Illustrated where he talked about the recent Hell In A Cell match between Shane McMahon and Kevin Owens among other things. Below are some of the highlights from his interview:
Shane McMahon’s jump from the top of the Cell:
“He didn’t seek my counsel, I give him all the credit in the world, he’s probably the bravest guy I know, he’s absolutely fearless. I wish he wouldn’t do it, I hope he doesn’t do it again, I really do… A lot of impact, on landing. He’s got children, I just hope he doesn’t do it again.”
If he raised the bar for taking crazy bumps to an unrealistic level:
“I wanted to give people what I wanted to see out of matches. I knew what I wanted to see, I was not a naturally-gifted athlete, so I had to think outside the box and I may have raised the bar to an unrealistic level. But then it all comes back to storytelling, it all comes back to getting people caught up in your character so they care about the plight of a character they care about.”
WWE deciding that Attitude Era is over:
“WWE did decide at a certain point, the Attitude Era is over, we’re bringing in a new era and they went in a more PG-direction and worldwide they’ve never been bigger, So it was no-doubt the right move and guys have found new ways to connect with the audiences.”
WWE Legend and former World Champion Mick Foley recently took part in a Reddit AMA session and talked about a variety of topics. Below are some of the highlights from the session:
Favorite foreign object he ever got hit with:
“Chris Jericho hit me with a copy of my own book in 1999. He got the victory, because it was such a large volume – but I made a heckuva comeback. I told him he wanted more of me I would be at the bookstore and gave an address. It was the largest turnout I had ever had!”
Which is his favorite ‘Face Of Foley’:
“Not sure he has ever been counted as a distinct face, but I think my character as Commissioner in 2000 was different enough to be included as one! Definitely the most fun I ever had – I showed up late, left early, didn’t have to change clothes, and said whatever I felt like saying.”
WWE Star he would like to write a storyline for:
“I would love to write something for Becky Lynch. I’ve mentioned before that I don’t think we’ve seen the best of her – and her ability to dig down deep for promos is still somewhat underutilized.”
Which current WWE Superstar he thinks he could have had a good feud with in his prime:
“In my prime, I think I could’ve had really good matches with any number of WWE superstars. I think he cactus/Owens match could’ve been great, or a mankind/bray Wyatt match could’ve had some amazing build up.”
WWE Hall Of Famer and former Monday Night RAW General Manager Mick Foley recently joined Ring Rust Radio to promote his new book, Saint Mick: My Journey From Hardcore Legend to Santa’s Jolly Elf. You can check out the highlights here below:
You recently released your new book, Saint Mick: My Journey From Hardcore Legend to Santa’s Jolly Elf. Why did you feel now was the right time to write this book and what are you hoping to accomplish with its release?
“You guys are officially the first interview I am doing. As of this talk its release date is not there yet it’s October 17. I don’t know what I was thinking. It’s not like it’s a book that lends itself to people that like me as a wrestler or have been chomping at the bit for my Santa memoir. It felt like it was a really good story and a great experience I had in the course of five years. I knew from reading largely wrestling memoirs, the stories that have an arc like a five, six, or seven arcs tend to be more interesting rather than someone looking back at a 30- or 40-year career and trying to cherry pick moments.
“You never really feel like you’re in the moment there. When someone had a storied career and trying to look back to capture everything, I think there is a minimal emotional investment in the book. I felt like I had a pretty good story to tell with lessons that I’ve learned and with a nice balance of the surreal, touching and the foolishness. I felt like if I didn’t get down to it this year, I probably never would have.”
You’ve run the gamut as an author in terms of the types of books you’ve written, but how was the writing process different for this book compared to your earlier autobiographical work, and how did the enjoyment you felt while writing this book compare to those previous ones?
“It was a great experience and in the introduction, I write about the fact that, I don’t want to sound all artsy, but it’s the purest writing experience. The first one was amazing, but I wrote it largely because the guy that was supposed to be writing it, the ghostwriter, did a mediocre job and I felt like I could do it better or I would be stuck for eternity with a mediocre book and nobody wants that. It worked out great and opened up a lot of doors for me. From that point on, the second book was like a way to take advantage of the success of the first book.
“Even Hardcore Diaries and Countdown to Lockdown were six week periods where I was writing them as the events were unfolding. So, story wise it was a roll of the dice and I didn’t know if there were going to be good stories or not. In this case, it’s something I really wanted to do. I didn’t think there was an audience and at certain point I was just really intent on self-publishing like 100 copies for family and friends and then a couple of key people, Stephanie McMahon being one of them, convinced me it might deserve a wider audience.”
The foreword for your latest book was written by Stephanie McMahon. What went into your decision to ask her and how did she react when asked?
“Oh man, I wrote something about that and you guys are kind of getting the sneak preview of that. She had just decimated me verbally in a backstage interview. It was one of the cruelest, verbal tirades even by wrestling standards. It was the one where I think at the end of February that ended with the man that used to be able to stand up to everyone and everything, but can now barely stand at all. When it was done, I said I would like to talk in private if I could. She knows I’m professional and I’m not going to yell at her over a promo, it was hard because it is a tough thing to ask, but I asked her if she would wonder consider writing the introduction to my book and it caught her completely flat footed. She was kind of speechless for a second like she wasn’t expecting that. Then she told me she would be honored to.
“When we were GM and Commissioner, I was working on this book and she would ask me about it. One day she came to catering and started asking me a couple of questions and I thought she came to talk to me about a promo we were doing, but after about 40 minutes, I asked her if she wanted to talk about the promo and she said, ‘No, I just think this is really interesting.’ I asked her if she thought this was a story people would enjoy and she really helped me believe in my own project. I hope I don’t kill her on-air persona, but I really respect her not only as a performer and a person, but also as a writer. Every writer has a few key people they depend on to give them feedback and in this case, she was a key person. She was my sounding board on a weekly basis and the main reason I decided to publish it instead of self-publishing for family and friends.”
It’s often been said that WWE’s motto is “putting smiles on people’s faces,” and the same can be said for playing the role of Santa Claus. How do you feel being a WWE Superstar helped prepare you for being Santa and spreading Christmas cheer all year round?
“Did you say playing the role? I’m not playing, pal! There were times when I was playing the role of characters where I really felt like I was living that role. Those were the best appearances where you get caught up in that character to the point where you feel like you are that character and it’s the same thing. I really feel like the experience I had and I don’t want to give this away, but Stephanie’s got this great line in her introduction and forward and it was something I actually tried to write about getting to the main point of what I learned from doing this, but I didn’t feel comfortable.
“It was almost too heavy and I didn’t want to phrase it without sounding all ideological or crazy, but she remembered it almost word for word from a conversation we had. Basically, all these experiences I had from being in the ring, portraying characters, visiting children and service members, really put me in a unique position so that I could kind of step in and really inhabit this role which I believe is closer to who I really am. I just have to be nicer and kinder and wiser than I am in real life. Whereas when you’re Cactus Jack and Mankind, you have to be crazier, braver and far more aggressive.
“I wasn’t the classic alpha male in the dressing room, but I had to go in there with guys that were six inches taller and 80 pounds heavier who were those alpha males and I do find a way to hold my own. The business is what it is, but if you can’t stand your ground, you get devoured in there. That was really difficult for me and it took me a long time to get the grasp of that. Whereas this character, the Santa character, is a little closer to home I think.”
You can listen to Foley’s interview on Ring Rust Radio by clicking this link here.
WWE Hall Of Famer Mick Foley recently took to his official website, RealMickFoley.com, to discuss his upcoming book, Saint Mick. Foley discussed why he picked Monday Night RAW Commissioner Stephanie McMahon to write the forward for his book, how he reacted after reading it, and what he really thinks of her as a person. You can check out what he had to say here:
Why he picked McMahon to write the forward to his book:
“Writing the foreword to a book is a pretty big deal. I guess I should be honest and tell you that Stephanie McMahon was not my first choice when it came to writing the foreword for SAINT MICK. She was my only choice. While we may have bickered on the air – saying terrible things about each other in the hope of creating good TV – behind the scenes, Stephanie was my weekly sounding board for my book, and her interest and encouragement helped convince me that this very personal memoir might just deserve a wider audience than the 100 people I had planned to self-publish it for.”
How he reacted after reading it:
“I didn’t like Stephanie’s foreword, though. I loved it! While I have no doubt she could have produced a fine forward in 90 minutes, while watching TV, the hard work she put into creating this generous piece of writing (that’s what my publisher called it – a generous piece of writing) is so obvious, is such a great addition to my book – and so greatly appreciated. I teared up when I read it, then teared up again when I read it to my wife – who teared up as well. ‘Mick, that’s really beautiful,’ my wife said. ‘And she obviously worked very hard on it.’ She certainly did. First drafts. Proofreading. Edits. In the end, it was worth the wait, and I will forever be grateful to Stephanie McMahon for going so far above and beyond both the call of duty, and my expectations to produce something so eloquent and beautiful.”
What he really thinks about her as a person:
“Stephanie McMahon is great. Not ‘great’ as a synonym for ‘cool’ or ‘awesome’ or great with an exclamation point behind it in a text message to convey happiness in a single word. Stephanie is great in the sense that she possesses qualities of true greatness, with the potential to accomplish truly great things in her lifetime.”
You can check out Foley’s entire blog entry by visiting this link here.
Earlier this week, WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley underwent reconstructive knee surgery . Foley wrote on Facebook that,
“Without this knee operation, I was going to continue with that noticeable limp … my right knee has not been able to straighten for probably 10 years or more.”
On Wednesday, the former RAW General Manager provided an update on his condition, including a photo of his “fairly grotesque” knee post-surgery.
Foley noted that he’ll be ‘on the shelf’ for about a month, heading to physical therapy soon and will be back on the road for his upcoming ‘Saint Mick’ book tour.
For details on how you can see Mick Foley live during one his book signings, visit RealMickFoley.com/events.
WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley posted an update on Facebook after undergoing knee replacement surgery on Monday. Foley joked that not wearing knee pads during the final years of his career was a mistake in hindsight. He wrote:
“Feeling drowsy but optimistic after getting my right knee replaced this morning. Looking back, my decision not to wear kneepads the final few years of my career was probably not a wise one! Following my hip replacement in April, I could give Iron Man a run for his money with all the steel in my body.
Man, it’s not until you’re laid up that you realize how happy you are to have #RAW there for you every Monday night. Not pandering, just expressing an opinion. OK, maybe I am pandering just a little!”
Foley, who also had a hip replacement surgery back in April, revealed that he has not been able to fully straighten out his right knee in over a decade.
“Hey, if you ever have a chance to talk to #WWEHOF Madusa, and she tells you something, believe it! Madusa warned me that this knee replacement was going to be painful, and the rehab to follow even worse. So far, she is right on the money!
But I really needed the surgery. The hip replacement in April has helped tremendously, it was removed so much of the pain I was in the last eight or nine years. But without this knee operation, I was going to continue with that noticeable limp, in case you forgot what The Godfather once told us you limpin’…it ain’t easy! As it turns out, my right knee has not been able to straighten for probably 10 years or more.
As a result, I’ve been placing far too much weight on my left foot, every day for 10 years – and over the course of that time, it has greatly affected our walk… i’m kind of leaving to a domino reactions were other body parts or stressed when compensating for the knee injury. So, although this surgery is a tough one, It was also a very necessary one.”
WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley made two announcements on Twitter on Monday morning.
Foley will be appearing at next year’s WrestleCon event during WrestleMania 34 weekend from New Orleans.
The hardcore legend also revealed that he is undergoing knee surgery this morning. He promised to give an update after the procedure when he “kicks out” from the anesthesia.
Irish promotion Over The Top Wrestling (OTT) hosted their ‘Wrestlerama’ event this past weekend to a huge crowd in Belfast’s Mandela Hall.
Mick Foley appeared as part of the event as a special guest and he got involved in an angle with controversial performer Joey Ryan. Foley attempted to use Mr Socko on Ryan but it was blocked and reversed into Ryan’s ‘signature’ manoeuvre…have a look at the tweet below for the full video
Mick’s daughter Noelle sent out a reaction tweet earlier today that you can also check out below:
Mick Foley recently posted about WWE Superstar Becky Lynch and stated that we have yet to see the very best from her. Below is Foley’s post:
STRAIGHT FIRE
I really enjoyed an interview my daughter Noelle did with Becky Lynch, and for me, the charisma, humor, and yes, straight fire Becky displayed in a fun little interview was illustrative of her still untapped potential in WWE. Not that Becky hasn’t done great things already in #WWE, but I just have this gut feeling that we have yet to see the very best from the #IrishLassKicker. It’s a potential that may just be one great angle, one incredible promo, one magic moment away.
One of Paul Heyman’s greatest attributes in #ECW was having the knack of giving the talent just enough guidance, instilling just enough confidence to allow talent to find something more within themselves than they’d previously produced or possibly even felt possible. I saw it in Steve Austin, when Paul tapped into the frustration and anger felt – and within weeks, Steve went from a good, solid mic man to being one of the best promos in the business. I saw it in the way he helped transform Taz from a silent, one dimensional performer into one of the most intriguing characters in the business. Certainly, the guidance Paul lent me helped me find a voice that produced some of the best work of my career.
If Becky Lynch can find her personal Paul E – someone behind the scenes at WWE SmackDown Live who can wind her up…and let her go, I think Ms Lynch is capable of taking her game to a level she herself might not think possible.
Let me know what you think of Becky and what you’d like to see in her future. Give it a share too – it’s such a Badlass photo!
A few weeks ago, SmackDown Live Women’s Champion Naomi made a few modifications to her championship title to better fit her ‘Glow’ gimmick. The title now glows in the dark to go along with her unique entrance.
WWE Hall Of Famer and former Monday Night RAW General Manager Mick Foley recently took to his official Facebook page to throw a heap of praise Naomi’s way for the design change, dubbing her entrance unlike anything he has ever seen in his time with WWE:
“DO YOU FEEL THE GLOW? I do! Naomi’s entrance is unlike anything I have ever seen in #WWE and now she has a championship title…it’s still a #BELT to me…that is equally unique. A great look for a great #SmackDownLive #WomensChampion. I’m really looking forward to her #SummerSlam match with Natalya, and hope it is given a place on a packed card where it can shine”
Foley’s comments brought joy to the SmackDown Live Women’s Champ who took to Twitter to respond:
WWE Hall Of Famer and former Monday Night RAW General Manager Mick Foley took to his official Facebook page to share an emotional story of how WWE Superstars Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch created a great moment for a dying WWE fan, Dillon, who has been battling Williams disease since birth. Check it out here:
“A few weeks ago, I received a message about Dillon, a huge WWE fan, fighting cancer, in the final weeks of his life. Dillon was born with Williams disease, characterized by moderate developmental disabilities, along with heart and other medical problems. I was thankful that I would be visiting Dillon during WWE SmackDown Live, as his sister told me that although Dillon was going to be very happy to see me, he was fairly shy and wasn’t likely to do much talking while I was there.
“SmackDown would provide an easy bonding agent, so if I stumbled verbally, we could just kind of hang out and watch the action together. Dillon certainly was happy to see me. Williams Disease is often referred to as “The Friendly Disorder”, due to the genial nature of so many affected by it. He smiled during the entirety of my visit, and with his mother Patricia and sister Deirdre in the room, we had quite a nice conversation.
“I asked him about SmackDown, and when I learned that a few of his favorite Superstars were good friends of mine, I did my best to continue the conversation while simultaneously texting one of those superstars he had mentioned.
“You wouldn’t happen to have a minute to talk to a big fan who is in the hospital, would you”, I asked
“I would”, came the reply, literally seconds later.
“Thank you – The family will be overjoyed.”
“Oh, deadly!!!”
“30 seconds later, Becky Lynch was on speakerphone, her distinctive Irish brogue filling the hospital room with a palpable sense of joy. It would have been really easy for Becky to simply say goodbye. But instead she mentioned that she was in the women’s dressing room, and asked Dillon if there was anyone else he might like to speak to.
“Well, actually, Becky”, I said. “Although Dillon loves you, his absolute favorite is Charlotte Flair.
“Seconds later, Dillon was talking to his favorite WWE Superstar, and I noted that his sister was recording the conversation – providing a visual account for what was surely a moment he would like to relive over and over again. Sadly, the doctors’ estimate proved correct and Dillon passed away within a couple weeks of my visit.
“His family was so grateful for the kindness shown him, and I am so grateful to have friends so willing to help, so willing to make a difference. Dillon’s sister told me the phone call with Becky and Charlotte had provided the family with one more great moment with this gentle, kind-hearted man.
“Sometimes, a little bit of kindness can go a long way”
Kurt Angle’s episode of WWE 24, set to premiere after tonight’s Raw, features an interview with former TNA owner, Dixie Carter. Considering that Carter was a key figure for much of Angle’s career, her perspective on Angle’s career should be interesting.
Matt Hardy and Dixie Carter
Matt Hardy and Dixie exchanged a few posts through social media recently. Matt had sent out a tweet about AJ Styles winning the US championship and Dixie responded to him and AJ:
Mick Foley, who also had a run in TNA, posted the following on his Facebook page regarding Dixie Carter appearing on WWE programming:
“DIXIE CARTER ON WWE TV – this makes me happy!
Yes, I am very happy that Dixie Carter will be appearing Monday night, after WWE Raw on the WWE Network special on Kurt Angle. Dixie did a lot for wrestling, a lot for Kurt and so many wrestlers – and in my opinion, her contributions to the wrestling business have been largely overlooked or greatly underestimated.
I have heard most of the criticisms before. I was personally critical of Dixie and TNA on several occasions when I worked there – and have poked a little good-natured fun at them from time to time since leaving. But, with the benefit of hindsight, I came to see how fortunate I was to have had Dixie Carter in my life – and how fortunate professional wrestling was to have had her in our business.
For the past few years, I wanted to write an article, “It’s a Wonderful Life, Dixie Carter”, where – in the spirit of the classic Jimmy Stewart movie – I would try to imagine the wrestling landscape had Dixie not been part of our world. I never quite got around to it. So instead, I wrote her a hand-written letter last month, expressing both my appreciation for what she had done for professional wrestling, and my gratefulness for having had the opportunity to work for her. But, try if you can to imagine the landscape of professional wrestling has she chosen not to become part of it in 2002. It almost certainly would look much bleaker than it does today. I didn’t always agree with Dixie’s decisions, but she was a good boss, a good person and a blessing to our business. I’m proud to call her a friend – and happy that she will be appearing on WWE TV.
If you could do me a small favor, try to fight that strong urge to say something negative – and perhaps think about sharing a nice thought about Dixie or TNA in the comments.”
WWE Legend, Hardcore Icon and former RAW General Manager Mick Foley took to Twitter to endorse two of the US independent wrestling scene’s top prospects.
Foley tweeted during a Northeast Wrestling bout between EVOLVE/PWG performer Keith Lee and former Ring of Honor standout Donovan Dijak.
Nicknamed ‘Limitless,’ Keith Lee is not only known for his impressive power but also for his incredible aerial abilities. He is just as likely to hit a Powerbomb as he is a Corkscrew Plancha in his matches.
Donovan Dijak’s won the Ring of Honor Top Prospect Tournament in 2015, he was also a long standing member of Truth Martini’s ‘The House of Truth’ stable in ROH. He left the company in February of this year and his future plans are still very much up in the air. It has been rumoured that a move to NXT may soon be finalised.
WWE Hall Of Famer Mick Foley recently did an interview with Sports Illustrated’s Extra Mustard to discuss his time with the company. You can check out some of the highlights here:
Vince McMahon not being a fan of his at first:
“Mr. McMahon, you see, was not a Cactus Jack fan,” Foley recalled. “But, following a notable first year in a leather mask as Mankind, Mr. McMahon had a change of heart, and not only gave Cactus Jack the occasional opportunity in WWE, but built up the Cactus character to be my toughest and wildest incarnation of all. It was if he was admitting to me, and whoever out there was watching, that he just might have missed the boat on that Cactus Jack guy after all!”
Cactus Jack making his WWE debut on a September 1997 episode of RAW in a Street Fight with Triple H:
“In so doing–in allowing a guy who (in his opinion) didn’t look like a star, Mr. McMahon just may have opened up the possibility that other unlikely prospects might find a home, and stardom inside the WWE,” Foley told Sports Illustrated. “Maybe, just maybe, the lesson learned from the Cactus Jack experiment helped open the door for future WWE Superstars such as Daniel Bryan, CM Punk, and Kevin Owens–all of whom flourished in what would have been seen as a very unlikely environment a generation earlier.”
How WWE portrayed his character and his connection with the fans:
“So, yes, WWE deserves much of the credit for how they chose to portray a colorful journeyman like Cactus Jack. But there was something real there too–something fans could truly believe in.”
“Even as the world learned new truths about me–I was from New York not New Mexico, the only thing truly deranged about me was my fashion sense–the legitimacy of Cactus Jack was only heightened, never questioned,” Foley elaborated. “I think it’s because there was an understanding that even given the entertainment aspect of pro wrestling, the struggle to the top had been hard-earned and well deserved, and that the legendary tales of suffering had all turned out to be very true.”
WWE Hall Of Famer and now-former General Manager of Monday Night RAW Mick Foley took to his official Facebook page to comment on Braun Strowman’s recent injury that is expected to keep him out for a few months. Foley noted that whenever the cameras weren’t rolling “The Monster Among Men” was always eager to learn:
“SAD NEWS FOR STROWMAN
I was very sorry to hear that an elbow injury could sideline Braun Strowman for as long as six months. He may have threatened me on a weekly basis when I was GM, but when the cameras were off, he was always eager to learn as much as he possibly could. I wish him a full and speedy recovery, and I hope I get to see that Strowman/Lesnar match at a later date. What do you think the future holds in store for Strowman?”
Mick Foley has provided an update on his condition after undergoing hip replacement surgery on Wednesday. The former RAW General Manager posted the following on his Facebook page:
FOLEY IN FLIGHT
My mind wrote a lot of checks during the course of my career – and more often than not, it was my right hip that paid the bill. I always realized there would be a price to pay for having the privilege of taking flight on so many occasions – and I have been paying that price for quite a few years. I had my right hip replaced on Wednesday, and I hope it is the game changer that so many claim it is. It certainly would be nice to lay down at night…or wake up in the morning without the constant reminder of all those checks I wrote in my younger days.
As it turns out, what I did was never flying – it was falling with style. But it’s funny how falling feels like flying..at least for a little while*
Thanks for all the kind words, prayers and well-wishes. They are much appreciated.
*Jeff Bridges as Bad Blake in “Crazy Heart”
Mick Foley’s next book, “Saint Mick: My Journey from Hardcore Legend to Santa’s Jolly Elf” is due out October 17th and he’s been working on the project while recovering from the hip surgery.
Former WWE RAW General Manager Mick Foley underwent a long overdue hip surgery on Wednesday. When asked by a fan on Twitter if the surgery was the reason he was written of WWE television, Foley responded, “Perhaps. Those last five months were really killing me.”
Back in December, Foley revealed that he’s needed the surgery for a long time, but kept putting off the procedure because he did not have health insurance. He wrote on Facebook:
“Luckily, I am used to the constant pain – and it’s not like I wasn’t warned by almost every guy in the wrestling business that the moves I was doing as a younger man were going to come back to haunt me. Well, they’re haunting me! The weight-loss has helped considerably; without it, and the DDP yoga, I don’t believe I could even get through airports. But the constant travel means constant pain. I love being the Raw GM, and I will miss it when it’s gone. But my quality of life will probably improve when Stephanie and WWE decide to go in a new direction.”
Over The Top Wrestling (OTT) announced during their Scrappermania broadcast that ex-RAW General Manager Mick Foley will be ‘taking control’ of the promotion for one night only on August 5th. Foley’s last appearance on the UK/Irish scene was for ICW as part of their Fear & Loathing IX event.
Scrappermania was a big success for OTT with their first ever venture into iPPV on FloSlam. The WrestleRama event on August 5th has not yet been confirmed as being available to stream on FloSlam but with the inclusion of a star the caliber of Foley it surely will be.
Former Raw GM Mick Foley announced on Facebook that his hip replacement surgery has been delayed until April 19th. Foley also wished new Raw GM Kurt Angle the best and stated that he is a great choice to run the show.
“Kurt Angle is great choice for #RAW GM. He has the respect of everyone in the dressing room, can get serious when he needs to, and has an awe-inspiring ability to embrace his inner nerd. He is likely to have very good chemistry with a wide assortment of the #Raw roster – which makes for good television.”
WWE.com has posted a couple of previews for Monday’s episode of Raw. Last week, Stephanie McMahon fired Raw GM Mick Foley. It appears that the storyline surrounding the Raw General Manager will continue on Monday. Below is a preview posted on WWE’s official website.
This past Monday night, Raw Commissioner Stephanie McMahon unceremoniously ousted General Manager Mick Foley, using the two words that seem to come naturally to members of her family: “You’re fired!”
Now, mere days before WrestleMania, Raw is left without a GM, and with so many high-profile Team Red matches at The Ultimate Thrill Ride on April 2, one wonders if Stephanie is looking for someone new to quickly fill the vacant position, or if she will take on the responsibilities of running the show herself, as she did on Monday after Foley was forced to leave the building. Either way, Raw’s management — or lack thereof — should prove interesting in Philadelphia this Monday night.
The WWE also posted a preview for Monday’s episode of Raw that discussed the Roman Reigns/The Undertaker storyline. Monday is the final episode of Raw before Wrestlemania 33. The WWE is asking the question, has The Undertaker gotten inside Roman Reigns’ head?
The Undertaker emerged in Brooklyn to strike fear into the heart of Roman Reigns, but The Big Dog was ready, delivering a thunderous Spear that left The Deadman dazed … but only for a moment.
Like a scene out of a slasher flick, The Undertaker snapped up from the supine position and rose to his feet, letting The Big Dog know, in no uncertain terms, that it will take more than a Spear to keep The Phenom off his feet. As an eerie mist surrounded him on the entrance ramp, Reigns gazed awestruck at his otherworldly WrestleMania opponent. Perhaps this isn’t Reigns’ yard after all.
