Ever since his contract ended with TNA Wrestling in 2011, Mick Foley has been hinting very strongly that he will return to WWE, the company he left in 2008. As noted on Wrestling Inc by Ryan Clark, with reports that The Rock will wrestle at the 2011 Survivor Series, many think it would be a natural fit for Foley to return at the event since he and The Rock are well-known to the fans as The Rock ‘n’ Sock Connection. Wrestling fans would no doubt love to see renewed interaction between Mr. Socko and Mr. Rocko.
Mick Foley is 46 years old, and is still willing to take bumps. But should he wrestle again for WWE? Should he be a manager? Should he try commentating again, or do a little of everything?
Mick Foley as a Wrestler in WWE
Foley had initially wrestled in WWE as Mankind in 1996, and later as Dude Love and Cactus Jack. There he acquainted fans with his hardcore style of wrestling, for those who hadn’t seen him wrestle in Japan and ECW. Foley is currently in his mid-forties, and though he wrestled during his stint with TNA Wrestling from 2008-2011, he served as mostly a famous figure to attract fans. He did spend time feuding with big names like Sting and Kevin Nash. But Foley mainly served as an “executive shareholder” of TNA.
Some wrestling fans would no doubt want to see a renewed feud between Foley and The Undertaker. The two had an excellent feud in the 1990s when Foley wrestled as Mankind, but then, they were still in their early thirties. It would be wince-inducing at best to see them try to top their previous efforts in a Boiler Room Brawl or Hell in a Cell bout. And with fans expecting them to be brutal and gimmicky, even in a still PG WWE, they might not be satisfied with a regular, no-frills match.
Mick Foley as a Commentator in WWE
Mick Foley did commentary for WWE for the first time at the ECW One Night Stand pay-per-view in 2005. He later joined the Smackdown announce team with Michael Cole, and later Jim Ross. There were rumors that Vince McMahon’s constant yelling at Foley bothered him, and Foley quit WWE just over three months after joining the commentary booth.
Mick Foley as a Manager in WWE
Mick did not have much of a role as a manager during his previous stints with WWE, so this could be a new and interesting job for him. There are plenty of Superstars in WWE who would benefit from a guiding hand such as Foley’s, since the man has decades of experience in various facets of pro wrestling. Foley has unquestionable speaking skills and charisma, and is great at cutting promos, as any manager should be.
Whatever Foley does when he returns to WWE, his dozens and dozens of fans (as he used to jokingly say) will undoubtedly be thrilled to have him back, and his undying love for the sport will shine through whether his role is as a wrestler, manager or commentator. Or all three.
Sources:
- Clark, Ryan, “Mick Foley Says He’ll Return to WWE Soon”, Wrestling Inc.
- Mick Foley, Wrestler Profiles, Online World of Wrestling
Jillian Bost - Jillian Bost is an experienced writer with interests ranging from Victorian literature to 1980s pop and professional wrestling.
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