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WWE: Why Mick Foley Should Be in the Hall of Fame

WWE: Why Mick Foley Should Be in the Hall of Fame

Posted: Jan 25th 2012 By: mikeiles

For the spectacular matches he put on, for his work on the mic and for his contributions to the industry, Mick Foley belongs in the WWE Hall of Fame.

Despite lacking a wealth of athleticism and despite having a less than ideal physique, Foley had a long, impactful career.

Fans will think first of his 1998 Hell in a Cell match with the Undertaker at King of the Ring. The brutal bumps he took in that match are a perfect example of his uncanny toughness and his willingness to do anything to please the crowd. And in the end, that?s a wrestler?s ultimate goal.

A big reason that fans adore Foley is that they see a lot of themselves in him.

In the way that Dusty Rhodes roped in fans as the everyman, Foley appeals to the outcasts, weirdos and castoffs in the audience.

Not fitting the mold was how Foley rolled.

Seeing him out the ring, chubby and awkward, you'd never guess that he was a professional athlete. Despite Ric Flair's assertion that he was just a glorified stuntman, Foley more than carried his weight in the ring.

The enthralling feud between him and Triple H in 2000 wouldn't have been much without his in-ring skills. Randy Orton's career was helped tremendously from their tussle at Backlash 2004.

Foley's resume is chocked full of memorable matches. As disturbing as his I Quit match with the Rock at the 1999 Royal Rumble was, it told a compelling story. Like so many times in Foley's career, fans could not look away, no matter how bloody or brutal the action became.

Both that match and the aforementioned Hell in a Cell bout were awarded Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Match of the Year award.

Foley's other greatest hits include numerous classics against Triple H, Randy Orton, Steve Austin and Terry Funk.

Wrestling Observer Newsletter awarded Foley the Best Brawler award from 1991-2000. If you are the best at what you do for nine straight years that should guarantee your Hall of Fame status.

And while thumbtacks and barbed wire bats may be the first things folks things of when remembering Foley's career, he was also engrossing on the mic as either Mankind or Dude Love or Cactus Jack.

He won W.O.N.'s Best on Interviews award in 1995, 2004 and 2006, with good reason.

The concept of actively switching between personas was extremely innovative and on many occasions highly entertaining.

Each Foley persona was one of a kind.

Mankind was some odd combo of Hannibal Lector and Quasimodo. Dude Love was so funny that it's no surprise that Foley later ended up doing stand-up. Cactus Jack was a unique take on an outlaw character, somehow being endearing and sadistic at the same time.

When Foley began to use his real name as a fourth persona, it wasn't groundbreaking because he was being a character closer to who he actually was, but because he still hopped from persona to persona. Not a whole lot of guys could have pulled that off.

Stone Cold and the Rock get the bulk of the credit for carrying the Attitude Era, but Foley was just as big of a factor in the WWE's success at that time. Many of Austin and Rock's big moments featured Foley taking bumps, igniting the crowd or serving as the glue to the storylines.

Try to imagine the Monday Night Wars without this key soldier.

Bloodbaths and street fights are as much a part of wrestling as headlocks and armbars. Foley made the gorier side of wrestling famous.

From his Texas Death Match against Vader at Halloween Havoc 1993, to his infamous Death Match against Terry Funk where C4 exploded in the ring, to every barbed wire gash he suffered or doled out, Foley has time and time again proven himself to be the king of the macabre.

Abdullah the Butcher was a member of the 2011 class. Mick Foley was everything that Abdullah was, only more charismatic and more successful on the biggest stages.

The question shouldn't be whether Mick Foley belongs in the WWE Hall of Fame, but who should induct him.

 

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Spotlight in History

  • 1954 Johnny Valentine def. Joe Christie for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 2002 Shadow of Death def. Terry Montana for the OCW Oklahoma Hardcore Title
  • 2012 Tim Storm became the NWA-TXO Heavyweight Champion
  • 2012 Kyra Maya became the NWA-TXO Rose Champion
  • 2013 Nasty Swag (Robert Lee & Ace Archuleta) became the UWE Tag Team Champions
  • 2019 Slice & Kill (Skylar Slice & Killista) def. The Proclamation (Ethan Cole & Reed) for the UWE Tag Team Titles
  • 2024 Brandon Warhawk def. Seth Daniels for the UWE Apex Title
  • 2024 Fuel def. Killbane for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 2024 Party Bird Crew (Smitty & Birdman) def. Black Flag Rising (Anarchy [2nd] & Faded Ghoul) for the UWE Tag Team Titles
  • 2024 Super Crash Brothers (Badger James & Trench Blythe) def. Party Bird Crew (Smitty & Birdman) for the UWE Tag Team Titles

Week of Sun 09-20 to Sat: 09-26

  • 09-20 1978 Jose Lothario def. Assassin 1 for the TSW Louisiana Title
  • 09-20 1985 The Von Erichs (Kerry Von Erich & Kevin Von Erich) def. The Dynamic Duo (Gino Hernandez & Chris Adams) for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
  • 09-20 2008 Michael Barry def. Angel Williams for the IZW Heavyweight Title
  • 09-20 2008 New Canada (The Canadian Red Devil & The Canadian Luchadore) became the ComPro Tag Team Champions
  • 09-20 2008 The Gentlemen Thugs (Cast-Iron Cothern & Shane Morbid) def. New Canada (The Canadian Red Devil & The Canadian Luchadore) for the ComPro Tag Team Titles
  • 09-20 2009 Jermaine Johnson def. Ky-ote Joe for the MSWA Oklahoma Title
  • 09-20 2013 Mike Foxx def. Tim Storm for the NWA-TXO Heavyweight Title
  • 09-20 2013 Genesis (Carrion Arcane & Kristopher Haiden) def. The Rock Star Mafia (Dane Griffin & Armani) for the NWA-TXO Tag Team Titles
  • 09-20 2013 The Rock Star Mafia (Dane Griffin & Armani) def. Genesis (Carrion Arcane & Kristopher Haiden) for the NWA-TXO Tag Team Titles
  • 09-20 2014 Kevin Morgan & became the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 09-20 2014 Jordan Jacobs def. Drake Gallows for the IZW Impact Division Title
  • 09-20 2014 Claudia def. Bree Ann for the NWA-TXO Rose Title
  • 09-20 2014 The Brotherhood (Kyng Benjamin & Akuma Jones) def. A. C. Slaughter (Aaron Anders & Clint Cassidy) for the UWE Tag Team Titles
  • 09-20 2014 Fuel def. Tim Rockwell for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 09-20 2025 Gideon Vane became the EPW International Champion
  • 09-20 2025 Miles Bane became the NAW Openweight Champion
  • 09-20 2026 Neo Genesis def. T. J. Spade for the ASP WTF Title
  • 09-21 1954 Johnny Valentine def. Joe Christie for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 09-21 2002 Shadow of Death def. Terry Montana for the OCW Oklahoma Hardcore Title
  • 09-21 2012 Tim Storm became the NWA-TXO Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-21 2012 Kyra Maya became the NWA-TXO Rose Champion
  • 09-21 2013 Nasty Swag (Robert Lee & Ace Archuleta) became the UWE Tag Team Champions
  • 09-21 2019 Slice & Kill (Skylar Slice & Killista) def. The Proclamation (Ethan Cole & Reed) for the UWE Tag Team Titles
  • 09-21 2024 Brandon Warhawk def. Seth Daniels for the UWE Apex Title
  • 09-21 2024 Fuel def. Killbane for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 09-21 2024 Party Bird Crew (Smitty & Birdman) def. Black Flag Rising (Anarchy [2nd] & Faded Ghoul) for the UWE Tag Team Titles
  • 09-21 2024 Super Crash Brothers (Badger James & Trench Blythe) def. Party Bird Crew (Smitty & Birdman) for the UWE Tag Team Titles
  • 09-22 1971 Bill Watts def. Dusty Rhodes for the TSW North American Title
  • 09-22 2001 Jenna Love became the OPW Oklahoma Womens Champion
  • 09-22 2001 Justin Lee def. Dexter Hardaway for the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Title
  • 09-22 2012 Crossfire Morrison def. Drake Gallows for the SWCW Hardcore Title
  • 09-22 2012 Kareem Sadat def. Crossfire Morrison for the SWCW Hardcore Title
  • 09-22 2023 Tommy Prince became the TexPro Dynasty Champion
  • 09-22 2023 Nashoba became the MajCW 24/7 On Call Champion
  • 09-22 2023 Skidz def. Nashoba for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Title
  • 09-22 2023 Oscar Amazing def. Skidz for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Title
  • 09-23 1974 Tex McKenzie & Johnny Valentine def. The Blackjacks (Blackjack Mulligan & Blackjack Lanza) for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
  • 09-23 1975 Jose Lothario def. Billy Graham for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 09-23 2000 Grenade def. Ichiban [2nd] for the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Title
  • 09-23 2016 Xavior became the MSWA Mid-South Cruiserweight Champion
  • 09-23 2016 Nikki Knight def. Skylar Slice for the MSWA Ladies Title
  • 09-23 2016 Psycho Mike def. Brock Landers for the MSWA Oklahoma Title
  • 09-23 2017 Kikutaro def. Ryan Davidson for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
  • 09-23 2017 Dusty Gold def. Randy Price for the IZW Impact Division Title
  • 09-23 2017 Erica def. Paige Turner for the IZW Womens Title
  • 09-23 2017 Double D def. Kevin Morgan for the IZW Heavyweight Title
  • 09-23 2017 Drake Gallows def. Sam Stackhouse for the BCW Buzzsaw Title
  • 09-23 2017 Xavior def. C. J. Ward for the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Title
  • 09-23 2017 The Omega (O’Brien & O’Malley) def. The Cursed (Blade [2nd] & Kuda) for the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 09-23 2023 Skidz def. Oscar Amazing for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Title
  • 09-23 2023 Koko def. Dan Webber for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 09-23 2023 Sweetness (Cappuccino Jones & Romeo Reese) def. Southern Aristocracy (Eddie LeVaughn & Anthony Wild) for the UWE Tag Team Titles
  • 09-23 2023 Killbane def. Leo Fox for the UWE Apex Title
  • 09-24 2002 The Professionals (John Zorthos & Julian Wolfenbarger) became the ACW Tag Team Champions
  • 09-24 2016 Ricky Starks def. Ky-Ote for the IWR Revolutionary Title
  • 09-24 2022 London Calling (Dutch Hagen & Richie Adams) def. Toxic Masculinity (Johnny Lightning & Johnny Dynamite) for the WFC Tag Team Titles
  • 09-24 2022 Martin Justice def. Tyler Watts for the EPW International Title
  • 09-24 2022 Logan Knight def. Kareem Sadat for the EPW All-American Title
  • 09-24 2022 Olivier Vegos def. Danni Bee for the NCWO Women's Title
  • 09-25 1965 Don Kent def. Red McKim for the TSW Missouri Junior Heavyweight Title
  • 09-25 1981 The Great Kabuki def. Kerry Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 09-25 1999 Big Daddy Moore def. Rocco Valentino for the OPW Oklahoma Heavyweight Title
  • 09-25 1999 The Casualties of War (Malice & Shrapnel) def. Red Eagle & Night Hawk for the OPW Oklahoma Tag Team Titles
  • 09-25 1999 Kid Flash def. Tarantula for the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Title
  • 09-25 2004 Michael Barry def. Brandon Groom for the NWA-OK Oklahoma Heavyweight Title
  • 09-25 2010 Wage def. Bernie D for the IZW Impact Division Title
  • 09-26 1978 Terry Latham & Ricky Fields def. Seigfried Stanke & Kurt Von Hess for the TSW Louisiana Tag Team Titles
  • 09-26 1984 Adrian Street def. Terry Taylor for the MSW Television Title
  • 09-26 2004 John O'Malley def. Mr. Brown for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 09-26 2009 Jeremy Quinn III became the ACW Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-26 2014 Paul Puertorico def. Matt Majestic for the SRPW United States Title
  • 09-26 2020 Brian Dixon def. Ethan Cole for the BPW Lion Heart Title
  • 09-26 2020 The Ritual (Samedi & Shadow Gemini) became the BPW Oklahoma Tag Team Champions
  • 09-26 2025 Riley Grinn def. Tommy Dean for the BUW No Pressure Title
09-21
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