411’s WWE Greatest Moments Report: Mick Foley

-We are back with another Sunday of WWE on A&E. First up, we get to countdown the Greatest Moments of Mick Foley. This should be fun! Let’s get to it!

-Michael Cole is our host and narrator.

10. What’s In The Box?
-Sept. 5, 1991

-I appreciate the Brad Pitt reference! Mick says this was at the time the most important moment of his career. He was inside a box and broke out to attack Sting. Mick says it was the best elbow on the floor he ever dropped and credits Sting for making him look like a million bucks. They love putting early moments in the 10 spot, so this made sense.

9. Extremely Hardcore
-April 15, 1995

-To ECW where Cactus Jack and Terry Funk beat on each other at Hostile City Showdown. Mick said Terry made him work. Punk says it may not look revolutionary to today’s eyes, but back then it was 100% the alternative. This is the moment where Funk put a flaming branding iron on Jack, but Jack still gets the win. Heyman says everyone knew Mick was a Main Event performer.

8. Hardcore No More
-Oct. 3, 1995

-More ECW goodness as Mick had turned heel on the ECW fans and gave us his brilliant anti-hardcore character. This is one of the many amazing promos he cut and it’s still so so good. Heyman says you could tell that Mick meant every word that he said. “We’re not a wrestling organization anymore, we’re the world’s damn biggest puppet show.”

-Commercials!

7. Mankind Gets Personal
-May 19, 1997

-This is the famous sit down interview with Jim Ross where they let us know who Mankind was and that is was a personality of Mick Foley. Funny enough he attacked JR at the end of this and yet, it helped him turn babyface because the fans loved Mick’s story and wanted to cheer him. Prichard notes it was a way for Mick to share. That “I’m a good kisser,” line is still hialrious. We also got to see the famous Dude Love home video for the first time. Kevin James pops up as a talking head which is cool. He and Mick went to the same school and were on the wrestling team together. Mick says the interview with JR is on the list of 10 best things he has ever done.

6. The Third Face of Foley
-Sept. 22, 1997

-RAW in MSG and one of the most memorable matches on RAW. It is is first introduction to Cactus Jack in the WWF and it being in MSG made all the sense in the world. Mankind/Dude Love had been feuding with HHH and it was a Street Fight on RAW. Mick needed someone special for a Street Fight and it’s Cactus Jack. They had a tremendous Street Fight and credit to HHH for selling the crap out of the reveal. He would do it again to even greater effect in 2000.

-Commercials!

5. Mr. Socko’s Visiting Hour
-Oct. 5, 1998

-Now we have the moment that gave Foley’s career new life and got him over without having to kill himself in a ring. This was all wonderful as Vince is in the hospital with a bum ankle and Mick is there to cheer him up. Chris Van Vliet pops up as a talking head and is listed as a WWE analyst. Good for him! The sock puppet is what sticks and Woods says it is “cinema.” Mick says it was one of the best things that ever happened to him.

4. Legends Never Die
-Jan. 26, 2004

-Randy Orton is the Legend Killer and Mick asks him to spit in his face again. Gargano notes that everyone knew something was going to happen. Mick goes crazy in the promo and starts punching himself in the face while Orton watches on in shock. Mick calls it the best storyline he has ever been in.

3. Through The Fire
-April 2, 2006

-WrestleMania 22: Mick finally steals the show and has the best match at Mania. I love this match with Edge. You had Mick who wanted to steal the show and Edge, who was pissed off for getting the short change on his first WWE Title run. That made for a great recipe as both men felt they had something to prove. The match culminates with Edge spearing Foley through a flaming table. Mick says it was his WrestleMania moment.

-Commercials!

2. Going The Distance
-Jan. 4, 1999

-The top two were pretty easy to figure out. We are at a taped RAW (WCW made sure we knew that) and Mankind wins The WWF Title from The Rock thanks to help from Steve Austin. That pop for Austin was something else. Great moment for Mick as he notes it felt more like a lifetime achievement award than a WWF Title. Great stuff!

1. A Giant Leap for Mankind
-June 28, 1998

-I mean, it had to be this moment. Some will tell you this moment is the Attitude Era’s “Hogan Slamming Andre.” It was also in Pittsburgh and no, I was not there. I did review the show and gave the match 5 stars. That second fall is the one that makes me cringe the most. Mick shows us that he is still missing those front teeth. Lawler’s “that’s is. He’s head,” call is amazing and needs more love.

-They touched on pretty much everything you would expect. I was hoping they would have included his WCW Tag Title win with Sullivan because that match against The Nasty Boys is one of my favorite of all time. I want to go read Mick’s book now. Thanks for reading!