Mick Foley Reveals His Wife Was Not Welcomed Backstage In WWE In 1996, Says ‘No Wives’ Edict Wasn’t For Everyone

On a recent edition of Foley is Pod, the Hardcore Legend revealed that poor treatment of his wife and family by WWF officials during his first five months was weighing on him going into his match against the Undertaker at Survivor Series 1996 at Madison Square Garden. Mick detailed how from then on, Colette Foley felt uncomfortable backstage at WWE events, and how a specific incident the day of Survivor Series became one of several contributing factors to what he considers a mediocre in-ring performance and a personal, family hurt. Highlights below:

On the first time he brought his kids backstage at a WWF show: “She didn’t feel completely comfortable, and that actually stems back to July of ‘96 when I brought my kids on the road, I think, for the second time. In fairness to WWE, when I brought them to Savannah Georgia, my kids cried for ninety minutes (laughs). I had the talk with them outside, they’re all dressed up, Dewey’s in his tie, Noelle’s in her dress. “You’re gonna be good for Daddy, right?” They went in there and had the fit where the mucus is coming out of the nose and you just can’t stop it.”

On a road agent making his family wait in a bathroom with open sewage: “But nonetheless, that had been a few weeks earlier, and now I’m bringing them to New England. I can’t remember if they were in Portland with me; but they were definitely there the next night in Bangor. The agent — and I don’t need to name the agent — may have been overplaying his hand by not allowing my family backstage. And ushered them into a bathroom with what appeared to be an open sewage line. And why I didn’t stand up right then and say “this doesn’t fly,” I don’t know. I was probably thinking, “I’ve only got a few months in this company, I’m getting a push, I don’t want to rock the boat.”

On his wife joining him in New York the PPV weekend for her birthday: “It’s one thing to do that to me in July… but by November? Kind of a big deal. Working my fourth Pay-Per-View with the Undertaker. There’s an edict “no wives backstage.” So my wife is celebrating her birthday. We take a trip together to New York to celebrate. She’s by herself. She’s going to be going to the show by herself. The edict comes down, “no wives.” I appealed — even asked Jim Ross. I was told that was the rule. So now my wife’s on her own, all day.”

On seeing other wives, girlfriends, and women backstage: “And when I get to the show, I’m at the building at one. To me, there’s no reason why my wife can’t be there until six, and then find her seat. But that’s not the case. So if the edict is being followed by everyone, that’s one thing. But if you show up, and you see other wives? Girlfriends? A companion who’d, uh, known the wrestler for 24 hours or less? That’s a problem.”

On getting angry at the emerging pattern: “And now I see it, right or wrong, as a pattern. And I’m pissed. You can say, “you’re a professional, you have to put that to the side.” I’m more sensitive than most, I think that’s safe to say. And when you get that knot in your stomach? It’s a pretty good gauge that something’s wrong.”

If you are using any of the above quotes, please credit Foley Is Pod h/t 411mania.com for the transcription.