HARDCORE: The greatest single word to describe Mick Foley.

He's had dozens upon dozens of injuries. Lost teeth, broken bones, concussions galore. He's lost an ear, and has had over 300 stitches. All for one reason. To entertain you and me, the wrestling fans. Night after night Mick puts his neck on the line, and I for one appreciate it. So, for your viewing pleasure, here's a brief retrospective look at the career and characters that make up the hardcore legend that is Mick Foley.

Warning: some photos on this page may be unsuitable for younger viewers, so use your own discretion


Born Michael Francis Foley on May 14, 1965, Mick Foley will forever be known as one of the TRUE icons in profesional wrestling. Forget the mainstream success of Austin or Hogan. Forget about the tradition of Ric Flair or Arn Anderson. We're talking about a different kind of icon. The HARDCORE Icon.

Foley spent his youth dreaming of being a pro-wrestler. He'd wrestle with his brother and give mock interviews (where we saw the first incarnation of Dude Love) with his home video camera. Mick would jump off of high places (such as his house) to come crashing down on whatever could break his fall. What started as a boyhood dream, finally ended up a reality. Foley was trained by Dominic Denucci to become a pro wrestler. For a few years, Mick wrestled the indies as Cactus Jack Manson and even had a run as a jobber in the WWF temporarily.

He eventually entered WCW where he feuded with big names such as Vader, Abdullah the Butcher and others. It was during his feud with Vader that Cactus lost his right ear. During a match which took place in Germany, Cactus ended up getting his head trapped between twisted top and second ropes. As he tried to escape, his ear was ripped off because the ropes had been attached too tightly. Even though his ear was gone, he was in good spirits and even smiling for cameras. Cactus was given the chance to have his ear re-attached by plastic surgery, but he decided to go ahead and wrestle the next night. Eventually, Cactus captured the tag team titles with Kevin Sullivan on May 24, 1994. They only kept the titles briefly, which led to a feud and eventual "loser leaves WCW" match which Cactus lost.


After completeing his tenure in WCW, Cactus Jack entered the ECW. It was in ECW that Foley really began to bring his hardcore style to North America. There he had intense matches with Terry Funk & captured the ECW Tag Titles with Mikey Whipwreck on more than one occasion. Cactus Jack also entered the IWA in 1995 to win the King of the Death Matches tournament, going through Terry Gordy, Shoji Nakamaki & Terry Funk all in one night, where thumbtacks, barb wire, beds of nails & bombs were involved in the matches.


In 1996, the night after Wrestlemania 12, Foley entered the WWF as Mankind. Mankind was promoted as some sort of "basketcase" who thrived on pain, and had apparantly grown up in a cellar somewhere. His finisher was "The Mandible Claw", a nerve hold executed by pinching his opponent's jaw and tongue. He spoke often of abuse and neglect, but we all knew who was behind the thick leather mask.

Upon his entry into the WWF, Mankind immediately started a feud with the Undertaker, a feud which in some shape or form continues today. As Mankind, Foley dominated the Phenom like no other wrestler has ever been able to do before. Defeating him in 3 major Pay-Per-View events, including the Boiler Room Brawl & the Buried Alive Match. It was at SummerSlam's Boiler Room Brawl match that Mankind got his first and only manager in the WWF: Paul Bearer, who had turned his back on the Undertaker during this match. After SummerSlam, Foley was a major contender for the WWF World Title where he put on a spectacular match with then-champ Shawn Michaels. Certainly match of the year candidate.


Near the 1997 King of the Ring, Mankind's popularity began to soar. He began a series of interviews with Jim Ross, which actually told the real story behind Mankind and revealed to the WWF fans he was really Mick Foley, formerly Cactus Jack. The idea of Foley's "split personality" character had been born. The dream of being a fan favourite like Shawn Michaels, a boy toy to women was brought to the front. The character of Dude Love was introduced to everyone, a character that would rear it's head again sooner than anyone could imagine. Fans somehow began to identify with Mankind, and started to cheer him. Mankind made it to the finals of the King Of The Ring, where he finally lost to then pre-DX Hunter Hearst Helmsley, which began a long brutal feud between the two.


Once his feud with HHH began to simmer down, the WWF had found Stone Cold Steve Austin without a tag team partner to challenge for the tag team titles against Owen Hart and Davey Boy Smith. Mankind began to lobby with the WWF, the fans and Austin himself to be the man that would be his partner. A "Pick Me Steve" sign was hung continuously ariund Mankind's neck as he gave interviews and even wrestled. Finally the WWF decided to let Mankind be Austin's designated partner. Austin's reply: a stunner. Once he had regained consciousness, Foley declared that next week "Mankind will never be the same!"

The next week, Austin fought Owen and the Bulldog by himself for several minutes until the voice of Mick Foley came over the loudspeaker along with a new theme song to introduce Foley's second persona in the WWF: DUDE LOVE! With Dude's help, he and Austin captured the tag team titles. Dude remained a top face for several months . Unfortunately, their title reign was somewhat short lived, as Austin had suffered a severe neck injury at the hands of Owen Hart at the 1997 Survivor Series. Austin certainly couldn't wrestle, so Dude was forced to forfeit the titlles.


Mankind rekindled his feud with Triple H with a cage match at SummerSlam. We saw foley live out the memory of his idol, Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka as he jumped form the top of the cage onto HHH! However, the two were forced into a Falls Count Anywhere match the next night on RAW at Madison Square Garden. Once HHH had entered the ring, Dude Love appeared on the Titan-Tron. Dude said that falls count anywhere matches weren't his style, you need to be more deranged. Through some nifty trick photography, Mankindcame out and sat down next to Dude Love. Mankind said that he didn't do these types of matches either, but knew someone who did! At that monet, Cactus Jack walked out through the curtain! "Cactus Jack Is BACK!" Cactus made a very memorable WWF debut when he defeated Triple H in what was a BRUTAL match that ended with Cactus piledriving HHH through a table!


Foley returned as Dude Love and Mankind for a period of time as he had a brief feud with Kane, the evil brother of the Undertaker. After a strong showing at the Survivor Series, Mankind was defeated. Dude Love predominated as Mick's main caharcter for a while as he beat both the Road Dog and Billy Gunn in Singles matches with his new finisher, "Sweet Shin Music".

However, he would find himself victim of the tag champs newfound brutality, as the Outlaws had begun to prove themselves a tremendous force in the WWF after their wins over the LOD and other reputable tag teams. So what does a crazy guy like Mick Foley do? He brings back Cactus Jack! But not only that, he gets some help from his long time friend & nemesis Terry Funk! However, Terry wasn't quite feeling himself as he debuted in the WWF as Chainsaw Charlie! These two would participate in a great feud with the New Age Outlaws that saw the NAO toss Funk & Cactus off a stage in a dumpster & culminate with Cactus & Funk winning the WWF Tag Team Titles at WrestleMania 14 in a brutal dumpster match!


After losing the titles the next night, Foley would become a changed man. Retiring the Cactus Jack persona, Foley had become disgusted with the fans. They vhad chanted Austin's name as they were being destroyed by the new D-X. So, Foley became the corporate puppet of WWF Owner Vince McMahon as Dude Love. McMahon was determined to get the World Title off of Austin, and Foley was the man to do it. Named as the #1 contender to the WWF Title, he would battle Steve Austin in 2 brutal Pay-Per-View main event matches!

However, failing to meet Mr. McMahon's expectations as Dude Love, Foley resurrected "Corporate Mankind" and began his attack on Steve Austin & once again, The Undertaker!


At the 1998 King of the Ring, Mankind would face the Undertaker in what will go down as the most memorable match in WWF history for a lot of fans. Foley, showing his undying love for this sport got up after being thrown 20 feet from the top of the cage through a table. Even legend Dory Funk Jr. called this spot the hardest bump in wrestling history. He got up after being chokeslammed through the top of the cage & into the ring. He got up after being thrown onto a pile of thumbtacks. Mick Foley got up and walked out. No stretcher for him. He didn't need it. Well, maybe he needed it, but he sure didn't use it. Broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder and a tooth that went through his upper lip. Ouch.


On July 13/98, as Mankind, Foley captured his 3rd WWF Tag Team Title with partner Kane (Glen Jacobs). After a grueling match with the New Age Outlaws, Kane & Mankind emerged victorious! That night, Foley went down in wrestling history as the man who won the tag title under three different gimmics, with three different partners. Neat eh?

Kane and Mankind traded the tag titles with Austin and the Undertaker for a few weeks as the momentum was being built for the Austin/UT main event at SummerSlam '98. It was during this time that Kane and Mankind had a falling out involving a dumpster and a sledgehammer. Kane refused to defend the titles with Mankind at Summerslam, leaving him to fight the Outlaws alone with little less than a chair and McMahon's encouragment. He lost. (Check out my King Of The Ring '98 Recap Page for an indepth analysis of this match.


Which pretty much brings us to the present. Right now, Mankind has been involved in rejuvinating the main event scene along with Shamrock and The Rock. They've had several triple threat matches together, and it seems that the Rock will have the first crack at World Title gold. Leaving Mankind to have what should be a terrific feud with Shamrock. Shamrock can take some nasty licks and should be able to go punch for punch or chairshot for chairshot with Mankind.

But what does the future hold for Mick Foley? A reign as WWF World Champ? A career ending injury? Death in the ring? Who knows. But you can be assured that Foley will do it the one way he knows how. HARDCORE

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