Michael Foley was born in Bloomington, Indiana on May 14, 1965. Who would have known that this was the birth of hardcore. Michael met Dominic Denucci, after he Denucci had seen rare footage of Foley wrestling. Denucci agreed to train Foley at a gym, near his home, in Pittsburgh. Cactus Jack Manson was born! Jack made his pro debut on June 24, 1983 defeating Kurt Kaufman. Five years later, in August of 1988, Jack became a member of Robert Fuller's Stud Stable in the CWA. Two months later, on October 23,Jack and Gary Young won a tournament to capture the CWA tag team title. Fuller and Jimmy Golden soon turned on Jack and Young,defeating them for the titles on November 7. Finally, on November 20, Jack and Young lost a loser leaves town match. Cactus Jack then headed to World Class where he joined Gen. Skandor Akbar's stable. On May 30, 1989, Cactus and Zodiac II defeated the team of Jeff Jarrett and Kerry Von Erich to capture the World Class tag team title. Unfortunately, the belts were lost 10 days later. Asecond title reign began on August 4 when Jack and Corporal Braddok beat Jarrett and Matt Bourne. After losing the belts one week later,Cactus left World Class.
Cactus soon arrived in WCW where he hooked up with Kevin Sullivan. Together they had a series of matches with Abdullah the Butcher and Norman. After this he headed to the "new" UWF. He teamed with Bob Orton and feuded with Don Muraco, Sunny Beach, and Brian Blair. Managed by John Tolos, Jack and Orton lost to Sunny Beach and Stevie Ray at the UWF Beach Brawl PPV on June 9, 1991. Cactus Jack was developing a "cult" following because of his growing repertoire of high risk moves, such as the hip buster. It was during a match in July 1991 that Cactus debuted the Double Arm DDT on J.T. Smith. This move would continue to serve as Jack's finisher for the years to follow. In what many wrestling fans consider "The Feud of 1991", Cactus Jack battled in a series of brutal matches with Eddie Gilbert. On August 3, this feud came to a peak when they fought three times in one night. The matches were: a falls count anywhere match,stretcher match, and a steel cage. At this point, both Jack's personal and professional life seemed to be gaining momentum. Personally, Jack announced his engagement to Colette (with whom he has since had two children, Dewey and Noelle). Professionally, Jack entered the Global Wrestling Federation as part of the Boss' Cartel. The Cartel; Rip Rogers, Muckan Singh, Scotty Anthony, and Cactus attempted to capture the tag team titles to no avail. After some great matches in the GWF, Cactus returned to WCW as one of the presents sent to Sting by Lex Luger. This time Cactus allied himself with Abdullah the Butcher. At Halloween Havoc, Cactus and Abby, along with Vader and Diamond Studd, faced Sting, El Gigante,and the Steiners in the "Chamber of Horrors". Cactus then began feuding with Van Hammer followed by Abdullah through 1991 into 1992. Tragedy struck on April 23, 1993. Cactus Jack's career came to an abrupt halt. During a match with Vader, Jack was powerbombed onto the concrete floor, hitting his head. He suffered a concussion. Many people feared that his career was over. Jack returned from this injury much earlier than anticipated. He returned, and defeated, Yoshi Kwan at Fall Brawl 93. He then went on to face Vader in a Texas Death match on PPV. Cactus Jack, now one of WCW's most popular wrestlers then started a feud with Paul Orndorff.
During a match against Vader overseas, Cactus Jack's head got caught in the ropes. While trying to free himself, his ear got caught and two-thirds of it got torn off. Cactus had to decide, reattach the ear or return to the U.S. for a tag title match. He chose the latter. Jack and Sullivan won the WCW tag titles from the Nasty Boys. Later, after losing the tag titles, Jack faced Sullivan in a loser leave town match. After losing, Cactus decided to split his wrestling between Japan, where he had been very successful, SMW, and ECW.
While in ECW, Cactus Jack had a brutal, bloody Feud with Sabu, teamed with Mikey Whipwreck to win the tag titles from Public Enemy,had Kevin Sullivan come in and turn on him, gave Sandman a concussion, was attacked by Sandman, DC Drake, and Terry Funk, defeated Terry Funk and battled Sandman in several title matches. One of these title matches was a no ropes, barbed wire match. Cactus Jack won this match and was declared the new ECW Heavyweight Champion, only to have referee Bill Alfonso reverse the decision. On August 5, 1995 Cactus Jack once again showed his true colors. During a match where he teamed with Tommy Dreamer and the Pitbulls, Cactus DDT'd his partner Dreamer. The Cactus Jack of old, had returned! Cactus Jack once again made history on August 28, in Kennet Square, PA. when he became the first man ever to defeat 911! Cactus Jack wrestled his last match in ECW in April 1996. His opponent was his former tag team partner, Mikey Whipwreck. Cactus Jack won the match. Afterwards, "New York, New York" began to play over the sound system. Cactus was joined in the ring by Stevie Richards and the Blue Meanie. The three men did the Fargo strut and a kickline before leaving the ring.
After that, Cactus Jack was considered dead. He had not been seen in over a year inside a ring. Mick Had been given a lucrative contract with the WWF and they "had no use" for Cactus Jack, so Mick played a character similar to "Jack" : Mankind. Mankind was a more deranged version of "Jack" that wore a leather mask to hide his features. Mick soon created another character based on his childhood dreams of being a "face" pretty-boy wrestler : Dude Love. "The Dude" was the happiest of all of Mick's creations. Only his "alter-egos" were left of the once great Cactus Jack. But then an event great enough to grab Cactus Jack's attention sprung up, Mankind and "the Dude" had both been defeated on numerous occasion by an arrogant wrestler named Hunter Hearst Helmsely and Mick was given the opportunity to wrestle Hunter Hearst Helmsley in a "falls count anywhere" match at Madison Square Garden. How could the "King of Extreme" not accept a match of that sort. Well, Cactus made his triumphant return that night in an amazing match and came out victorious. You could just tell as he slammed HHH's head through that table that great things were in store for Cactus once again. He later teamed up with his long-time friend and rival, Terry Funk, to win the WWF Tag Team Championships at Wrestlemania 14 from The New Age Outlaws. But the following night, The "Outlaws" fought Cactus and Funk in a "Steel Cage" match and won back the championship belts due to outside interference. Cactus and Terry were both badly beaten during the match and soon afterwards Mick said you wouldn't be seeing Cactus Jack for a long time.
But that doesn't mean we've seen the last of Mick Foley...
The following week Steve Austin challenged Vince McMahon to a WWF title match, and Vince accepted. The Dude would now make his comeback in the WWF by running down to the ring and halting the match, attacking Stone Cold. The next week Dude Love was named McMahon's "corporate champion". Dudes first chance at a title shot was presented to him at "In Your House: Unforgiven" where he lost a good match to Austin.
After the loss of this match The Dude was reprimanded by Vince, but was eventually given a second chance. Dude was told to beat his long time friend, Terry Funk, to earn a second title shot. And in a match which may very well go down in RAW history has being the most Hardcore Match ever on RAW, Dude Love emerged victorious over Terry Funk. Mick was given his second title shot, in a match which took place at "In Your House: Over The Edge". This time all the odds against Austin, with McMahon as the special referee and Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco as ring announcer and time keeper respectively. Despite all odds Austin still won this match after The Dude hit McMahon with a chairshot.
Following this final loss, Mick was informed that "his services were no longer needed" in the WWF, by Vince McMahon. This however, turned out to be a ruse. Mick's Long time rival, The Undertaker wanted a title shot, and was informed by Vince that if he wanted one, he would have to defeat his brother Kane on that very same show. During this match, Mankind made his return to the WWF, costing the Undertaker the match and thus the title shot.
Not long after this, a match was set between Mick and a vengeful Undertaker for the "King of the Ring" PPV. This match would be a "Hell in the Cell" match. Just 2 short weeks before the "King of the Ring" PPV Mankind and his new partner Kane won a battle royal to determine the top contenders to the WWF Tag Team titles.
King of the Ring proved to be one of Mick toughest battles ever, with some of the most hardcore knocks ever seen on WWF. Mick and Taker took their battle to the top of the cell early in the match, where most of the drama was to unfold. During what should have been a routine move, Mick was accidentally thrown from the top of the cage, down 15 feet, to the concrete floor below. At this point everyone feared for Mick life as he lay on the floor, barely alive. Medical personnel rushed out with a stretcher and began to work on Mick. As they wheeled him away on the stretcher, everyone was sure it was the end of Mick wrestling career, until Mr Foley began to rise from the stretcher. Mick got up, and stumbled back to the cage, fighting off medical personnel and security, he began to climb back up on top of that cage. Slowly he climbed up the side of that 15 foot cage which had nearly claimed his life just moments earlier, with a twisted ankle and a dislocated shoulder, back up to face the Undertaker once more. Mick was barely back into the fight before Taker grabbed him by the throat and prepared to choakslam Mick ontop of the cage. As Mick's already broken body was brought was brought sailing down by the powerful Undertaker, the top of the cage gave away, sending Mick once again flying 13 feet through a steel cage to the ring below, a chair falling on his head as he came to a crashing halt. Again everyone in the arena was sure this had to be the end of Michael Foley, However the Undertaker followed through the hole in the cage he had made with Mick, letting himself fall gingerly to the ring in order to continue the match. Mick took quite a beating for a while before getting free, but as he did he climbed down under the ring and emerged with a brownish colored sack. From this sack, Mick dumped hundreds and hundreds of thumbtacks onto the ring floor. Micks plan, unfortunately backfired and the Undertaker grabbed him, and again choakslamed him, this time into the puddle of thumbtacks. In the end the Undertaker walked away from this match with the win, But Mick was the one who emerged Victorious, because he walked away.
Neglecting his own personal safety, Mick was back the very next week on RAW to do battle with Kane in what was scheduled to be a Triple Threat Match for the top contender spot for the WWF title. Mick was beaten quickly by Kane who than ripped off his mask to reveal it was not Kane, but in fact the Undertaker. The following week on RAW Kane and Mankind took on the New Aged Outlaws for the WWF tag titles, and won. A rematch was set for that night, which went to a no-contest after interference from the Nation, DX, the Undertaker, and Steve Austin.
Mick and Kane finally faced the team of the Undertaker and Stone Cold at the WWF PPV "In Your House: Fully Loaded" and after a long hard fight Kane and Mankind lost the belts, only to regain them not long after on RAW in a fatal 4 way tag match involving themselves, Undertaker/Austin, Rock/Owen, and The New Age Outlaws. Mick and Kane appeared to be on top in the WWF, the agreed to put the tag titles on the line against the New Age Outlaws at Summerslam '98. However Mick and Kane did not count on their one downfall...eachother.
Soon Kane was to join forces with his brother, The Undertaker. Together the two savagely beat Mankind. Upset, Mankind challenged Kane to a "Hell in the Cell" match on that very same RAW. The next Sunday was Summerslam and Mick found himself in a ring, unsurprisingly alone with the outlaws. Mick fought hard, but was unavoidably beaten. It was during this prematch interview that Mick uttered the infamous "13 words", mocking the outlaws "2 words" catch phrase. After Micks match against the Outlaws he once again found himself at the mercy of his old partner Kane and the sledgehammer he was carrying.
This attack gave Mick an idea of his own and upon returning from this brutal attack, he promptly challenged Undertaker to a sledgehammer match on RAW. Toward the end of this match Kane interfered in the match, coming to the ring to aid his brother and within a few short moments Ken Shamrock and The Rock came out to Mankind's aid. Shortly after this a Triple Threat Match was scheduled for RAW between Shamrock, The Rock, and Mankind, with the winner winning a shot against the WWF champion. At the end of this match there was no decision as to who had won and so the three were scheduled to a rematch at the WWF PPV "In Your House: Breakdown" inside a cage. Mankind nearly walked away from this match victorious but Rocky was able to Pin Shamrock just as Mankind was climbing down the side of the cage.