Mick Foley

Mick Foley may be the most respected man in wrestling history. He is world famous for the bumps he takes, and the lengths he is willing to go to make a match great for the fans. He is also a great rags to riches story, as his entire life has always revolved around a love for professional wrestling. He went from nothing to a world champion in just a few years, this is his story.

As a youngster, Mick always wanted to become a professional wrestler. He trained diligently through college on Friday nights, when he would travel from his college in New York to Pennsylvania to be trained by Dominic DeNucci for next to no money. He was able to get this break, because as a youngster he taped a movie of himself wrestling as "Dude Love," including a jump of the top of a friends garage.

On June 24, 1985, Foley made his debut as Cactus Jack in a West Virginia independent circuit, defeating Kurt Kauffman. After a few years on the indies, Mick's dream of wrestling in the WWF ring came true when he and a few other indies were offered a few jobber appearances. Foley even got to wrestle the British Bulldogs at Madison Square Garden, a dream of his.

After years and years on the indies in Tennessee and Texas amongst other places, Foley went to NWA(WCW.) Relatively a jobber, Mick made very little progress as Cactus Jack in the company, including jobbing to a real life enemy of his, Mil Mascaras, during this match, Foley cracked his skull, and NWA then let him go. By this time, Foley had gained a reputation as a daredevil willing to do anything for a pop.

Foley then made it to All-Japan in the spring of 1991, where he became a cult icon, because of his willingness to make death-defying moves. He returned to the USA, to wrestle independents again, and by the fall of 1991, Jack was brought back to WCW. He was used at Clash of the Champions XVI, to do a suprise attack on Sting out of a gift box, but Sting pummeled Cactus. At Halloween Havoc 1991, Cactus, Abdullah the Butcher, Vader, and Diamond Studd(Scott Hall) teamed up to take on Sting, El Gigante, and the Steiners in a chamber of horrors match, which Team Sting won.

After feuds with Van Hammer and Abdullah the Butcher, Jack got a shot at World Champion Sting at Beach Blast 1992, it was by reputation an excellent match, but Sting remained champ. Cactus received another shot at new World Champion Ron Simmons(WWF's Farooq of The Acolytes), but lost this one as well.

At Starrcade 1992, Jack teamed with a bitter rival, Johnny B. Badd(Marc Mero), the two spent much of the match fighting each other, and this helped to turn Cactus face, something new, as Cactus Jack had been a heel for almost 10 years. At Clash of the Champions XXII in January of 1993, after defeating Badd, Sting and Dustin Rhodes, the two top faces in WCW, asked Cactus to partner up with them in the main event against Vader, Barry Whindam and Paul Orndorff, Cactus ended up pinning Orndorff for the win, which began a Cactus Jack- Paul Orndorff feud. At Super Brawl 1993, the two met in a last man standing match, Cactus Jack won when he nailed Orndorff with a shovel.

After the victory against the legendary Orndorff, Cactus was given the #1 contendership once again, this time the WCW Champion was Vader. On April 6, 1993, Cactus defeated Vader, but by DQ, so Vader remained champion. Cactus also suffered a brutal facial injury, causing him to miss time, and to set-up a rematch. On April 21, Jack returned to fight Vader, after Vader's manager Harley Race had removed the floor's protective padding, Vader slammed Jack to the ground, brutally injuring him, and nearly paralyzing him.

Foley needed to take time off, and did. He expected WCW to build a rematch between the two, and bill it as brutal hatred between Vader and Cactus Jack. However, WCW did the opposite, and started an angle where Cactus Jack had gone crazy, been institutionalized, escaped, and suffered from amnesia. They ran vignettes of him living with homeless people, and basically embarrassing him.

Jack returned in the Fall of 1993, saving British Bulldog from a Vader attack. After a loss to Vader at Clash of the Champions XXIV, Jack defeated Yoshi Kwan at Fall Brawl 1993 to regain #1 Contendership. Jack and Vader were booked for a Texas Death Match at Halloween Havoc 1993. In one of WCW's most brutal matches of all-time, the two led a bloody, barbaric battle for the fans. In the end, Race used a cattleprod on Jack, knocking him out for over 10 seconds, giving Vader the victory. After the match, WCW decided that Cactus Jack and Vader would never again be booked on PPV because of the brutality of their wars.

After the feuds with Vader, Jack began competing in many tag team matches with Maxx Payne. The two quickly got a shot at world champions the Nasty Boys, but Nasty manager Missy Hyatt stopped two consecutive Jack/Payne victories. After the Nasty Boys injured Payne at Spring Stampede 1994, Maxx was replaced in the tag team by Kevin Sullivan.

While these tag wars were going on, Jack and the rest of the WCW roster departed for a tour of Europe. On March 16, 1994, Cactus and Vader competed in one of the most infamous matches in wrestling history. It took place in Munich, Germany, and when Jack's head got caught in the ropes during a hangman, and the friction and pressure, combined with Foley trying to free himself, caused Foley's ear to be torn off. He and Vader continued the match, and Mick then went to the hospital. Mick was faced with a tough decision, he could have the ear reattached, which would take time, or return to the USA for Slamboree 1994, where he knew that he and Sullivan would win the tag team titles, he chose the latter, and the two defeated the Nasty Boys for the belts, Cactus' first and only title in WCW.

At Bash at the Beach, Cactus and Sullivan lost the titles to Paul Orndorff and Paul Roma, and Sullivan then blamed Jack for the loss. The two engaged in a Summer long feud, which culminated in a loser leaves town match at Fall Brawl 1994, which Cactus lost, ending his pretty good WCW career.

After leaving WCW, Mick decided that he would now bank on the success and popularity of his insane, brutal matches, by making them his specialty. He went to the newly formed Extreme Championship Wrestling, and began a feud with a man just as insane, if not more, Sabu. The two had excellent matches. By a fluke, Jack was still one-half of the WCW Tag Team Champions, and he cut a classic interview where he blasted WCW and degraded the belt. He then returned to WCW to lose the belt to Sullivan, but then went back to ECW.

Jack then began to feud with a man perfect for Cactus, Terry Funk. The two met at Hardcore Heaven 1994, but were attacked by Public Enemy. Jack and Funk became allies, and began billing a match against PE, but Funk abruptly quit ECW because of a plane ticket problem. Tommy Dreamer was announced as Funk's replacement, but PE took him out, so Jack chose Mikey Whipwreck to replace Dreamer. Whipwreck was by reputation a horrible wrestler, but he and Jack miracoulsly won the tag team titles.

Jack and Whipwreck held the tag team titles for a long time, until November 2 Remember 1994, where they lost them to Public Enemy. Mikey was unable to compete in a rematch, so Cactus brought old friend Kevin Sullivan to ECW to team with him. During the match, Sullivan turned on Jack, which began one of the best feuds to that date in ECW history. It never culminated though, because Sullivan left ECW. At the tail end of 1994, Jack joined Smokey Mountain Wrestling, where he caused Boo Bradley(Balls Mahoney) to lose the TV Title. Cactus then began a crusade to rid Bradley of his valet Tammy Sytch. Jack then egnited a feud between Candido and Bradley when he accused Candido of sleeping with Sytch. The feud went on, but Jack left SMW before it ended.

In 1995, Jack went to Japan's IWA. He began to feud with Terry Funk in a barbed wire match, on January 8, the two used a fire-caught chair on each other, not to mention barbed wire, Jack also competed in the most brutal wrestling matches the world had ever seen against Shoji Nakamaki.

Jack returned to ECW to go after the Sandman. At a show called Return of the Funker(Terry Funk's return), Sandman and Funk attcked Jack with 56 straight cane shots, until Jack's training partner in the early 80's, Shane Douglas saved Cactus. Jack defeated Funk in a brutal war at Hostile City Showdown 1995. Sandman and Jack then did battle for the title, and when Jack knocked Sandman unconscious, it appeared that Cactus Jack was the ECW Champion, but referee Bill Alfonso ruled that a title cant change hands on a knock-out. Back in Japan, Leatherface used a chain saw to cut Jack's arm open, the two feuded because Jack had turned on Letherface in a tag team match.

Jack was working for ECW, Japan, and many independent circuits at the time. He won the Ozark Mountain and Steel City Championships in his time on the indies. On August 20, 1995, IWA organized a brutal "King of the Death Match" tournament. Each match had a gimmick added to the brutal enough Death Match gimmick, and Cactus' first round match was a barbed wire baseball bat, thumb tack Death Match, in which he defeated Terry Gordy. Jack defeated Nakamaki in the second round in a barbed wire board, bed of nails Death Match, which was particularly brutal.

In the finals, the expected Funk-Jack match took place. It was a barbed wire rope, explosive wire board, time bomb Death Match, unbelievable. This was a unbelievably barbaric contest that involved interference by Tiger Jeet Singh, who helped Jack win the match. After the match, Jack nailed an elbow drop on Funk, who already had third degree burns, from a ladder. Cactus Jack was the King of the Death Match.

Jack continued in IWA to team with Tracy Smothers to win the IWA Tag Team Titles, however, a few days after they won it, they lost it. Jack returned to ECW to team with Dreamer, but Jack then "abandoned" his hardcore style, aggravating Dreamer. Jack then aligned with Raven, which caused Jack to feud with Funk, their first match was a disaster when a chair was set on fire, and hurt a fan, causing a law suit that was just recently settled. After finishing 1995 in ECW, Jack returned to Japan's FMW, because IWA had folded. He took place in his wild matches with insane gimmicks in FMW including great matches with Wing Kanemura.

In early 1996, Foley signed a contract with the WWF, who he had tried for years while in WCW to get into, but was unable to. On ECW TV, Jack sang the praises of WWF, which enraged WWF hater Shane Douglas. The two met in a match which ended with Jack handcuffed and Shane putting on a Figure Four Leg Lock, but Jack would not submit. Whipwreck then attacked Jack with a chair, knocking him unconsious, and costing him the match.

Cactus Jack's last match in ECW took place in April of 1996 against Mikey Whipwreck. Cactus won the match, danced with Stevie Richards and Blue Meanie, and then cut a promo. He "declared Cactus Jack dead."

Mick debuted in the WWF the day after Wrestle Mania XII in 1996, he had been foreshadowed in vignettes previous to his arrival. He had a new gimmick, Mankind, an unstable basketcase who plucked his own hair, and wore a Hannibal Lecter like mask on his face. He defeated Bob Holly in his debut via his new finished, a submission move called the Mandible Claw, where he would stick his hand down the opponents throat and squeeze a nerve, knocking them out.

Later that night of his debut, he attacked Undertaker with Goldust. Goldust and Undertaker were building up to a Casket Match at Good Friends Bitter Enemies In Your House. When Undertaker opened the Casket to put Goldust in, Mankind jumped out and put the Mandible Claw on Undertaker, and put him in the Casket, giving Goldust the win.

At King of the Ring 1996, Mankind made his WWF Pay Per View debut, when he defeated Undertaker after Paul Bearer accidentally nailed Undertaker with an urn. Over the Summer, the two ran a repeated series of interfering in each other's matches. At Summerslam 1996, the two took each other on in the original Boiler Room match, where the winner escaped the Boiler Room and got to the ring first, where Paul Bearer waited. Undertaker got there first, but Bearer refused to give it to him, and attacked him, then giving the urn to Mankind. Paul Bearer was now Mankind's manager, after 7 years with Undertaker.

Mankind then became #1 contender to World Champion Shawn Michaels, and they had a match at Mind Games In Your House. Foley claims it is one of the best matches of his career, and it was great, with interference by Vader and Undertaker, the match had to be scratched.

At Buried Alive In Your House, Mankind and Undertaker took each other on in the original Buried Alive match, where the stip is to bury your opponent in a prepared empty grave. Undertaker won, but Bearer brought out Terry Gordy to help Mankind and many other heels attack Undertaker and bury him alive. Undertaker was supposedly dead, but lightning struck and his hand came up from the grave.

At Survivor Series 1996, Mankind took on Undertaker with the stipulation of if Taker won, he could get 5 minutes alone with Paul Bearer. Taker won, but Gordy attacked, saving Bearer from the 5 minutes. At the 1997 Royal Rumble, Terry Funk showed up, but that didn't materialize into anything for Mankind. He and new friend Vader were being pushed towards the tag titles by Paul Bearer. They got their title shot at Wrestle Mania XIII, but Mankind went crazy with the Mandible Claw on British Bulldog, and the match was stopped as Owen Hart and Bulldog kept their belts.

At the Cold Day in Hell In Your House PPV, Mankind recieved a shot at the Undertaker and his newly won WWF Title, however, Taker once again came out on top. Bearer then took a leave of absence, so Mankind needed something new, and this changed Mick Foley's career for good. Jim Ross sat down with Mankind for a series of interviews, Ross brought up the topic of the home video Mick made as a teenager starring Dude Love, at the end of the interview, Mankind snapped the Mandible Claw on Ross. Meanwhile, Mankind advanced to the finals of the 1997 King of the Ring tournament, only to lose to Hunter Hearst Helmsley. After KOTR, Shawn Michaels, who was one half of the tag team champions with Steve Austin, abruptly left the WWF because of his hatred for Bret Hart, so Austin needed a tag partner. Mankind campaigned for the job relentlessly, but Austin wanted nothing to do with him. The next week, Austin was alone against Owen Hart and British Bulldog, when all of a sudden, none other than Dude Love(played by Foley of course) helped Austin, and Austin and Dude became tag team champions, the two then shook hands, it was Steve Austin's first ever show of respect in the WWF.

At Canadian Stampede In Your House, Mankind(Foley kept fighting as both men) wrestled HHH again, however it ended as a double count out. At Summerslam 1997, the two competed in a classic steel cage match, which was one of Foley's first of many classics in the WWF. Foley won, and in the end, he elbow dropped Triple H off the top of the cage to honor his idol Jimmy Snuka, Foley entered as Mankind, but left as Dude Love.

Dude Love and Steve Austin were forced to vacate the tag team championship because at Ground Zero In Your House because of Austin's serious neck injury(see Steve Austin bio). On September 22, 1997, Foley unleashed a shocker. Dude Love was booked in a Falls Count Anywhere match against Hunter Hearst Helmsley. A hilarious segment was aired where Dude asked Mankind to fight HHH for him, but Mankind said he knew someone better, then, Cactus Jack appeared with a chain saw. Jack came to the ring and put Helmsley out in a few minutes with a piledriver through a table. It was the return of Cactus Jack, even though Jack had recently re-emerged in a few matches in Japan.

After dull months, Dude Love was attacked by newcomer Kane, who was attacking everyone in sight to get at the Undertaker. This brought on Kane's PPV debut at the 1997 Survivor Series against Mankind, however, Kane destroyed Mankind. Foley then contemplated leaving the WWF because of the Survivor Series Screwjob incident, but thought better of it. Then Dude began to battle the New Age Outlaws by himself, which brought Cactus Jack back. Cactus then brought in Chainsaw Charlie(Terry Funk) to help him out.

On a February 1998 edition of Raw, the New Age Outlaws put Jack and Funk in a dumpster and threw it off the ramp. This set up the original Dumpster Match at Wrestle Mania XIV between The New Age Outlaws and Jack and Funk for the tag team titles. It was an interesting match-up, which ended controversially when Jack and Funk placed NAO in a dumpster in the back, not the one in the ring. However, the ref ruled in the favor of Cactus and Chainsaw, and gave them the tag team titles. The next night however, the WWF stripped Jack and Funk of the belts because of the endings, and set up a rematch with NAO inside a steel cage. The NAO won when D-Generation-X, which NAO had joined that night attacked.

After spending about a month on the indies as Cactus Jack, Foley returned to the WWF as Jack on Raw on April 6, 1998. Cactus explained that the fan wouldn't see Jack again because they only chanted for Austin, not Cactus. On Raw the next week however, Vince McMahon told Austin he would defend his WWF Title against a mystery at Unforgiven 1998. After a little speculation, Dude was revealed as the #1 contender. Dude was McMahon's Corporate hired gun, and at Unforgiven, he and Austin put on a brutal battle, but Austin came out on top. On May 4, Foley once again became #1 contender when he was able to defeat Terry Funk in the first "Hardcore Match". McMahon then entered the ring to Dude Love's music, as Foley had wrestled the match as Mick Foley, not Mankind, Cactus Jack, or Dude Love, however, he quickly took on his Dude Love persona.

At Over the Edge 1998, Dude took on Austin again with McMahon as ref, and his stooges around the ring, however, Austin had Undertaker in his corner, which proved to be the difference as Austin came out on top again. The next night, a furious McMahon fired Dude Love.

The next week, Mankind returned to attack Undertaker, Mankind then alligned with Paul Bearer and Kane. Mankind and Undertaker were booked at King of the Ring 1998 in the second ever Hell in a Cell match.

When KOTR came around, both men were sporting injuries, but competed. They started on top, and the unthinkable happened when Undertaker threw Mankind off the cage, on to the Spanish Announce Table. Many thought Mankind's career was over, if not his life. However, he amazingly climbed back up, only to be thrown through the cage! He was really hurt now, and was later even tombstoned onto thumb tacs. After the match, McMahon talked to a brutally beaten Foley, and told him that he didnt want Mick to do anything like that again.

Mankind returned on July 6, and the next week, he and Kane defeated the NA O for the tag team titles. At Fully Loaded 1998, Mankind and Kane lost their titles to Austin and the Undertaker. However, a few weeks later, they won them back when Undertaker laid down for Kane, screwing Austin.

The big angle for the Summer was a question of Undertaker and Kane being alligned, but Austin and Mankind were also thrown into the mix. The week before Summerslam 1998, Undertaker ordered Kane to attack Mankind, and the two went into a brutal battle, destroying Mankind. At Summerslam, Mankind and Kane were booked to defend against NAO in a hardcore match, but Kane no-showed, and Mankind was destroyed by Road Dogg and Billy Gunn, losing the belts.

After a few weeks off, Mankind returned to attack Kane with a sledge hammer. Undertaker then battled Mankind in a brutal match up, Undertaker was about to destroy Mankind when he was saved by The Rock, who had been attacked earlier by Taker and Kane. Mankind, Ken Shamrock, and Rock formed an alliance to battle Taker and Kane. Afraid the three would help Steve Austin, McMahon booked the three at Break Down In Your House in a triple threat cage match for #1 contendership, which Rock won.

After McMahon ended up in the hospital at the hands of Taker and Kane, Mankind showed up in his room to cheer Vince up. He brought a clown, which pissed Vince off, but he really pissed Vince off when he brought out Mr. Socko, a sock puppet, seemed unimportant at the time, but it gained huge popularity. Mr. Socko became a constant, as Mankind would put on the sock on his hand when he would use the Mandible Claw.

Over the next few weeks, Mankind became Vince's puppet, as Shane McMahon had turned on Vince to side with Steve Austin, so Vince made Mankind his new son. Also, Vince created the Hardcore Championship for Mankind. Mankind now wore a tux, shaved, and fixed his teeth.

Mankind was the favorite to win the WWF Championship at the 1998 Survivor Series Deadly Game Tournament because of his alliance with Vince and Co. After fighting jobber Dwane Gill in the first round, he rolled through Al Snow in the second round when he became enraged because Al stole Mr. Socko. In the third round, Mankind took on Steve Austin. It appeared Mankind would win when Vince attacked Austin, but Shane McMahon, who Vince had demoted to ref status, came in to help Austin, who had nailed the Stunner on Mankind, Shane counted 1, 2, but wouldnt count to three, and gave Austin the bird, and then counted Mankind to victory. It was a swerve, Shane had been with Vince all along, but the plan had yet to completely unfold.

In the finals, Mankind met The Rock. It was a very hard fought match, and out of nowhere, Vince, Shane, and Big Bossman returned from hiding from Austin. Rock was hated by The McMahons because of his popularity, Rocky put the sharpshooter on Mankind, when all of a sudden, Vince ordered the match stopped, even though Mick did not quit, and awarded Rock the title, just like the 1997 Survivor Series Screwjob, except 1998. Vince, Shane, and Rock had been in it all along to screw Austin mainly, but used Mankind in their path.

After weeks of trying to get his hands on Vince's new stable, The Corporation(Vince, Shane, Bossman, Rock, Shamrock, and new commissioner Shawn Michaels,) Mankind was given a title shot at The Rock at the aptly titled PPV, Rock Bottom. Mankind dominated the match, and put Rocky out with the Mandible Claw, but Vince ruled Mankind was not WWF Champion because Rock never gave up.

After more weeks of going after The Corporation, Mick had his big night. On December 28, 1998, in Worcester, Massachusetts, Mankind asked for a title shot, but instead was given Triple H, for a spot in the Royal Rumble match. Shane attacked Mankind, giving HHH the win, but because he too hated the McMahons, Triple H told Mankind, he hated to win that way, but he'll do anything with the title involved, but he would leave Mick a present, and then he Pedigreed Shane. Mankind then put a submission on Shane and refused to release until he was given the title shot, so Vince caved in.

The match was interesting, Mankind had D-Generation-X in his corner, and Rock The Corporation. The two stables warred on the outside, and it appeared Rock had it won when all of a sudden, Steve Austin returned from about a month off, and attacked Rock, allowing Mankind to pin Rock. Mick was held up on D-X's shoulders, Mick Foley was the WWF Champion, he had accomplished his lifelong dream.

The next week, Mankind and Rock were booked for the WWF Title at the 1999 Royal Rumble in a no holds barred I Quit match. The match was particularly brutal, as Rock pummeled Mick into unconsciousness, but the rules stated the match could be stopped for nothing, so Rock continued, until he put the mic up to Mankinds face, and "I Quit" was repeated over the stadium, Rock re-won the WWF Championship.

The next night, Mankind revealed that Rock had used a recording, and Mick never gave up, so the two were booked to fight in no holds barred match in an empty arena at Halftime Heat 1999, Halftime of the Super Bowl. This was another Rock-Mankind classic, and with the help of a forklift, Mankind regained the WWF title.

The two were booked again to take part in another brutal contest, this time a last man standing match at St. Valentines Day Massacre. In a similar contest to the previous two, the two battled, however, there was no winner because neither could answer a ten count. The next night, Shawn Michaels announced that the main event for Wrestle Mania XV would be Mankind defending against Steve Austin, but Vince booked Mankind to defend one more time that night against Rock in a ladder match. This one was another great, but with the help of WWF Newcomer The Big Show Paul Wight, who was named ref for that main event at Wrestle Mania, Rock won the WWF title.

Mick then campaigned to be named the second referee for Wrestle Mania, and finally Vince booked Mankind to battle Big Show at Wrestle Mania, with the winner becoming the referee. Mankind won when Big Show was DQ'd for using a chair, but Mankind was too hurt to continue. As the Rock-Austin title match shifted to Rock, Mankind returned to count Austin to victory, ending the PPV.

Mick was then booked to take on Show again at Backlash 1999 in a Boiler Room Brawl. This was a decient match, but was cut short by Test and Bossman of The Corporation, who interfered. After a few weeks of battling the Corporation, now run by Shane, Mankind, Big Show, and former Corporation members Test and Ken Shamrock formed their own stable, The Union. At Over the Edge 1999, The Union defeated The now Corporate Ministry in an 8 man tag. However, that night was horrible for Mick, as earlier in the night, his good friend Owen Hart was killed in a tragic accident. Two weeks later, Mankind was beaten so badly by HHH, he took some time off to rest.

Over the Summer, Mick penned his autobiography, "Have a Nice Day." He returned to WWF TV the week before Summerslam 1999, where he won #1 contendership to Steve Austin, along with Triple H. The three competed in a triple threat match reffed by Minnesotta Governor Jesse Ventura. In the end, Mankind came out victorious, now a 3 time WWF Heavyweight Champion.

The next night, Mankind defended against Triple H, and because of Shane McMahon, he lost the belt to Hunter. A few weeks later, Rock was in need of someone to tag with him against Undertaker and Big Show, enter Mankind, the two became the oddest WWF Tag Team Champions ever. A few days later on Smackdown! though, they lost them back to Undertaker and Big Show, however on the next Raw, they regained them, but, on the next Smackdown!, they lost them to the New Age Outlaws. At Unforgiven 1999, Mankind competed in, but lost the WWF Championship Six Pack Challenge match.

A few weeks later, Mankind began feuding with Val Venis because Val burnt copies of Mick's book. Rock and Mankind also defeated the NAO to regain the tag titles. After defeating Venis, Mankind went into Raw the next night. Al Snow revealed to him, that Rock had thrown away a copy of Have a Nice Day. Heartbroken, Mankind abandoned Rock in a tag match, and The Rock and Sock Connection lost the belts to the Holly Cousins.

Without Rock, Mankind embraced a new friend, Al Snow, and the two defeated the Hollys for the tag team championship, only to lose them a week later to NAO. Mankind mended fences with Rock, but pissed off Al Snow in the process, and Al cost Rock and Sock Connection the tag team titles. As 1999 neared end, HHH was now in charge of the WWF because he married into the McMahon family, marrying Stephanie. Stephanie and Hunter then fired Mankind.

A few weeks later, they were forced to re-hire him, and HHH even had to defend his WWF Championship against him at the 2000 Royal Rumble. After suffering a brutal beating on Raw, Mankind returned to Smackdown!, and stated he wasnt ready for HHH, but he new someone who was, and Cactus Jack's music played, Mick had returned to Jack. Unfortunatley, Triple H still defeated Cactus Jack in the street fight at Royal Rumble.

A few weeks later, Cactus invited former WCW employees, and friends Chris Benoit, Eddy Guerrerro, Dean Malenko, and Perry Saturn to Raw, but could not get "The Radicals" WWF contracts. HHH and Cactus were then booked for a Hell in a Cell at No Way Out 2000, which was for the WWF Title, but if Cactus lost, he would be forced to retire. Meanwhile, The Radicals alligned with Triple H to get WWF contracts, and at No Way Out, HHH defeated Cactus Jack, retiring Mick Foley.

Mick left for a few weeks, but returned at the request of Linda McMahon to wrestle as Mick Foley for the WWF Title against HHH, Rock, and Big Show at Wrestle Mania 2000, Mick accepted. However, Mick did not win, and this was indeed his last match.

After months off, Mick returned on June 29, 2000, in Worcester, Massachusetts, when Shawn Michaels announced that Mick was the new commissioner, he quickly began booking Triple H, Kurt Angle, and other heels in brutal situations, and sided with faces like Rock, Undertaker, and Chris Jericho.

As Commissioner, Foley was the consummate face. He screwed Chris Benoit out of the title at his first PPV as Commish, Fully Loaded 2000, simply because Benoit was a heel. He continued this throughout the Summer months.

When Fall came, so did the return of Stone Cold Steve Austin, at Unforgiven 2000. After Unforgiven, Austin was causing chaos in the WWF, looking for the man that injured him. Foley took a stand against the hugely popular Austin, because Austin was interfering in the WWF's matches. Austin however, insulted and embarrassed Foley night after night, until the night Foley did much investigating. He flew in Shawn Michaels, Debra, Billy Gunn, and Linda McMahon for questioning. As the night grew on, it appeared that Rock was the culprit, however, Foley came to the conclusion of Rikishi, and Rikishi confessed. Foley then booked Rikishi and Austin No Holds Barred at No Mercy 2000.

After a month or so of nothing of relative importance, Foley booked 6 superstars in what was billed as "the most brutal match in WWF history." It would be Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H, Undertaker, Rikishi, taking on Kurt Angle for the WWF Championship in a 6-Way-Hell in a Cell match. The match wasnt what it was billed to be, but it set up an important angle.

Vince McMahon had returned to the WWF, and displayed his displeasure with Foley's job as Commisioner, claiming he was out to injure superstars. Foley even went as far as to say if anyone got hurt in his 6-Way match, he would resign. Well, Triple H and Rikishi "got hurt," and Foley didnt. However, after Vince was able to begin divorce proceedings on his wife Linda, leaving her powerless, he and his daughter Stephanie were able to "fire" Foley. Foley was sent out with a beating from Kurt Angle, Edge, Christian, and the McMahons.

Mick returned to the WWF with Linda the week before Wrestlemania XVII, as the special guest referee for Vince McMahon's match against his son Shane, the two were feuding over Vince's treatment over Linda. Foley refed the match, blatantly partial towards Shane, as expected, put in his own beating on Vince, and counted Shane to victory.

Over the next weeks and months, Mick would make occasional appearances on WWF TV just to stir things up. Most of them were to promote his latest book "Foley is Good", a continuance of "Have a Nice Day."