Profiles_Foley

From the time he was a teenager, Mick Foley knew that he wanted to become a professional
wrestler. He idolized "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka, and even created his own home wrestling
video in which his character, a ladies man called Dude Love, jumped off the roof of his house
to emulate Snuka's famous finishing move, the Superfly Leap. Foley's video soon found its
way into the hands of WWF great Dominic Denucci, who began training the young Foley. In
1986 he fulfilled a dream of wrestling in the WWF in a stint as a "jobber," otherwise known as
a preliminary wrestler.

After his departure from the WWF, Foley made his way to Japan. He took on the name of
Cactus Jack and developed a reputation while competing in brutal Japanese "death matches"
which involved everything from thumbtacks and barbed wire to fire and exploding rings. Night
after night Cactus put his body on the line and has the scars to prove it. He also lost his right
ear in a match in Germany with Leon "Vader" White which was ripped off his head after he
became entangled in the ropes. Foley's hardcore style eventually brought him back to the U.S.
and he signed with WCW. For three years he competed primarily with WCW as well as ECW
(Extreme Championship Wrestling) before signing a WWF contract in 1996.

Upon his WWF debut as Mankind, Foley immediately began a feud with the Undertaker. Foley
would attain legendary status during a match with the Undertaker at the 1998 King of the Ring,
when the two competed in a Hell in a Cell match. During the match, Foley was thrown off the
top of the cell and fell 16-feet to the floor, separating his shoulder and breaking several ribs. He
continued the match and suffered further injury when he was chokeslammed through the top of
cell and down to the canvas. Foley again continued with the match and as a result of this and
other memorable performances he has become one of the most respected wrestlers in the
history of the business.

Mick Foley's wrestling character is now a kinder gentler one. He briefly appeared under both his
Dude Love and Cactus Jack personas in the WWF but it is as Mankind that he is best known. He
no longer speaks as a "deranged soul" but as himself, a down to earth, comedic individual. He has
developed a cult following unlike any other, and has enjoyed great success in the ring winning both
the WWF world and tag team titles on several occasions. With his mascot Mr. Socko in hand his
message is simple: "Have a nice day.....If you smell......what the sock is cooking."