Original subtitles

THROUGH OUT THE 1990'S,

MONDAY NIGHT SERVED AS A PRIME

TIME BATTLEFIELD.

IT TRANSFORMED PROFESSIONAL

WRESTLING INTO SPORTS ENTERTAIN:

TED TURNER'S WCW TOOK ON VINCE

MCMAHON'S WWE FOR RATING

SUPREMACY AT THE RISK OF

EXTENSION AS INNOVATION AND

EVOLUTION PAVED THE WAY FOR A

KING TO BE CROWNED.

MICK FOLEY A TALE UNLIKE ANY

OTHER.

BANG BANG.

OVER COMING DOUBTERS, HE

TURNED SKEPTICS INTO BELIEVERS.

MICK FOLEY DID IT.

HE WOULD SACRIFICE HIS BODY

FOR HIS PASSION AND IN TURN

CHANGE THE COURSE OF WWE

HISTORY.

THIS IS THE MONDAY NIGHT

WARRIOR.

HAVE A NICE DAY.

HULK HOGAN HAS BETRAYED WCW.

WHAT IN THE WORLD IS HE DOING

HERE?

MONDAY NIGHT DRAW.

3:16 SAYS I JUST WHIPPED YOUR

ASS.

THE NEW WORLD ORDER.

WE ARE AT WAR.

I WANT TO CONGRATULATE WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING FOR

CONTINUING THE TRADITION OF

BRINGING ACTION PACKED WRESTLING

EXCITEMENT TO TBS.

IN THE EARLY 1990'S MEDIA

MOGUL TED TURNER ACQUIRED WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING, A

TRADITIONAL SOUTHERN BASED

ENTERTAINMENT PROMOTION.

HE KNEW DREW EYEBALLS.

THE HIGHEST RATING WERE GARNERED

BY WCW.

WHEN WRESTLING WAS HUGE HE

WAS SECOND TO NONE IN THE

PERFORMANCE DEPARTMENT.

THE ROSTER WAS DEEP AND STRONG

AND VERY TALENTED.

AMONG THE MANY ESTABLISHED

VETERANS ON TED TURNER'S ROSTER

WAS A DISTINCTIVE YOUNG TALENT

NAMED MICK FOLEY WHOSE ON AIR

PERSONA DIDN'T FIT THE SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT CHARACTER MOMENT.

THE FANS KNOW THE CACTUS JACK

STORY AND THEY LIKE IT.

IT IS A STORY BASED ON

BRUTALITY.

I WAS REALISTIC ENOUGH TO

REALIZE I WASN'T GOING TO BE

SOMEBODY THAT A WRESTLING

COMPANY WAS BUILT AROUND.

I HAD MY OWN UNIQUE STYLE.

BUT I WAS ABLE TO BLEND IT IN

WITH OTHER PEOPLE'S STYLES SO

THAT I COULD HAVE VERY GOOD

MATCHES WITH JUST ABOUT ANYBODY.

MICK FOLEY DEVELOPED A

DAREDEVIL STYLE IN WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING.

IT WOULD SET HIM APART FROM THE

REST OF THE WCW.

I WATCHED HIM NOT ONLY IN THE

RING BUT OUT OF THE RING, I

ACTUALLY THOUGHT THE GUY WAS

(INDISCERNIBLE)

ON THE TOP OF THE TURN

BUCKLE.

HE TOOK SOME CRAZY FALLS.

PEOPLE WERE SAYING HE DOESN'T

FEEL ANY PAIN.

CACTUS HAD A UNIQUE STYLE

WITH THE WAY HE WOULD TAKE A

FALL OR DO SOMETHING THAT WAS

DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER

WRESTLER AT THAT POINT.

CACTUS WAS SIMPLY AN ASPIRING

ARTIST.

SO I HAD TO BE TAUGHT LESSONS

BEFORE I COULD TEACH THEM

MYSELF.

BUT DESPITE CACTUS JACK'S

BEST EFFORTS, WCW'S EXECUTIVE

PRODUCER ERIC BISHOP WAS TAKING

THE COMPANY IN A NEW DIRECTION,

ONE THAT DID NOT INCLUDE MICK

FOLEY.

WCW WAS GOOD AT TAKING STARS

THAT WERE ALREADY NAMED AND

PUTTING THEM TO WORK.

THEY WOULDN'T SEE THE MICK

FOLEY.

HE WAS SO IRRELEVANT IN WCW.

HE DIDN'T HAVE THE RIGHT LOOK.

IT WAS NOT THE RIGHT TIME.

MICK FOLEY AS CACTUS JACK WAS

CREATIVELY STIFLED BY WCW.

ALL WCW WANTED HIM TO DO WAS BE

A HUMAN CRASH TEST DUMMY.

EVERY WRESTLER AND EVERY MAN

HAS THE SAME QUESTION, HOW LONG

CAN HE LAST HOW LONG CAN HE TAKE

IT?

I THOUGHT THE BISHOP ERA

WOULD HAVE BIG THINGS IN STORE

FOR ME.

IF THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN I REALIZED

IF I WANTED TO HAVE A LONG

CAREER IN THE BUSINESS I NEEDED

TO LEAVE.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING

WOULD MOVE AHEAD WITHOUT FOLEY'S

UNORTHODOX TALENTS.

THE ORGANIZATION WAS FOCUSED ON

ESTABLISHING THEMSELVES AS A

MORE NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED

PROMOTION.

SINCE ITS INCEPTION TURNER'S WCW

HAD BEEN IN THE SHADOWS OF VINCE

MCMAHON'S INDUSTRY LEADING WWE,

WHICH BY JUNE OF 1994 HAD SPENT

OVER A YEAR IN PRIME TIME THANKS

TO THE LAUNCH OF THEIR

INNOVATIVE FLAGSHIP SHOW, MONDAY

NIGHT RAW.

MEANWHILE MICK FOLEY WOULD MIND

A HOME IN EXTREME CHAMPION SHIP

WRESTLING AN INDEPENDENT

ORGANIZATION THAT CELEBRATED HIS

HARD-CORE STYLE.

CACTUS MISSES THE CACTUS

CLOTHESLINE.

THAT'S HOW HE LOST HALF AN EAR

IN GERMANY.

EVERYONE KNOWS HIM IN THE ECW

ERA AS THIS GUY THAT COULD TAKE

ANYTHING, ANY KIND OF PAIN HE

COULD WITH STAND IT.

PAIN THAT ISN'T SUPPOSED TO BE

ENDURED BY A HUMAN BEING.

HE WAS DRIVEN FACE FIRST.

HE WAS THRIVING IN EXTREME

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING SILENT

CULTURE.

BUT MICK FOLEY'S ACT WAS NO

LONGER UNIQUE.

HAVING BLENDED INTO HIS

SURROUNDINGS FOLEY WOULD NEED TO

FIND ANOTHER WAY TO STAND OUT

FROM THE REST OF THE ECW ROSTER.

MICK BECAME A HARD-CORE HERO

BUT DEEP DOWN MICK WANTED

SOMETHING MORE.

MICK WANTED TO DO SOMETHING THAT

WOULD HAVE EVERYONE TALKING.

ECW FANS FOR NOTORIOUS FOR

THEIR BLOOD LUST.

BUT IN ORDER TO RE-INVENT

HIMSELF, MICK FOLEY WOULD TURN

HIS BACK ON THE HARD-CORE STYLE.

GO AHEAD, CACTUS, KILL

YOURSELF FOR US.

DO BAD THINGS TO YOUR BODY SO

THAT YOU WON THE LIVE, BUT WE

CAN SAY HE'S HARD-CORE.

MICK PURPOSELY WOULDN'T GIVE

THE FANS WHAT THEY WANTED AND

WOULD USE HEAD LOCKS AND WRIST

LOCKS AND PUT ON THE MOST BORING

WATCHES POSSIBLE TO MAKE THE

FANS IRATE.

CACTUS TRYING DESPERATELY NOT

TO GIVE THE FANS HERE IN THE ECW

THEIR MONEY'S WORTH.

BY EXPANDING HIS ARTISTIC

ORIGINALITY, MICK FOLEY ADDED

LAYERS TO WHAT HAD PREVIOUSLY

BEEN A FAIRLY ONE DIMENSIONAL

CHARACTER.

I THOUGHT I AM GOING TO

SYSTEMATICALLY REMOVE EVERYTHING

THAT THEY LIKED ABOUT ME.

IF I HAD THE LONG HAIR FOR YEARS

I TIED IT UP IN A NEAT PONY

TAIL.

I AM HARD-CORE.

I AM HARD-CORE.

IT WAS TERRIBLY RISKY FOR

MICK.

THERE WAS NO TURNING BACK ONCE

HE DID THAT.

ISN'T THAT RIGHT CHARLIE.

ECW?

HOW ABOUT YOU CHARLIE?

ECW, ECW.

WHILE MICK FOLEY WAS

EXCELLING IN ECW, THEY HAD

MONDAY NITRO IN DECEMBER OF 95

GOING HEAD TO HEAD WITH WWE

MONDAY NIGHT RAW.

THE NUMBER ONE WRESTLING

PROGRAM ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING

LIVE NITRO.

BY JANUARY OF 1996, THE TWO

FLAG SHIP SHOWS WERE TRADING

VICTORIES IN THE TABLE

TELEVISION RATINGS.

VINCE MCMAHON NEEDED TO DEVELOP

NEW TALENT IN ORDER TO RETAIN

HIS COMPANY'S MOMENTUM AGAINST

HIS COMPETITION.

WASN'T ENAMORED AT ALL

BRINGING CACTUS JACK IN.

I LOOKED AT HIM HE DIDN'T HAVE

ANY TALENT ALL HE COULD DO WAS

FALL OFF OF THINGS AND BE

TALKING TO MCMAHON ABOUT IT I

TOLD HIM I BELIEVE MICK WAS THE

KIND OF PERSON WE COULD

RE-INVENT HIM A BIT WITH OUR OWN

PERSONALITY.

MICK FELLOW WAS POISED TO

SIGN WITH WWE PROVIDING VINCE

MCMAHON WITH A NEW SUPER STAR.

BUT THE MAJORITY OF MONDAY NIGHT

RAW'S PROGRAMMING FEATURED A

FORMULA OF OVER THE TOP

CHARACTERS THAT FAILED TO

CONNECT WITH THE PRIME TIME

AUDIENCE.

IT FELT LIKE THERE WAS A

POINT WHERE WE WERE INSULTING

PEOPLE'S INTELLIGENCE AND GIVING

THEM A PRODUCT THAT WAS PASSÉ

LIKE AN ERA OF A WRESTLER AS A

CLOWN WAS OVER.

DICK HAS A BOUQUET OF FLOWERS

PRESENTING IT, YES, TO LOUISE.

HOW ABOUT THAT?

WHEN MICK FOLEY WAS BROUGHT

INTO WWE THE CONCEPT FOR HIS

CHARACTER WAS UNDER WHELMING.

MR. MCMAHON BE GRUDGINGLY

ACCEPTED ME BUT NOT AS CACTUS

JACK.

ONE OF THE PEOPLE IN THE

CREATIVE DEPARTMENT LET IT SLIDE

TO ME THAT MY NAME WAS GOING TO

BE MASON THE MUTILATE TORE.

WHEN I MET WITH MR. MCMAHON, I

SAID WHAT IF I CALL MYSELF

MANKIND.

HE SAID, I AM NOT SURE I

UNDERSTAND.

I SAID I CAN TALK ABOUT THE

DESTRUCTION OF MANKIND, TALKING

ABOUT NOT ONLY MYSELF AS A

WRESTLER BUT IN A LARGER SENSE

THE ENTIRE HUMAN POPULATION.

HE SAID, I LIKE THAT.

FOLEY'S MANKIND PERSONA WAS

ORIGINALLY PRESENTED THROUGH A

SERIES OF VIGNETTES THAT SHOWED

VIEWERS THE TYPE OF SICK AND

TWISTED CHARACTER HE WOULD

PORTRAY.

YOU ARE ABOUT TO FIND OUT HOW

UGLY MANKIND CAN REALLY BE.

THE VIGNETTES IN THE DUNGEON

WITH THE RATS, IT WAS SO

DIFFERENT AND DARK.

YOU UNDERSTAND ME, DON'T YOU,

GEORGE?

IS YOU UNDERSTAND MANKIND IS IN

PAIN.

MANKIND IS IN AGONY.

I WASN'T PARTICULARLY FOND OF

RATS BUT I WAS NOT GOING TO LET

THAT STEP IN THE WAY OF MY

EMPLOYMENT.

SO I LEARNED TO LIKE THE LITTLE

GUY.

THE TIME HAS COME TO RELIEVE

THAT PAIN, WHICH WILL BE BETTER

FOR ME BUT NOT SO ENJOYABLE FOR

ALL OF YOU.

I LOVED MANKIND VIGNETTES.

I LOVE THE KIND THAT HE WAS IN

THE BOILER ROOM ROCKING BACK AND

FORTH.

IT WAS A REALLY SADISTIC

CHARACTER.

FOLEY PORTRAYED A LUNATIC AS

GOOD AS ANYBODY.

COMING DOWN THE AISLE...

WHEN HE MADE HIS IN RING

DEBUT IN APRIL 1996.

MANKIND.

THE BIZARRE MANKIND WAS A

COMPLEX FIGURE FOR THE AUDIENCE

TO DIGEST.

HE WAS NOT THE GUY COMING OUT

IN TRUNKS MUSCLED UP.

HE LOOKED DIFFERENT.

HE WAS DEEP AND HE WAS DARK.

I REMEMBER THINKING THIS IS A

MONSTER.

IT MADE ME UNEASY TO WATCH HIM.

HE WOULD RIP HIS OWN HAIR OUT.

TRY TO HAVE A NICE DAY.

HE WOULD DIVE INTO THAT

CHARACTER AND IT GOT BRUTAL.

IT GOT PHYSICAL.

THESE TWO MEN IN A FEW

MOMENTS ARE GOING TO BE BEATING

THEMSELVES SENSELESS IN THE

BOILER ROOM.

THE BOILER ROOM WAS SUCH A

DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT TO HAVE A

MATCH.

FOR FANS IT WAS VERY

DIFFERENT AND IT WAS COOL.

INITIAL RETURNS OF MANKIND WERE

PROMISING.

BUT THERE WAS STILL ONE PERSON

WITHIN WWE WHO WAS LESS THAN

IMPRESSED WITH MICK FOLEY'S

CHARACTER.

AS IT TURNED OUT THE ONLY

PERSON WHO DID NOT LIKE HIM WAS

THE ONE PERSON WHO COUNTED.

MR. MCMAHON WAS NOT A BIG FAN.

THIS DERANGED IDIOT.

LOOK WHAT HE IS DOING TO THAT

CASKET.

IT TOOK ME QUITE A WHILE TO

ACTUALLY WIN HIM OVER.

AS FOLEY STRUGGLED TO SATISFY

VINCE MCMAHON, WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING HAD FOUND

THE FORMULA FOR SUCCESS.

WCW HAD SIGNED FORMER WWE SUPER

STARS AND GROUPED THEM TOGETHER

TO FORM THE REBELLIOUS NEW WORLD

ORDER FACTION.

NWO IS THE ONLY WAY TO GO.

CREATING TRUE TO LIFE

CHARACTERS GEARED TOWARDS AN

OLDER DEMOGRAPHIC.

I LITERALLY DID EVERYTHING I

COULD DO TO BE DIFFERENT WITH

THE WWE.

THEIR CHARACTERS ARE ANIMATED

VERY CARTOONISH.

I AM GOING TO MAKE MINE VERY

REAL, VERY ORGANIC.

HULK HOGAN.

WHERE IS THE REST OF THEM?

WE HAVE GOT CHAOS GOING ON

HERE.

THE NWO WAS SUCH A

REVOLUTIONARY FACTION BECAUSE

THEY TURNED THE UNIVERSE UPSIDE

DOWN.

IT WAS COMPLETELY UP ROOTING THE

PRODUCT AND DESIGNING SOMETHING

TOTALLY NEW.

WE CREATED A HUGE AMOUNT OF

POSITIVE MOMENTUM.

ALL OF A SUDDEN OUR NUMBERS TOOK

OFF.

WE REIGNED.

WE RULED THE WRESTLING WORLD AND

THE RATINGS.

UNIVERSE TRILLION AIR TED.

WE ARE ON A ROLL, MAN.

THE POPULARITY OF THE NEW

WORLD ORDER HELPED WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WREST\{SUFFIX\}LING

SURGE AHEAD IN THE PRIME TIME

RATINGS.

BY THE SPRING OF 1997 MONDAY

NITRO WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF WHAT

WOULD BECOME AN 84 WEEK WINNING

STREAK.

WWE NEEDED TO EMBRACE MORE

REALISTIC PERSONAS TO KEEP PACE

WITH WCW AND WOULD PULL BACK THE

CURTAIN ON THEIR ECCENTRIC SUPER

STAR TO REVEAL THE MAN BEHIND

THE MASK.

YOU COULDN'T TRULY BE A SUPER

STAR IN WWE UNTIL VINCE MCMAHON

BECAME A FAN PERSONALLY.

MR. MCMAHON GAVE THE SPECIFIC

SPEECH WHERE HE ADMITTED THAT

SOME OF THE THINGS HAD WORKED IN

THE PAST, SOME OF THE MORE

CARTOONISH CHARACTERS WERE NOT

GOING TO WORK IN THE PRESENT

ERA.

IF CHARACTERS WERE GOING TO BE

SUCCESSFUL THEY HAD TO BE

EXTENSIONS OF HIMSELF.

FOR ME THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN UNTIL

I DID A SERIES OF INTERVIEWS

WITH JIM ROSS.

I AM GOING TO TAKE YOU ON A

DIFFERENT KIND OF ODYSSEY A 26

YEAR JOURNEY OF MICK FOLEY

BOYHOOD DREAMS TURNED INTO A BIG

HAIL.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE

EXCEPTIONS ARE -- PERCEPTIONS

ARE THAT FANS HAVE?

THAT I AM A BAD PERSON.

JIM, THERE'S PLENTY OF GOOD

REASONS TO HATE ME.

I JUST DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO HATE

ME FOR UNTRUTHS AND PARTIAL

TRUTHS AND RUMORS.

THE INTERVIEWS WITH MANKIND

WERE SOME OF THE MOST

ENTERTAINING AND INTERESTING

THINGS I HAVE EVER SEEN ON WWE

TV.

OTHER PEOPLE AND THEIR CLICKS

FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD THEY

WOULD GANG UP ON ME BECAUSE I

ACTED DIFFERENT, LOOKED

DIFFERENT.

AS A BACKDROP FOR THE

INTERVIEW MANKIND USED FOLEY'S

OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCES TO

REVEAL THE INNER WORKINGS OF HIS

WARPED MIND.

THIS GROUND BREAKING FORM OF

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT GAVE FANS

A GLIMPSE INTO A SUPER STAR'S

PSYCHE LIKE NEVER BEFORE.

I WAS BLEEDING, I WAS IN

PAIN.

AND I WAS LOVING IT.

BECAUSE I FELT LIKE I HAD

FINALLY FOUND SOMETHING IN MY

LIFE THAT I COULD DO BETTER THAN

EVERYBODY ELSE.

HANDLE PAIN.

THIS CHARACTER ALL OF A

SUDDEN BECAME VERY HUMAN.

HE BECAME THIS GUY WHO WANTED

NOTHING MORE THAN TO BE A

WRESTLER SINCE HE WAS A KID.

OH, UNBELIEVABLE.

IT WAS THE FIRST CHARACTER

THAT YOU ACTUALLY GOT TO SEE THE

REAL LIFE OF.

LEGITIMATE BACKGROUND STORY.

THEY HAD VIDEOTAPE OF IT.

MICK TOLD US ABOUT THE TAPE.

LET'S SEE IT.

IT'S TOO GOOD NOT TO USE.

YOU DON'T SUGGEST TO SOME KID

HEY IF YOU WANT TO GET ON WWE

JUMP OFF YOUR PORCH A FEW TIMES

AND TAPE IT YOU MIGHT GET A JOB.

IT DON'T WORK THAT WAY.

WE USED IT BECAUSE IT FIT THE

CHARACTER.

THROUGH HIS DOCUMENTED PAST

THE DESIRE FOR SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT SHOWN THROUGH.

HIS HOME MOVIES SHOWED A LAID

BACK MAN THEY LOVED.

THE ORIGINAL ALTER EGO.

I WAS NOT MICK FOLEY.

I WAS NOT MANKIND.

I WAS DUDE LOVE.

WE ARE GOING TO TEAR THIS

ROTTEN APPLE RIGHT DOWN TO THE

STINKING NEW YORK CORE.

HE WAS EXACTLY WHO I THOUGHT

I WAS GOING TO BE AS A SPORTS

ENTERTAINER.

I WOULD ACTUALLY GO OUT WITH

THAT WIG AND WITH THE HEAD BAND.

I WAS MORE COMFORTABLE TALKING

TO WOMEN PORTRAYING A CHARACTER.

I WAS COOLER.

FAME, HONOR, FORTUNE, TO

DESTROY.

IT WOULD SPAN ACROSS FIVE

MONDAY NIGHT TELECASTS.

THE ADDED REALISM BLURRED THE

LINES BETWEEN FACT AND FICTION.

WWE FANS SYMPATHIZED WITH THE

SCHIZOPHRENIC SUPER STAR.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT PAIN THAT I

LOVE?

JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER PERSON,

YOU SEE THAT, IT HURTS.

WHEN MY LITTLE BOY SAYS DADDY, I

WANT TO PLAY BALL AND I CAN'T DO

IT, IS THAT WHERE THE FUN

STARTS?

WOW, MAYBE THIS GUY HAS A

REASON THAT HE IS THE WAY HE IS.

ALL YOU HAVE DONE TO PEOPLE

IS MISLEAD THEM AND LET THEM

THINK THAT I AM HAVING THE TIME

OF MY -- LIFE WHEN I AM IN

PAIN.

YOU KIND OF UNDERSTAND AND

YOU FEEL FOR HIM.

YOU ARE LIKE WHY AM I FEELING

FOR THIS PSYCHO PATH?

EACH WEEK I COULD FEEL THE

CROWD INTEREST GROWING.

I WAS TURNED AS THEY SAY IN

WRESTLING INTO A GOOD GUY

WITHOUT ACTUALLY CHANGING.

PEOPLE STARTED CHEERING BECAUSE

THEY ENJOYED THOSE INTERVIEWS.

FAN'S INTEREST PEAKED.

MCMAHON'S OPINION OF MICK FOLEY

BEGAN TO CHANGE.

AT THE 20 MINUTE MARK WE HAD

TO TAKE A SHORT BREAK.

I HEARD MR. MCMAHON WHO I DIDN'T

KNOW WAS THERE SAY, THIS IS

FABULOUS.

DON'T YOU LOOK AT ME WITH

THAT SMUG LOOK.

YOU MAKE ME SICK.

A MAN OF INTEGRITY.

I AM GOING TO SMACK YOU.

WHAT HE DID THAT NIGHT IN HIS

PERFORMANCE, IT COULDN'T HAVE

WORKED OUT ANY BETTER.

VINCE BECAME ENAMORED AND HIS

CREATIVE JUICES STARTED FLOWING.

MICK IS LIKE THE SMART GUY.

HE'S ARTICULATE.

A LITTLE DISHEVELED BUT VERY

ARTICULATE AND I WAS ABLE TO

WORK WITH HIM AND THEN DEVELOP

HIS TALENT.

VINCE HAD BECOME AWARE THAT

MY ACTUAL REAL LIFE MAY HAVE

BEEN MORE INTERESTING THAN THE

FICTIONAL ONE I CREATED AS

MANKIND.

HE'S LIKE, HEY, PAL, WOULD YOU

WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE DUDE LOVE?

I WENT FOR A DAY?

HE'S LIKE HOW ABOUT FROM NOW ON?

WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THIS?

IT'S MANKIND, LADIES AND

GENTLEMEN.

ACTUALLY, I GUESS IT'S AN ALTER

EGO.

I SHOULD KNOW, JR.

I KNOW ALL ABOUT THE KID

JUMPING OFF OF THE ROOF OF HIS

HOUSE.

I KNOW ALL ABOUT THE KID WHO

WANTED TO BE A HEARTTHROB.

NOW HE IS HERE.

DUDE LOVE LIVES.

THERE WAS A GENUINE SENSE OF

JOY WHEN OUR UNIVERSE REALIZED

THAT THE GUY THEY WERE SEEING

WAS THE SAME DUDE LOVE IN THE

INTERVIEW WITH JIM ROSS.

OH MY GOD THERE'S DUDE LOVE

GROUPIES.

HE'S A SEX IDOL.

HE IS DUDE LOVE.

DUDE LOVE REALLY BLEW MY MIND

WHEN THAT HAPPENED.

IT WAS PRETTY COOL THAT MICK

FOLEY GOT TO LIVE OUT HIS

CHILDHOOD DREAM AND CHILDHOOD

CHARACTER HE CAME UP WITH.

BY PORTRAYING HIS OWN

FICTIONAL PERSONA HE CREATED A

THIRD FACE FOR HIMSELF THAT WAS

FAR DIFFERENT THAN HIS PREVIOUS

ROLES IN SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT.

I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY COOL

HOW MUCH RANGE HE HAS THAT HE

CAN GO FROM A PSYCHOTIC

CHARACTER TO A FUN LOVING GUY.

THE DUDE, LOOK AT HIM.

DUDE LOVE.

IN THE SAME WAY MANKIND WAS A

DEPARTURE FROM CACTUS JACK, DUDE

LOVE WAS A PRETTY VAST DEPARTURE

FOR MANKIND BECOMING THE KIND OF

HIP BUT NOT SO HIP TWO-THIRDS AS

COOL AS HE THOUGHT HE WAS DUDE

LOVE.

YOU CAN CUT THE MUSIC BABY.

BECAUSE THE PARTY IS ALL OVER.

LORD HAVE MERCY.

IT WAS REALLY A GREAT TIME TO

BE ALIVE DURING THE SUMMER OF

LOVE, 1997.

I WAS THANKFUL FOR HAVING THE

OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THE

CHARACTER TO LIFE.

HE WASN'T THE ONLY BLAST FROM

THE PAST TO APPEAR ON MONDAY

NIGHT.

DUDE LOVE.

IN A REVOLUTIONARY BACKSTAGE

INTERVIEW MICK FOLEY LET ALL OF

HIS PERSONAS DECIDE WHICH

INCARNATION WOULD COMPETE.

OH, HAVE MERCY HUNTER AND

ESPECIALLY YOUR FINER CHINA.

I KNOW WHAT YOU MUST BE

THINKING.

DUDE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING BACK

HERE WHEN YOU SHOULD BE OUT

THERE KICKING SOME HEAVY DUTY

BOOTIE ALL OVER THE GARDEN.

WELL, YOU ARE SEE, THAT'S NOT

EXACTLY BY BAG, BABY.

I KNOW SOMEBODY DADDY WHOSE BAG

IT INDEED IS.

LET'S BRING HIM OUT RIGHT NOW.

MANKIND.

MY MAN MANDIBLE.

UP HIGH.

OH, YOU ARE TOO SLOW.

MANKIND, GOOD TO HAVE YOU AT THE

LOVE SHACK.

PEOPLE BOUGHT IT BECAUSE

PEOPLE BELIEVED THAT HE WAS

SCHIZOPHRENIC.

PEOPLE THOUGHT THIS GUY IS NUTS.

HE HAS THESE DIFFERENT

PERSONALTIES HE'S INTERVIEWING

HIMSELF.

AS MUCH AS I DREAMED ABOUT

DESTROYING HURST HELMSLEY, THERE

ARE HORRIBLE THINGS I WOULD LIKE

TO DO TO HIM I KNOW SOMEONE WHO

DREAMS ABOUT IT EVEN MORE.

WHAT IS IT?

SOMEBODY WILLING TO DO WORSE

THINGS THAN I AM.

ARE YOU THINKING WHAT I THINK

YOU ARE THINKING?

I THINK I AM THINKING WHAT

YOU THINK I THINK YOU ARE

THINKING.

CACTUS JACK.

HE IS GOING TO BE CACTUS JACK.

HERE HE COMES.

WHERE IS HE?

CACTUS JACK IS BACK.

SOMEBODY SPANK ME.

I THOUGHT HE WAS DEAD.

HE'S ALIVE.

IT MAY BE THE DARKEST DAY OF

YOUR LIFE.

I REMEMBER BEING CHANTED BY

ALL THREE CHARACTERS SEPARATELY

HAVING ALL OF THEM COME TOGETHER

AT ONCE.

REALLY STRANGE, BUT COOL.

IT WAS THE FIRST AND ONLY

TIME ALL THREE OF THE CHARACTERS

WOULD SIMULTANEOUSLY SHARE THE

SCREEN.

MRS. FOLEY'S LITTLE BOY, BYE

BYE.

LORD HAVE MERCY.

THE

THE WWE AUDIENCE WAS FORMALLY

INTRODUCED TO THE INFAMOUS

CACTUS JACK.

CACTUS JACK, THE OTHER ALTER

EGO OF MICK FOLEY.

WE HAVE NEVER SEEN CACTUS JACK

IN THE WWE UNTIL NOW.

I LOVE WHEN CACTUS JACK CAME

INTO THE FOLD.

HE IS ONLY KNOWN FOR VIOLENCE,

SADISTIC BRAWLING, THE KIND OF

THING THAT MAKES THE HAIR STAND

UP ON THE BACK OF YOUR NECK.

YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE

GOING TO SEE.

THAT IS AS HARD-CORE AS

ANYBODY COULD EVER BE.

MR. MCMAHON HAS RESERVATIONS

AS TO HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD KNOW

ABOUT OR CARE ABOUT CACTUS JACK.

I LIKE TO THINK WHEN THERE WAS

THAT INSTANT ROAR OF THE CROWD,

THAT LITTLE LIGHT BULB WENT UP

OVER VINCE'S HEAD WHEN HE HEARD

THAT ROAR AND THOUGHT, MAYBE I

MISJUDGED THAT PARTICULAR

CHARACTER'S POPULARITY.

FANS APPROVAL OF CACTUS JACK

COULD NOT BE IGNORED AND VINCE

MCMAHON CAME TO EMBRACE ALL

THREE OF THE CHARACTERS.

ALL THREE CHARACTERS WERE A

SUCCESS.

THAT'S A CREDIT TO MICK AND HIS

TALENT.

NO WAY.

PILE DRIVER, YES.

THAT'S A THREE COUNT.

CACTUS JACK HAS WON IT.

IT WAS A MICROCOSM OF A

COMPANY WIDE CHANGE IN

DIRECTION.

WWE WAS EMBARKING ON WHAT WOULD

BECOME KNOWN AS THE ATTITUDE

ERA.

A TIME WHEN EDGIER TALENTS AND

STORY LINES BEGAN PUSHING THE

BOUNDARIES OF SPORTS

I HAVE TO PUMP IT AGAIN.

IN THE ATTITUDE ERA,

EVERYBODY IS HAVING FUN, BECAUSE

NOW EVERYBODY GETS TURNED LOSE.

GIVE ME A HELL YEAH.

BY THE SPRING OF 1998 MONDAY

NIGHT RAW HAD SNAPPED MONDAY

NITRO'S 84 WEEK HEAD TO HEAD

WINNING STREAK.

THE TWO BATTLED BACK AND FORTH

IN THE RATINGS.

SEVERAL SUPER STARS EMERGED AT

THE FOREFRONT OF WWE'S

REVOLUTION.

BUT AS THESE PERSONAS WERE

THRIVING, MICK FOLEY WAS FADING

INTO THE BACKGROUND.

BY THE TIME THE MIDDLE OF 98

HAD ROLLED AROUND I HAD BEEN

CACTUS JACK AND DUDE LOVE AND

WHEN I WENT TO MANKIND IT FELL

FAT.

IT FELT LIKE THE ATTITUDE ERA

WAS PASSING BY.

IN ORDER TO STAY RELEVANT,

MANKIND'S CHARACTER WOULD NEED

TO RETURN TO HIS HARD-CORE

ROOTS, A HELL IN A CELL MATCH

AGAINST THE UNDER TAKER WOULD

PROVIDE MICK FOLEY THE PERFECT

OPPORTUNITY.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE

FOLLOWING MATCH IS THE HELL IN

THE CELL MATCH.

I WAS ORIGINALLY VERY

SURPRISED.

I DIDN'T HONESTLY THINK MY

POSITION AT THE TIME MERITED

SUCH A BIG MATCH.

IT TURNED OUT TO BE NOT ONLY THE

BIGGEST MATCH OF MY CAREER BUT

THE ONLY MATCH PEOPLE SEEM TO

REMEMBER ME BY.

YOU SEE THE CHAIR ON THE TOP

OF THE CAGE.

WHAT IS HE DOING?

MICK IS ONE OF THOSE GUYS WHO

LIKES TO SEE WHAT HE CAN AND

CAN'T DO AND WHAT HE CAN GET

AWAY WITH.

MANKIND IS CLIMBING THE CAGE.

HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE INSIDE OF

THE CAGE.

MR. MCMAHON KNEW I WANTED TO

GO UP ON TOP OF THE CELL AND

WANTED TO BE SURE I WAS

COMFORTABLE WITH THE IDEA OF

BEING UP THERE.

I TOLD A LITTLE BIT OF A WHITE

LIE THAT I HAD NO PROBLEM WITH

IT.

THE TRUTH IS, WHEN I DID REACH

THE TOP, MY INITIAL FEELING, I

MEAN I AM SORRY IF I AM RUINING

PEOPLE'S IMAGE OF ME, BUT IT

WAS, YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING

ME.

OF ALL THE THINGS HE LOST I

THINK HE'S MISSING HIS MIND THE

MOST.

UH-OH.

HERE WE GO.

THE PAIN THAT THESE TWO MEN ARE

PREPARING TO ENDURE IS INHUMAN.

HOW THEY WILL PUT THEIR BODIES

ON THE LINE HERE.

HE'S DOING IT.

YOU WANT ME UP THERE?

YOU WANT ME TO COME UP AND

FIGHT?

I AM GOING TO COME UP AND WHIP

YOUR BUTT.

APPARENTLY HELL IN A CELL

MATCH IS OFFICIALLY UNDERWAY.

THEY ARE STANDING ON TOP OF

THAT CAGE.

WOULDN'T IT BE COOL IF ONE OF

THEM FELL OFF OF IT?

THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE GOES

MICK.

IT WAS ALMOST LIKE IN

SLOW-MOTION.

HE STARTS TO KIND OF GO OVER.

YOU ARE LIKE NO WAY.

HE IS GOING TO CATCH HIMSELF.

OH MY GOD HE'S FALLING, HE'S

FALLING.

OH MY GOD.

AS FAR AS I WITNESSED HE IS

BROKEN IN HALF.

YOU HEAR JIM ROSS OH MY GOD

HE'S BROKEN IN HALF.

MANKIND IS CRAZY AND I DON'T

KNOW HOW HE IS STILL ALIVE

TODAY.

WE NEED DOCTORS OUT HERE.

IF SOMEBODY CAN GET OUT OF THEIR

BUTT AND GET OUT HERE.

PEOPLE ASKED QUESTIONS, DID

YOU KNOW IT WAS COMING?

ABSOLUTELY NOT.

I THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING TO

COME TO THE EDGE.

WHEN HIS 300 POUND BOD GEE

STARTS GOING THROUGH THE AIR IT

WAS FRIGHTENING.

WATCHING HIM COME INTO THE

TABLE THREE FEET AWAY FROM US.

I REALLY THOUGHT HE WAS DEAD.

IT'S OVER.

THE CAGE IS 16 FEET HIGH.

THERE WAS NO WAY THAT I COULD

BE THROWN OFF THAT STRUCTURE AND

SURVIVE, AND YET I WAS AND I

DID.

ONCE AGAIN, HE HAD PROVED HIS

PASSION FOR SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT

AT THE EXPENSE OF HIS BODY.

IT WAS SPECTACULAR AND

AMAZING AND INCREDIBLE AND YOU

HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT.

A LOT OF GUYS WOULD BE LIKE

OKAY, I AM DONE NOW.

YET OVER THE SHOW MAN MICK

FOLEY WAS DONE BUT NOT OUT.

HOW IN THE HELL IS HE

STANDING?

OH MY GOD THIS IS THE

TOUGHEST MAN ALIVE.

HE WANTS TO GET BACK UP.

HE'S INSANE.

HE WANTS TO FINISH THIS MATCH.

THAT'S MICK FOLEY.

THAT FEELING OF ELECTRICITY

WHEN PEOPLE REALIZE THIS THING

WASN'T OVER

THIS IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.

IT'S A HIGH I CAN'T COMPARE

TO ANYTHING ELSE I HAVE DONE IN

MY CAREER.

MY BIGGEST MISTAKE WAS THINKING

WHEN I WENT THROUGH THAT TABLE

THAT THE WORST OF MY NIGHT WAS

OVER.

HEAD BUTT BY THE UNDERTAKER.

I DIDN'T THINK ANYBODY REALIZED

THAT THAT WOULD NOT BE THE CASE.

GOOD GOD, GOOD GOD.

THAT'S IT.

HE'S DEAD.

WOW.

YOU ARE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME.

I THINK UNDERTAKER WAS LIKE,

WHAT?

I SAW HIM FALL AND I THOUGHT

THIS ONE IS DEFINITELY GOING TO

KILL HIM.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

TODAY, WISELY SO, THEY WOULD

STOP IT.

AT THAT TIME WE WERE IN

UNCHARTERED TERRITORY.

EVERYBODY WAS TRYING TO GET

TO IS A MONSTER -- MONITORS AND

SAYING IS HE MOVING?

THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME I WAS

KNOCKED ENTIRELY UNCONSCIOUS.

THERE WAS A CHAIR UNDER THERE

THAT FOLLOWED ME DOWN HITTING ME

IN THE FACE KNOCKED OUT MY

TEETH.

NOT THESE TWO.

THOSE TWO WERE GONE A LONG TIME

AGO.

HOW IS HE STILL STANDING UP?

I DON'T HAVE A DAMN CLUE.

THEY SAID NOBODY COULD BE

STANDING UP BUT I WAS DOING IT.

I COULD BARELY STAND.

IT WASN'T UNTIL I WAS SITTING

IN THE CORNER THE COBB WEBS

CLEARED.

THAT'S WHEN PEOPLE NOTICED THERE

WAS A TOOTH STUCK IN MY NOSE.

HE IS SMILING.

HE IS SMILING.

THAT SHOT WILL LIVE FOREVER,

FOREVER.

HE'S BLEEDING OUT OF BOTH

EARS.

HE'S GOT A TOOTH UP THROUGH HIS

NOSE.

I SAID MICK ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?

IS HE SAID KEEP GOING.

GET HE SAID GET THE TAX.

I SAID GET AN AMBULANCE, ARE YOU

CRAZY?

WHAT IS THAT?

THUMB TACKS.

THIS IS AWFUL.

PEOPLE ARE CHEERING THIS, JR.

MY GOD.

A TOE SLAM.

NO WAY.

A TOE SLAM TACK ON THE TACKS.

HE ROLLS OVER HE'S GLISTENING

WITH SILVER.

IT IS THUMBTACKS THROUGH HIS EAR

AND HIS ARM AND HIS FACE.

IT WAS A GRUESOME SITE.

TOP THIS.

TOMBSTONE, TOMBSTONE.

MERCIFULLY, THIS IS OVER.

NO ONE COULD HAVE EXPECTED

THE LENGTHS MICK FOLEY WOULD GO

TO ON THAT ILLUSTRIOUS EVENING

IN PITTSBURGH.

I WILL NEVER FORGET WHAT WE

JUST WITNESSED RIGHT THERE.

EVEN THE COMPETITION IN WCW

HAD TO RECOGNIZE THE BAR HAD

BEEN RAISED TO SEEMING LIE

INSURMOUNTABLE HEIGHTS.

MICK FOLEY OFF THE TOP OF THE

CAGE.

I SAID, THAT'S IT, BOYS, THE RUN

IS OVER.

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO TOP THAT?

HOW ANYBODY COULD NOT ADMIRE

THE EFFORTS OF MICK FOLEY IS

BEYOND ME.

I WATCHED IT 1,000 TIMES AND

IT LITERALLY CHANGED THE

THAT WAS AS SPECTACULAR AS IT

GOT.

LOOK AT MANKIND.

IT IS ALMOST AS IF HE DOESN'T

WANT TO LEAVE ON A STRETCHER.

I THINK PEOPLE IN WCW

COULDN'T DO THAT STUFF.

I WAS LIKE, YOU AIN'T BEATING

THAT ONE.

(CHANTING)

GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND THE

CALL OF DUTY MICK FOLEY EXTENDED

HIS LEGACY IN SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT HISTORY.

VINCE MCMAHON CAME UP TO ME

AFTER THAT MATCH AND SAID, YOU

HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH I

APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DID TONIGHT,

BUT I NEVER WANT TO SEE ANYTHING

LIKE THAT AGAIN.

THAT IS OBVIOUSLY A CHANCE I

WOULDN'T TAKE NOW.

I CERTAINLY HOPED TO FIND AN

IT WAS MORE SPECTACULAR THAN I

THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE.

WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING LIKE

THAT, IT'S LIKE, OH MY GOD, WHAT

COULD HAVE HAPPENED.

BUT THAT'S REALLY MICK'S M-O.

THE HEROIC HELL IN A CELL

PERFORMANCE WOULD PROVE TO BE A

TIPPING POINT.

HIS HARD-CORE STILL HAD HELPED

LIFT WWE BACK TO PROMINENCE.

BUT ALL OF THE YEARS OF PHYSICAL

ABUSE WERE CATCHING UP WITH MICK

FOLEY.

MY KNEES WERE REALLY STARTING

TO BOTHER ME.

IT WAS PRETTY CLEAR THIS PATH

THAT I HAD CHOSEN WITH THE

REALLY PHYSICAL STUFF WAS COMING

TO AN UNFORTUNATE END.

THE ATTITUDE ERA WAS ALLOWING

THE WWE ROSTER TO INCREASE THEIR

LEVELS OF PHYSICALITY.

ANYTHING GOES.

SOMEBODY'S HEAD MAY GO.

WITH MICK FOLEY BATTERED AND

BRUISED, HE WOULD NEED TO

CONTINUE TO ADAPT IN ORDER TO

REMAIN RELEVANT.

I AM ABOUT TO GET MYSELF IN A

STATE OF MENTAL PREPARATION

WHICH IS GOING TO MAKE ME A

VERY, VERY UGLY PERSON, IF YOU

CAN BELIEVE THAT.

I WENT THE COMEDY ROUTE OUT

OF NECESSITY, BECAUSE I COULDN'T

DO THAT STUFF ANY MORE.

I STAY IN BOILER ROOMS

BECAUSE I ENJOY THE AMBIANCE.

I WEAR A SWEATY LEATHER MASK

BECAUSE IT HELPS SELL DOLLS.

I WEAR A SHIRT AND TIE BECAUSE

IT LOOKS SO DAMN GOOD.

HE WAS ULTRA VIOLENT BEFORE

ULTRA VIOLENT WAS EVERY WHERE.

WHEN THAT HAPPENED HE WENT THE

OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

MICK IS EXTREMELY INTELLIGENT.

DOESN'T TAKE HIMSELF TOO

SERIOUSLY.

VERY SELF DEPRECATING.

THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE BECAUSE

THEN YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH SO

MUCH STUFF.

THE ROCK IS LOOKING FOR

GLORY.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?

KEVIN KELLEY I AM LOOKING FOR

AN END TO WORLD HUNGER BUT I

DON'T EXPECT TO HAVE THAT HAPPEN

DURING THIS MATCH.

I AM GOING TO OVER LOOK THE

BECAUSE I OVER LOOKED STUPIDITY

ALL MY LIFE.

MICK?

COME ON INTO MY HUMBLE ABODE.

BY PAIRING HIM WITH THE

PERFECT FOIL.

I LOVED THE ON SCREEN

CHEMISTRY WITH MR. MCMAHON.

YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT I AM

GOING TO GIVE YOU.

DOESN'T MATTER, YOU HAVE GOT

VINCE IS THIS GREAT, LARGER

THAN LIFE OVER ACTOR.

I HAVE GOT PLANS, DAMN IT.

I HAVE GOT PLANS.

TO BE IN THE ROOM WHEN VINCE

MCMAHON IS ACTUALLY PLAYING

TWISTER WITH MICK FOLEY --

YOU WANT TO PLAY GAMES AT A

TIME LIKE THIS.

YOU ARE BEING A MAJOR PARTY

POOPER.

GET THE HELL OUT.

GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE.

TAKE THIS CRAP WITH YOU.

GET IT OUT.

I DON'T WANT TO PLAY GAMES.

IT IS JUST MOMENTS LIKE THAT

THAT YOU NEVER FORGET.

VINCE, IT IS ME.

AS THE MANKIND MCMAHON ON

SCREEN RELATIONSHIP BLOSSOMED

MICK FOLEY'S CREATIVITY

ESTABLISHED HIM AS MONDAY NIGHT

RAW'S NEWEST COMEDY SENSATION.

MANKIND WAS TRYING TO

ENTERTAIN VINCE MCMAHON.

I BROUGHT ANOTHER VISITOR.

ANOTHER SPECIAL GUEST.

HE BRINGS OUT SOCKO.

WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?

SAY HELLO TO MR. SOCKO.

HE KNOWS YOU HAVE BEEN FEELING

MIGHTY BAD SO HE IS GOING TO

GIVE YOUR BOO-BOO A BIG KISS.

NO, MICK, PLEASE.

$0.67 SOCK.

PROBABLY ONE HE HAD IN HIS

DRAWER THAT DIDN'T HAVE A MATCH

TO IT HE TOOK IT OUT AND SAID

SOCKO.

BINGO, MONEY.

MR. SOCKO WAS ONE TIME DEAL.

THEN THE AUDIENCE MADE IT BIG.

I AM NOT CONCERNED ABOUT KEN

SHAMROCK AND JUDGMENT DAY.

IF HE DOESN'T LIKE IT.

I HAVE ONE WORD FOR HIM, SOCKO

HAVE A NICE DAY.

SAME GUY THAT WAS GETTING

THROWN OFF THE CAGE WITH A TOOTH

STICKING OUT OF HIS NOSE WAS THE

SAME GUY LATER TO PUT A SHOCK ON

AND HAVE MR. SOCKO.

THERE IT IS MR. SOCKO.

MR. MCMAHON IS TASTING SOCKO.

IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A UNIQUE

COMBINATION IT MAKES MICK SO

POPULAR WITH FANS.

MANKIND'S CHARACTER

TRANSFORMATION HAD SUCCEEDED IN

LIFTING HIM TO WWE'S MAIN EVENT

PICTURE.

A SPOT NOT NORMALLY RESERVED FOR

THE LIKES OF MICK FOLEY.

THAT WAS NOT VINCE MCMAHON'S

POSTER BOY FOR BEING THE

CHAMPION OF THIS COMPANY.

BUT THAT DIDN'T MATTER.

THAT IS WHAT THE AUDIENCE

WANTED.

ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU HAVE

GOT THE ROCK, THE SHOOTING STAR,

THE FRANCHISE.

MICK FOLEY'S POPULARITY WAS

TOO BIG TO IGNORE LEADING TO ONE

OF THE BIGGEST NIGHTS IN SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT HISTORY.

THE WWE CHAMPIONSHIP IS UP

FOR GRABS.

THERE IS NO DISQUALIFICATION.

THE ROCK AGAINST MANKIND AND THE

ODDS ARE STACKED AGAINST MICK

FOLEY.

MICK FOLEY ALWAYS SEEMED LIKE

SUCH AN UNDER DOG.

HE DIDN'T LOOK LIKE HE WAS GOING

TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

WE HAVE BIG PROBLEMS HERE

NOW.

THERE'S NO WAY MICK FOLEY IS

GOING TO BE CHAMPION.

MANKIND KICK TO THE

MIDSECTION.

SETTING HIM UP.

HE IS SO ENTERTAINING,

EVERYBODY LOVES HIM.

MR. SOCKO.

HE DOES IT AGAIN, MR. SOCKO.

A YOUNG DAMIEN SAT IN THE

CROWD AND WATCHED IT.

THE ROCK MAY BE OUT.

NO DISQUALIFICATION.

BILLY GUNN ON SHAMROCK.

I HAVE GOOSE BUMPS RELIVING

THAT IN MY HEAD.

WHAT?

STONE COLD IS HERE.

OH, NO.

STONE COLD IS HERE.

LOOK OUT MR. MCMAHON.

THE RATTLESNAKE IS HERE.

OH, STONE COLD WITH THE

CHAIR.

NO, NO.

DON'T DO IT.

I NEVER THOUGHT IT WAS GOING

TO BE CARDS FOR ME TO BE WWE

CHAMPION.

MANKIND DID IT.

THE MICK FOLEY DID IT.

BUT I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW MUCH IT

WOULD MEAN UNTIL I ACTUALLY

HEARD THAT THREE COUNT.

EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT GETS

INTO THIS BUSINESS HAS A DREAM

OF BEING WWE CHAMPION ONE DAY.

MANKIND IS A GENIUS AND

ACHIEVED HIS DREAM AND THE DREAM

OF EVERYONE ELSE WHO HAS BEEN

TOLD YOU CAN'T DO IT.

YOU WEAR THAT TITLE, YOU ARE

THE BEST AT WHAT YOU DO.

WE HOISTED HIM UP LIKE IT WAS

NOTHING.

THERE'S GOOP BUMPS ON TOP OF

GOOSE BUMPS.

IT IS AN ENERGY I WISH I COULD

BOTTLE.

THE NEW WORLD WRESTLING

ENTERTAINMENT HEAVY WEIGHT

CHAMPION OF THE WORLD, MANKIND.

THE FANS FELT LIKE THEY WON

IT.

THEY FELT SO PROUD.

YOU COULD JUST SEE AND FEEL HOW

HAPPY MICK WAS AND YOU WERE

HAPPY FOR HIM.

AT THE RISK OF NOT SOUNDING

VERY COOL, I WOULD LIKE TO

DEDICATE THIS MATCH TO MY TWO

LITTLE PEOPLE AT HOME AND SAY,

MCDADDY-O DID IT.

THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

WRESTLING WOULD NOT LET MICK

FOLEY ENJOY HIS MOMENT OF GLORY.

THE CHAMPIONSHIP WIN AIRED ON

JANUARY 4TH, 1999, BUT HAD BEEN

TAPED ONE WEEK EARLIER.

WCW HAD LEARNED THE RESULTS

AHEAD OF TIME.

AND IN HOPES OF PREVENTING THE

VIEWERS FROM CHANGING THE

CHANNEL, ERIC BISHOP HAD THE

ANNOUNCE TEAM SPOIL THE WWE

SHOCKING TURN OF EVENTS BY

GIVING AWAY THE CONCLUSION LIVE

ON NITRO.

I WAS TOLD TO MAKE IT SOUND

BAD, AND I DID WHAT I COULD.

IF YOU EVER THINK ABOUT

CHANGING THE CHANNEL TO OUR

COMPETITION, FANS DO NOT.

WE UNDERSTAND MICK FOLEY WHO

WRESTLED HERE ONE TIME AS CACTUS

JACK IS GOING TO WIN THEIR WORLD

TITLE.

THAT'S GOING TO PUT SOME BUTTS

IN THE SEAT.

I AM GOING TO DO WHAT I AM

TOLD.

SO I CAME UP WITH THAT LINE, PUT

THE BUTTS IN THE SEATS RIGHT OFF

THE TOP OF MY HEAD AS QUICKLY AS

I COULD THINK OF IT.

DENIGRATING THAT TITLE WIN,

MINIMIZING IT TRYING TO MAKE IT

FEEL IRRELEVANT IS PART AND

PARCEL OF WHAT I DID EVERY TIME

I WENT ON THE AIR TO GIVE AWAY

ANYTHING THAT WAS GOING ON AT

WWE.

IT REALLY FELT LIKE THEY WERE

TAKING THE BIGGEST NIGHT OF MY

CAREER AND SPOILING IT.

THE WORDS WERE SAID WITH SUCH

DISDAIN THEY WERE SO DISMISSIVE

AS IF I MEANT NOTHING IN THE

WRESTLING BUSINESS.

IT HURT ME, BECAUSE I HAD REALLY

WORKED HARD FOR WCW.

I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS CALLED

FOR.

I THOUGHT IT WAS LOW CLASS.

I DID NOT ADDRESS IT UNTIL THE

RATINGS CAME IN.

PEOPLE WERE WATCHING WCW AND

THEY GO AND STAGE OFF WHAT'S

GOING ON ON THE OTHER CHANNEL.

IT'S SUCH BIG NEWS.

I WANT TO SEE THE TITLE CHANGE.

ON THAT NIGHT, OVER HALF OF A

MILLION PEOPLE SWITCHED FROM

MONDAY NITRO TO MONDAY NIGHT RAW

TO WITNESS MICK FOLEY REACH THE

SUMMIT OF SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT.

WHAT THEY DID DO WAS CREATE

AWARENESS FOR A MAJOR MOMENT

OCCURRING AND THEY BASICALLY DID

A PROMO FOR US.

YOU GUYS OUGHT TO REALLY BE

WATCHING WWE, BECAUSE TONIGHT

BELIEVER IT OR NOT MICK FOLEY.

YOU REMEMBER MICK FOLEY?

MICK FOLEY BECOMES THE WWE

CHAMPION TONIGHT.

THANKS.

WHEN THE HISTORY CHANNEL DOES

GREAT MILITARY BLUNDERS THAT

WILL BE OUT THERE WITH STUPID

THINGS TO DO TRYING TO THWART AN

A LOT OF IT HAD TO DO WITH

FOLEY.

A LOT OF IT IS A TIGHT TEAL

SWITCH.

THEY ARE NOT ONLY GOING TO

SWITCH THE TITLE THEY ARE GOING

TO SWITCH THE WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP.

THAT'S A BIG DEAL.

WCW AND THEIR COCKINESS

THOUGHT THEY WERE INFALLIBLE AND

THOUGHT IT WAS LAUGHABLE HE

WOULD BE CHAMPION.

GUESS WHAT?

YOU SHOT YOURSELF IN THE FOOT.

IT WAS MORE ABOUT NITRO KIND

OF STAYING TRUE TO ITS MESSAGE,

SCREW YOU, WE ARE GOING TO DO

THIS.

WE ARE IRREVERENT WE DON'T GIVE

A -- WHAT THE RULES ARE.

WAS IT THE MOST BRILLIANT THING

I HAVE EVER DONE?

PROBABLY NOT.

WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A HUGE

NIGHT FOR WCW TURNED INTO A HUGE

NIGHT FOR WWE.

MICK FOLEY HAD BECOME AN A

LIST TALENT ON SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT NUMBER ONE

PROGRAM.

IN THE MONTHS THAT FOLLOWED, WWE

WOULD CONTINUE ITS SURGE IN

POPULARITY BY PAIRING TOGETHER

TWO OF MONDAY NIGHT RAW'S MOST

RECOGNIZABLE FACES.

WE WERE POLAR OPPOSITES.

THAT LATER MADE FOR THAT GREAT

TEAMING TOGETHER.

I DON'T WANT TO GO DOWN IN

HISTORY AS A HARD-CORE LEGEND.

I WANT TO BE KNOWN FROM HERE ON

IN AS ONE-HALF OF THE GREATEST

TAG TEAM IN WWE HISTORY, THE

ROCK AND SOCK CONNECTION.

THE ROCK AND SOCK CONNECTION

MADE A GREAT TEAM.

THEY WERE TWO LEGITIMATE WORLD

TITLE HOLDERS HUGE STARS IN

THEIR OWN RIGHT BUT YOU HAD THE

HOLIER THAN THOU I AM VERY COOL

AND EVERYBODY ELSE IS BENEATH ME

AND MICK WAS LIKE THE BUFFOON.

YOU ARE EXACTLY 20 MINUTES

AWAY WHEN THE ROCK MEETS 20 --

YOU IDIOT.

THE ROCK AND SOCK CONNECTION.

WHAT AN ODD COUPLE.

THEY HAD THE DYNAMIC IT WAS TWO

GUYS THAT WERE ABLE TO PLAY OFF

OF EACH OTHER.

THEY WERE SO DIFFERENT WHEN THEY

DID GET TOGETHER YOU WANTED TO

WATCH AND SEE HOW IT WORKS.

YOU GO OUT THERE WATCH THE

ROCK DO WHAT HE DOES BEST AND

PUT THE SMACK DOWN.

WHEN THE ROCK TELLS YOU TO DO

THE GIMMICK DO IT.

THAT'S IT.

THE PAIRING OF THE ROCK AND

MICK FOLEY ALLOWED BOTH SUPER

STARS TO SHOWCASE THEIR

VERSATILITY AND THEIR DYNAMIC

CHEMISTRY HELPED MONDAY NIGHT

RAW KEEP THE LEAD IN THE RATINGS

HEADING INTO THE FALL OF 1999.

IT WAS A NICE DYNAMIC.

MICK WAS STILL ABLE TO EXERCISE

THE COMEDIC TIMING MUSCLES AND

THOSE ENTERTAINING MUSCLES.

IT WAS A PLEASURE TO WORK

TOGETHER, TO BE HIS PARTNER.

SMELL WHAT THE ROCK IS

COOKING.

CAN I KEEP THIS SHIRT?

IN CASE YOU ARE WONDERING SICKO

THINGS BETWEEN ME AND THE ROCK

ARE STRICTLY PLATONIC.

ALL OF THE STUFF WITH THE

ROCK AND SOCK CONNECTION IT

WOULD BE LIKE A SNOWBALL ROLLING

DOWNHILL IT WOULD GET BIGGER AND

BIGGER.

IS IT SOMEBODY'S BIRTHDAY OR

SOMETHING?

I DON'T KNOW.

IT MIGHT BE.

THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN WWE'S

MOST CHARISMATIC DUO WOULD LEAD

TO MONDAY NIGHT RAW'S MOST

MEMORABLE OFF-THE-CUFF SINK.

THIS IS IMPORTANT.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, THIS IS

YOUR LIFE.

WE HAD SO MUCH FUN DOING THIS

IS YOUR LIFE.

IT WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST

NIGHTS EVER.

MICK BRINGS OUT MY FOOTBALL

COACH.

ROCK, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO

TAKE THAT WHISTLE YOU JUST PUT

TO YOUR LIPS, SHINE IT UP REAL

NICE.

THAT'S NICE.

TURN THAT SON -- SIDEWAYS

AND STICK IS IT STRAIGHT UP YOUR

CANDY ASS.

THEY ASKED WHAT WAS EXPECTED.

ROCK WILL SAY SOMETHING; I WILL

SAY SOMETHING.

WE DIDN'T GO OVER A SINGLE

THING.

IT WAS SO DISORGANIZED TO THE

POINT WHERE YOU COULD ACTUALLY

SEE THE NAMES I AM CALLING OUT

ARE NOT THE NAMES ON THE

GRAPHICS.

YOUR 6TH GRADE HOME ECONOMIC

TEACHER MRS. BETTY GRIFFITH.

IT SAYS ENGLISH TEACHER.

I KNEW HOW VINCE WAS WITH

THIS.

HOW LONG IS IT GOING TO GO ON

FOR?

THEY ARE OUT THERE FOR 20

MINUTES.

I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING, BECAUSE I

KNEW HE WAS PISSED OFF BUT I

KNEW IT WAS GOOD.

THE FANS HAVE BEEN WANTING

THEY HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR IT.

NOW THEY HAVE MR. ROCKO.

I WAS UPSET BECAUSE THE

SEGMENT WENT FOREVER.

I THOUGHT IT WAS GOOD, BUT I

DIDN'T THINK IT WAS THAT GOOD.

NATURALLY THE ROCK IS

APPRECIATIVE TO ALL OF HIS FANS,

BUT TO YOU, THE ROCK'S BIRTHDAY

IS MAY 2ND YOU STUPID SON OF A--

IT WASN'T UNTIL THE NEXT DAY

THE ROCK TAPPED ME ON THE

SHOULDER.

HE SAID DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE

RATING?

WE ALL PAID ATTENTION TO THE

RATINGS.

NOBODY WANTED TO BE PART OF THE

SEGMENT THAT LOST VIEWERS.

I SAID, HOW DID WE DO?

WHEN HE GAVE ME THE NUMBER, IT

DIDN'T SEEM POSSIBLE.

WATCHED BY OVER 9 MILLION

VIEWERS, THIS IS YOUR LIFE WAS

ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATED

SEGMENTS IN THE HISTORY OF

MONDAY NIGHT RAW.

MICK FOLEY HAD USED HIS

VERSATILITY TO CLIMB TO THE TOP

OF WWE.

GOOD GOD!

MANKIND JUST MUTILATED THAT

CHAIR WITH THE BACK OF HIS HEAD.

BUT THE YEARS OF PHYSICAL

PUNISHMENT HAD TAKEN THEIR TOLL

ON SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT'S MOST

RECKLESS SUPERSTAR.

MY BODY WAS JUST TELLING ME,

IT'S TIME TO GO.

SO I WENT IN AND TOLD

MR. MCMAHON, AND HE JUST SAID AT

THAT MOMENT, THEN YOU HAVE

JUST HAD YOUR LAST MATCH.

MICK FOLEY WOULD BE FORCED TO

STEP AWAY FROM THE SPOTLIGHT.

THANKS FOR THE GREAT MEMORIES

MICK FOLEY.

BUT HIS PASSION FOR SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT HAD PAID DIVIDENDS

FOR WWE WHO SUCCESSFULLY

DEFEATED WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

WRESTLING IN THE MONDAY NIGHT

WAR IN MARCH OF 2001.

THAT'S WHY THEY WON THE

MONDAY NIGHT WAR.

IF FOLEY COMES ON YOU KNOW THIS

GUY IS GOING TO DO SOMETHING

CRAZY AND...

I DON'T WANT TO MISS IT.

THERE WASN'T ANYTHING MICK

FOLEY WASN'T WILLING TO DO.

MICK FOLEY'S SUCCESSFUL

JOURNEY WAS AN IMPROBABLE STORY.

A CAST OFF WHO DEFIED THE ODDS

AND LIFTED BOTH HIMSELF AND WWE

TO THE TOP OF SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT.

HE WROTE THE TEMPLATE OF

EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO

DO AND HOW YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO

GET INTO THE BUSINESS.

HE WENT TO WCW AND THEN ECW AND

FINALLY MADE IT TO THE WWE AND

HE WAS AT THAT TIME THE MOST

EXCITING GUY.

THE HE WAS GOING TO START A FIRE

THAT COULDN'T BE PUT OUT.

I LOVE STORIES LIKE THAT,

STORIES OF GUYS WHO TRULY ENJOY

IT.

GROW FANS LOVE THE INDUSTRY AND

FIND A WAY TO MAKE IT

SUCCESSFUL.

DAMN IT, LEAVE.

THAT REALLY IS MICK FOLEY A

BIG LOVABLE PUPPET THAT WILL GO

TO INCREDIBLE LENGTHS WITH NO

REGARD FOR HIS BODY TO ENTERTAIN

YOU.

DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU ARE

AT, MICK FOLEY IS GOING TO GO

OUT THERE TO DO HIS DAMNEDEST TO

HAVE THE BEST MATCH HE CAN.

THAT'S THE KIND OF GUY HE IS.

HE WAS GOING TO GIVE YOU

EVERYTHING HE HAD, EVEN IF IT

PUT HIM OUT.

WCW DID NOT HAVE THAT ON THEIR

ROSTER.

WE WOULD DO THINGS FOR THE

AUDIENCE NO ONE ELSE WOULD DO

AND WE WOULD GIVE OURSELVES

COMPLETELY 100 PERCENT AND MICK

DID THAT.

THAT DEFINED THE ATTITUDE AND

ESSENCE OF WHAT WE WERE AS A

BUSINESS.

HAD THERE NOT BEEN A MONDAY

NIGHT WAR, I DON'T THINK I WOULD

HAVE BEEN PUSHED TO CONSTANTLY

CREATE, TO BETTER MYSELF AND

PUSH MYSELF TO MAKE THE

CONNECTION WITH THE AUDIENCE.

IT DEFINITELY BROUGHT OUT THE

BEST IN ME AND PROBABLY THE BEST

IN JUST ABOUT EVERYONE.

STANDING OVATION FOR MICK

FOLEY.

TO THIS DAY, I DO NOT

CONSIDER MYSELF A LEADING MAN.

I WAS A SUPPORTING ACTOR.

IF OTHER PEOPLE WANT TO DISAGREE

WITH ME, THEY CAN.

I'M NOT CLAIMING I WASN'T AN

IMPORTANT SUPPORTING ACTOR, BUT

IT WAS ONE OF THOSE GREAT

MEMORABLE ROLES.