Is Mick Foley a marquee Hall of Famer?

[Wald]

Mick is obviously a future hall of fame supertstar but my question is whether he is big enough to headline the entire night?

Every year the WWE put forward someone like Flair, Austin, Hart, HBK and Hogan where it is obvious that they are big enough names to build the entire event around.

However, the name sof people that you could build the thing around is dwindling. We lost Macho Man as a headline name when he sadly passed away last year. We have the Rock, Triple H, Undertaker, Cena and arguably guys like Sting, Orton and Warrior that could headline the thing. But those Foley belong in that bracket? Could he be a big enough name to draw fans in the same way as HBK, Hart, Flair, Austin or Hogan?

I'm unsure to be honest. I think his star has faded quite a bit and wouldn't be confident of him drawing fans in, although given the nostalgic nature of the HoF he might bring back a few attitude era fans to watch it. More so I could see them doing something like what they are doing with Edge this year and adding Foley as a co-headliner along with a group like the Horsemen (lets say the nWo or the Hart Foundation)

 

[Nate DaMac]

Yeah I think he is. He may not be as over as he was during his heyday, but the Hall of Fame Ceremony is generally geared toward older fans and Foley is certainly still crazy over with the old Attitude Era marks.

The main reason I say he is though is his charisma. He has the power to make the night memorable and send everyone home happy.

 

[Mustang Sally]

Yeah I think he is. He may not be as over as he was during his heyday, but the Hall of Fame Ceremony is generally geared toward older fans and Foley is certainly still crazy over with the old Attitude Era marks.

Great point. The very notion of a Hall of Fame is to honor performers from the past. Even many of today's young people who don't think anything that happened before their ability to remember it could be of any importance (Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it!) seem to understand that this annual ceremony is different from what goes on the rest of the year in WWE. That the company even honors people who had little or no connection with Vince McMahon's organization is significant. On this night, the past is what's important.

Mick Foley's inclusion would be the highlight of the night, with good reason. Without possessing great strength, agility or technical wrestling skills, this guy's ability to work a match and entertain dozens (and dozens!) of people makes him one of the greats in wrestling history.

I'll look forward to the day Foley is inducted. As far as I'm concerned, they could have him as the only inductee that year, and I'll still watch.

 

[J.J.]

Foley is still relevant. You notice wresters that lead going into HOF are still relatively known by the fans. Like Edge, HBK, SCSA, ect. I could very well see him leading his class based on that. I followed him during his stint in Japan which made me respect him. Pick up the WWE Raw magazine from July 1998 and read the articles on Foley.

 

[The Brain]

Foley can definitely be the headliner for a couple reasons. First of all, as mentioned in the op there can only be so many headliners. It’s not easy to come up with a huge marquee name every year. We’re not going to get a Hogan or Austin every year.

I don’t want to take anything away from Foley but I think his legacy has been exaggerated by WWE over the years. He had a great career but I don’t think he is quite the legend that WWE makes him out to be. He was extremely popular for a brief period during WWE’s most successful time. Ever since they have been singing his praises and looking at his career through rose colored glasses. Considering the HOF is obviously a WWE promoted show they can easily spin him as a headliner by over-promoting him as they always have.

The main reason he could be the headliner is because I feel the fans will truly anticipate his speech. Foley certainly has a way with words as is evident by his best selling books. He can touch people on an emotional level while being able to make them laugh. He seems to have a true connection with the fans and I think his speech could be one of the most entertaining we ever hear. Even if you go into the ceremony doubting Foley’s credentials as a headliner I think he will be able to erase those thoughts by sending you home entertained.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

I think Mick is a worthy candidate to headline a HOF class. He is still very over with the WWE Universe despite retiring as as full-time performer a decade ago.

A multi-time World and Tag-Team champion, capable of rotating between 3 different personas (Mankind, Dude Love and Cactus Jack) as well as plain old Mick Foley, I definitely think that there is genuine reason for Foley to be the headliner in whichever HOF class he is part of.

He was one of the top stars during the biggest boom period in WWE history, and has been in enough classic WWE moments (The HIAC match, This Is Your Life with The Rock, his time as Commissioner, classic matches with HHH, Michaels and others) that WWE can promote him as a worthy HOF marquee name.

Plus, as others have said the HOF ceremony is aimed at older fans, not the young kids who watch WWE today. Do you think the current fan base want to see many of the old stars? Of course not, but the Attitude Era and earlier fans do, and they LOVE Mick Foley to this day.

Plus, Foley is such a loveable entertaining guy. He's funny, charming and would definitely give the audience their money's worth, make them laugh and send them away happy at the end of the night. He is a fantastic entertainer, and definitely a marquee name in my eyes.

 

[sikkbones]

I think Mick is a worthy candidate to headline a HOF class. He is still very over with the WWE Universe despite retiring as as full-time performer a decade ago.

A multi-time World and Tag-Team champion, capable of rotating between 3 different personas (Mankind, Dude Love and Cactus Jack) as well as plain old Mick Foley, I definitely think that there is genuine reason for Foley to be the headliner in whichever HOF class he is part of.

He was one of the top stars during the biggest boom period in WWE history, and has been in enough classic WWE moments (The HIAC match, This Is Your Life with The Rock, his time as Commissioner, classic matches with HHH, Michaels and others) that WWE can promote him as a worthy HOF marquee name.

Plus, as others have said the HOF ceremony is aimed at older fans, not the young kids who watch WWE today. Do you think the current fan base want to see many of the old stars? Of course not, but the Attitude Era and earlier fans do, and they LOVE Mick Foley to this day.

Plus, Foley is such a loveable entertaining guy. He's funny, charming and would definitely give the audience their money's worth, make them laugh and send them away happy at the end of the night. He is a fantastic entertainer, and definitely a marquee name in my eyes.

Mick could have a great night at HOF ceremony and be the most impressive and original inductee yet.. have mankind offically be the inductee... have mick tape a introduction as himself, then have a video package where dude love and cactus jack induct mankind... and mick can come out wearing that godawful mask one more time...

 

[Bernkastel]

Foley has two HOF careers with two separate gimmicks, Cactus Jack and Mankind. When you combine the two career's together, and add the fact that Mick Foley didn't do too bad under his own name and as Dude Love, I think overall that Mick Foley does have a marquee caliber career.

When you stop and think about why WWE tends to overexaggerate Foley sometimes, it is that he just has that reputation. His name value carries weight on three separate continents, he's been in and found success in countless different promotions, and the fact that as of 2012 his face is still relevent.

 

[justinept]

Foley has two HOF careers with two separate gimmicks, Cactus Jack and Mankind.

I agree with that. If Foley didn't go to WWE in 1996 and finished his career as Cactus Jack, then he would have eventually gotten into the Hall of Fame as an undercard guy. That, however, coupled with his time as Mankind, makes him a headliner.

When you look at Foley's most memorable moments, they're comparable to the memorable moments of any pro wrestler ever.

1) His first WWF Title win was perhaps the biggest moment in the history of Monday Night Raw.

2) His Hell in a Cell match with The Undertaker at the 1998 King of the Ring was perhaps the most memorable match in the history of the WWF.

3) His I Quit match with The Rock at the 1999 Royal Rumble, to me, is still the greatest title match in the history of the Royal Rumble.

Look at the stars he "made" during his time in the WWE:

1) Triple H: Their match at the 2000 Royal Rumble legitimized The Game

2) Edge: Their match at WrestleMania 22 stole the show

3) Randy Orton: Even Orton looks at their match at Backlash 2004 as the best of his career.

To top it off with his best-selling autobiography, and this guy is easily a HOF headliner.

 

[thebarber]

of course Mick Foley could easily be a headline HOF inductee. I doubt it will happen though, but Foley could easily pull this off. He is GOD in the eyes of die hard WWE fans. He made Undertker watchable, put over guys like HHH, made Randy Orton, elevated Edge to main event vindication. His part in getting The Rock over in 1999 was underestimated also. The blows he took against both Rock and HHH at Rumbles 99 and 00 are enough evidence of his selflessness for the profession. His KOTR match with Taker in 1998 speaks for itself. Foley is a well deserved guy for ther HOF, and yes the night could revolve around him as the star inductee, just like Dusty in 2007

 

[ECW Sandman]

Yes Mick Foley could headline the Hall Of Fame, He has had a great career in wrestling from Japan to WWF/E, I remember when he was in WCW when Foley as Cactus Jack faced off against Big Van Vader and Vader power bombing Foley on the concrete that resulted in Mick Foley having a legit concussion that was one of the most sicking sounds I ever remember in all my time watching wrestling Foley's eyes rolled back in his head and if I remember right the ref who was Nick Patrick through up the '' X '' sign. and that is one reason why Mick Foley should headline the WWE Hall Of Fame his stories would be out of this world.

 

[midgensa]

This is not even a question really. He ABSOLUTELY will be the headliner whenever they finally place him in the hall of fame.

He is truly the "working mans" wrestler. He didn't get to the top by being a technician. He didn't get to the top by having the "body." He got to the top by working his ass off and everyone knows it.

His career as Cactus Jack alone is hall of fame worthy, but his work as Mankind and as his own name make him one of the top talents of the last 20 years. He simply cuts promos as good as anyone. I know, everyone loves The Rock and Jericho (which I do too) but Foley in ECW was a freaking master of the promo and is not given nearly as much credit for his mic work as he deserves.

This, combined with his willingness to take numerous risks for some of the most memorable spots in wrestling history makes him a true icon. Not to mention his feud with The Rock was UNBELIEVABLY great and helped launch The Rock into the stratosphere with three first-rate matches.

This is not to even mention how truly excellent his books have been and how they launched an entire different aspect of money-making possibilities for the WWE.

Mick Foley is a lock hall of famer ... and a lock headliner as well.

 

[RussellMania]

3 time WWE Champion, best selling author, and to me the most genuine guy to ever step foot in a WWE ring. The man is a hardcore legend in every sense of the word. The fans respect the hell out of him and you can tell that he respects the fans just as much if not more. The guy revolutionized the word hardcore and was a mainstay in the most popular era in professional wrestling. As I see Foley's days in the ring over don't be surprised if we were to see him headline the Hall of Fame class of 2013 with WrestleMania coming to his backyard next year.

 

[Peoples_Champ]

The audience still remembers Foley very fondly. And his title victory was the catalyst behind WWE winning the Monday Night Wars. Why wouldn't he be a HOF headliner?

I'm actually quite surprised Foley hasn't yet been inducted into the HOF, but then again, neither is Savage... come to think of it, neither is Vince! Point being, there are bigger names than him, but he can still hold the marquee considering how much he has done for the WWE Universe and how well known he is.

 

[Shotaro]

To me, the headline spot should be reserved for someone important, or someone who's retirement came from out of nowhere after a storied career.

Foley has had a marquee career. He is one title away from being a Grand Slam champion and is on a par with the Undertaker in that regard. If he held the IC title in his career he would have done it. Back in the Monday Night Wars he was as important as Rock and Austin in terms of WWE beating WCW (I think the night he won the title was the first time Raw beat Nitro in a year and a half.)

He is also a best-selling author and is for me, more deserving than Edge of being the marquee name in a HoF class (that is not a comment against Edge, he deserved to headline this years HoF, but he shouldn't have been there for a few years yet)

 

[Stockwell38]

Yes hes deffinitly a headliner for the hall of fame... Sad thing is he'll probably be there before Randy Savage...