10 Things Fans Forget About Mick Foley's WCW Career
In the career of Mick Foley, his wild time spent as Cactus Jack and later Mankind and Dude Love is heralded. For his efforts given to fans all over the world, Mick Foley is beloved by fans across the globe. Sometimes, his time in WCW often gets overlooked.
Related: 10 Things Fans Should Know About Mick Foley's ECW Run
Like many of the future stars of the Attitude Era and beyond, WCW wasn’t quite sure what to do with a guy like Cactus Jack. He was too good to be floundering around on the midcard but too much of a deranged individual to get behind as the top babyface of the company; at least during this time period.
10 Lost In Cleveland
After getting utterly decimated by Big Van Vader, Cactus Jack was put on the shelf. Rather than do a traditional come-back story with Rocky-like training montages, instead, Jack had gained amnesia after the beating he took and WCW roving reporters had found him living on the streets of Cleveland. Even pleas from his wife and son couldn’t rack the hardcore legend’s memory. He would make his return at The Clash Of Champions, assaulting Big Van Vader and claiming it was all a ruse to get the champion to lower his guard.
9 Lost An Ear
For several years during his early career, Foley was known solely for the major spots he’d take during his matches. One of these spots would involve when he hung himself up in between the top and middle ropes.
Related: Mick Foley: 5 Best Matches He Wrestled As Cactus Jack (& 5 As Mankind)
On one particular evening, Mick Foley would have to learn a German sentence that probably no one has ever uttered before or since - “Bitte vergiss mein;” please don’t forget my ear in the bag.
8 WCW Tag Team Champion
Strangely enough, Cactus Jack was placed in several tag teams during his time in WCW, slowly making Mick a tag team specialist. One of the more memorable teams that he formed during Cactus’ run was with the Devil himself, Kevin Sullivan. They defeated The Nasty Boys in an underrated street fight at the Slamboree 1994 event. They held the titles for several months before an event in our next entry cost Jack both the belt and his job Where The Big Boys Play.
7 ECW Debut
For years, Jack had been known for being a purveyor of violence, but he met his match in a dream match when Cactus Jack made his debut for ECW. While still holding the WCW tag team titles, he headed to ECW to face Sabu at Hostile City Showdown. After Sabu defeated Jack, Cactus cut the first of many great ECW promos about how he had met his match in Sabu. He also spat on the tag team titles in an effort to show that his claim to being the most hardcore wrestler was more important to him than the belt. Unfortunately, that bit raised the ire of booker Ric Flair, and Cactus was let go.
6 Vs. Mil Mascaras
Mick Foley had been tossed off of and through the Hell In A Cell. He’s been speared into flaming tables and thumbtacks. He’s bled on every conceivable continent and won a trophy that proclaimed him The King Of The Death Match. But still, the most disturbing bump you’ll ever see Foley take was in WCW against Mil Mascaras of all people.
Related: Bret Hart Vs. Mankind & 14 Other Matches That We Don't Realize Happened
During a match between the two at Clash Of Champions, Jack took a blood-curdling thud back and head first on the hard cement. That might not sound too wild and crazy - but it’s a bump we can relate to a heluvalot more than your typical Cactus spot.
5 Challenged Ron Simmons
While his wars with Vader were legendary, Cactus Jack also had the unique opportunity to be one of Ron Simmons’ first challengers for the WCW World Title. They squared off against one another at the 20th Clash Of Champions in a brief but hard-hitting encounter. Much like he would do years later for guys like Triple H and The Rock, Cactus Jack helped to show a more brutal side to the tough-as-nails champion and readying him for other opponents higher up on the card.
4 Chamber Of Horrors (1991)
When Halloween rolled around in WCW, that meant Halloween Havoc and in the event’s earlier days, strange and macabre matches were booked. The silliest one of all was The Chamber Of Horrors match involving men like Scott Hall, The Steiners, Abdullah The Butcher, and Cactus was there too! The goal of the match was to get a guy into the electric chair and fry them. The only thing about the effect was that the lever kept falling down. Try as he might, Cactus tried to get the thing back up before anyone noticed, but it wound up being one more comic element to a match that was meant to be anything but.
3 “Mr. Bang Bang”
Michael Hayes wanted to do something in the music world so badly. But despite his talents, seemingly only the wrestling world and fans accepted him as a “musician.” He, along with Jimmy Papa cultivated all sorts of cheesy so bad they’re good theme songs for the superstars. Ol’ Cactus Jack even got a theme to call his own. Appropriately titled “Mr. Bang Bang,” the song is as ridiculous as its title.
2 Vs. Keith Hart
It might have just been an enhancement match, but Bret and Owen Hart weren’t the only members of Stu Hart’s tribe that Mick Foley did battle with.
RELATED: WCW Dungeon Of Doom Members: Where Are They Now?
Cactus Jack took on the firemen/wrestler several times during his WCW run, as did a lot of WCW superstars as Hart was working as a Journeyman at the time.
1 Two Different Stints
Oddly enough, the Cactus Jack plenty of fans know and respect was beginning to take shape in WCW. It was also the second go-around for Cactus Jack in the company. His first stint in the company wasn’t much to write home about. He had a few decent matches but the quieter demeanor didn’t get him noticed nearly as much as when he became the madman from Truth Or Consequences.
