Skip to main content
Inside The Ropes
  • News

    WWE News

    AEW logo for their Dynamite TV show

    AEW News

    IMPACT Wrestling logo

    IMPACT News

    New Japan Pro Wrestling

    NJPW News

  • Features
    Poster for WWE Royal Rumble ft Roman Reigns

    WWE Royal Rumble 2023 Predictions

    NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17

    NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 Predictions

    WWE Superstars With The Most Wins In 2022

    WWE Superstars With The Most Wins In 2022

    Breakout WWE Superstars In 2022

    Top 10 Breakout WWE Superstars In 2022

  • Interviews
    20 Questions Deonna Purrazzo FI

    20 Questions With Deonna Purrazzo

    Rick Boogs

    Interview With Rick Boogs

    JONAH

    Interview With JONAH

    Rosemary Interview

    Interview With Rosemary

  • Podcasts
    What’s Going Down #99 – Austin Theory, Bray Wyatt & Tyrus

    Listen
    What’s Going Down #98 – SmackDown Main Event, Crown Jewel & More

    Listen
    Jeff Jarrett stands in-ring on AEW Dynamite 2022

    Listen
    Power Slam Podcast #264 – Steve Austin Comeback, Full Gear Preview & More

    Listen
  • Quizzes
    Play Word Rumble

    Play Word Rumble

    WWE logo

    Can You Name Every WWE Pay-per-view?

    WWE Survivor Series sole survivors quiz

    Can You Name All The WWE Survivor Series Sole Survivors?

    WWE Smackdown logo

    Can You Name Every Wrestler That Competed On The First SmackDown?

  • Live Tours
  • Shop
    Magazine
    Clothing
    Accessories
    Collectibles
  • Trending
  • Follow us:
    • Facebook Facebook
    • Twitter Twitter
    • Instagram Instagram
  • Watch us on YouTube:
    • YouTube YouTube
  • Subscribe to the Magazine
  • Play Word Rumble
WWE News

Mick Foley Recalls The Moment He Found Out Brian Pillman Passed Away

By Sondra Ruth. Published 22nd September 2022.
Brian Pillman Mick Foley Earl Hebner

WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley explained how he found out that Brian Pillman had tragically passed away at the young age of 35.

On October 5, 1997, Brian Pillman was scheduled to face Mick Foley’s Dude Love character at In Your House: Badd Blood. However, when he didn’t show up for the event, Jim Cornette called his hotel to check on him and learned that the star had passed away at the age of 35 after suffering a heart attack.

Speaking on Foley is Pod (available early via AdFreeShows), Mick Foley recalled how he found out about the tragic event, not believing that Jim Cornette was serious when he first said that Brian Pillman was dead.

“Jim Cornette comes in and he says, ‘Pillman’s dead.’ in a way that made me think like he’s in big trouble, right? Someday he’s messed up somehow, Pillman’s dead. And then whether it was, Jimmy did let us know he was not, you know, maybe not speaking figuratively, you know, literally, Brian passed away.

“And I remember calling my wife and I was in tears, and really broken down. It was the fact that Undertaker and Shawn went out there and had that match for the ages, some testament to those guys, I was really relieved that I wasn’t, you know, put into a match that night, you know, it was just devastating.”

Continuing, Mick Foley reflected on the fact that he had tried to help Brian Pillman make positive changes in his life, and that made his passing extra difficult. He also spoke about sharing a car with him the night before his death.

“Because you seen Brian, you know, when he had that meeting with the doctor about the longevity of his life, and he made that change, conscious change and I felt like I was part of that. And that he was not just the work friend, but that he would come to see me and we shared phone calls, and I may have been part of his recuperation, that made me feel really good. And you see a guy excel in a way that’s organic, you know, and he surpasses any ceiling that his character supposedly had.

“The last several months, they had been sad. So I mean, match quality is the least of our concerns now that we look at the big picture. But here’s a human being who was in the car with me the night before, you know, hours before his death. We’re at the Super Eight. So I guess you know, I was still thirsty, saving those dollars. He did not ride with me to the arena the next day. And when that news came in, it was really devastating.”

Pillman’s son Brian Pillman, Jr. currently wrestles for All Elite Wrestling. Back in June, he confirmed that his late father’s wife and his mother Melanie Pillman had also passed away.

If you use any quotes from this transcription, please credit Foley is Pod and link back to this article with a h/t to Inside the Ropes.

  • Facebook
    Share
  • Twitter
    Tweet
  • WhatsApp
    Send
  • Share

Popular Stories

  1. Ric Flair Confirms Liv Morgan’s Relationship With Fellow WWE Star
  2. Dark Side Of The Ring Season 4 Subjects Revealed
  3. Dave Bautista Reveals Bizarre Food-Related Contract Clause
  4. Vince McMahon Was “Never Onboard” With WWE Dream Match
  5. Vince McMahon “Clearly” Has A Pending WWE Sale
  6. Jim Cornette Brutalises Bray Wyatt’s Pitch Black Match At WWE Royal Rumble
  7. “I Went To The Ring Cold” – WWE Hall Of Famer Says Royal Rumble Return Was Unplanned
  8. Sable Was Forced To Apologise To Top Stars Before WWE Return
  9. Cody Rhodes Finally Reveals The Real Reason He Left WWE In 2016
  10. WWE Hall Of Famer Teases In-Ring Return
Inside The Ropes
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Podcasts
  • Magazine
  • Write For Us
  • Facebook Facebook
  • Twitter Twitter
  • Instagram Instagram
  • YouTube YouTube
© 2023 ITR Digital Media Limited. Read about our privacy policy.