WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley has revealed which of his iconic wrestling personas was his favourite to portray.
During an interview at a For The Love Of Wrestling convention, Foley was asked to choose between his three famous alter egos: Cactus Jack, Mankind, and Dude Love. He responded:
“Well, by virtue of the fact that Mankind made far more money than the other two, he’s my favourite, but if anyone’s ever gotten a Cameo video from me, Dude Love has been reinvented on Cameo to the point where I really enjoy being Dude Love again. But Mankind was my favourite character to portray as far as storylines and angles, whereas Cactus Jack was my favourite for the big matches, especially the wild matches.”
Foley’s wrestling career saw him adopt multiple personas, each offering something unique to his legacy. He first introduced Cactus Jack in the mid-1980s, building a reputation for brutal, hardcore wrestling. Upon joining WWE in 1996, he transitioned into the masked and deranged Mankind, engaging in some of the most memorable feuds and moments in WWE history. In 1997, he revived his hippie-inspired Dude Love persona, allowing him to show a more comedic and light-hearted side.
From 1997 to 1998, Foley frequently switched between all three characters, before primarily portraying Mankind until 2000. He later brought back Cactus Jack for his final major WWE run before departing in 2000. Upon his return in 2004, Foley mostly competed under his real name but occasionally revived his iconic characters for special occasions.
While Foley’s legacy is defined by all three personas, it’s clear that Mankind holds a special place in his heart for its storytelling potential, while Cactus Jack remains his go-to for special matches.
Why Did Mick Foley Say He Hated The Mankind Character?
Despite saying Mankind was his favourite character to portray, Mick Foley previously said that he initially hated working as the Mankind character since the mask he had to wear restricted his breathing. Despite his initial scepticism, Foley said he was able to inject realism into the character and eventually grew to really enjoy working as Mankind.
If you use any of the quotes from this article please credit the original source with a h/t and link back to Inside The Ropes.