Eric Bischoff thinks Mick Foley joining AEW is a smart move, but he has one very clear warning for the Hardcore Legend: stay out of the ring.
While speaking on the 83 Weeks podcast, Eric Bischoff reacted to Foley’s new AEW role and said he believes Foley can bring a lot to the company as an on-air presence.
“I think Mick Foley as part of the AEW brand is a great idea. He’s such a talented guy. He’s so good on the mic. He’s a great storyteller. He knows instinctively how to get people over. You don’t have to teach him anything—he can add, live, improv, follow a script. He’s a really super talented guy. And obviously, the name value, the credibility, the legacy that comes with him has great value.”
Bischoff then made it clear that while he supports Foley being involved with AEW, he does not want to see him take bumps or work another match. He said he would rather remember Foley for the incredible things he already did during his in-ring career.
“Please don’t get in the ring. Please don’t do that, Mick. I’ll support him whatever he does because I really, really respect him. But I hope, because I respect Mick, that he allows us the privilege of remembering him when he was able to do some unbelievable things in the ring. That’s the memory I think most people want of Mick Foley.”
Bischoff said he would be fine with Foley doing commentary, interacting with talent, or even being involved in a small physical angle. His concern is seeing Foley try to work a full-length match at this stage.
“We’ll get as much of Mick as we can behind the desk or interacting with talent, but please don’t do it in the ring. If it’s an angle—something happens outside the ring and there’s some physicality—that’s all cool, and that’s Mick. But when you talk about seeing him in the ring for a 12-, 15-, or 20-minute match—that’s the part where it gets tough.”
Bischoff also said Foley likely is not doing this because he needs the money. Instead, he believes Foley simply loves the connection with a live audience and may still feel that pull.
“And here’s what’s interesting—Mick doesn’t need the money. He’s famously good with his money. He’s probably set for generations. So it’s not financial.”
Bischoff compared that emotional connection to something performers chase long after they leave the ring, saying Foley may still want that audience reaction because it becomes addictive over time.
“Mick is one of those guys who just loves it and can’t get that needle out of his arm—and by that I mean his connection to the live audience. His ability to connect and create emotion is addictive. Once you develop that neural pathway, it becomes something you have to feed.”
Eric Bischoff then pointed to other legends who stayed active longer than they probably should have, saying the issue is often not money but the inability to fully walk away.
“Just because you walk away from the ring or the stage doesn’t mean that pathway disappears—it just waits until it finds an opportunity again. And then—whether it’s Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Roddy Piper, Muhammad Ali—guys at the top who maybe should’ve stopped, but didn’t. Not because they had to—but because they couldn’t.”
Bischoff then made it clear that he hopes Mick Foley can satisfy that need through AEW appearances without putting his body through another match.
“Let’s hope Mick does. Let’s hope he gets his fix being on camera, having fun, and doing things that aren’t going to beat him up.”
Bischoff’s comments come after Tony Khan revealed during the AEW Double or Nothing media call that Foley’s current role in AEW will be focused on broadcasting, not wrestling. Khan said Foley is expected to appear at all AEW pay-per-views and select TV events, while also noting that Foley has expressed interest in helping AEW moving forward.
For now, AEW appears to be using Foley exactly where Bischoff thinks he belongs: on camera, around the roster, and away from a full match. Whether that changes later remains to be seen, but Bischoff is clearly hoping Foley protects his legacy and his body.
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