WWE Hall of Fame Mick Foley says his mid-90s human character has become an unexpected icon of acceptance for fans who felt like outsiders, despite being his most challenging persona.
Talk to Dennis Salcedo Instinctive culture In Comic Con Revolution, Foley shared that while many fans remember his legendary match, other fans found personal meaning in his character.
“My favorite part about being here is hearing connections with the fans. This match was a legendary match with the Undertaker, but in some cases, someone who saw the spirit of relatives in humanity and realized it was a little different.”
Foley achieved global infamousness as Cactus Jack before his arrival at the World Wrestling Federation (April 1996), but Vince McMahon had a different vision for his presentation.
The creation of humanity pushed Foley into a dark, psychological place.
“Humanity was the toughest thing in 1996 because he was a really dark character. It was really dark and it was hard to go to a dark place. So, literally, I go to the boiler room to try and get into the character of humanity,” Foley explained.
This revelation was in contrast to his other personas.
Humanity was initially a way to introduce Foley as the Undertaker’s viable opponent, but even he must have been surprised at the direction he ultimately took. Thirty years later, he still hears from fans who feel he has no connection to the tortured character yet.
