Eric Bischoff says Mick Foley joining AEW is a great idea but has a clear message for the Hall of Famer — stay out of the ring.
Foley was announced as co-host of the AEW Double Or Nothing Buy In alongside Renee Paquette. Bischoff addressed the signing on his 83 Weeks podcast, offering praise for what Foley brings while drawing a firm line.
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 and 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.
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. 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 offered an explanation for why he believes Foley’s appearance in AEW has nothing to do with money.
Mick doesn’t need the money. He’s famously good with his money. He’s probably set for generations. So it’s not financial. 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. 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. Let’s hope Mick gets his fix being on camera, having fun, and doing things that aren’t going to beat him up.
