Vince McMahon thought WWE fans would never forgive popular star after he quit match
Vince McMahon initially rejected Mick Foley’s idea to walk away from his match against Randy Orton on the December 15, 2003 episode of WWE RAW.
As part of the storyline, Foley quit the match almost immediately due to his lack of confidence after more than three years out of the ring. Moments later, Orton caught up with the despondent legend backstage and spat in his face.
Speaking on Throwing Down w/Renee & Miesha, Foley recalled how Stephanie McMahon informed him that her father had changed his mind about the segment:
“Stephanie called me up and said, ‘We’re gonna have Evolution attack you.’ I said, ‘Why? What happened to me stepping out on the match?’ She said, ‘My dad doesn’t think the fans will ever forgive you.’ So I said, ‘Okay, I’m gonna call your dad.’ So I called Vince and he was like, ‘Mick, you just work so hard, I’d hate to have the fans rebel on you that way.’”
Does it get any more brutal than @randyorton vs. #CactusJack at #WWEBacklash 2004? #WWENetwork @RealMickFoley https://t.co/kJpcLibOyh
The incident kick-started a lengthy rivalry between Foley and Orton, which included Evolution defeating Foley and The Rock at WrestleMania 20. The storyline ended when The Legend Killer defeated his rival in a memorable No Holds Barred match at Backlash 2004.
How Mick Foley convinced Vince McMahon to change his mind again
Randy Orton vs Mick Foley from Backlash 04 is a classic match. Do you agree? https://t.co/OwNkrSaylK
Vince McMahon expected Mick Foley to receive boos after he walked away from his match against Randy Orton. However, WWE fans sympathized with Foley’s confidence issues and chanted his name as the show went off the air.
The WWE Hall of Famer said he referenced the Western movie Shane to convince McMahon that his idea was worth listening to:
“I said, ‘Vince, you’re a big fan of Westerns, right?’ He said, ‘Yeah.’ I said, ‘Go back and watch Shane and tell me how good that movie is if he accepts the challenge the first time.’ Because the entire movie is predicated on this guy finding that deep part of his soul that he thought he left behind, and they went with my idea.”
Foley also revealed in the interview that McMahon rejected his pitch to win the 2004 Royal Rumble and capture the Undisputed Championship at WrestleMania 20.
Please credit Throwing Down w/Renee & Miesha and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.