WWE.com: When are we going to see you back in WWE?
Foley: Well, I would have liked to have been a part of SummerSlam (this Sunday). It would have been a perfect time to show up and shamelessly plug my new book, Scooter. But there’s only room for one returning legend at a time, and Hulk has that role pretty well sewn up for a while.
WWE.com: You have quite a history with some of the Superstars on the SummerSlam card. Any thoughts on Randy Orton vs. Undertaker? You have plenty of history with both of them.
Foley: Here’s a chance for Orton, with a great guy like the Undertaker, to maybe re-establish himself.
But I think, as a fan, the main event is clearly Shawn (Michaels) and Hulk (Hogan) and I think they’ve done a great job creating interest in that. I’d be surprised if this wasn’t a big success just based on that one match. And I’ll be interested to see what the reaction to both guys is. This might be a case where Shawn has been so entertaining that people are going to be hesitant to boo him.
WWE.com: How do you think the actual match will be?
Foley: Well, I think it’ll be very good. You’ve got Shawn, who is one of the best in-ring performers in our sport’s history and Hulk, who has been able to garner reactions like nobody else. I think they’ll adjust and be able to play off the fans and be able to put together a really good match.
WWE.com: There are two emotionally charged matches on the card. Any thoughts on the Custody Battle Ladder Match between Rey Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero?
Foley: I’ve really liked watching Eddie. I don’t mean the story; I mean the reactions and the way he’s handled his telling of the story. It’s always difficult when you’re doing something that’s emotional and controversial and I can understand why some people might not approve of it, but it’s certainly going to be interesting, and I think the in-ring match will be outstanding. And aren’t a lot of custody battles settled this way, anyway?
WWE.com: The Matt Hardy vs. Edge match stemmed from a very personal situation involving Amy Dumas (Lita). What do you think about all that?
Foley: That was an unfortunate deal as I like everybody involved — Matt, Adam (Edge) and Lita. And they’ve chosen to make some money off their real-life problems, and I guess there’s nothing wrong with that. I kind of had an opportunity to do that last year and opted not to, but I don’t see anything wrong with it. I guess if there’s some real animosity there, working it out in the ring is probably a healthy thing and probably cuts down on therapy bills.
WWE.com: Why didn’t you choose to leverage the real-life situation with Ric Flair, as you mentioned?
Foley: Well, I think the main difference is that he didn’t think I was much of an in-ring performer. It would be kind of like having a jam session with someone who thinks you’re a lousy guitarist. It might draw and sell out arenas, but deep down at my age, I didn’t feel like I wanted to be working with somebody who thought I sucked.
WWE.com: What about John Cena vs. Chris Jericho for the WWE Championship?
Foley: It should be a great match. I like the rock ‘n’ roll guy vs. the rapper. I like Jericho. He’s a great dynamic guy with a lot of charisma. It’s almost impossible to find a Jericho stinker either in-ring or in the storytelling.
WWE.com: A lot can change in a year. Last year, Chris Benoit was the World Heavyweight Champion defending against Randy Orton. This year, he’s challenging for the United States Championship against Orlando Jordan.
Foley: It’s tough. There’s only so many top spots. And sometimes it’s a case of a guy having his time and then having to wait in line for another big run. I know I went through that not only in WWE but in WCW as well. And if you love what you do, then you just concentrate on putting on as good a match as you can in hopes that your number is called soon.
WWE.com: What are your thoughts on Eugene vs. Kurt Angle?
Foley: I really enjoy Eugene. It’s a shame that he got hurt when he did. As a matter of fact, I saw a Mick Foley rescue coming down the line. I would have loved to play the role The Rock played for me; I’d be Eugene’s knight in shining armor. But against Angle, I think Eugene is probably looking forward to displaying some of his technical know-how. Anybody (who has seen him wrestle) knows that is his hidden secret. And Kurt’s another guy who has had great matches with wrestlers of a variety of styles. I know he sees this as a challenge, and I can’t remember the last time he didn’t live up to it.
Social Networking Bookmarks