Brian Damage
Back in the 80’s and 90’s, it was very common to see some no name wrestler go up against a proven star of a promotion. Whether that be from the WWF, NWA/WCW, AWA or elsewhere, these nomads of professional wrestling were there to make the stars look great. They were known as enhancement talent, preliminary wrestlers or as many fans have come to know them…”jobbers.” While fans were clamoring to see big time match ups, these “squash matches” served a very important purpose. While perhaps not appreciated at the time, they were just as important as the stars themselves.
In the mid 1980’s, a young wrestler who was trained by Dominic DeNucci, received the opportunity of a lifetime when he was hired by the World Wrestling Federation as an enhancement talent. Starting in 1986, Mick Foley wrestled under the aliases of both Nick Foley and Jack Foley. He wrestled in both tag teams and as a singles wrestler. Foley lost squash matches to the likes of Hercules Hernandez, Kamala and the British Bulldogs.
After his brief stint as a jobber to the stars in WWF, Foley stated getting work in various territories like Memphis, Alabama and World Class Championship Wrestling. He developed the persona of ‘Cactus Jack’ and won a few regional titles. His first big break came when he joined WCW in 1991. He also built up his resume by competing in Smoky Mountain and ECW. It was his stint wrestling in Death Matches over in Japan that helped Cactus Jack solidify his legacy.
In 1996 (Ten years after being a WWF jobber) Foley signed a deal with the company as a talent. Going by the name ‘Mankind’…Foley slowly became a top heel feuding with the Undertaker. His legendary fall from the top of the Hell in a Cell made Foley into an icon with fans. It no doubt propelled him to winning the WWF title and put asses in the seats. After the WWE, Foley made some stops in Ring of Honor and TNA wrestling. Mick Foley earned the respect of all his colleagues and fans and was rewarded by being inducted in WWE’s Hall of Fame in 2013.
After his active career ended, Foley became an authority figure and an ambassador for WWE and also a best selling author.
Ring the Damn Bell 
I remember seeing Foley talk about that match he had with the Bulldogs as a jobber. Foley was good early on though it was clear he had much more to offer. I hope he goes to AEW since he’s treated like shit in the other company and make him present awful belts. At least he was treated like a god in GCW and AEW would do the same for him.
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Cause He Be Treated Like A God The Money Mark Playing With Daddies Billions Even Treats Drug Addicted Bank Robbers Like There Legends And Got Bet On AGuy( Well Technically A Male
Guy Or Man Is Pushing It ) Whoo Can’t Even Lift Or Powerbomb A 270lb Man At Most With 3 Others Helping Him FFS
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You write like Kenny Omega wrestles. Please stop…
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Why you still trying to troll . You’re writing worse then mine and English literaturely my third language. Btw highly doubt you’re and six you’re fans could of Powerbombed some at 270lb who sandbagging you . If you knew anything about the business you know it hard to hit a powerbomb on someone taller and heavy then you especially when they don’t lift with you and if they don’t want go up it facks your back making them .
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Don’t you have any Kenny G records to jack off to?
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Mick Foley also wrestled in Puerto Rico in 1994 during his ECW run, i saw a video on YouTube of a match with him vs Doomsday (Kane) in WWC.
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Mick is a youre nice lovely crazy man he could and did everything he could to entertain the fans he was over No matter what he did.I know Flair called him a stuntman but he could work too he did everything to best his ability and it shows he was to nice at times to say no at cost to himself how hell he still walking I don’t know .
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His program where he took us on a road trip or whatever was fun while in wcw. And his feud with Vader was great. Especially for in the mid card at the time
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No mention that he actually gained his first fame under the “Manson” name. Even then the PC Broke Woke Joke Warriors complained.
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I remember seeing Mick in UWF and for YEARS I would swear he wrestled under the name of “Cactus Jack Mulligan”. No one I knew remembered this nor have I ever seen this mentioned anywhere. I took the opportunity and asked Mick about this on Twitter and I was devastated when he said how he had never wrestled using the name. Eventually, I realized that I had combined and then confused the name with “Black Jack Mulligan”.
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