On a recent edition of his “Foley Is Pod” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley revealed the logic behind his legendary I Quit Match with The Rock at Royal Rumble 1999.
Foley said, “It’s inevitable people are going to cheer him. You just kinda try to hold off the inevitable until after WrestleMania. It’s hard to really boo him because he’s such a gifted entertainer, and he makes you smile [and] laugh. But if we could show a vicious, vindictive side [to him], we could hold off the inevitable for at least a few months.”
Foley also revealed that the originally planned finish would’ve seen him lose the match by quitting due to sparing his family in the crowd from watching him suffer further.
However, Foley said that TV executives vetoed the idea because it was too “emotionally powerful.”
The match ultimately ended with Foley being knocked out, and The Rock had help from The Corporation by having his former ally utter the words “I Quit” over the speaker system using his comments from a promo earlier in the night, which tricked the referee.
The Rock won the match and regained the WWE Championship.
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In a recent episode of his podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley shared the reasoning behind his iconic I Quit Match with The Rock at Royal Rumble 1999. Foley explained that the goal was to delay the inevitable crowd support for The Rock until after WrestleMania. He acknowledged that it was difficult to boo The Rock because of his natural charisma and entertainment skills. However, by showcasing a vicious and vindictive side of The Rock, they hoped to prolong the storyline for a few more months.
Foley also revealed that the original plan for the match’s finish was for him to quit in order to spare his family, who were in the crowd, from witnessing his further suffering. However, this emotionally powerful idea was vetoed by TV executives.
Instead, the match concluded with Foley being knocked out, and The Rock received assistance from The Corporation. The Rock’s former ally used comments from a promo earlier in the night to trick the referee into believing that Foley had said “I Quit” over the speaker system. As a result, The Rock emerged victorious and regained the WWE Championship.
It is interesting to learn about the behind-the-scenes decisions and creative processes that go into crafting memorable wrestling matches. Foley’s insights provide fans with a deeper understanding of the storytelling techniques employed in professional wrestling.
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