Mick Foley is settling in nicely at AEW. After ending his long-standing relationship with WWE, the Hall of Famer made his debut with the company on the pre-show panel alongside Renee Paquette and appeared in a segment with MJF and Darby Allin.
In a recent interview with The Sportster, Foley explained that the contrasting backstage atmospheres between the two companies played a major role in drawing him to AEW, pointing specifically to the enthusiasm he’s found behind the scenes.
“I started seeing the enthusiasm of AEW, and I was contrasting it with kind of the more corporate feel that WWE took on. And I just thought I like one of these things a little better than the other.
Since I have begun working with AEW, I have to tell you, there’s something really refreshing about seeing the owner of the company so obviously happy after matches. So obviously thankful for how hard people work for him.
I’m not saying that Vince McMahon’s management style didn’t work because it did. It’s just that my age, there’s something really nice about seeing an owner who is really happy to watch his product and to watch the people excel inside of it.”
This isn’t the first time Foley has drawn that comparison. Shortly after his debut, he said the backstage energy in AEW reminded him of WWE‘s Attitude Era, a time when wrestlers genuinely pulled for each other’s success and had the creative freedom to try different things.
Foley has also described his AEW role as something of a “Swiss Army Knife,” with the ability to contribute on broadcasts, in promotional work, or even as a manager for select talent.
Tony Khan recently noted that Foley is expected to appear on programming more frequently going forward, though not necessarily on a weekly basis.