Mick Foley reflects on wrestling Randy Orton at WWE Backlash 2004.
By 2004, it had been four years since Mick Foley competed in a match following his retirement at WWE WrestleMania 2000. He would return to the ring alongside The Rock to face Randy Orton, Ric Flair, and Batista at WWE WrestleMania 20 in a match that, while its star power continues to climb with each accolade that any of the five men rack up in or out of the wrestling ring, was not one of Foley's favorites.
That made WWE Backlash and the No Holds Barred Match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship that Mick Foley had with Randy Orton much more important. Thankfully for Foley, that match lived up to and exceeded his expectations, and he still looks back on it today as his all-time favorite match.
Mick Foley confirmed as much in a recent video on the WWE Vault YouTube channel, where he reflected on some of the most wild moments in the career of his Cactus Jack persona.
"I was a big believer in the potential of Randy Orton, and I thought I've got this amazing young athlete, [whose] ears and eyes [were] wide open, and we're in a situation where he can help me have the type of match I need to have to feel complete, and I can help him take that next step up the ladder. Given his age and experience, it was a performance for the ages," Foley said. "I think to this day, he says, it's his favorite match. [It's] my favorite match of all time."
Furthermore, Mick Foley would say that the elbow drop that he landed on Randy in that match from off the stage, is his favorite from his entire career.
"This is the finest elbow I've dropped in my life, largely because of the camera shot that caught it. Boom right into your living room. This match, it had done exactly what I hoped it would do, and then some," he said. "It had helped put him on the map. He was already on the map, but he was boldly placed. A star is born."
Randy Orton, indeed, looks fondly back on this match. Fans can read his comments here.
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