Mick Foley Reveals Motivation Behind Decision for One Final Match Return

WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley is embarking on a journey to get back in shape, not for vanity, but for a cause close to his heart. He recently took to his YouTube channel to elaborate on previous statements made in February about stepping back into the ring for a Death Match. Despite not having competed since 2012, Foley's passion for wrestling reignites as he contemplates one final match.

“One day, when I was really struggling, I realized that what used to be the best motivation for me was another match,” he said. “I always got in shape with the goal of having another match, another match, another match. Fast forward, my wrestling days are over. I’ve spent, with two small occasions, since 1999, well over 300 pounds. I got down on three different occasions below 300 and then as I saw my weight really get away from me, I thought, maybe I need that same kind of motivation and along the way I can appreciate the lifestyle changes, eating differences, exercise. There is no reason for somebody, at my age and weight, to not be exercising for three straight years. It’s embarrassing. It’s embarrassing when you’re asked in the airport if you need a wheelchair. It’s embarrassing to be the guy who is bigger than the chair on the airline. It’s something of a paradox that by competing in a death match, I will have a much better life. That day, or night, is going to be tough. It’s going to be tough, but the lessons I learn leading up to that match are lessons I intend to carry forward for the rest of my life. To me, it’s the difference between being a grandfather someday, or can crawl on the ground and play with their grandchildren or a grandfather who sits and watches from the sidelines. I don’t want to be that guy sitting on the sidelines. I know having a wild match involving barbed wire and thumbtacks…we’re going to bring in a bed of nails. These are going to be tools of life for dad.”

Foley's aspiration for this daunting match extends beyond personal health; it's about legacy and the ability to be an active participant in his future grandchildren's lives. He envisions this match, fraught with barbed wire, thumbtacks, and even a bed of nails, not as a mere spectacle but as a transformative experience.

“Catharsis,” he said. “I’m just looking for catharsis. In Japan, the fans are described as being oddly peaceful when they would leave because they had seen something. When it’s done right, it can be a work of abstract art. Some people will just see human beings putting each other into terribly inhuman situations while others will see two human begins working together to create surreal art. I’m hoping when it’s done there will be a sense of peace among the fans and a sense of inner peace for myself, even as my wounds stick to the sheets that night and for a few nights. I’m pretty sure I’m going to come out of that situation in worse shape than I was, but I believe I will pick up habits that are going to lead to a longer, better life.”