Rikishi And Mick Foley Share Their Thoughts About Vince McMahon Ahead of Netflix Docuseries
WWE Hall of Famers Rikishi and Mick Foley recently shared their complicated feelings about the disgraced former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon in light of the new Netflix docuseries titled Mr. McMahon.
WWE Hall of Famers Rikishi and Mick Foley recently shared their complicated feelings about the disgraced former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon in light of the new Netflix docuseries titled Mr. McMahon. McMahon has always been one of the most important men in the world of pro wrestling and gave both men an opportunity to make a lot of money in WWF/WWE. Still, he has had some very serious allegations presented against him in recent years.
Vince McMahon is the former CEO of WWE. He transformed a regional promotion he took over from his father into the top wrestling promotion in the world. He helped to make wrestling into a mainstream form of entertainment. McMahon and WWE also created major crossover stars such as The Rock, John Cena, and Dave Bautista, who have become major movie stars in Hollywood.
MICK FOLEY AND RIKISHI SPEAK HONESTLY AND OPENLY ABOUT VINCE MCMAHON
In recent years Vince McMahon has been the center of legal issues and accusations, including accusations of “hush money” payouts for affairs with WWE employees, and the ongoing case with the former WWE employee Janel Grant, alleging sexual trafficking and assault against the former chairman. The newly premiered Netflix docuseries, Mr. McMahon, promises a comprehensive view of the life and times of the former WWE executive.
Image via Netflix
However, two former WWE stars, Mick Foley and Rikishi, recently shared some of their thoughts about Vince McMahon they know and the one they hear about in the news. During a recent Q&A at Northern Ireland Comic-Con by Monopoly Events, Foley discussed his feelings on his former boss.
“I genuinely liked him [Vince McMahon]. My relationship was never the same with him after I left WWE and went to TNA for three years. But, to this day, I’m still trying to find an address to write to him, just to thank him, you know? For taking a chance on me. I think all of us are a combination of good traits and bad traits and you hope your good traits outweigh your bad traits, and it seems, perhaps, that Vince got it backwards there for a little while. But I’ve been there when he’s done good things. I’ve seen him do good things.” H/T to Wrestling Inc.for the transcription
Foley wrestled for WWE from 1996 to 2008 with some breaks in the middle. He was known as a legend and also became a WWE Champion. Foley eventually became perhaps one of the most universally beloved wrestlers of all time. Before ending his career he won the WWE Championship three times, inaugural Hardcore champion, eight-timeWWE Tag Team champion. He was later inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013.
Image via Netflix
Rikishi’s thoughts on McMahon are also interesting. Without McMahon and his father before him taking a chance on Anoa’i family the landscape of pro wrestling would look vastly different. Rikishi stated the following on Vince McMahon:
“I thank him for the opportunity of giving a bunch of guys from the island of Samoa, this small place, to be able to give us a platform to introduce our culture and our people to the world. If it wasn’t for the McMahons, nobody would know who Afa and Sika was. Nobody would know who Peter Maivia, Rikishi, all the way down to Roman Reigns and the Usos. As far as the Fatu Anoa’i clan, we’re forever [beside the] McMahons in WWE.”
“… What’s happening with him now as far as with the Netflix [documentary] I’ll make a decision when that comes out, but for now, I always believe in people having a second chance in life … There’s always speed bumps for us to be able to learn from one another, each one teach one, and so at the end of the day, like Mick. I would like to keep my happy memories of the McMahons.” H/T Wrestling Inc.
Rikishi first joined WWF in 1992 and was part of the tag team The Headshrinkers. He eventually won the tag team titles. Throughout the ‘90s he was a mid-card wrestler and had a variety of characters he worked under. In 1999 he debuted as Rikishi and started to gain notoriety and popularity.
However, it wasn’t until he started teaming up with Grand Master Sexay and Scotty Too Hottie to form Too Cool that his career took off. During this time Rikishi peaked in popularity and won the Intercontinental Championship and two more Tag Team Championship reigns. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2015.
Courtesy Of WWE
The Mr. McMahon documentary premieres on Netflix on Sept. 25. It will be six episodes of behind-the-scenes interviews with McMahon as well as a look at his dark side all released at once.
What do you think of wrestlers like Mick Foley and Rikishi who reserve judgment in light of countless accusations against Vince McMahon? Should they take more of a stand? Do you think wrestling today owes McMahon a lot of credit or would it have gotten there without him? Are you looking forward to Mr. McMahon or will you force yourself to watch it? Let us know if the documentary changes your feelings about WWE and makes you no longer a fan of the promotion.
