Mick Foley was at one point booked to do an angle at SummerSlam, making an appearance during the Undertaker/Edge match to symbolically mark the ten year anniversary of his Hell in the Cell bout. However, due to his recent fall-out with Vince McMahon over the manner in which Vince treats the announcers during broadcasts, as of last week, this was up in the air. The relationship between the two men has been far less congenial than it once was ever since Foley told Vince, out of courtesy, that he was considering joining TNA in 2005. Some people in TNA, most notably Raven, were trying to convince Foley that helping put the promotion on the map could be his greatest long-term legacy. Vince, however, responded with a three-year deal for far more money and fewer dates. Foley felt that he had no choice but to accept, just as Vince felt he had no choice but to offer, yet the friction remained. Some of the writing staff and some key office workers and top wrestlers also soured on Foley, since he argued against trivialising the few appearances that he made, which was perceived as arrogance. Much of this was explored in Foley’s Hardcore Diaries book, yet that only compounded the situation. Triple H was also said to have been negative about Foley, perhaps directing misplaced disgruntlement towards him over the widespread perception that Foley made Triple H into a bona fide headline act in 2000. For obvious reasons, Triple H has become rather sensitive about giving anybody other than himself too much credit for having ‘made’ his career.
Ric Flair is taking bookings through a public relations firm in South Carolina run by Elaine Gillespie, which is also now representing Mick Foley and Roddy Piper. The current asking rate for a Flair autograph signing or personal appearance is $15,000. That’s a lower figure than Steve Austin ($20,000), Bill Goldberg ($30,000) or Hulk Hogan ($75,000). Flair may also now be free to pursue the proposed reality TV show involving him and his son Reid, which was thought to have been one of the major factors in his decision to break away from WWE. The show would focus on him as a former wrestler helping out Reid as he began his own wrestling career whilst trying to stay clear of his father’s shadow. Reid is still training with George South alongside Ricky Steamboat’s son, Ritchie.
Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter, 18 August 2008 (click here for subscription info)
