It’s been known for weeks that Mick Foley may take time off from Monday Night RAW if and when he receives hip replacement surgery. And while it was recently reported that the WWE Hall of Famer no longer has insurance to cover the costs of his surgery, it appears as if the search is about to be on for a new RAW general manager, and that Foley’s operation may take place sooner rather than later.
In his long wrestling career, Mick Foley got himself over as someone who wasn’t afraid to take risks, and at times seemed to be impervious to pain. Best known to fans under the ring names Cactus Jack and Mankind, as well as under his real name, Foley took some of the most unforgettable “bumps” in wrestling history, including a fall from the top of the Hell in a Cell steel cage in 1998 as he took on The Undertaker. But all those bumps took a toll on Mick’s body as the years passed by, and reports from last month suggested that he would need to take time off from his role as RAW general manager to receive hip surgery.
Unfortunately, it also came to fans’ collective attentions in December that Foley didn’t have health insurance after all and that his WWE Legends deal was more of a “handshake” agreement where he only earns from merchandise sales and isn’t insured in any way. Comicbook.com quoted a Facebook post from Mick where he discussed the specifics of his WWE deal, suggesting he might not be able to afford to pay $60,000 out-of-pocket to get his hip replaced.
Meanwhile, life on WWE television went on for Mick Foley, as the Monday Night RAW GM continued appearing on TV every Monday night, showcasing two new haircuts in each of the first two RAW episodes of the new year. On this week’s episode, RAW Commissioner Stephanie McMahon appeared to be especially upset at Mick and was in the middle of giving him a very unflattering “performance review” and criticizing him for not producing The Undertaker as promised. That performance review was interrupted by ‘Taker’s trademark ring entrance and the announcement that he will be entering the 2017 Royal Rumble match. And while it isn’t sure whether Steph and Mick will continue to be at odds in the coming weeks, it would appear that Foley has been dropping some hints about having to vacate his RAW GM spot really soon.
If Mick Foley steps down as Stephanie McMahon’s second-in-command on Monday Night RAW, this may indeed be a good opportunity for Lana to play a larger role on WWE television beyond managing her real-life husband, Rusev. But regardless of who replaces Foley, should he really get written off TV, the hope is that this would coincide with better booking on RAW, and more chances for other wrestlers to step up, according to GiveMeSport.
