Mick Foley has officially arrived in AEW, and the hardcore legend has opened up about the difficult decision to part ways with WWE after decades with the company.
Foley, whose WWE Legends deal recently expired, made the jump to AEW, appearing for the Jacksonville-based promotion led by Tony Khan. Speaking on Going Ringside, Foley said the move felt like a natural fit. “I’d admired the show. I’d loved the show. I knew Tony Khan from way back, and they had a spot on their roster for me, and it felt like a great fit, and I’m happy to be there,” he said.
Foley spoke glowingly of Khan’s passion for the product, drawing a subtle contrast with his former employer.
“It’s really fun for me just to watch how much Tony loves it. I’m not going to knock the other organization, but let’s just say when you came through the curtain, it was a different type of experience,” Foley said. “I love the idea that he loves it, and he makes it really clear that he loves what he’s doing.”
Cutting ties with WWE was not easy, both personally and financially. Foley noted that while he had not been a full-time employee for years, he maintained a merchandising deal and lucrative, low-effort WrestleMania weekend appearances.
“As it turned out, I had to work 24 hours on my own to make what I would have made in four with WWE, but I’m okay with that,” he said. “I believe if you want something, you go after it, and you work hard for it.”
Foley’s departure also followed the discomfort he has publicly expressed with WWE’s relationship with the current White House, a stance he has voiced since late 2025. He described reaching a breaking point over what he viewed as an unacceptable instance of public figures mocking someone’s death.
“There’s just a type of discourse to me that is unacceptable from anyone, let alone the most powerful man in the world. You don’t mock people when they die,” Foley said. “That for me, that was the straw that broke the camel’s back, but there were an awful lot of straws on that camel’s back already.”
