Mick Foley Reveals His All-Time Favorite Match – And It’s Against This WWE Superstar
Mick Foley, widely recognized as “The Hardcore Legend,” has been part of some of WWE’s most brutal encounters. However, when it comes to picking his favorite match of all time, one stands out above the rest – his epic showdown with Randy Orton at Backlash 2004.
Speaking at For The Love of Wrestling, Foley reflected on his legendary Hardcore Match against a then-24-year-old Orton for the Intercontinental Championship.
“My favorite match I ever wrestled was Backlash against Randy Orton in 2004,” Foley revealed. “Everything just seemed to click. Even during the match, you could feel that Randy’s trajectory was changing fast.”
Foley recalled the grueling journey home from Edmonton, Canada, back to Long Island, where he arrived just in time to catch Raw on TV.
“There was a flight delay, a baggage delay—by the time I got home, ‘Raw’ was already on, even though I took the red-eye flight. The moment they announced Randy Orton, the reaction was completely different from anything he’d ever had before. In one night, we changed how people saw Randy Orton. That’s why it’s my favorite match.”
At the time, Foley was already an established legend, while Orton was a rising star looking to cement his place in WWE history beyond his famous last name. That night, Orton endured a back-first fall onto thumbtacks, delivered a vicious RKO onto a barbed-wire bat, and ultimately emerged victorious—retaining his title and proving himself as a legitimate main-event talent.
Fast forward to 2025, Orton has built an undeniable legacy, becoming a 14-time world champion—trailing only John Cena and Ric Flair for the most reigns in WWE history.
