Jim Ross has now weighed in on Mick Foley officially joining AEW, and the WWE Hall of Famer made it clear he believes Tony Khan landed a huge addition for the company.
Speaking on Grilling JR, Ross reacted to the news that Foley will appear during AEW Double or Nothing weekend programming alongside Renee Paquette on the Buy In pre-show. According to JR, Foley brings instant credibility and a completely different presence to AEW television.
“I’m really excited for it. It’s a great get for Tony Khan. Mick Foley brings credibility—he brings tenure, name identity. I think he’s looking to continue to develop and evolve in this role because you’re kind of an analyst, and he’ll do a better job as an analyst. It’ll be a different sound on Sunday night. I’m really excited. I don’t know how much he wants to work, but if you look at other guys, myself included, we’re used on a limited basis.”
The conversation then shifted toward whether Foley could eventually wrestle in AEW. Conrad Thompson directly asked JR if fans could see Foley work a match, but Ross sounded very cautious about the idea unless everything was handled perfectly.
“No—not unless it’s built properly, which is a subjective thing. What does that mean—properly? If it works, it’s proper, as crazy as that may sound.”
The WWE Hall of Famer went on to explain that he could still see Foley getting physical in small moments without actually wrestling a full match. JR also suggested Foley could remain a television presence in AEW even without stepping fully back into the ring.
“I can see him throwing a few punches or getting someone in the mandible claw—stuff like that. But him working a complete match, I find that to be doubtful. I’m not against it if it’s done right, but you’ve got to treat Mick very special and put him in a situation where he can pull off what he’s good at. But I can see having Foley on TV and somewhere along the way, not using him for a bit of physicality.”
Ross’ comments came shortly after Foley himself officially addressed his AEW debut for the first time on Instagram. Foley confirmed he will join Renee Paquette for the Double or Nothing Buy In while also revealing he is excited to reconnect with Tony Khan and meet AEW’s roster.
“FOLEY IS ALL ELITE! I am extremely happy to be making my debut with @aew – joining @reneepaquette on the #DoubleOrNothing pre-show. Looking forward to seeing @tonyrkhan for the first time in many years (we had lunch fifteen years ago) and meeting up with AEW’s amazing roster.”
Foley’s AEW debut is especially notable because this marks the first time he has officially appeared for the company after years of speculation about a possible partnership. Based on both Foley and JR’s comments, this may end up becoming more than just a one-night appearance tied to Double or Nothing weekend.
Do you think Mick Foley should become a regular on AEW television, or should the company keep him limited to occasional appearances? Share your thoughts and feedback in the comments.
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