Mick Foley Admits Regret Over Taking Unprotected Chair Shots

Mick Foley is known for sacrificing his body for wrestling glory — but he’s now opening up about one particular regret that still lingers.

During a panel at FanX Salt Lake City 2025, the WWE Hall of Famer was asked if he had any regrets from his career. Without hesitation, Foley admitted he wished he had taken better care of himself — especially when it came to unprotected chair shots to the head.

“Any matches I regret? Like things I did in them? Yeah,” Foley began. “Well, you know, I didn’t have an extensive repertoire of moves, and I know you didn’t think you were going to see a wrestling move here today, but I’ll show you one move I wish I had utilized. Ready to see it?”

Foley then lifted his hands as if bracing for impact and delivered a visual that got a laugh from the crowd.

“That would have been me blocking steel chairs when they were whistling at my skull at high speed.”

He went on to explain that in his era, blocking chair shots was viewed as a sign of weakness — a flawed mindset that even he fell into.

“Back in my day, it was kind of a tough-guy thing. The weird thing was, the toughest guys of all did put up their hands. So there was no correlation between being a tough guy and putting up your hands.”

The Hardcore Legend also shared a painful memory that changed his perspective but not his habits.

“I broke the tip of my thumb in World Class when Chris Adams hit me with a chair. That was a sign to me that putting up my hands was dangerous, so I stopped doing it.”

While fans have long praised Foley’s fearlessness, it’s clear the price he paid continues to haunt him—and if he could go back, he’d raise those hands every time.

Do you think Mick Foley’s legacy is worth the risks he took? Or should WWE have done more to protect its stars back then? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.

Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.