What Happened To Mick Foley Ear? How Did Mick Foley Lose His Ear?
by Aishwarya R
Updated Feb 08, 2023
Who Is Mick Folley?
Mick Foley is an American actor, author, retired professional wrestler, and color commentator. He is highly regarded as one of the biggest stars of the Attitude Era and one of the greatest wrestlers in the history of WWE. Foley was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2013 and is currently signed to WWE as a company ambassador under the Legends program.
Throughout his career, Foley has worked for several wrestling promotions such as the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), and National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), as well as many promotions in Japan. He has held numerous championships including four-time world champion (three WWF Championships and one TNA World Heavyweight Championship), 11-time world tag team champion, one-time TNA Legends Champion, and the inaugural WWF Hardcore Champion.
Foley is known for his intense and physical style of wrestling and his involvement in violent and brutal matches. He has wrestled under his real name and several personas, including Cactus Jack, Mankind, and Dude Love - collectively known as the "Three Faces of Foley." One of his most memorable and controversial matches is the Hell in a Cell match against The Undertaker, widely considered the greatest Hell in a Cell Match of all time. His dedicated and physical style of wrestling has earned him the moniker "The Hardcore Legend."
What Happened To Mick Foley Ear?
Mick Foley, also known as Cactus Jack, was a professional wrestler who performed for several organizations, including the WCW and WWF. On March 16th, 1994, during a WCW Battle Stars Tour in Munich, Germany, Foley faced Big Van Vader and suffered a permanent injury during the course of the match.
Foley was caught in a "hangman" spot, where he was trapped by the neck after twisting the second rope over the top rope. This was a move that Foley had done frequently and was familiar with, as he mentions on his podcast, Foley Is Pod. He reveals that it was not uncommon for his ears to require stitches after performing the hangman spot, which he had been doing since 1986 on the indie circuit, as well as in Continental and World Class Championship Wrestling. Despite the various injuries sustained while doing the hangman, Foley never considered the possibility of losing his ear.
However, on a fateful night in Munich, Foley ended up completely ripping off one of his ears. Fan-cam footage shows that the ear was partially intact after being released from the hangman choke, and it was Vader who seemingly grabbed and ripped off the remaining part of Foley's ear. The referee picked up the ear and put it in his pocket, eventually giving it to Gary Michael Cappetta, who took it to WCW head booker, Ric Flair. Flair is said to have put the ear on ice.
Despite losing his ear, Foley continued to perform the hangman spot several more times in the WWF. He was more upset with WCW for not running with the loss of his ear as an angle for a bigger feud with Vader, feeling that money was left on the table. The ear was later disposed of in a hospital's hazardous waste basket in Munich.
How Did Mick Foley Lose His Ear?
On March 16th, 1994, during a WCW Battle Stars Tour in Munich, Germany, wrestler Mick Foley, performing as Cactus Jack, faced off against Big Van Vader. In the course of the match, Foley was caught in a "hangman" spot where he was trapped by the neck after twisting the second rope over the top rope. This move often put a lot of strain on the ears, but on this night, it led to a permanent injury for Foley.
According to Foley's own account, he entered the hangman spot and the ropes were so tight that he immediately knew there was a problem. In the struggle to escape, he ended up completely ripping off one of his ears.
Fan-cam footage has since surfaced that suggests that the ear was partially intact after being released from the hangman choke, and it was Vader who seemingly grabbed and ripped off the remaining part of Foley's ear. The referee picked up the ear and put it in his pocket, eventually giving it to Gary Michael Cappetta, who took it to WCW head booker, Ric Flair. Flair is said to have put the ear on ice.
Despite losing his ear, Foley continued to perform the hangman spot several more times in the WWF.
When Did Mick Foley Retire?
Mick Foley officially retired from in-ring competition on September 24, 2012, during a Raw episode of WWE. He had announced his retirement in a Facebook post earlier that year. However, he continued to make occasional appearances and even participated in a match at the 2014 Royal Rumble.
Throughout his career, Foley had suffered numerous injuries and undergone multiple surgeries, which took a physical toll on his body. He had stated in interviews that his body could no longer withstand the physical demands of professional wrestling, leading to his decision to retire from in-ring competition.
Despite retiring from in-ring competition, Mick Foley continued to remain active in the world of professional wrestling. He has made occasional appearances for WWE, acted as a special referee in matches, and even competed in a few matches for independent promotions. He has also served as a general manager for Raw and SmackDown and has been involved in various storylines as an on-screen character.
Overall, Mick Foley's retirement from in-ring competition marked the end of an era in professional wrestling, as he was widely regarded as one of the greatest and most beloved performers of all time. However, his contributions to the industry and his legacy continue to live on through his work as an author, actor, and color commentator.
Mick Foley Daughter
Noelle Margaret Foley is the daughter of a famous retired professional wrestler, Mick Foley, and his wife, Colette Foley. She was born on December 15, 1993 in Georgia, United States, and is the only daughter among four siblings.
As the daughter of a wrestling legend, Noelle has been part of the wrestling world from a young age. She has made appearances in various WWE specials such as Mick Foley: Cheap Pops, WWE Network’s ‘Holey Foley!’, and WWE Slam Christmas. She was also a judge on WWE Kitchen Smackdown where wrestlers competed in a cook-off.
Noelle has suffered from some health issues in recent years. In 2019, she sustained a concussion after hitting her head on a roller coaster. She currently deals with Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS) and has recently been diagnosed with Hyperacusis, a rare hearing disorder. Despite these challenges, Noelle remains a regular presence in the public eye, often accompanying her father at events and in front of the cameras.
Reference Source: Sports Keeda
What Happened to Mick Foley - FAQs
Mick Foley is an American actor, author, retired professional wrestler, and color commentator.
Noelle Margaret Foley is the daughter of a famous retired professional wrestler, Mick Foley,
Mick Foley retired in 2012.
Noelle Margaret Foley is the daughter of a famous retired professional wrestler, Mick Foley.