He’s a former WWE Champion. He’s a hardcore legend. He has taken bumps that are banned in modern day WWE. He’s none other than the Hall of Famer Mick Foley. There’s very little that Foley cannot do. Sadly, one of these things is being an authority figure on Monday Nights, as General Manager of Raw. Sure he tries his best. But he’s not the crazy, unpredictable authority figure that he once was.
On Smackdown Live, Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon get bigger pops than most of the talent. So does William Regal on NXT. There’s something about Foley though, that hasn't been able to connect with the WWE Universe. Maybe it’s the fact that he cannot play his erstwhile character anymore. Maybe it’s because Stephanie McMahon emasculates him at every opportunity she gets.
We can only wistfully hope that the following stars would be brought back to WWE television, and would claim their position as General Manager of the flagship brand- Raw.
#5 Linda McMahon
Mick Foley today plays the gullible, sweet, easy to be manipulated General Manager who’s essentially a puppet for Stephanie McMahon to boss around. Of course, Stephanie dresses Foley down at every given opportunity, and makes him look like a complete fool.
And because men dominating women is a no-no in today’s environment, Stephanie always gets the last laugh every week. Here’s the only person who won’t take any BS from her. Her own mother- Linda McMahon. Linda McMahon would be the conscience for Stephanie McMahon’s actions, and the babyface-heel dynamic would work far better between her and her daughter, as compared to McMahon and Foley.
#4 Paul Heyman
Aren’t we all sick of Paul Heyman cutting the same promo, over and over and over again for Broccccccccccck Lesnar? With Stephanie McMahon, Paul Heyman could adopt a sleazy, ‘best for business’ attitude. Where two heels are running the company to meet their own objectives.
There’s nobody more despised than Stephanie McMahon is, and with Paul Heyman’s tactics, we believe the heel heat they’d generate would be off the charts. And who better to start the show with a 20-minute promo (since that’s the format Raw seems to prefer) than the Beast’s advocate himself? The two of them together would make a formidable duo.
#3 Edge
Much like Daniel Bryan, even Edge’s career was cut short because of an injury. He’s another all time legend, who couldn’t quite live his potential. While Edge has been busy with a handful of projects since his retirement, he’d be a total hit as the General Manager of Raw. Fans miss him, and unlike Mick Foley he just seems younger and ‘cooler’ as an authority figure.
Plus, Edge has instinctive comic timing, which would ensure that Stephanie McMahon cannot bury him on screen like she does with Foley. Imagine the kind of pop he’d get, if he were brought back into the wrestling business once again. And much like Bryan, Edge too can tease the idea of a return to the ring, because it would be more believable than Foley returning to wrestle.
#2 Eric Bischoff
Every smark in the wrestling business was a little dissapointed when Foley’s music hit and he was announced as the General Manager of Raw. A lot of us were hoping that, especially with his DVD release, Eric Bischoff would make a comeback to the red brand.
This would be particularly interesting, as WWE has teased a Bischoff-Stephanie romantic angle once before. Under Bischoff’s corrupt rule, Raw was a show like never before. Nobody embodies the personification of a heel authority figure like he does. Remember, in WCW, he was a corrupt heel company head, much before Vince McMahon ever was.
With tensions between him and Stephanie, one could have teased an angle with Triple H as well. Well, one can only dream, and we have to tolerate Mick Foley on Raw every single week.
#1 Jim Ross
Sure, this is a long shot! But let’s be honest- with the exception of C.M. Punk, there’s nobody that the WWE Universes misses more than ‘good ol’ JR’. In fact, one might argue that he’s a bigger white-hot babyface than Mick Foley is.
JR returning to the company, even as a performer would be a great call, and would endear fans into watching Monday Night Raw. Sure, JR has his own thing going, but we’re certain he misses the limelight too. And this is a hypothetical piece, with dreams that may not necessarily come true. Dammit!
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