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Before Triple H became WWE's creative figurehead, every previous Royal Rumble winner was decided by Vince McMahon.
In 2004, McMahon chose Chris Benoit to emerge victorious in the 30-man Royal Rumble match. He also booked the Canadian to defeat Shawn Michaels and Triple H in the WrestleMania 20 main event to capture the World Heavyweight Championship.
At the time, the retired Mick Foley felt it would make for a great storyline if he returned to in-ring action in the Royal Rumble. The legendary superstar not only wanted to win the match, but he also had plans to unify WWE's two world titles at WrestleMania 20.
In April 2022, Foley revealed on Throwing Down w/Renee & Miesha how McMahon reacted to his idea:
"I said, 'I'd like to enter the Rumble and win it, and because I'm technically not a SmackDown or a RAW guy, I would like to challenge both champions to a three-way match, win that at 'Mania, and become the Undisputed Champion.' And without even blinking, Vince just replies, 'I have no interest whatsoever in doing that.'"
McMahon still booked Mick Foley at WrestleMania 20, but not in a title match. The three-time WWE Champion teamed up with The Rock in a losing effort against Batista, Randy Orton, and Ric Flair.
He also competed in the 2004 Royal Rumble, where he kick-started a long-term feud with Orton during his 43-second appearance in the match.
What if Vince McMahon approved Mick Foley's Royal Rumble idea?
WrestleMania 20 would have looked a lot different had Mick Foley's pitch received the go-ahead from Vince McMahon.
The event featured Eddie Guerrero's successful WWE Championship defense against Kurt Angle. At the end of the night, Chris Benoit hugged Guerrero in the middle of the ring after defeating Shawn Michaels and Triple H.
If Foley's idea materialized, he could have closed the show with a huge win over Guerrero and Triple H in a triple threat match. In doing so, he would have become the sole holder of WWE's world titles.
Do you think Mick Foley's 2004 idea would have been well received? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
