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What's the story?
Mick Foley is someone with a wealth of knowledge of the professional wrestling business. When he gives his honest opinion on matters, it can usually be taken as being true.
'The Hardcore Legend' recently revealed that he ran into Jon Moxley at an event and didn't realize how unhappy he was while in WWE. Foley mentioned the encounter when speaking on Lillian Garcia's 'Chasing Glory' podcast.
In case you didn't know...
Foley visited the then Dean Ambrose before the latter's match with Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 32. The former 'Lunatic Fringe' was facing 'the Beast' in a Street Fight and was given hardcore gifts by Foley and Terry Funk. He also returned a few weeks ago to introduce the 24/7 Title.
Ambrose has already become a bigger star in the industry since leaving WWE, having appeared at the conclusion of All Elite Wrestling's Double or Nothing while also capturing the IWGP United States Championship from Juice Robinson in his first match with New Japan.
The heart of the matter
Foley was talking with Garcia on her podcast and revealed that the main difference as to why things worked in the Attitude Era is that they were allowed to do anything they wanted to try and they wouldn't be punished for it potentially failing.
"I saw Jon Moxley recently at an event, and I didn't realize how constrained he felt by the format over there [in WWE]. This isn't an exercise in the whipping of WWE here, but I said to him, and I mentioned this before and it bears repeating: people look at the Attitude Era and they love it for a number of reasons. But very few people realize that we were allowed to try things and there wasn't any punishment for failing."
Not having that slack in today's product is perhaps a big reason as to why many Superstars may be unhappy with their standing in the company. That is, of course, along with a number of potential opportunities existing outside of the company as well.
"Every great Austin 3:16 promo there's going to be 5 or 6 things that don't work. If you recall, the Rock never went to the 'Shut Up Juice', the 'Shut Up Juice' wasn't connecting, SmackDown Hotel was, and so guys were allowed to go out there and try things. I remember a couple of promos that failed miserably but I never got the feeling that just because they tanked that I wouldn't be able to get another shot at it."
Rumors did come out last week that ideas wrestlers were pitching to Creative were all getting shot down. If you don't have a say with how you are presented on-screen, then it's understandable as to why some people may want out.
What's next?
If all of those inner workings continue, then it will only push more talented men and women out of WWE's wheelhouse. Creative ideas came come from anyone or anything, so since there are still issues with ratings, WWE needs to try listening to its wrestlers more.
