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To read about Trish Stratus' induction click to page 2.
To read about Booker T's induction click to page 3.
To read about Bob Backlund's induction click to page 4.
To read about Don Trump's induction click to page 5.
To read about Bruno Sammartino's induction click to page 6.
Michael Cole welcomed everyone to the Hall of Fame and asked everyone to remain respectful and not catcall those on stage. He also asked that everyone hold their applause until the end of speeches.
Names here beyond the WWE roster are Chris Cruise, Mil Mascaras, Pat Patterson, Bret Hart, Bob Orton, Ron Simmons, Gene Okerlund, Ivan Koloff, Domenic DeNucci and a lot more.
Before they started, CM Punk had some fun getting the audience to scream with an applause sign.
They aired a great video package on the Hall of Famers.
Jerry Lawler welcomed everyone to the Hall. He asked everyone to give a round of applause for the performers and said this is awesome.
Our first inductee is Mick Foley.
Terry Funk said his entire life he strived to be a good man but his inductee is a good man. He said he loved Foley like an ugly brother and told a story about wrestling in a snowstorm in Japan where only 300 people in a 5,000 seat arena. Terry said what a terrible house and Mick said yeah but look at those empty chairs and they overturned all of them.
Terry told a story about Mick going through the Hell In A Cell and Funk thinking he was dead. Taker grabbed Terry and told him Mick wasn't dead and chokeslammed Terry out of his tennis shoes. Terry was carried out and Mick finished the match.
Terry paraphrased the famous Teddy Roosevelt quote about the one who tries and fails and frets. He said he gives his all and if he fails he frets and frets until the next time and pushes it all away for the next match because the performance is what counts.
It was an awesome speech that elicited big Foley chants.
Terry parodied the Oscars and said they had a four way tie for Cactus Jack, Dude Love, Mankind and his fave, Mick Foley.
Mick came out and got a massive standing ovation and Foley chants. Mick had Hacksaw Duggan stand up to prove they are not the same guy.
Foley said that from the bottom of his heart, it does him good to have the Bellas back.
Foley said he wanted to clear it up once and for all...it did hurt when Undertaker threw him off the Cell. He joked that he's been in Groundhog Day for 15 years with that question.
Foley praised this year's class and how this class may be the all time best before poking fun at himself for his short WWF title reigns compared to Bruno Sammartino and Bob Backlund.
Foley told the story of hitchhiking to the Snuka-Muraco cage match because he thought something special would happen and it did, as Snuka came off of the top of the cage. He said he knew then what he wanted to do with his life...make moments like that.
Foley told the emotional pain of a date who called him the wrong name and said the only way he could deal with the pain was to make a crazy dive off something. He told some funny stories about making that first dive. He said he spit out red food coloring and a girl said it was the most disgusting thing she had ever seen. He wanted more of that and set out making moments.
He thanked some of the people who helped him along the way. He said he is here because of their friendship and work. They helped him.
He said there were great moments and a lot of them were with Triple H. He asked his trainer Domenic DeNucci to stand and told the story of trying to show him what wrestling was and being beaten by DeNucci as he was shown what it really was. He told the story of DeNucci only charging him 25 a lesson and then telling him he doesn't have to pay anymore. He thanked him and told him he loved him.
Foley talked about Shane Douglas, who helped him so much when they started out. He then praised Jim Ross for his gift of telling stories and creating memories. He said that Ross did wonders for his career with his calls but did a great thing for Mick behind the scenes, going to war to get Mick a job. Vince McMahon relented but decided to put a mask on him.
He talked about Ross' call of his Hell in A Cell bump and jokingly told the story of Ross claiming Foley was smiling. In actuality, Mick was wondering who's shoes were in the ring. Foley said in the state he was in, he realized that fall and the chair crashing down he had a deep wound in his mouth so he was trying to put his tongue through and wiggle it.
Foley discusses Undertaker, saying he's never heard anyone say a bad word about him. He said Taker put him on the map here. He praised Taker's persona and work ethic and he will be on the edge of his seat Sunday. He said Taker will be on this stage whenever he wants to be here. He told a story about asking Taker to never ever Tweet.
He talked about the debut of Cactus Jack and the 2000 Royal Rumble Street Fight and his 2008 Rumble appearance here in MSG. He talked about having his kids in the crowd and wanting to recreate the 2000 magic but there was a big pop. He wondered who it was for and then realized it was for he and HHH. He said sometimes he forgets the esteem he is held in. Foley said later Big Daddy V was sitting on his head and saw his kids booing their own dad. Driving home, he thought that could be the end of his career and realized that could be exactly how he would like it to end.
Foley said he invited Santa Claus here but he doesn't see him here and said he's going to have to deal with knowing he never beat Chris Jericho and joked he would still like to drop an elbow on Chris tonight and pin him. Jericho jumped on stage and laid down for Mick. Punk jumped up to referee. Foley teased he changed his mind and then dropped an elbow and pinned him. Awesome!!!
Foley did the Rocky-Adrian speech and praised Punk for giving him a chance to do one of the most emotional and best promos of the later days of his career.
Foley mentioned Ric Flair and praised his Backlash 2004 match against Randy Orton. He noted how surprised he was Rock chose to come back to team with him and talked about their Mania 20 match. He asked God not to let him suck out there but felt he sold himself sort and was thankful they were able to have the Backlash match.
Foley thanked Ric for dragging one last great match out of him. He thanked Dusty Rhodes for hiring him in1991.
Mick said this moment is the best of all of his moments and said its great to be right here in MSG.
Santa and Mrs. Claus arrived and gave Mick a red flannel Santa jacket and hat. Foley wished everyone a Merry Christmas and a nice day!
Awesome start.
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