Mick Foley Takes Shot at WWE’s Corporate Culture, Calls AEW ‘Refreshing’

vishalbhawaniWed, August 12, 2026 at 12:51 AM UTC

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Photo Credit: AEW

Mick Foley has opened up about why working with AEW has reignited his passion for professional wrestling, drawing a clear contrast between the promotion’s atmosphere and what he described as WWE’s increasingly corporate environment.

The WWE Hall of Famer shared his thoughts after joining AEW earlier this year, offering fresh insight into his change of scenery.

While Foley spent decades associated with WWE as both an in-ring legend and ambassador, he admitted his connection to wrestling had faded before his move. Now, he says AEW has reminded him why he fell in love with the business in the first place.

Mick Foley praises Tony Khan’s leadership after WWE exit

Speaking with TheSportster at WrestleCon in Minneapolis, Foley reflected on losing interest in wrestling after stepping away from the spotlight.

He explained that once his children moved out, one of the main reasons he stayed engaged with the product disappeared.

“I [had] kind of fallen out of love a little bit,” Foley admitted, adding, “[I was] just taking a break, as they say.”

As he began following AEW, Foley noticed a different atmosphere behind the scenes. He contrasted WWE’s corporate feel with the enthusiasm he witnessed from AEW owner Tony Khan and the promotion’s talent.

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“I just thought, I like one of these things a little better than the other. Since I have begun working with AEW, I have to tell you, there’s something really refreshing about seeing the owner of the company so obviously happy after matches. So obviously thankful for how hard people work for him,” Foley said.

Foley was also careful not to dismiss WWE’s previous leadership outright.

“I’m not saying that Vince McMahon’s management style didn’t work, because it did. It’s just that at my age, there’s something really nice about seeing an owner who is really happy to watch his product and to watch the people excel inside of it.”

Foley officially signed with AEW in May 2026 and currently works as an interviewer for the promotion.

While he has previously teased one final match, health concerns have kept those plans on hold. Darby Allin recently supported the idea, saying if Foley feels “the final chapter is unwritten,” then he should pursue it.

For now, though, Foley appears happy playing a different role — proving that sometimes the biggest pop comes from finding the right home.

Read More: Is AEW’s Darby Allin the Modern Cactus Jack? Mick Foley Weighs In

The post Mick Foley Takes Shot at WWE’s Corporate Culture, Calls AEW ‘Refreshing’ appeared first on Wrestlezone.

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