To many, Mick Foley is known as "The Hardcore Legend. At WWE Backlash 2004, however, the veteran seemingly met his match when a 24-year-old Randy Orton defeated him in a bloody Hardcore Match for the Intercontinental Championship. Still, Foley considers it the favorite bout of his respective in-ring career.
"My favorite match I ever wrestled was Backlash against Randy Orton in 2004," Foley said at "For The Love of Wrestling." "Just everything seemed to click and you could just sense even during the match that Randy's trajectory was changing in a hurry.
"It took me all day to get home because Edmonton's a long way from Long Island. There was a flight delay, a baggage delay, and by the time I got home, 'Raw' was already on even though I caught the red-eye flight. As soon as they announced Randy Orton, the reaction was so much different than it'd ever been. In one night, we changed people's perception about Randy Orton. That's why I think that's my favorite match."
In 2004, Foley was already an accomplished legend in the wrestling business. Meanwhile, a young Orton remained eager to prove himself as a legitimate performer, outside of his family name. Through a back-first landing on thumb tacks, an RKO onto a barbed wire bat, and his eventual win, Orton managed to achieve just that, and a successful title defense, at Backlash. Fast forward to 2025, Orton is now a 14-time world champion, trailing behind only John Cena and "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair for the most world title reigns in WWE history.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "For The Love of Wrestling" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
