[1998-05-04-WWF-Raw] Mick Foley, Vince McMahon and Steve Austin

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

Mick Foley has had enough of the Dude Love gimmick. He's upset that Goldust became the number one contender last week considering their respective track records. He has also been put in a match against Terry Funk tonight. He'll be damned if he's going to throw away his entire career by sucking up to Steve Austin and that he's no longer going to bump and grind in front of second rate strippers while his wife and kids watch at home. He also vows to never work in his Dude Love gear again. Foley then demands that Vince come out.

 

Vince gets a really loud set of boos and Foley makes clear that Vince will never again make him dress like a horse's ass. Vince is awesome. He claims that the match against Terry Funk is not a punishment but a reward. He's giving him an opportunity to re-assert himself tonight and ends up slapping Mick.

 

All of this brings Austin out. Austin walks right by Mick and makes a beeline for Vince and destroys the Love Shack set, which Foley doesn't seem too bothered by at all, but Vince is amazing selling this, even grabbing the ring bell like he's prepared to fight. This was a great, great segment.

[Zenjo]

You get to see the evil mastermind at work here, manipulating others into doing his bidding.

[Childs]

This was a truly fantastic segment, with Vince cutting a captivating, honest promo about Foley and himself. Mick was good too, with his facial expressions communicating the transition from total frustration to buying Vince's message. All of this got me totally psyched for the Funk-Foley main event. I know we're saying it over and over, but Vince McMahon in 1998--holy shit he was good.

[soup23]

Man, did I love this. I have hated the Love Shack gimmick and was pleased to see Mick Foley come out. Vince one upped him by doing the best devil on your shoulder promo I can think of in wrestling. i legit thought about being in Mick's shoes and feeling the same way he did after hearing this. Austin gets his showcase spot tearing up the Love Shack set while Vince pitches a fit. If this doesn't hook you for the entire show, I don't know what can.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Maybe the best segment so far. Vince has really grown confident in the role. Before he was that annoying face punch able boss, now he is the maniacal, Machiavellian mastermind. He is a stronger, angrier character. He manipulates Foley into fighting Funk so that he can truly unleash the hate necessary to defeat Austin. I love how the whole segment is structured around bring number one contender. Fancy that it is about winning not about being entertaining and guess what it is entertaining! Austin raises some serious hell destroying the Love Shack! Great stuff

[PeteF3]

"When I came out, you threw Dude Love into my face. How does it feel to have the truth thrown into yours?" *smack* One of Vince's best lines ever, and a great capper to an awesome segment that shows just how far ahead the WWF had pulled in front of WCW in terms of storytelling and thought put into each segment. We finally get a sea change for Mick's character as Vince delivers a speech that he's probably delivered during contract negotiations a hundred times. Austin responds by trashing the Love Shack and forcing Vince to attempt to defend himself with the ring bell and hammer.

[TravJ1979]

Every single aspect of this worked. Foley and Vince were especially great. One of the best Raw segments of the year.