AEW Reportedly Pursuing WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley

AEW is reportedly planning to go after a WWE Hall of Famer when his contract expires next month.

Since launching in 2019, AEW president Tony Khan has mastered the art of recruiting WWE legends. The impressive list includes Chris Jericho Arn Anderson, Billy Gunn, Sting, Diamond Dallas Page and Mark Henry.

Now, it appears Khan has his eyes set on another WWE legend who played a pivotal role in the Monday Night Wars during the late '90s.

According to Jon Alba of The Takedown at Sports Illustrated, AEW has significant "interest" in Hall of Famer Mick Foley, whose WWE Legends contract expires next month:

"As he's set to let his WWE Legends deal expire next month, sources indicate to The Takedown on SI that there is a chance he could be AEW-bound.

"Multiple sources tell The Takedown that AEW has expressed "real" interest in working with Foley this year, though the capacity of which is not known. It was also not certain whether or not the organization would be interested in signing the 60-year-old, or if it would simply be an appearance."

In December, Foley announced that he would not renew his WWE Legends contract after it ran up. Foley has made occasional appearances for WWE since he was "fired" as the GM of Monday Night Raw in 2017. However, he hasn't appeared since the Nov. 7, 2023, episode of NXT.

Mick Foley Saved WWE During the Monday Night Wars

There would be something ironic about Foley going to AEW.

Remember, he played a significant role in helping WWE defeat WCW in the Monday Night Wars. The turning point came with his stunning victory over The Rock on the Jan. 4, 1999, episode of Raw, prompting about 600,000 viewers to switch from WCW's Nitro program.

AEW and WCW share many similarities, including TNT and TBS as their broadcast partners. AEW's stage and setup closely mirror WCW's during the Monday Night Wars, too.

Foley helped WWE defeat WCW, which was bought out by Vince McMahon in 2001. Now, 25 years later, Foley could be leaving WWE for the rival promotion.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the Sports section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published May 14, 2026 at 1:38 PM.