10 WWE Jobbers Who Became Wrestling GAME-CHANGERS
1. Mick Foley
1980s Jack Foley wasn't going to make it in the World Wrestling Federation, and the single most important figure in the industry at that time didn't think Mick Foley would in the 1990s either. Vince McMahon viewed Mick as a means to break JR's heart when the iconic announcer suggested that the WWF hire Cactus Jack in 1996 so he could work as a different kind of rival for The Undertaker.
McMahon guffawed, and only slapped a green light on the idea so Jim Ross would be humbled. Yeah, that didn't happen. As Mankind, Foley showed everyone what he was capable of. By 1997, he was firmly entrenched on the roster. By 1998, he was cheating death with some of the scariest bumps ever during a legendary Hell In A Cell clash with 'Taker at King Of The Ring.
Mick went from journeyman WWF jobber being walloped by The British Bulldogs and Kamala to hardcore pioneer who also doubled as a bestselling author. His rollercoaster journey remains one of wrestling's most charming, not least because fed producers couldn't decide between Jack or Nick Foley when airing his job matches on television.
Soon, nobody would be left in any doubt what he was called: Mick turned into one of the most beloved wrestlers of all time, and he got to live out dreams he'd held since seeing Jimmy Snuka leap off a steel cage in Madison Square Garden as a teenager.
McMahon was wrong. Foley did have it in him to succeed in his company. He proved that 100x over.
What other WWE jobbers became industry game-changers? For more wrestling, check out 10 Wrestlers WWE Protected In The WORST Way Possible and 8 New Directions For WWE After Backlash 2026!