12 Things WWE Owes To Mick Foley

4. Putting Randy Orton Over In A Big Way

When Cactus Jack faced Randy Orton at Backlash 2004, the young prodigy was already on his way to becoming a top WWE star. In early-2003, he'd helped form 'Evolution' alongside Batista, Triple H and Ric Flair. That was proof that WWE were very much interested in fast-tracking him to the top, but his feud with Mick Foley did wonders for him. There's a trend forming on this list, and not accidentally. Foley has enhanced many performers he's worked with over the years, but he arguably topped himself with Orton. At WrestleMania XX, Foley teamed with The Rock to face Orton, Batista and Flair. That wasn't enough for Mick, he wanted to put Randy over in a big way. That would happen at Backlash, and the results were spectacular. To this day, Foley still considers his 'Hardcore Match' against Orton from that Pay-Per-View as his greatest ever. The Intercontinental Title was up for grabs, and the younger star would leave the prize. Both men bled heavily, again showing the sacrifice the aging veteran was willing to make to aid the promotion's quest to replace the top names of his own generation.