8 WWE Veterans That Turned Back The Clock

Mrs. Foley's baby boy hadn't stepped foot in a WWE ring in four years when he decided to make a comeback in early 2004. His reason for doing so was to get Randy Orton over as a top-tier heel. Orton had spent the last however many months cultivating a reputation as the 'Legend Killer', and insulted Foley by beating the sh*t out of him and then spitting directly in his face.

The two clashed in a 3-on-2 handicap match at WrestleMania XX and then once more in a blistering 8-man tag on the go-home episode of Raw before their huge blowoff in an Intercontinental Title street fight at Backlash. Foley had been protected up to that point, not having to wrestle for extended periods of time, and some wondered whether his knackered body could hold up in a long, pay-per-view match against a hot young upstart.

Foley, to his credit, had gotten himself in great shape for the match, hitting the treadmill and shedding some poundage for the occasion. He was taking this seriously and he looked lean and focused and entered a fantastic performance, bumping around like a madman and taking the requisite weapons-based punishment.

Orton was no passenger, of course, and took a lot of abuse himself - including a back bump on a bed of thumb tacks - but it was hard not to be impressed by Foley, who hadn't wrestled this type of match in four-and-a-half-years.

Foley looked great, the match came off as was intended and Orton was elevated in the eyes of the fans. Everyone was a winner in this one, even if Foley actually lost the match itself (dang those RKOs onto barbed-wire baseball bats).