WWE Rumors: Mick Foley Retiring After WrestleMania, Huge Shakeup Ahead For Raw

The WWE rumors are pointing to a WrestleMania retirement for Mick Foley and the potential for a big WWE Raw shakeup in his wake.

The rumors of Mick Foley’s retirement came from Cageside Seats, which noted that Foley wasn’t “expected to last past WrestleMania as Raw General Manager.”

The retirement rumor may not be much of a surprise to WWE fans. Late last year, Mick Foley opened up about the extent of his health troubles and hinted that the end of the line was ahead. In a long Facebook post to his fans, Foley explained that he needed a hip replacement but lacked health insurance to get the procedure done.

The post itself could be the source of the current WWE rumors about Mick Foley’s retirement, as he explained that he was in a position to leave WWE Raw at any time.

“For those wondering why the general manager of Raw needs to procure his own health insurance: well, I’m on a handshake deal. I do the job as long as I enjoy it and feel like I am making a difference, and I do it as long as WWE is happy with me and thinks I’m the best person for the role. No contract involved at all, except for the legends deal, which is strictly about merchandise. For those wondering why I just don’t pay out-of-pocket, well it’s a $60,000 operation, and I am going to look at some other options before I shell out 60K for an operation.”

Foley has since scheduled the surgery, but it will reportedly mark the end of his career in wrestling.

Mick Foley went on to tell fans that he would be back, but didn’t sound too certain about his future. He also hinted that a replacement might not be as in-tune with the wrestlers as he has been during his tenure.

“I should be back for almost every episode until that moment comes when/if the company decides to go in a different direction,” Foley wrote. “If they do, I will simply be grateful for every single day I had a chance to go out and try to make a difference. Some nights I was more successful than others. But deep down I think the superstars in the back know I was doing my best to look out for them – and they know that has not always the case when it comes to the people who fill these roles.”

If the rumors of Mick Foley’s WWE retirement are true, it would mean the end of a storied career that has lasted more than 30 years. Foley started wrestling as Cactus Jack in 1986, the Daily Star noted, and also competed as Dude Love and Mankind before eventually settling on his real name, Mick Foley.

Foley was known as a bruising wrestler, unafraid to take on big stunts like his 1998 Hell in a Cell match against The Undertaker in which he was thrown from a 30-foot steel cage onto a bed of thumb tacks, the Daily Star noted.

If the WWE rumor is true, it could mean a big shakeup for Raw after Mick Foley retires. He has made his mark on the general manager role, playing off a “Mick Foley is doing a terrible job” storyline with his usual gusto and keeping a connection for fans with a wrestling legend. His absence will leave a void in the show that will be difficult to fill, and could lead to a bold move from the WWE to bring in another longtime veteran.

There could also be a big exit if Mick Foley does end up retiring. In an interview on The Ross Report podcast, Mick Foley told Jim Ross that he always knew his days were numbered as general manager and said he hopes to go out on a high note.

“When my time is up, I hope Stephanie gets a heck of a promo out of it and it helps somebody,” he said (via WrestlingInc).

And while the storyline about Foley failing as general manager was kayfabe, all indications are that the rumors of his retirement due to health issues are very real.

Report:

WWE Is Discussing Ways To Write Mick Foley Off TV Due To Him Leaving For Hip Surgery, Possible Scenarios Are Injury Or Termination pic.twitter.com/v7opxZgXAe

— SW (@SliceWrestling) February 8, 2017

If the WWE rumors are true, then fans have just a few more weeks to enjoy watching Mick Foley as the Raw general manager before he retires from the role for good.

[Featured Image by JP Yim/Getty Images]