Mick Foley Names Randy Orton’s 2004 Backlash Match His Favorite of All Time

In 2004, Mick Foley made a triumphant return to the ring after four years of retirement, delivering one of the most memorable performances of his career. Foley, who initially stepped away from full-time wrestling following WWE WrestleMania 2000, came back at WrestleMania 20 to team with The Rock against Randy Orton, Ric Flair, and Batista in a star-studded match that, while iconic, wasn’t one of Foley’s personal favorites.

That all changed at WWE Backlash 2004 in a No Holds Barred Match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship. Foley faced off against Randy Orton in a brutal, career-defining showdown that Foley still considers his all-time favorite match.

In a recent video on the WWE Vault YouTube channel, Foley reflected on that unforgettable night, emphasizing how the match exceeded his expectations and helped elevate both himself and Orton.

“I was a big believer in the potential of Randy Orton,” Foley said. “[He had] ears and eyes wide open, and we were in a situation where he could help me have the type of match I needed to feel complete, and I could help him take that next step up the ladder. Given his age and experience, it was a performance for the ages.”

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Foley revealed that the match not only stands as his favorite, but he believes it’s Orton’s favorite as well. One of the most iconic moments of the night came when Foley, under his Cactus Jack persona, dropped a devastating elbow from the stage onto Orton, a move he considers the best of his career.

“This is the finest elbow I’ve dropped in my life, largely because of the camera shot that caught it. Boom, right into your living room,” Foley recalled. “This match had done exactly what I hoped it would do, and then some. It had helped put [Orton] on the map. He was already on the map, but now he was boldly placed. A star is born.”

Randy Orton, who was in the early stages of his career at the time, also looks back on the Backlash 2004 match fondly, viewing it as a pivotal moment in his rise to superstardom.

What do you remember most about Mick Foley’s match against Randy Orton at WWE Backlash 2004? Let us know in the comments below!