Mick Foley thinks Vince McMahon's retirement was second shortest in WWE history

In early 2000, Mick Foley took a six-week break from professional wrestling, making it one of the shortest retirements in history. He had to leave the ring after losing to Triple H at the No Way Out pay-per-view inside of Hell in a Cell in February, but an opportunity came knocking at WrestleMania 2000. In addition to noting his own brief absence, Foley talked about Vince McMahon’s alleged claim to the “second shortest retirement in WWE history.”

Foley explained McMahon’s potential incentive for returning on “Foley Is Pod, “His life and his family revolved around the business. So that was one of my concerns [when Vince initially left]. ‘What is he going to do? What is he going to do [to fill his time]?’ I can’t imagine him not being there behind in that Gorilla Position. It would seem like something was amiss if he wasn’t there behind it.”

With Triple H, The Big Show, and The Rock as his opponents, Foley competed for the WWF Championship in the WrestleMania 2000 main event. While Foley took a second break from the ring for a considerably longer period of four years, “The Game” went on to retain his belt.

McMahon stated in July 2022 that he would be essentially resigning from his position as chairman and CEO of WWE. However, that plan wouldn’t last long as McMahon returned to WWE six months later, restoring himself to the WWE Board of Directors, and after Stephanie McMahon left, taking over as Executive Chairman of the board.

Mick Foley on the portions of his history that he would change

WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley had the pleasure of facing Triple H in a Hell in a Cell retirement match at WWE “No Way Out 2000,” but for those who knew “The Hardcore Legend,” his illustrious career didn’t end there. Six weeks later, Foley made a quick comeback as a participant in the Triple H, Big Show, The Rock, and Foley’s main event match at “WrestleMania 2000.”

Foley would compete in over a dozen more WWE matches before leaving the organization to resume his career in TNA Wrestling, where he would eventually win the World Heavyweight Championship. Foley’s final official appearance in a WWE ring was when he competed at the WWE “Royal Rumble” in 2012. Foley would officially retire from in-ring action in 2013.

All good stories must come to an end, and for Foley, “No Way Out” in 2000 would have been the perfect place to depart.

“Yeah, it really is, it’s the perfect exit,” Foley said, during the first episode of “Foley is Pod.” “If I could re-write my own history, I never would’ve wrestled again. I would’ve had to come back against Randy [Orton at WWE “Backlash” 2004] because you’re allowed one comeback match. I would’ve done the tag with The Rock, followed it up with the match against Randy and then never wrestled again.

“I think everyone accepts that you’re going to have one comeback match, but I wouldn’t have done a match six weeks later [at “WrestleMania 2000″]. I would’ve done those two matches and that would’ve been it.”