WWE Hall of Famer hated his character created by Vince McMahon

WWE legend Mick Foley has disclosed that he didn't like the Mankind character that he portrayed in WWE. Foley stated that the mask constricted his breathing, but the character helped him win over WWE Chairman Vince McMahon.

Jim Ross, who was in charge of talent relations, wanted to bring in Mick Foley from ECW in the 90s, but McMahon was against it. The WWE Chairman budged only on one condition: Foley would have to wear a mask in WWE.

On the Talking Tough show, Foley explained why he was not a fan of the Mankind character, but also acknowledged how important it was for his WWE career.

“I hated that character because the mask was so… It really constricted my breathing, you know? With the leather underneath the nose. I needed as much oxygen as I could suck in anyway. But it came about because Jim Ross was a big advocate of mine, and Mr. McMahon was never interested in me. He thought I didn’t look like a star. And finally, my name came up in 1995, in the fall, he slammed it on the table, and he said, ‘Alright, I’ll bring him in, but I’m covering up his face,'" said Mick Foley. (H/T WrestlingInc)

The WWE legend said that over time he was able to add some realism to the character, especially during his feud with The Rock.

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Mankind's feud with The Rock in WWE

Mankind's rivalry with The Rock, in a way, helped WWE beat WCW in the ratings war. An inadvertent slip-up by WCW, who informed the audience on their program that Mankind had defeated The Rock on WWE television made fans switch to WWE, with Vince McMahon's company winning the ratings war that night.

The Rock and Mankind/Mick Foley had a long rivalry in WWE which was an integral part of the Attitude Era. The duo also teamed together as The Rock 'n' Sock Connection.