A close-up of author and former wrestler Mick Foley holding a copy of his book, "Saint Mick: My Journey From Hardcore Legend to Santa's Jolly Elf," during a signing event. He is wearing a blue shirt with a festive Santa pattern.Mick Foley at Book Revue in Huntington, New York on October 19, 2017. Credit: Debby Wong / Shutterstock

We’d recommend this one no matter what, because Mick Foley is one of the most compelling characters the sport of professional wrestling has ever seen.

From his blood-soaked high-wire days as Cactus Jack to becoming a near-household name as Mankind during WWE’s most popular 1990s/2000s Attitude era, Foley enthralled and entertained throughout a decades-long career.

Foley is also a talented author and memoirist with a quick mind and stories to spare, all of which make this “40 Years of Foley” engagement at Side Splitters Tampa a win. But making it a more topical pick, Foley—a longtime face for WWE—recently broke all ties with the company for “coddling” Donald Trump in the wake of Trump’s attacks on Rob Reiner. It’s a bold and honorable move in a business where folks often take the money and keep their mouths shut.

True to the signs fans used to bring to shows, Foley is god.

Tickets to see Mick Foley at Side Splitters’ Carrollwood location in Tampa on Wednesday, Jan. 7 are still available and start at $45.

A version of this post first appeared at our sibling publication, Orlando Weekly.

This article appears in Dec. 25 – 31, 2025.

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