The Rock 'N Sock Connection: The Truth About Mick Foley And The Rock's Tag Team

When the WWF changed to the WWE, the name finally acknowledged what wrestling fans knew all along: that wrestling is about great entertainment. And more so than how successful individual wrestlers have been in terms of wins and titles, the sport's biggest names are remembered best for their effortless connection with the fans.

And in 1999, audiences were treated to one of the most charismatic — if unexpected — pairings in history, with the formation of the "Rock 'n Sock Connection," a tag team made up of two legends: The Rock — who has gone on to become one of Hollywood's biggest stars — and Mick Foley, the multi-persona wrestling great behind such characters as Cactus Jack, Mankind, and Dude Love, who is now himself a successful actor and writer. Bruce Pritchard, the Executive Director of WWE, explained the pairing's origins, giving initial credit to Foley (per Sportskeeda):

"It's very similar to what we did with Steve [Austin] and Mick with the Mankind thing," with the hope it would prove relatively long-lasting. "[B]both guys showed they had a chemistry working against each other, so the Rock n' Sock connection began. [They were] always highly entertaining and always ready to step up to the plate."

As described by Sportskeeda, The Rock and Mankind had history. In January 1999, The Rock had defeated Mankind to retain the WWF Championship, ending a feud the two personas had cooked up over the previous year. Teaming up for top-billed bouts against The Undertaker and Big Show throughout 1999, the Rock 'n Sock Connection soon become one of the sport's most beloved duos. But it was not their wins in the ring that set them apart.

Instead, what is most remembered of The Rock's famous collaboration with Mick Foley in the immediate and palpable chemistry between the two wrestlers, whose promos and non-wrestling antics drew audiences large enough to rival the matches themselves. The interplay between the two characters culminated in September 1999, when Mankind's hosting of a "This Is Your Life" segment for his tag team buddy (pictured above) became one of wrestling's most-watched — and remembered — non-wrestling spectacles, per Last Word On Sports.

A&E's "Biography" continues its "WWE Legends" series with an episode focused on Mick Foley on Sunday, May 30.