AEW's Mick Foley Discusses Comparisons With Darby Allin

It's no secret that Darby Allin is a thrill-seeker and risk-taker in the wrestling ring. What was a secret to Mick Foley, though, was that Allin viewed him as a huge career influence.

During an interview with "The Sportster," Foley opened up about the similarities he noticed between them after this revelation.

"I mentioned on my first night in AEW that I remember him being the quiet kid who didn't speak up much. Then it was only John Moxley saying you have to see this kid, he can do anything, that I began to see an image of Darby Allin as a younger fan maybe not quite fitting in and seeing someone who made it cool to not fit in and who took chances," Foley said. "So I see Darby as someone who took the inspiration from Cactus Jack and added a whole lot of athleticism to it. Did things that I could have never done. He's created a hybrid style that borrows from me a little bit and from others who were far more athletic than me. He's made it his own."

Much like Allin channels his inner Mick Foley through his in-ring work, Foley noted that his own characters came from a blend of Bruiser Brody, Tommy Billington (Dynamite Kid), and a personal splash of Foley himself. Foley and Allin famously crossed paths at the 2026 Double Or Nothing event, which marked the former's AEW debut. The wrestling legend gave the former AEW World Champion a nod of approval; weeks later, he then publicly named Allin as his desired opponent if he were to return to the ring for another match.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "The Sportster" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.