Direct　ethanol　fuel　cells　(DEFCs)　using　biomass-derived　fuel　is　a　promising　sustainable　energy　conversion　system　for　enabling　a　carbon-neutral　society.　However,　such　an　imperative　task　is　impeded　by　the　stability-deficiency　of　powdery　catalysts　and　the　activity-weakness　of　bulk　non-noble　metal　catalyst　for　the　ethanol　oxidation　reaction　(EOR).　In　the　present　study,　a　surface-modification　strategy　for　activating　the　EOR　ability　of　bulk　non-noble　nickel　foam　is　demonstrated.　The　anchored　MnO2@Au　nanorods　on　nickel　foam　induced　strong　interfacial　interactions　between　the　nickel　foam　and　MnO2　nanorods　as　well　as　Au　nanoparticles,　providing　not　only　more　reactive　sites　but　also　enhanced　ion　transportation.　Resultantly,　the　functionalities　of　the　bulk　nickel　foam　as　both　a　current　collector　and　catalyst　were　integrated　into　one　alliance.　Benefiting　from　such　a　hieratical　microstructure　and　well-defined　composition　design,　the　MnO2@Au-modified　bulk　nickel　foam　presented　31%　increase　in　steady　current　density　at　1.8　V　vs.　RHE,　28%　decrease　in　the　Tafel　slope,　and　40%　more　reactive　sites　compared　with　the　bare　nickel　foam,　outperforming　most　nickel-based　candidates.　Such　a　special　surface-structure　reconstruction　embraced　the　current-collector　functionality　together　with　the　catalytic　functionality,　which　mitigates　the　stability-weakness　puzzle　for　powdery　catalysts　and　activity-deficiency　for　bulk　nickel　current　collectors　at　the　same　time,　providing　new　insights　for　the　design　of　electrodes　for　DEFCs.