Mark Henry Officially Retires

[#hamler]

http://www.mandatory.com/wrestlezon...s-he-still-under-a-wwe-contract-more#/slide/1

Dave Meltzer is reporting in the latest edition of The Wrestling Observer Newsletter that former WWE World Champion Mark Henry is, “pretty much considered retired without any fanfare.

Not really surprised here. Henry's presence has been cut back significantly over the last couple of years and at 46 years old, he really has nothing left to do. Henry's pretty rare in that he pretty much came into his own toward the end of his career. His World Championship reign was one of the more entertaining runs in the company in some time. He's been a veteran over the years and is surely deserving of a Hall of Fame induction down the line.

Discuss Mark Henry's retirement. You would certainly think someone who's been with the company as long as he has certainly deserves a bit of a better send off? Maybe not.

 

[Richard Blonoff]

I remember a while back I was trying to find one of the real names of the competitors in the MYC, and I ended up one the WWE personnel Wikipedia page. Scrolling down I noticed it listed Mark Henry as retired and working backstage as an agent. I was a bit shocked, they made zero mention of it on TV. I think counting the ARMBAR at Wrestlemania he was only in four televised matches in 2017, so I'm not really surprised he is retired. I just thought he would at least get a mention. Spent about twenty years with the company and had some memorable moments, both good and bad. He didn't need to go out like Flair or Shawn, but no mention at all feels wrong.

 

[The Life Of Pablo Ren]

There aren't many people who actually get to retire with the company, and then when they do, WWE always handles them pretty well. With that in mind, it makes me think that the no fanfare idea probably came from Henry himself.

But yeah, this really isn't surprising at all. I'm glad they're keeping him on as an agent though because I've heard tons of stories from people about how nice and helping he is to them.

 

[Wolf Pac]

The first of what will probably be more retirements in 2018.

I believe Big Show mentioned last year that his WWE contract expires in February this year. The match he planned to have with Shaq at last year's Mania was supposed to be his retirement match. Doubt he'll get a final match or any fanfare as his sendoff. He hasn't been seen since his Steel Cage match with Braun Strowman last year, so I'm pretty sure his retirement will happen quietly just like Mark Henry's here.

Kane will probably retire this year. Nothing really left for him to do anymore and he's looking to go into politics. Just maybe a few matches here and there with Lesnar, Strowman & Balor and that's it.

Could see Rhyno retiring too.

As for why Mark Henry hasn't gotten a better sendoff, my guess is he already cut a retirement speech years ago (despite being a ruse), so there would be no point cutting one again even if this time it's genuine.

Will definitely miss Mark Henry as he was a part of my childhood. He was one of the last guys from the Attitude Era left on the roster. I loved his run in The Nation Of Domination, the storyline he had with Chyna where he tried to date her, and as Sexual Chocolate, which was hilarious to me (that awesome entrance theme, "It's Sexual, Baby! And I Wanna Give It All To You!"). The Hall Of Pain stuff was great too but I'll always take his Attitude Era stuff (yes, even his Mae Young angle too) over anything he did post-AE.

Thanks for the memories, Mark Henry.

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

Henry is a great example of someone who just needed some creativity from the company. He was essentially worthless due to not having anything decent given to him. His world title run was fantastic. He is living proof that wrestlers do in fact need the machine to help them out.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

Henry retiring quietly was always going to happen once he pulled the angle with Cena... as it succeeded in rejuvinating him for several more years. The affection shown to him prior to the attack on John was real, people were really sad to see him go... so he's been there, experienced it, he knows that the fans will appreciate him so why do another speech, lest you be thought of as "milking it..."

We're losing a lot of talents at the moment, Show's contract is up next month, if Kane wins his Mayoral race, he'll be gone and I don't imagine Goldust and R-Truth staying active much past this year either. This is likely why they are going so heavily into the indies to start replacing some of these talents.

 

[Jeff Deliverer of Mail]

I don't like the idea of such a long standing wrestler to retire quietly. I know it's most likely Mark's choice to do so but fuck that noise. This is pro wrestling man, give us one last Hall of Pain entry before bowing out.

 

[Psykohurricane55]

Good for him if that's what he wanted, it's a miracle that the guy lasted as long as he did especially in this day and age when everything is about in ring performance and if you're not a great technical wrestler, you're going to get shit on by the fans.

Now that he's retired and working backstage, i feel like he could be a great help to guys like Braun Strowman who are still new to the business and are in the monsters type characters. Also, i wouldn't be surprise if in the next few years he gets the Hall of Fame call because the guy do deserve to get inducted for everything he did and endured during his run.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Beginning in the second half of 2011, and continuing for really the next 1.5 to 2 years, Mark Henry was doing some outstanding work. His "Hall of Pain" angle coupled with his natural strength, his surprisingly good ability to talk smack while beating the piss out of people and the fact that he was genuinely intimidating was just a lot of fun. I've repeatedly asked myself, and others, over the years as to why WWE hadn't been doing that with him since the 90s.

As for him being officially retired, I already thought he had. I just thought that Henry had quietly retired after putting over Braun Strowman, that's the last time I can remember seeing him wrestle and that's been at least a year. Starting around 2013 to 2014, Henry's body really started to break down as he was getting hurt a lot and being on the shelf for extended periods; wrestling's a physical business anyway but you also have to take into account the sort of strain Henry's put on his body via decades of lifting massive amounts of weight. Henry started powerlifting when he was around 10, he was already around 250 lbs. by then; hell, I've read accounts stating that he was able to squat 600 lbs. by the time he was a high school freshman. So yeah, Henry being such a big guy and lifting such heavy weights has no doubt taken some sort of toil on his joints, muscles and ligaments, as has been a wrestler, so put on top that he's 46 and you've got someone who probably should've hung it up at least 4 or 5 years ago.

 

[Fire Marshall Bill]

Henry is a great example of someone who just needed some creativity from the company. He was essentially worthless due to not having anything decent given to him. His world title run was fantastic. He is living proof that wrestlers do in fact need the machine to help them out.

Exactly. The Hall of Pain is still one of my favorite heel runs because of how well it was booked. I believe it should be game tape for anyone looking to try a monster heel run. His promos were short and to the point, with simple but aggressive dialogue. Glad he got a chance before he got out. A shame he’s been practically nonexistent on camera before it was official.

 

[FromGlasgow]

I could be wrong but possibly the only full time wrestler I know of who has never wrestled outside of the WWE, Even more impressive was the length of time he was there. I still clearly remember his debut against Jerry Lawler which doesn't seem 22 years ago, I always found the guy entertaining to watch so deffinently deserving of a hall of fame induction. Sad to see him go but I'm not that surprised as I could see his career was winding down over the last couple of years and can't actually remember the last time I seen him on TV.

 

[FreezeIzGAWD]

You know while most of you Nerds were begging for BUMS like the Miz, Zach Rider and Daniel Bryant to get a deserved WWE TITLE run I was screaming that Mark Henry was and should have been the MAN!!!

There are Millions of people on the Earth and he LEGITIMATELY was one of the Strongest.

If the WWE was NOT as RACIST as Donald Trump he would have had a run as the BEST HEEL EVER.

He was Strowman before Strowman.

Mark was my favorite Wrestler PERIOD!

No he didn't do arm drags or 360 moonsaults but he could literally move CARS and Semis.

He was underappreciated by the WWE and you NET NERD Smarks.

He was a MONSTER in the ring who destroyed everyone and everything and I am sorry to see him go but wish him the best

Because

THATS WHAT I DO!!!

Farewell Mark!!!

 

[d_henderson1810]

At the risk of Dagger Dias again calling me a "hater" or a "racist" for daring to not fawn over someone, I never really rated Mark Henry.

He had his use. I liked his stuff with D-Lo, and did the big man role well. But I felt that he stayed around way too long, and wasn't used during that time.

Also, I found it a disgrace that Randy Orton wouldn't do the job to C.M. Punk and Christian, who were talented, yet dropped the belt to Mark Henry. I saw Henry's title run as a "long-term employee honoree award", (like the "Lifetime Achievement Oscar"). It was like when the Great Khali won the WWE Title.

I feel that Henry was kept around partly because he was black, and maybe Vince thought releasing him would bring criticisms in some quarters of "racism". You know how some people like to scream "Racist!" at any opportunity (Dagger Dias, I'm looking at you), when the real reason for sacking Henry would be that he sucked in the ring and wasn't that great on the mike either, and I would say the same whether he was black or white (cue Michael Jackson song).

The only time people even cheered Henry was during the "fake" retirement speech, and that is only because he levelled the "hated" John Cena. If a IWC fave had interrupted instead, and Henry had taken him out, then it would have been met with the sound of crickets, like most things Henry did was.

When your career highlight is a "sex addict" storyline and impregnating Mae Young and fathering a hand, then that speaks volumes on your impact in the industry. When the only things you are remembered for happened 20 years ago, that speaks volumes.

I won't miss him. I just fear that the WWE will put him into the Hall-Of-Fame. If that happens, then I will feel like those who think the HoF is a joke because Koko B. Ware is in. Hey, at least "The Birdman" could be entertaining once in a while, Henry never was.

PS Watch as Dagger Dias responds to me, saying how I am a hater, and bringing up "Stone Cold" Steve Austin (who I did not reference), Daniel Bryan (who I did not reference in this post) and dismiss what I say because I am probably bagging one of his faves again, and then he uses his position as a mod to give me a warning.

 

[d_henderson1810]

You know while most of you Nerds were begging for BUMS like the Miz, Zach Rider and Daniel Bryant to get a deserved WWE TITLE run I was screaming that Mark Henry was and should have been the MAN!!!

There are Millions of people on the Earth and he LEGITIMATELY was one of the Strongest.

If the WWE was NOT as RACIST as Donald Trump he would have had a run as the BEST HEEL EVER.

He was Strowman before Strowman.

Mark was my favorite Wrestler PERIOD!

No he didn't do arm drags or 360 moonsaults but he could literally move CARS and Semis.

He was underappreciated by the WWE and you NET NERD Smarks.

He was a MONSTER in the ring who destroyed everyone and everything and I am sorry to see him go but wish him the best

Because

THATS WHAT I DO!!!

Farewell Mark!!!

You do realise that was trick photography, right? You do realise that many of those feats were achieved outside, where cars can be rigged up and camera angles can be shot different ways.

The "Strongest Man In The World" thing was a gimmick. I suppose you think that Mark Callaway can legit shoot thunderbolts from his hands as well, and "rise from the dead".

If Mark Henry is literally that strong, then I would like to see him enter a Mr Universe contest, and let's see if he can win it.

 

[d_henderson1810]

The first of what will probably be more retirements in 2018.

I believe Big Show mentioned last year that his WWE contract expires in February this year. The match he planned to have with Shaq at last year's Mania was supposed to be his retirement match. Doubt he'll get a final match or any fanfare as his sendoff. He hasn't been seen since his Steel Cage match with Braun Strowman last year, so I'm pretty sure his retirement will happen quietly just like Mark Henry's here.

Kane will probably retire this year. Nothing really left for him to do anymore and he's looking to go into politics. Just maybe a few matches here and there with Lesnar, Strowman & Balor and that's it.

Could see Rhyno retiring too.

As for why Mark Henry hasn't gotten a better sendoff, my guess is he already cut a retirement speech years ago (despite being a ruse), so there would be no point cutting one again even if this time it's genuine.

Will definitely miss Mark Henry as he was a part of my childhood. He was one of the last guys from the Attitude Era left on the roster. I loved his run in The Nation Of Domination, the storyline he had with Chyna where he tried to date her, and as Sexual Chocolate, which was hilarious to me (that awesome entrance theme, "It's Sexual, Baby! And I Wanna Give It All To You!"). The Hall Of Pain stuff was great too but I'll always take his Attitude Era stuff (yes, even his Mae Young angle too) over anything he did post-AE.

Thanks for the memories, Mark Henry.

I think it has gone past so quietly because no-one really cares enough.

Part of that is Henry himself. Other than being big and strong, he brings little to the table. Undertaker, Kane, Big Show and even Strowman bring more in the "big man" department than Henry ever did.

Part of it is also the WWE creative. If Henry was as good as you say, then WWE should have gone all the way with him, all the time. He should have got the Brock role, or maybe ended the Streak (I still think a new guy should have ended it, but Henry doing it, after a sustained push, would have been better than that POS Lesnar beating Taker). He should have been booked dominant, and have a regular spot on PPVs. But over the years, the WWE will push him, then forget about him after a couple of months. This happened during his World Title run, and also during his feud with Cena. The WWE didn't use him in a way that forced the fans to care about him.

His retirement won't affect ratings points for RAW or Smackdown.

 

[d_henderson1810]

I could be wrong but possibly the only full time wrestler I know of who has never wrestled outside of the WWE, Even more impressive was the length of time he was there. I still clearly remember his debut against Jerry Lawler which doesn't seem 22 years ago, I always found the guy entertaining to watch so deffinently deserving of a hall of fame induction. Sad to see him go but I'm not that surprised as I could see his career was winding down over the last couple of years and can't actually remember the last time I seen him on TV.

I seem to recall that the Rock never wrestled outside of WWE either. I know he isn't full-time now, but he was at one time, and I think he came up through the WWE development system and then wrestled for WWE.