How Long Does Henry Play Mentor To Big E. Before Turning?

[Jack-Hammer]

Over the past week, we've seen Mark Henry align himself with Big E. Langston in something of a mentor type role. At least, that's what it seems like to me. One commonality among these sort of veteran/rookie relationships is that they almost always break down and lead to them feuding. Either the rookie's ego starts to get out of control and he/she decides to dump the veteran or the veteran starts to become jealous while feeling overshadowed/threatened by the rookie. I'm expecting this to ultimately be the case for Henry and Langston.

I remember reading back in either May or June that WWE originally planned on having them feud, beginning with a series of "strongman" challenges and culminating with a match at SummerSlam. However, Henry's ongoing injury issues put the kibosh on that idea. So here we are now on the last day of November with Mark Henry having made his return and Big E. Langston the new Intercontinental Champion. Before too long, I think WWE will wind up having them feud not only to give Big E. a strong challenger for the IC title but to also establish Big E. as the new, young top level powerhouse of the company.

As for when I think this will go down, I'm expecting Henry to turn sooner rather than later. WWE likes to start things off fresh when the new year comes around, so I'm thinking that they'll have Henry turn on Big E. on 1-6-14, the first Raw of 2014 and set up a couple of matches between them at the Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber ppvs.

 

[Broski_of_the_week]

Personally I see the actual feud between the two not beginning until elimination chamber, they've started it a little too early imo but I think this is building the Big E. having his first big WM moment by hitting the Big Ending on Mark Henry at 'the Showcase of Immortals'. They tried it last year with Ryback but considering how it all happened at WM and his overall decline since, I can see a similar moment this year coming for Big E as the WWE will want to try and get it right this time rather than the shambles that was/is Ryback.

The way I see it playing out is they feud a little with ryback and a couple of tag teams until Elimination Chamber where they get a title shot against a heel team (Real Americans possibly?), and its at this point Henry turns. The reasoning doesnt matter so much but it'll probably just be a case of 'i've been trying to teach you but now i feel your getting too cocky/better than me' type of shtick which I would have been worried about but lets be honest, Henry is SOLID on the mic these days, ever since the Hall Of Pain era he's improved tenfold. This then means they can do a couple strong-men type competition angles building to WM (or possibly even include WM as a strongman competition between the two, but I think that would be awful even though Im sure Vince would love it). The feud will then continue over Extreme Rules and the next PPV before Big E gets into a main event feud. Although I'm not sure he's ready yet we may see a 2014 that is closed out with a Big E title win (less likely if theres only 1 title but still possible considering they want more powerhouses in the main event scene).

 

[Y 2 Jake]

Ideally at least 6 months. In reality probably 2.

Not that it matters. Langston doesn't need a mentor. He's achieved more in his first year on the roster than Mark Henry did in 10. It's a waste of time, they're together because they're big black dues who can lift heavy shit. Well done, add Ezekiel Jackson to the mix as well.

 

[Mustang Sally]

Hell, they'd better not wait too long in planning anything with Mark Henry. The days of his being a world champion are presumably over due to Mark's propensity to break down.....and for long, long periods of time, no less. Economically speaking, it's a real downer. Artistically, it's a true momentum killer.

Mark vs. Big E is a natural in terms of what we'd be seeing in the ring. If Vince McMahon likes the big guys, he's gonna love this feud, but Creative is always going to have the same problem in dealing with Mark Henry.

Don't waste too much time keeping them both good guys; get the thing going while you can since Mark is eternally just one match away from his next year-long rehab/vacation.

 

[Redemption-2012]

No sooner than WrestleMania if the WWE are smart and play their cards right. Mark Henry vs Big E Langston could make up for the failed Ryback/Henry feud which never clicked with the fans IMO. Have Big E get his first WrestleMania moment by going over Mark Henry at WrestleMania XXX in New Orleans.

 

[LODemolition]

According to an article I read on here, they are planning a Langston vs Henry match at the Royal Rumble. I'll be very disappointed if they rush this. I said as soon as Langston won the IC Title that the perfect Mania opponent for him would be Mark Henry. Similar backgrounds with them both being powerlifters and somewhat similar sizes. Henry is much bigger, but other than Ryback there's really no heel that matches up with him sizewise. Ryback should be built back up in the next month and feud with Langston from TLC through the Rumble. Then on Raw they could have a few tag matches: Langston & Henry vs Ryback & Axel.

If they turn Henry heel again leading up to the Rumble, it will be extremely rushed. And that will be the 2nd time in 6 months they rushed a turn for him. After he executed the "retirement" speech to perfection before MITB (which was promo of the year by far), they went and turned him face again just 2-3 weeks after.

Save this feud for WM30. It would easily make for the best IC Title match at WrestleMania since Regal and RVD at WM18. The only way I could agree with them facing at the Rumble is if Henry actually goes over and then Langston regains it at Mania. Langston shouldn't lose it for at least 6 months though, imo. Henry is the perfect guy for Langston to go over and give him real credibility.

 

[d_henderson1810]

I have never understood the love for Mark Henry by the regular wrestling fan.

If Henry is mentoring Big E, then expect Big E ringwork to go down the toilet. because Mark Henry is one of the worst wrestlers I have ever seen in WWE, and the fact that he has had a job for so long is damnable.

Now, it isn't because he is black (since, I bet, some will play the racist card). It is because he isn't as muscle-bound as he is overweight, his matches are rarely, if ever interesting, (Name me one Mark Henry classic which didn't involve weapons, gimmicks or a great in-ring worker to carry him. Can't, didn't think so). Also, he sweats like a pig in the ring. I also don't get why he has had a job for so long. Better and more interesting performers have been future-endeavoured, yet Henry hangs around like the unflushable turd in the toilet.

Henry has been around over 15 years, and yet remains largely irrelevant. He hasn't been pushed regularly as a big man main-eventer on a regular basis, meaning that WWE don't think he sells tickets, or he would be pushed like the Big Show. He isn't a midcarder, as he doesn't compete for the IC or US Title. He had one short, embarrassing stint as World Champion, 15 years after joing the company in a forgettable title reign. Mark Henry doesn't seem to fit anywhere, yet is kept around. Why?

Does he have incriminating photos of Vince McMahon? (I doubt that would work anyway, since Vince has shown over the years that he has no problems being embarrassed on "Raw" and "Smackdown", and any threat of exposing affairs is no big deal to him, since everyone, including Vince's wife, knows about his extra-curricular activities)

I remember that Mark Henry cut a retirement speech, but it turned into a swerve on John Cena. Too bad, Mark Henry offers nothing to the WWE anymore (like he ever did) and needs to be given his walking papers ASAP, not another run onscreen, and another forgettable feud, only to disappear for months afterwards.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Sooner rather than later is a must with Mark Henry. It's already been said, but you can't invest too much time in him, because Henry's too injury prone.

Why not have the match take place at TLC? It's already a lone must-see match pay per view anyways, and you can't take the chance of waiting too long with Henry. Seeing Big. E hit the Big Ending on Henry in front of all the flashing lights at Wrestlemania sounds like an ideal moment for him, but there's always the chance of Henry suffering another devastating injury out of nowhere.

Right now, WWE can use some of Henry's return momentum to help solidify Big. E's run as IC Champ with a win over Henry in a few weeks, because waiting for Wrestlemania is too risky on both sides.

 

[TheCookieMonster]

I personally think that we will see Henry turn on Langston some time around the RR, setting up a Mania Match, or perhaps at Elimination Chamber, if both of them are in an EC match i could see Henry laying Langston out and costing him the title. That for me, would be the ideal turn, but to be honest, you never know, but they may be together forever or depart mutually. WWE can alway surprise you.

 

[JoeFromTomsRiver]

I just hope they use Mark Henry's track record (retirement speech swerve) in the lead-up to the inevitable falling out with Big E. It will be impossible to believe that Big E isn't suspicious of Henry's intentions. And I think they're going that route.

 

[@smarkmouth]

I'm excited about this program. I agree Jack-Hammer that we're looking at a mentor relationship leading into a turn by one of them. However, I think they can still delay this turn further than the first Raw of 2014. We can definitely see some conflict through a game of one-ups-manship in those weeks, leading to Henry or Big E eliminating the other at the Rumble, followed by giving them both filler spots in an Elimination Chamber.

It's a tried-and-true story line formula that WWE hasn't overused, and also has a variety of play outs. I can't wait to watch it unfold.

 

[MCMG]

It depends on how well the combination works. Right now they are both adored by fans and the pair works well. If the crowd become less supportive then the WWE will quickly react and turn Henry. To be honest, I'm not overly keen on a Henry/Langston feud but looking at it right now, I wouldn't be shocked to see that at WM30.

There is only so much that can be done with these two together. The focus has to be on Langston. He is the guy with the incredible future and needs to be the more dominant in the pair. I don't know how often they team together but I can see them being together quite often. Langston should be getting pinfalls on doing the promos otherwise there is very little point.

 

[Richard Blonoff]

I have a feeling the feud will start around the RR. You have Big E eliminate Henry by himself, a fairly impressive feat and a decent little rub, and then use that to plant the seed of Henry turning on Big E, likely in a random throw away tag match, then they have a match at EC, with the payoff coming at Mania with Henry putting Langston over.

 

[#tamale]

Probably around RR. I don't think it will end with a Henry heel turn. It might end with someone "injuring" Henry and Big E looking for revenge against his attackers. I find that interesting instead of the same ol' mentor turning on his mentee or vice versa.

I thought there would be more talk of a possible Nation of Domination faction and me looking forward to the ensuing disappointment when it doesn't happen.

 

[thebarber]

hasnt Henry turned enough times in recent history? Why not Langston turn on Henry, the student turning on the teacher always works much better. As the new storyline arcs will not commence until after Wrestlemania season, I do not expect this feud to go any further than Wrestlemania, so I see the initial interaction of a possible heel turn happening at the Rumble, maybe Langston eliminates Henry in the Rumble match. Plans can change, they always do and personally there styles will be a train wreck to watch so I hope this isnt a Wrestlemania XXX matchup

 

[tvcolosi]

If the idea is Henry putting E over at the end, I would like to see that match at wrestlemania... and Hell, if E is going over, put the IC belt on the line too.. Help add prestige back to that title.