"He had bad timing" - Former Superstar speaks honestly about Mark Henry's evolution in WWE
Mark Henry is one of the most respected names in the wrestling business whose lengthy WWE career had many memorable moments. Mark Henry joined the WWE in 1996, and it took him 12 years to win his first world title in the company - the ECW Championship,
Even though it came relatively late, Henry's run in 2011 and his reign with the Big Gold Belt solidified his status as a top-tier performer. Mark Henry's rise in the WWE was a gradual process, and everything fell into place for the powerhouse almost ten years after he began his career.
During the latest episode of 'The Kurt Angle Show' on AdFreeShow.com, Kurt Angle shared his opinions about Mark Henry's evolution as a wrestler.
Kurt Angle faced Mark Henry at Royal Rumble 2006 for the World Heavyweight Championship, and the Olympic gold medalist was asked about his experiences of working with the World's Strongest Man.
Angle said that he had a great time during his feud with Henry. Kurt Angle would go on to reveal the struggles that Mark Henry faced early on in his career.
Angle believed that Mark Henry's in-ring timing was off and that he had a tough time understanding the psychology of wrestling. Mark Henry's career was also affected by recurring injuries, and to make matters worse, Henry was nearing the ending of his 10-year WWE contract.
Angle stated that 2005 was an important year for Mark Henry as that's when it all clicked for the former Strongman. Mark Henry 'just go it' overnight and started looking like an accomplished in-ring worker. By 2006, Mark Henry had proved that he was capable enough to deliver in the ring.
"Well, Mark was great. The problem with Mark was he kept getting injured. He had bad timing. Things weren't going right for him. He wasn't getting it. He wasn't getting the psychology as well as he should have, and by 2005 a light switch went off in his head, and overnight, he just got it. It was like, this guy is a seasoned worker. He's really good, and It just happened."
That got him another 10-year contract: WWE rewarded Mark Henry for his improvement
Kurt Angle added that Mark Henry stepping up his game would have compelled Vince McMahon to give the veteran another long-term deal in the company.
"I think maybe Mark might be better under pressure, and you know, his 10-year deal was coming up, and he knew he had to refocus and show Vince McMahon that he could make it as a great worker in the business and he did. He did it. That got him another 10-year contract. So, you know, Mark did the right thing, and he improved, and by 2006, he was a seasoned veteran."
Mark Henry retired from in-ring competition in 2018 and has since taken up backstage roles in the company. The WWE Hall of Famer recently revealed that he was planning on making an in-ring return within the next six months.
What are your thoughts about Mark Henry's career, and would you like to see him return? Let us know in the comments section.
If any quotes are used from this article, please credit 'The Kurt Angle Show' and give a H/T to SK Wrestling