Mark Henry Officially Announces his In-ring Retirement after 21 years

Mark Henry has made sporadic appearances on WWE since Wrestlemania weekend, with many thinking he had taken some deserved time off, with age not being on his side and a lack of in-ring competition being made opportune for him. However, on the WWE’s most recent episode of Table for 3, including former Nation of Domination members Mark Henry, Col. Mustafa and Farooq, Henry would announce to his close friends that after 21 years with the WWE, he would officially be transitioning to a behind the scenes role, ultimately giving up on his wrestling career.

After almost two decades with the company, it does not come to much surprise that our favourite Hall of Pain ambassador has decided to hang up his boots. With the years winding down, you could tell that the “World’s strongest man” label was losing its moniker. Cracks began to show early in 2016 when he would face Big E in a singles match, in which the ending of the match did not go as planned due to Henry seemingly injuring himself during the match, more than likely breaking a rib, and unable to take Big E’s finisher. Following this, Henry would pursue a full fledge babyface role, representing his hometown Texas now more than anything else. Henry’s six second match with Titus O’Neil, labelled “The Tussle in Texas”, lasted a little over six seconds, yet still added significant comedic impact to the show.

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However, with all his flaws in his later years, you cannot deny that there where points in his career where he was truly a monster on a mission. Although he wasn’t as capable as some to produce high quality matches, he brought star power and overall in-ring dominance against whoever he faced. After years proving himself as the top monster, he would finally find the gimmick that would take him to his first world championship; The Hall of Pain. By destroying half the talent on the roster, Henry would make a warpath towards gold, finally winning his first WWE world championship after 16 years with the company.

He would also be involved in one of the best swerves in WWE history. In 2013, Henry would come out to the ring in his infamous salmon-coloured suit and had announced to the world that he was officially retiring from Wreslting. After a resounding ovation, World Champion John Cena made his way to the ring to say his last goodbye’s to Henry, only to receive The World’s Strongest Slam and be told that he was far from finished. He would have a single match with Cena at Money in the Bank, which arguably could be considered Henry’s best match.

In over two decades, Henry has left a lasting impression on wrestling fans with his unbelievable physique and overall capability to be one of the most intimidating big men in WWE history. Whether he was a babyface or a heel, fans brought in to his aura, and the natural charisma he had made him a force to be reckoned with. Thank you for everything, Mark.