I'm shocked how saddened I would be if Henry was legitimately done at this point. He really found his groove and I actually found myself looking forward to watching him wrestle against top guys. Get well soon, Mark!
I don't think Mark has particularly improved over the years, I think it just took them a ridiculously long time to book him into his natural niche. Hope he is OK.
I like how nobody even pretends to have been a Mark Henry fan back in the day, before it was the "cool" thing to do. This whole situation was just begging for people to come out and say they'd been fans of the guy "since Day 1" or some shit like that. But no, nothing.
Get well soon Mark.
Sincerely, A Fan Since Day 1... of the 7th month... of the year 2011.
This. I always liked him as a kind of bumbling "player" as Sexual Chocolate, but you're right, once they went the with the Vader type of character, it finally seemed to click.
He's been way more enjoyable in the last year - his matches on RAW with CM Punk show he can have decent outings with the right opponent. It would have been less painful having a Cena/Henry summer feud coming up other than Cena/Big Show, that's for sure
when he injured batista in the cage he got a huge push and even a world title shot against angle.
then he was transferred to ecw and got tye title and paired with atlas. that when he really took off as a big monster.
then he went to raw as a face and got over doin a mini raw program against orton and legacy but then they forgot abt him and stuck him with mvp.
this latest push just stuck cuz of his underrated mic skills. telling the story of a 15yr vet being overlooked and a quick catchphrase "house of pain" and kayfabe injuring bigger guys. if u let him talk he will get over... same as a lot of guys but on SD he had that freedom to talk and bam... he got over and the title.
It's the beard. Anyone who can grow an awesome beard like that is gonna be a true superstar. Daniel Bryan's fancy "wrestling" does nothing for me, I watch for the facial hair, man.
It was pretty cool to watch him finally "get it" in terms of timing and showing personality in the ring. I thought it really started to show once he went to ECW and then coming so close to breaking out as a face when he turned on Orton during his return to Raw.
But his most important accomplishment was this past year when he broke out of the mold that WWE creates for every big man (random monster that serves comeuppance or punishment...a GM or authority figure would set up a match with Kane, Big Show, Khali, or Henry whenever he/she wanted to punish somebody). His matches with Big Show, Orton, Bryan, and Punk this past year were things of beauty. After years of earning DUDs and 1 star for his matches, it seemed almost impossible for him to have a match worth less than 2 stars for the past year. Weird...but pretty friggin cool.
He by far had the most impressive turn around of a wrestler I've seen in quite a while.
heres to a speedy recovery, and hopefully a couple more years of entertaining us because you have busted your ass like none other the past year big fella.
Yeah, I noticed that too - but that'd be a fiction that was impossible to substantiate or justify, so I think the usual band of people who come scurrying to the aid of an old hand finally made good had the sense to keep schtum on this occasion. I mean, considering he was signed in 1996, and was barely ever featured on WWE television (much less PPV) for 6 fucking years (including a 2 year demotion to OVW), it'd be difficult to say you were a fan since day one, because there was sod all to be a fan of.
I liked his run with D'Lo and was .. maybe not a HUGE fan, but I never, ever was on the Hate Henry Bandwagon that pretty much the whole internet was on for 12 years.
Anyone who is interesting in TNA is interesting IN SPITE of TNA. see AJ Styles/Austin Aeries. Mark needs good booking to stay over and TNA and good booking is,well...
He definitely was one of the best monster heels in ages. It was great to see a guy so dominant that even guys like Kofi and JoMo had an "oh shit" look as they reluctantly got in the ring. And he also made the belt worth something; he didn't act like it was something he would get back in a few months if he lost, he worked 15 years for it and would do anything to keep it on him. Good to see him finally work on getting healed up; best of luck to Mark.
I was audibly rooting for him in the Orton encounters and realized that I couldn't believe that in 2012 i'd be rooting for Mark F'n Henry. He handled his end of that feud quite well.
I wish he would've just gone under the knife when he first got hurt and his character wouldn't have suffered unnecessary damage.
One of the most enduring visuals will be Randy Orton going for a last gasp RKO, only for Henry to shrug him off and then slam the hell out of him for the win and the World title.
His theme just seems so suited for him. The beat just reminds me of in Beyond the Mat when Jim Johnston is explaining how he tries to match entrance music to the way a wrestler walks, that's exactly how "Some Bodies Gonna Get It" is with Henry. He should hire someone to follow him around and just play that on a boombox.
I say if he does retire, good for him. He's done well for himself in the last year but what's the point in hanging around until the novelty wears off and everyone hates him again? He won the World title, main evented some PPVs, got himself over, and after 15 years he can say he was a success. I'd say burn out rather than fade away, at this point.
Plus, he was pretty gold with his lines once he found that character.
"What's this do?" *smash* "NOW IT DONT DO NUTHIN!" "Now you take your HEH-HEH-HEAVY BREATHING...and you take that droolin somewhere else!" "You got guts...too bad I gotta spill em all over that ring!"
FWIW, I was a huge Mark Henry supporter during his ECW title reign...when he was doing much the same thing as he's been doing for the past year. Then, for whatever reason, they abandoned that to have him lounging in hot tubs with Hornswaggle for a few years.
what a strange wold we live in, one where Mark Henry finally got over. get well soon Mark
ReplyDeleteI don't think Mark has particularly improved over the years, I think it just took them a ridiculously long time to book him into his natural niche. Hope he is OK.
ReplyDeleteWell, he was injured for like...six months?
ReplyDeleteI like how nobody even pretends to have been a Mark Henry fan back in the day, before it was the "cool" thing to do. This whole situation was just begging for people to come out and say they'd been fans of the guy "since Day 1" or some shit like that. But no, nothing.
ReplyDeleteGet well soon Mark.
Sincerely,
A Fan Since Day 1... of the 7th month... of the year 2011.
This. I always liked him as a kind of bumbling "player" as Sexual Chocolate, but you're right, once they went the with the Vader type of character, it finally seemed to click.
ReplyDeleteHe's been way more enjoyable in the last year - his matches on RAW with CM Punk show he can have decent outings with the right opponent. It would have been less painful having a Cena/Henry summer feud coming up other than Cena/Big Show, that's for sure
ReplyDeletemark henry has been over since late 06-07.
ReplyDeletewhen he injured batista in the cage he got a huge push and even a world title shot against angle.
then he was transferred to ecw and got tye title and paired with atlas. that when he really took off as a big monster.
then he went to raw as a face and got over doin a mini raw program against orton and legacy but then they forgot abt him and stuck him with mvp.
this latest push just stuck cuz of his underrated mic skills. telling the story of a 15yr vet being overlooked and a quick catchphrase "house of pain" and kayfabe injuring bigger guys. if u let him talk he will get over... same as a lot of guys but on SD he had that freedom to talk and bam... he got over and the title.
Plus his success in the movie Precious allowed fans to see his more vulnerable side.
ReplyDeletehttp://johnsimondaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/prec.jpg
It's the beard. Anyone who can grow an awesome beard like that is gonna be a true superstar. Daniel Bryan's fancy "wrestling" does nothing for me, I watch for the facial hair, man.
ReplyDeleteThey had a great Sting/Vader thing goin' on.
ReplyDeleteIt was pretty cool to watch him finally "get it" in terms of timing and showing personality in the ring. I thought it really started to show once he went to ECW and then coming so close to breaking out as a face when he turned on Orton during his return to Raw.
ReplyDeleteBut his most important accomplishment was this past year when he broke out of the mold that WWE creates for every big man (random monster that serves comeuppance or punishment...a GM or authority figure would set up a match with Kane, Big Show, Khali, or Henry whenever he/she wanted to punish somebody). His matches with Big Show, Orton, Bryan, and Punk this past year were things of beauty. After years of earning DUDs and 1 star for his matches, it seemed almost impossible for him to have a match worth less than 2 stars for the past year. Weird...but pretty friggin cool.
Have you seen Bryan's beard! it's the epitome of manliness
ReplyDeleteGetting pushed and Getting Over are two very different things, ask Bobby Lashley.
ReplyDeleteYeah, Henry/Orton was a great little feud too.
ReplyDelete****1/2 comment
ReplyDeleteNo he was over. Not like over but he was indeed over.
ReplyDeleteThey would just forget about him after a few weeks and go back to Cena/Orton.
He by far had the most impressive turn around of a wrestler I've seen in quite a while.
ReplyDeleteheres to a speedy recovery, and hopefully a couple more years of entertaining us because you have busted your ass like none other the past year big fella.
much respect.
He also currently has one of the best themes in wrestling
ReplyDeleteMark Henry in TNA could be interesting. Been a long time since TNA got a WWE guy that didn't have a mile of baggage.
ReplyDelete1,000,000 % this.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I noticed that too - but that'd be a fiction that was impossible to substantiate or justify, so I think the usual band of people who come scurrying to the aid of an old hand finally made good had the sense to keep schtum on this occasion. I mean, considering he was signed in 1996, and was barely ever featured on WWE television (much less PPV) for 6 fucking years (including a 2 year demotion to OVW), it'd be difficult to say you were a fan since day one, because there was sod all to be a fan of.
ReplyDeleteSweet Jesus, that thing has a penis!~!
ReplyDeleteI liked his run with D'Lo and was .. maybe not a HUGE fan, but I never, ever was on the Hate Henry Bandwagon that pretty much the whole internet was on for 12 years.
ReplyDeleteBut I like the hosses.
I Just had a thought, wouldn't a Mark Henry return where he eliminates like 10 guys at the royal rumble be awesome
ReplyDeleteAnyone who is interesting in TNA is interesting IN SPITE of TNA. see AJ Styles/Austin Aeries. Mark needs good booking to stay over and TNA and good booking is,well...
ReplyDeleteWas just going to say, if I don't ever get to hear Mafia on my WWE broadcasts again I'll be very sad.
ReplyDeleteMark Henry has enough bad gimmick karma for three whole careers. Get well soon, silverback.
ReplyDeleteI didn't like him since day one I saw him wrestle against Jerry Lawler or what it was.
ReplyDeleteHe definitely was one of the best monster heels in ages. It was great to see a guy so dominant that even guys like Kofi and JoMo had an "oh shit" look as they reluctantly got in the ring. And he also made the belt worth something; he didn't act like it was something he would get back in a few months if he lost, he worked 15 years for it and would do anything to keep it on him. Good to see him finally work on getting healed up; best of luck to Mark.
ReplyDeleteI was audibly rooting for him in the Orton encounters and realized that I couldn't believe that in 2012 i'd be rooting for Mark F'n Henry. He handled his end of that feud quite well.
ReplyDeleteI wish he would've just gone under the knife when he first got hurt and his character wouldn't have suffered unnecessary damage.
Wow, I'm embarrassed to say I had no idea Three Six Mafia did his theme. Explains why I like it so much.
ReplyDeleteEhh...the goatee part is all man, the sideburn area is all pubescent boy.
ReplyDeleteSo why exactly was he working with an injury for six-eight months again? So they could what, totally damage him for no fucking reason?
ReplyDeleteSeriously. We've been waiting for the guy to bow out since before the goddamn Rumble.
I hope he comes back but at the same time with his age I don't expect them to ever rally push him again so maybe it's best he just stay gone.
Dude has way more than enough to live the rest of his life in comfort, fuck taking bumps for nothing.
One of the most enduring visuals will be Randy Orton going for a last gasp RKO, only for Henry to shrug him off and then slam the hell out of him for the win and the World title.
ReplyDelete...about as likely as seeing Pat Buchanan getting an award from the NAACP.
ReplyDeleteHis theme just seems so suited for him. The beat just reminds me of in Beyond the Mat when Jim Johnston is explaining how he tries to match entrance music to the way a wrestler walks, that's exactly how "Some Bodies Gonna Get It" is with Henry. He should hire someone to follow him around and just play that on a boombox.
ReplyDeleteI say if he does retire, good for him. He's done well for himself in the last year but what's the point in hanging around until the novelty wears off and everyone hates him again? He won the World title, main evented some PPVs, got himself over, and after 15 years he can say he was a success. I'd say burn out rather than fade away, at this point.
ReplyDeletePlus, he was pretty gold with his lines once he found that character.
ReplyDelete"What's this do?" *smash* "NOW IT DONT DO NUTHIN!"
"Now you take your HEH-HEH-HEAVY BREATHING...and you take that droolin somewhere else!"
"You got guts...too bad I gotta spill em all over that ring!"
I liked when after months of those Johnny Curtis pun promos: "Oh I got one. Break a leg."
ReplyDeleteFWIW, I was a huge Mark Henry supporter during his ECW title reign...when he was doing much the same thing as he's been doing for the past year. Then, for whatever reason, they abandoned that to have him lounging in hot tubs with Hornswaggle for a few years.
ReplyDelete"fuck taking bumps for nothing."
ReplyDeletethis. this. this.