Mark Henry is a WWE Corridor of Famer, two-time Olympian, and legit “World’s Strongest Man.” Nonetheless, the street to the highest wasn’t simple for the Silsbee, Texan, from rising up in poverty to discovering himself in bother the place he frolicked in juvenile detention.
Henry may have simply been a cautionary story. Nonetheless, by ambition, drive, and a help system that believed in him, he powered by. The end result was conquering three sports activities the place the powerhouse athlete achieved worldwide fame. His inspiring story is the topic of the subsequent installment of Biography: WWE Legends.
Earlier than the premiere, Henry opens up in regards to the journey and what he hopes others take from it.
The documentary digs into your story, which transcends the weightlifting ground or professional wrestling ring. What does having this featured doc imply to you?
Mark Henry: It feels nice as a result of it’s a message to individuals which might be busting their ass who suppose that it’s by no means going to occur or work out. I’m a residing instance that for those who preserve your head down and preserve pushing and are keen to push the envelope and sacrifice a bit of bit, it is going to occur for you. I’ve been a world champion in three issues that don’t have anything to do with one another.
As a former Olympian, you communicate within the doc about how necessary it was so that you can keep clear whilst you have been competing and the way it bothered you when others weren’t. You have been additionally outspoken in regards to the sport of weightlifting and the necessity for change. The place do you suppose the game is now?
I spoke up in regards to the drug concern in sports activities lengthy earlier than the film got here out and folks knew the scandals. Tamás Aján, president of the Worldwide Weightlifting Federation on the Olympics, informed me, “Mark, it’s a must to cease speaking about medication. You’re going to get our sport kicked out of the Olympics.” I mentioned, “No, you not doing all of your rattling job goes to get us kicked out of the Olympics. Don’t put it on me.” Now right here we’re in 2024, we’ve a bunch of People which might be going to go to Paris, and we are able to presumably medal now as a result of they’ve made the drug testing guidelines higher. I want they’d accomplished it after I was lifting, however I’m simply blissful they did it and are working towards change. They didn’t do it due to me, however I’m glad it received accomplished.
Your spouse Jana speaks on the doc. It’s wonderful to see marriages inside professional wrestling stand the check of time, regardless of you being on the street so usually. What’s your secret?
We have been associates first. There have been occasions when you find yourself married you fall out of affection with one another, however for those who preserve your friendship and respect for one another, you possibly can all the time regain that love. We’ve been out and in of it and it’s by no means going to alter. She has been my greatest pal perpetually, my enterprise companion, my help system. The mom of my kids. You have got to have the ability to respect that. You’re a horrible human for those who can’t respect the one that rear your kids.
You open up about being bullied on the doc, as do your kids. How is it so that you can draw consideration to this ever-apparent concern and the way it’s even impacting the “World’s Strongest Man”?
I feel a whole lot of it’s training. There may be such a factor as David’s Legislation. Mother and father that watch the documentary, I need them to battle for change. In case you don’t give individuals penalties, they will preserve doing no matter. I work with WWE and so they have the Be a STAR marketing campaign. That was the primary time I had been in an anti-bullying marketing campaign. Little did I do know it could have an effect on my youngsters in the future. We as dad and mom have gotten mushy. The administrations are afraid of the dad and mom, so they have an inclination to not do essentially the most as a result of they don’t wish to lose their jobs. Generally if it’s a must to lose your job to maintain your honor and children secure; I feel for those who battle lengthy sufficient, you’ll get the job again. Then they’ll reevaluate who’s operating the system and so they’ll get fired.
There isn’t any motive these homosexual and lesbian youngsters ought to be getting bullied, little black and brown youngsters all around the world getting bullied. My son Jacob needed to sit with the Particular Olympics youngsters in school to maintain individuals from bullying him. The instructor ought to be strolling the cafeteria, playground, gymnasium and anyplace youngsters cling round. Folks must be extra accountable and take the initiative to do this and then you definately’ll have extra success. There ought to be some non-negotiables. In case you’re throwing racial expletives, you bought to go. In case you’re placing your palms on somebody, you bought to go. There may be a whole lot of work that must be accomplished.
WWE
It’s enjoyable seeing the movies of you and The Rock arising across the similar time. How do you mirror on working alongside him within the Nation of Domination? A bunch of men that doesn’t all the time get the credit score for the affect you all made.
The Nation of Domination was an awesome period as a result of it exhibits we have been all nice entertainers. As people and males, our lives look completely different outdoors the sector. The success of Ron Simmons, The Godfather, and D’Lo Brown, who ought to be within the WWE Corridor of Fame. Myself and The Rock have been two guys who received essentially the most eyes on us, however all of us had success. Then outdoors the Nation once we broke up, everybody succeeded.
The identical for DX the place everybody had success after…I’m nonetheless doing it at a excessive degree. WWE employs 5 folks that I introduced into wrestling who weren’t even eager about wrestling earlier than—Bianca Belair, Braun Strowman, Jade Cargill, Baron Corbin, Samantha Johnson [Irvin]. WWE, you’re welcome. It’s past scouting, it’s mentoring. Instructing psychology. Greater than that and wrestling, I train them the chain of command, easy methods to take care of the workplace, easy methods to be respectful of your job, and be aggressive. No one outworks my individuals. My individuals know if I felt like they have been slacking, I’d name them myself.
After all, the doc covers one of many best segments in professional wrestling, your “retirement” speech on Uncooked. Your loved ones thought you have been actually retiring at that time earlier than you pulled the swerve and attacked John Cena. You didn’t smarten them up beforehand? That’s subsequent degree.
I assumed it could have been even higher and a present to them to shock them. They get no matter they need. You should purchase stuff, however it is going to by no means equate to what that was to them. Similar factor with wrestling. No one noticed by me as a result of it was actual to me. That was my actual retirement speech. I did go into the Corridor of Fame and had one other speech, however I mentioned at my Corridor of Fame induction that it was my actual retirement speech. I mentioned every thing that wanted to be mentioned. I thanked everybody who wanted to be thanked and paid homage to the historical past of professional wrestling. I did my job. I left the enterprise higher than it was then after I got here into it.
WWE
How do you are feeling about John Cena’s retirement announcement?
I feel it’s superior. I’m so blissful for him. I feel that now he’ll have the ability to be appreciated the way in which that he ought to be appreciated. Folks needed John Cena to show heel. John Cena and Ricky Steamboat, lifetime babyfaces. That’s who they’re. That’s what they have been designed to be. They caught to their weapons. The New Day, too. Embrace it, find it irresistible, don’t name it goody two sneakers. The folks that boo John Cena and wished violence upon him again then, you all want a whooping. He ought to be revered.
You and your spouse talk about Vince McMahon and the way he all the time believed in you within the doc. With him amongst your largest supporters, how laborious has it been so that you can learn all these horrific headlines about him?
The Vince I do know and that taught me, I by no means noticed something. I by no means heard something detrimental like that. No matter that’s, that’s one thing he and God have gotten to take care of. It’s past me. The person educated me on this enterprise and informed me about this enterprise and what you ought to be doing on this enterprise and what you’re supposed to place into it. It’s not the illustration of what we’re seeing now. I hope he’s vindicated, but additionally if there may be somebody that was affected, if it was an actual factor and never a cash seize that dried up, then I hope that he’s punished as a result of he does deserve that.
I’ve been punished for issues. I wasn’t one of the best as a youth. Originally of the documentary, it is going to speak in regards to the juvenile jail stint and the way I used to be punished. I served my penance. All of us have our hills to climb. I’m a Christian. My religion in God tells me repentance is for everybody. Grace and mercy ought to be afforded to all people. Wherever or not in case you have it in your coronary heart, and the individuals seeing this have it of their coronary heart, that’s as much as them and God. Anyone that’s casting rocks and throwing stones appearing like they don’t have issues they’ve accomplished, mentioned, and thought that was out of character, do not forget that if you look within the mirror earlier than you begin speaking about different individuals.
The place do you see your self in place in professional wrestling at present? You lately completed up with AEW, however you possibly can nonetheless hear your ardour for the enterprise on Busted Open every week.
I’m pleased with my life. I’m operating All Caribbean Wrestling. We’re doing one thing particular within the Caribbean. WWE mentioned they have been open for enterprise. They don’t seem to be within the Caribbean. So, in the event that they wish to do enterprise with me, they know I’m simple to seek out. To not point out my model ReMarkable is one thing I’m pushing and wish to be successful, a automobile to assist different wrestlers make a residing for themselves outdoors the ring. You may go to www.TheMarkHenry.com.
Who is aware of? We may even see the subsequent era of Henry coming by WWE subsequent.
Jacob desires to be a professional wrestler greater than something on earth. I feel it’s going to occur. As soon as he graduates and will get his diploma, then he can begin wrestling, however not earlier than then. As quickly as he graduated highschool, he enrolled in lessons. He desires to graduate as quick as doable.
Biography: WWE Legends, Sundays, 8/7c, A&E
