Mark Henry facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mark Henry
Henry in December 2018
Birth name	Mark Jerrold Henry
Born	(1971-06-12) June 12, 1971 (age 52) Silsbee, Texas, U.S.
Children	2
Family	Kevin Henry (cousin)
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Mark Henry Markswoggle
Billed height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Billed weight	360 lb (160 kg)
Billed from	Silsbee, Texas
Trained by	Leo Burke Tom Prichard
Debut	March 11, 1996
Retired	April 27, 2018

Medals and competitions
Men's Weightlifting
Representing  United States
Pan American Games
Silver	Mar Plata 1995	+108kg
Gold	Mar Plata 1995	+108kg
Bronze	Mar Plata 1995	+108kg
Strongman
Representing  United States
Arnold Strongman Classic
1st	2002 Arnold Strongman Classic
Powerlifting
Representing  United States
WDFPF World Powerlifting Championships
1st	1995	+145kg
USAPL National Powerlifting Championships
1st	1995	+145kg
1st	1997	+145kg
USPF National Powerlifting Championships
2nd	1990	+125kg v
International Junior Powerlifting Championships
1st	1991	+125kg
Weightlifting
Representing  United States
NACAC Championships
1st	1996	+108kg
U.S. National Weightlifting Championships
4th	1991	+110kg
3rd	1992	+110kg
1st	1993	+108kg
1st	1994	+108kg
1st	1996	+108kg
USA Weightlifting American Open Championships
2nd	1991	+110kg
1st	1992	+110kg
U.S. Olympic Festival Championships
1st	1993	+108kg
1st	1994	+108kg
U.S. National Junior Weightlifting Championships
1st	1991	+110kg

Mark Jerrold Henry (born June 12, 1971) is an American former powerlifter, Olympic weightlifter, strongman, and professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as a commentator/analyst, coach, and talent scout. He is best known for his 25-year career in WWE.

Henry is a two-time Olympian (1992 and 1996) and a gold, silver, and bronze medalist at the Pan American Games in 1995. As a powerlifter, he was WDFPF World Champion (1995) and a two-time U.S. National Champion (1995 and 1997) and once held an American record in the deadlift. Currently, he still holds the WDFPF world records in the squat, deadlift and total.

In weightlifting, Henry was a three-time U.S. National Weightlifting Champion (1993, 1994, 1996), an American Open winner (1992), a two-time U.S. Olympic Festival Champion (1993 and 1994) and a NACAC champion (1996). He held all three Senior US American weightlifting records in 1993–1997.

In strongman, Henry won the inaugural Arnold Strongman Classic in 2002.

Since joining the World Wrestling Federation (now WWE) in 1996, he became a one-time WWF European Champion and a two-time world champion, having held the ECW Championship in 2008, and WWE's World Heavyweight Championship in 2011. First winning the ECW Championship, he became only the fourth black world champion in WWE history (after The Rock, Booker T, and Bobby Lashley).

In April 2018, Henry was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2018.

Early life

Henry was born in the small town of Silsbee in East Texas, 90 miles northeast of Houston. As a child, he was a big wrestling fan and André the Giant was his favorite wrestler. While attending a wrestling show in Beaumont, Texas, young Henry tried to touch André as he was walking down the aisle, but tripped over the barricade. André picked him up out of the crowd and put him back behind the barricade. When Henry was 12 years old, his father, Ernest, died of complications from diabetes. When he was 14 years old, Henry was diagnosed with dyslexia.

Henry comes from a family in which almost all of the men are larger than average, especially his great uncle Chudd, who was 6 ft 7 in, weighed approximately 500 lb (230 kg), never had a pair of manufactured shoes, and was known as the strongest man in the Piney Woods of East Texas.

Henry played football in high school until his senior year, when he strained ligaments in his wrist during the first game of the year and scored below 700 on the SAT.

Powerlifting career

Henry appears to push a tank

By the time Mark Henry was in the fourth grade, he was 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) and weighed 225 lb (102 kg). His mother bought a set of weights for him when he was ten years old. During Henry's freshman year at Silsbee High School, he was already able to squat 600 lb (270 kg), which was well over the school record. As an 18-year-old high school senior, Henry was called "the world's strongest teenager" by the Los Angeles Times, and made it into the headlines in early 1990 for winning the National High School Powerlifting Championships and setting teenage lifting world records in the squat 832 lb (377 kg) and total 2,033 lb (922 kg). By the time Henry finished high school, he was a three-time Texas state champion with state and national records in all four powerlifting categories—the squat at 832 lb (377 kg), bench press at 525 lb (238 kg) and deadlift at 815 lb (370 kg) as well as the total at 2,033 lb (922 kg).

At the Texas High School Powerlifting Championships in April 1990, Terry Todd, a professor of kinesiology at the University of Texas at Austin and former weightlifter, spotted Henry and persuaded him to go to Austin after he graduated to train in the Olympic style of weightlifting. In July 1990 at the USPF Senior National Powerlifting Championships, 19-year-old Henry came second only to the legendary six-time World Powerlifting Champion Kirk Karwoski. While powerlifting relies primarily on brute strength and power, which Henry obviously possessed, Olympic weightlifting is considered more sophisticated, involving more agility, timing, flexibility and technique. There have been few lifters in history who have been able to be successful in both lifting disciplines. Mastering the technique of weightlifting usually takes many years of practice, but Henry broke four national junior records in weightlifting after only eight months of training. In April 1991, he won the United States National Junior Championships; 20 days later he placed fourth at the U.S. Senior National Championships, and finished sixth at the Junior World Weightlifting Championships in Germany two months later. Only few weeks afterwards, he became 1991's International Junior Champion in Powerlifiting as well. In Henry's first year in competitive weightlifting, he broke all three junior (20 and under) American records 12 times, and became the United States' top Superheavyweight, surpassing Mario Martinez.

At the age of 19, Henry had already managed to qualify for the weightlifting competition at the 1992 Summer Olympics, where he finished tenth in the Super- Heavyweight class. Ten months before the 1992 Olympics, Henry had begun training with Dragomir Cioroslan, a bronze medalist at the 1984 Summer Olympics, who said that he had "never seen anyone with Mark's raw talent". After the Olympics, Henry became more determined to focus on weightlifting and began competing all over the world. In late 1992 he took the win at the USA Weightlifting American Open and further proved his dominance on the American soil by winning not only the U.S. National Weightlifting Championships, but also the U.S. Olympic Festival Championships in 1993 and 1994. At the 1995 Pan American Games Henry won a gold, silver and bronze medal.

Hebry won the ADFPA U.S. National Powerlifting Championships in 1995 with a 2,314.8 lb (1,050.0 kg) raw Powerlifting Total. Despite competing without supportive equipment in contrast to the other competitors, Henry managed to outclass the lifter in second place by 286 lb (130 kg), defeating not only five-time IPF World Powerlifting Champion and 12 time USAPL National Powerlifting Champion Brad Gillingham, but also America's Strongest Man of 1997 Mark Philippi. In the process he set all-time world records in the raw deadlift at 903.9 lb (410.0 kg) and the squat without a squat suit at 948.0 lb (430.0 kg) as well as the all-time raw total at 2,314.8 lb (1,050.0 kg). Later that same year in October, he competed in the Powerlifting World Championships and won again, even though he trained on the powerlifts only sparingly—due his main focus still being on the two Olympic lifts. He not only become World Champion by winning the competition but also bettered his previous all-time squat world record to 953.5 lb (432.5 kg) and his all-time world record total to 2,336.9 lb (1,060.0 kg).

In 1996 Henry became the North America, Central America, Caribbean Islands (NACAC) Champion. He earned the right to compete at the Olympics by winning the U.S. National Weightlifting Championships in the Spring of 1996 for a third time. During his victory Henry became Senior US American record holder (1993–1997) in the Snatch at 396.83 lb (180.00 kg), Clean and jerk at 485 lb (220 kg), and Total at 881.8 lb (400.0 kg), improving all of his three previous personal bests. No one in the history of the sports had ever lifted as much as him in the five competitive lifts—the snatch and the clean and jerk in weightlifting—the squat, bench press and deadlift in powerlifting.

In the months prior to the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, Henry received more attention and publicity than any lifter in recent United States history. He guested at Jay Leno, Conan O'Brien and The Oprah Winfrey Show and was featured on HBO Inside Sports and The Today Show. He was also featured in dozens of magazines including U.S. News & World Report, People Vanity Fair, ESPN The Magazine and Life. During this period he connected with WWE owner Vince McMahon for the first time, which led to him signing a 10-year deal as professional wrestler.

Henry improved his lifts to 407 lb (185 kg) in the snatch and 507 lb (230 kg) in the clean-and-jerk during his final eight weeks of preparation for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Henry at 6-foot-4-inches tall and 414 lb (188 kg) bodyweight, became the largest athlete in Olympic history and was voted captain of the Olympic weightlifting team. Unfortunately, he suffered a back injury during the competition and was unable to approach his normal performance level. Due to the injury he had to drop out after his first clean and jerk attempt and finished with a disappointing 14th place. His appearance at the Olympics proved to be his last official competition in Olympic weightlifting, as he retired from weightlifting, vowing never to return unless the sport is "cleaned up" of anabolic steroid use.

Since his career start as a professional wrestler shortly after the Olympics, he broke his leg in the fall of 1996. But by the summer of the following year he had rehabilitated enough to be able to compete at the USAPL National Powerlifting Championships 1997, where he won the competition to become the U.S. National Powerlifting Champion in the Super Heavyweight class again. He had planned to continue heavy training in powerlifting, although his travel schedule as a professional wrestler with the WWF (now WWE) has made sustained training difficult. Mark's WWF contract was unique in many ways, allowing him at least three months off each year from wrestling, so he can train for the national and world championships in weightlifting or powerlifting. Barring injury, Mark had originally hoped to return to the platform in late 1998, to lift for many more years, and to eventually squat at least 1,100 lb (500 kg) without a "squat suit" and to deadlift 1,000 lb (450 kg).

Although in early 1998 he was still able to do five repetitions in the bench press with 495 lb (225 kg), three repetitions in the squat with 855 lb (388 kg) (with no suit and no knee wraps), and three repetitions in the standing press with 405 lb (184 kg) in training, while traveling with the World Wrestling Federation, he never returned to compete again in official championships in favor of his wrestling career. He weighed 380 lb (170 kg) at that time, and his right upper arm was measured at 24" by Terry Todd. :When asked in September 2003, who the strongest man in the world is today [2003], Bill Kazmaier, considered by many to be the greatest strongman of all time, stated: "It would have to be Mark Henry. [...] I think he's one of the strongest men in the history of the world, without a doubt."

Mark Henry in December 2011

Personal powerlifting records

Powerlifting Competition Records

done in official Powerlifting full meets

• Squat – 953.5 lb (432.5 kg) raw with knee wraps (done on October 29, 1995 WDFPF)

→ current WDFPF world record squat in SHW class (+regardless of weight class and equipment) since 1995

→ former all-time unequipped squat world record for over a decade in SHW class until 2010 (+regardless of weight class until 2007)

• Deadlift – 903.9 lb (410.0 kg) raw (done on July 16, 1995, ADFPA (USAPL))

→ former all-time raw world record deadlift in SHW class until 2010 (+regardless of weight class until 2009)

• Powerlifting Total – 2,336.9 lb (1,060.0 kg) (953.5 + 518 + 865 lb (432.5 + 235.0 + 392.4 kg) / 2,336.9 lb (1,060.0 kg) (953.5 + 518.1 + 865.3 lb (432.5 + 235.0 + 392.5 kg)) raw with wraps (done on October 29, 1995 WDFPF)

Career aggregate Powerlifting Total (best official lifts) – 2,442.7 lb (1,108.0 kg) (953.5 + 585.3 + 903.9 lb (432.5 + 265.5 + 410.0 kg))

Weightlifting Competition Records

done in official competition

• Snatch: 396.8 lb (180.0 kg) (done at 1996's U.S. Nationals)

→ Senior US American snatch record 1993–1997 in SHW class (+regardless of weight class)

• Clean and jerk: 485.0 lb (220.0 kg) (done at 1996's U.S. Nationals)

→ Senior US American clean&jerk record 1993–1997 in SHW class

• Weightlifting Total: 881.8 lb (400.0 kg) – snatch: 396.8 lb (180.0 kg) / clean&jerk: 485.0 lb (220.0 kg) (done at 1996's U.S. Nationals)

→ Senior US American weightlifting total record 1993–1997 in SHW class (+regardless of weight class)

Combined lifting records

• official weightlifting total + official powerlifting total = Combined Supertotal:

881.8 lb (400.0 kg) + 2,336.9 lb (1,060.0 kg) = 3,218.7 lb (1,460.0 kg) raw with wraps

• 5 official weightlifting & powerlifting lifts combined – the snatch + the clean-and-jerk and the squat + bench press + deadlift = Five-Lift-Combined-Total:

396.8 lb (180.0 kg) + 485.0 lb (220.0 kg) + 953.5 lb (432.5 kg) + 858.3 lb (389.3 kg) + 903.9 lb (410.0 kg) = 3,324.5 lb (1,508.0 kg)

Professional wrestling career

World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment/WWE

Early career (1996–1997)

At the age of 24, Henry made his first appearance on World Wrestling Federation (WWF) programming on the March 11, 1996 episode of Monday Night Raw, where he press slammed Jerry Lawler, who was ridiculing Henry while interviewing him in the ring. After Henry competed in the 1996 Summer Olympics, the WWF signed him to a ten-year contract. Trained by professional wrestler Leo Burke, his first feud in the WWF was with Lawler. At the pay-per-view event, SummerSlam in August 1996, Henry came to the aid of Jake Roberts who was suffering indignity at the hands of Lawler. His debut wrestling match was at In Your House: Mind Games on September 22, 1996, where he defeated Lawler. The feud continued on the live circuit during subsequent weeks. On the November 4 episode of Raw, Henry served as a cornerman for Barry Windham in a match against Goldust. He was set to team with Windham, Marc Mero and Rocky Maivia to take on the team of Lawler, Goldust, Hunter Hearst Helmsley and Crush at Survivor Series, but was replaced by Jake Roberts when he was forced to withdraw from the event due to injury. On the November 17 episode of Superstars, Henry defeated Hunter Hearst Helmsley, Crush and Goldust in a tug of war contest. Henry's career was then stalled as, over the next year, he took time off to heal injuries and engage in further training. In November 1997, he returned to the ring, making his televised return the following month. By the end of the year, he was a regular fixture on WWF programming, defeating Steve Lombardi on the December 15 episode of Raw, and beating The Sultan on the December 27 episode of Shotgun.

Nation of Domination and ****** Chocolate (1998–2000)

Henry joined the faction with Farooq, The Rock, Kama Mustafa, and D'Lo Brown on January 12, 1998. After The Rock usurped Farooq's position as leader, Henry switched loyalties to The Rock. He also competed at WrestleMania XIV in a tag team Battle Royal with Brown as his partner, but they did not win. After short feuds against Ken Shamrock and Vader, Henry participated in his faction's enmity against D-Generation X, which included a romantic storyline with DX member Chyna. When The Nation disbanded, he engaged in a short feud with The Rock, defeating him at Judgment Day: In Your House with help from Brown, and then forming a permanent team with Brown, gaining Ivory as a manager.

During the next year, Henry gave himself the nickname "****** Chocolate", adopting a ladies' man character. He first resumed his storyline with former enemy Chyna, but it ended with her betraying him in a controversial angle including a transvestite. During a match at the August 1999 SummerSlam pay-per-view between Brown and Jeff Jarrett for the WWF Intercontinental and WWF European Championships (both held at the time by Brown), Henry turned on Brown and helped Jarrett win the match and the titles. The next night, Henry was awarded the European title by Jarrett in return for his help. Henry lost the title one month later to Brown at the Unforgiven pay-per-view.

After this twist, Henry turned into a fan favorite, and was seen on television romancing WWF veteran wrestler Mae Young as part of the "****** Chocolate" character. He feuded with Viscera during this time, as part of a storyline where Viscera splashed Mae Young while she was carrying Henry's child. Young later gave birth to a hand.

Ohio Valley Wrestling and strongman competitions (2000–2002)

In 2000, Henry was sent to Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) to improve his conditioning and wrestling skills. In OVW, he teamed with Nick Dinsmore to compete in a tournament for the OVW Southern Tag Team Championship in mid-2001. Later that year, Henry's mother died, causing him to go on hiatus from wrestling. He felt he had to compete in the "Super Bowl of weight lifting"—the Arnold Strongman Classic—in honor of his mother, who gave him his first weight set when he was a child.

Four months prior to the contest, Henry began lifting the heaviest of weights and trained for the first time since 1997 for a major lifting competition. He had never been a professional strongman before, but in the coming contest he was to face the very best of the best of professional strongmen, such as the #1 ranked strongman in the world, and defending World's Strongest Man competition winner of 2001 Svend Karlsen, World's Strongest Man winner of 2006 Phil Pfister, World Powerlifting Champion of 2001 and equipped deadlift world record holder Andy Bolton, World Muscle Power Champion, Olympic weightlifting Champion Raimonds Bergmanis, and reigning America's Strongest Man of 2001 Brian Schoonveld.

On February 22, 2002, in Columbus, Ohio the competition, consisting of four events, designed to determine the lifter with the greatest overall body power, began. Henry surprised everybody when he won the first event, setting a world record in the process by lifting the Apollon's Axle three times overhead. Only three men in history had ever been able to press it at all. By deadlifting 885 lb (401 kg) for two repetitions in the second event and easily pushing a 5,000 lb (2,300 kg) or more Hummer with nearly flat tires in the third event, Henry kept his lead continuously throughout the competition and never gave it up again. In the final "Farmer's Walk"-event Henry quickly carried the roughly 850 lb (390 kg) of railroad ties up an incline, winning the whole competition convincingly to capture the winning prize — a US$75,000 Hummer, a vacation cruise and $10,000 cash.

Since Henry had only trained for four months and defeated the crème-de-là-crème of worldwide strongmen, who had been practicing for years, his win was a shock for strongman experts worldwide, but remained basically unnoticed by the wrestling audience. Henry proved to be worthy of the title "World's Strongest Man" not only by winning the contest, but also by achieving it in record time. By doing so he was again seen as the legit "strongest man in the world" by many lifting experts for a second time since 1996.

ECW Champion (2007–2009)

After a short hiatus, Henry returned to WWE programming on the October 23 episode of ECW, attacking Kane, along with The Great Khali and Big Daddy V. Henry then began teaming with Big Daddy V against Kane and CM Punk, and was briefly managed by Big Daddy V's manager, Matt Striker. At Armageddon, Henry and Big Daddy V defeated Kane and Punk. Before WrestleMania XXIV aired, Henry participated in a 24-man battle royal to determine the number one contender for the ECW Championship, but failed to win.

Henry as ECW Champion with Tony Atlas

As part of the 2008 WWE Supplemental Draft, Henry was drafted to the ECW brand. At Night of Champions, Henry defeated Kane and Big Show in a triple threat match to capture the ECW Championship in his debut match as an ECW superstar. This was his first world championship in WWE, which also made him the fourth African-American world champion in WWE history. Upon winning the title, it was made exclusive to the ECW brand once again. Henry's title win came nearly a full decade after he was awarded the European Championship, which was back in 1999 and the only title he held in WWE. A few weeks later, Hall of Famer Tony Atlas returned to WWE to act as Henry's manager. Shortly after, ECW General Manager, Theodore Long, unveiled a new, entirely platinum ECW Championship belt design. In August, Henry defended the title against Matt Hardy at SummerSlam after getting himself disqualified; however championships cannot change hands via disqualification, meaning that Henry retained the title. Henry later lost the title to Hardy at September's Unforgiven in the Championship Scramble match.

Henry attempted to regain the championship throughout the end of 2008, and had a match against Hardy at No Mercy, but failed as he was unsuccessful. Henry and Atlas then engaged in a scripted rivalry against Finlay and Hornswoggle, which included Henry losing a Belfast Brawl to Finlay at Armageddon. At the start of 2009, Henry qualified for the Money in the Bank ladder match at WrestleMania 25, and was involved in a series of matches with the other competitors on Raw, SmackDown, and ECW. He was unsuccessful at WrestleMania, however, as CM Punk won the match. In May, Henry began a rivalry with Evan Bourne, which began after Bourne defeated Henry by countout on the May 26 episode of ECW.

Tag team championship pursuits (2009–2011)

Henry before a tag team match with Montel Vontavious Porter

On June 29, Henry was traded to the Raw brand and redebuted for the brand that night as the third opponent in a three-on-one gauntlet match against WWE Champion Randy Orton, which he won, turning Henry into a face in the process. In August 2009, Henry formed a tag team with Montel Vontavious Porter and the two challenged the Unified WWE Tag Team Champions Jeri-Show (Chris Jericho and The Big Show) for the title at Breaking Point, but were unsuccessful. They stopped teaming afterwards, becoming involved in separate storylines, until the February 15, 2010 episode of Raw in which they defeated the Unified WWE Tag Team Champions The Big Show and The Miz in a non-title match. The next week they challenged The Big Show and The Miz in a title match but were unsuccessful. At Extreme Rules, Henry and MVP fought for a chance to become number one contenders to the Unified WWE Tag Team Championship, but were the second team eliminated in a gauntlet match by The Big Show and The Miz. Ultimately, The Hart Dynasty (Tyson Kidd and David Hart Smith) won the match.

Henry mentored Lucky Cannon in the second season of NXT. Cannon was eliminated on the August 10 episode of NXT. In September, Henry began teaming with Evan Bourne, starting at the Night of Champions pay-per-view, where they entered a Tag Team Turmoil for the WWE Tag Team Championship. They made it to the final two before being defeated by Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre. The team came to an end in October when Bourne suffered an injury and was taken out of action. Henry then formed a team with Yoshi Tatsu on the November 29 episode of Raw, defeating WWE Tag Team Champions Justin Gabriel and Heath Slater, after a distraction by John Cena. They received a shot at the championship the next week, in a fatal four-way elimination tag team match, which also included The Usos and Santino Marella and Vladimir Kozlov. Henry and Tatsu were the first team eliminated in the match.

World Heavyweight Champion (2011–2012)

On the April 25, 2011 episode of Raw, Henry was drafted to the SmackDown brand as part of the 2011 WWE draft. In the main event of the night, Henry attacked his teammates John Cena and Christian, turning heel in the process. On the May 27 episode of SmackDown, Henry participated in a Triple Threat match against Sheamus and Christian to decide the number one contender to the World Heavyweight Championship, which was won by Sheamus. On the June 17 episode of SmackDown, Henry was scheduled to face an angry and emotionally unstable Big Show, who warned Henry not to get into the ring; Henry ignored the warning and Big Show assaulted him before the match could begin. This act ignited a feud between the two; Henry attacked Big Show both backstage and during matches while on the July 1 episode of SmackDown, Big Show's music played during Henry's match against Randy Orton, causing Henry to be counted out and costing him a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship. Henry reacted by destroying the audio equipment and attacking a technician. Henry faced Big Show in a singles match at Money in the Bank and won. After the match, Henry crushed Big Show's leg with a chair, (kayfabe) injuring him, an act Henry later referenced as an induction into the "Hall of Pain". Henry did the same to Kane on the next episode of SmackDown, and in the months ahead, Vladimir Kozlov and The Great Khali suffered the same fate.

Henry as World Heavyweight Champion

On the July 29 episode of SmackDown, Henry was informed that he could no longer compete as no one dared to fight him, but Sheamus interrupted, saying that he wasn't afraid of Henry before slapping him. At SummerSlam, Henry defeated Sheamus by count-out after slamming him through a ring barricade. On the August 19 episode of SmackDown, Henry won a 20-man Battle Royal to become the number one contender for the World Heavyweight Championship to face Randy Orton at Night of Champions, and throughout weeks on SmackDown and Raw, Henry regularly attacked Orton, getting an advantage over him. At Night of Champions, Henry defeated Orton to win the World Heavyweight Championship for the first time. Henry successfully defended the title against Orton at Hell in a Cell in a Hell in a Cell match.

On the October 7 episode of SmackDown, Big Show returned and chokeslammed Henry through the announce table, thus earning a title shot against Henry at Vengeance. During the match, Henry superplexed Big Show from the top rope, causing the ring to collapse from the impact and the match to be ruled a no contest. Henry began a feud with the Money in the Bank briefcase holder Daniel Bryan on the November 4 episode of SmackDown, challenging Bryan to a non-title match to prove that Bryan could not become champion. During the match, Big Show knocked out Henry, making him win by disqualification. Big Show then urged Bryan to cash in his contract, but Henry recovered and attacked both Bryan and Big Show before the match could start. At Survivor Series, Henry retained the World Heavyweight Championship against Big Show after a low blow that disqualified Henry. Angered by Henry's cowardice, Big Show crushed Henry's ankle with a steel chair. On the November 25 episode of SmackDown, Henry was knocked out again by Big Show, at which point Bryan cashed in his briefcase for a title match and quickly pinned Henry. However, SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long revealed that Henry was not medically cleared to compete and voided the match, so Henry remained champion and the briefcase was returned to Bryan. Later that night, Bryan won a fatal-four-way match to face Henry for the World Heavyweight Championship in a steel cage. On the November 29 episode of SmackDown, Henry defeated Bryan in a steel cage match to retain the World Heavyweight Championship.

Then at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs, Henry lost the World Heavyweight Championship to Big Show in a chairs match. After the match, Henry knocked Big Show out, resulting in Daniel Bryan cashing in his Money in the Bank contract to win his first World Heavyweight Championship. On the January 20 episode of SmackDown, Bryan retained the championship against Henry in a lumberjack match after Bryan provoked the lumberjacks to come in and attack them to cause a no contest. At the 2012 Royal Rumble event, Henry faced Bryan and Big Show in a triple threat steel cage match for the World Heavyweight Championship; Bryan escaped the cage to retain the title. On the February 3 episode of SmackDown, Henry was suspended indefinitely (in storyline) by SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long, after Henry physically accosted Long as he demanded a one-on-one rematch that night with Bryan. In reality, Henry had hyper-extended his knee the previous week. Henry returned to in-ring action on the February 20 episode of Raw, losing to Sheamus. On the April 2 and 9 episodes of Raw, Henry faced CM Punk for the WWE Championship which he won by count-out and disqualification; as a result, Punk retained his title. On the April 16 episode of Raw, Punk defeated Henry in a no-disqualification, no count-out match to retain the WWE Championship. On May 14, Henry announced he was going under a career-threatening surgery for an injury.

Retirement and WWE Hall of Famer (2017–2021)

Following WrestleMania 33, Henry retired and transitioned into a backstage producers role. He later made his return in a backstage cameo at the Raw 25 Years event in January 2018. On March 19, 2018, it was announced that Henry would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by Big Show, who was one of his closest friends in WWE. On April 27, at the Greatest Royal Rumble, Henry participated in the event's Royal Rumble match, scoring 3 eliminations, but was himself eliminated by Daniel Bryan and Dolph Ziggler. In early 2019, Henry took on a backstage mentoring role helping talent work on their off-air attitude, including cleanliness and respect in the locker room.

Henry appeared on the January 4, 2021 episode of Raw, on its Raw Legends Night special, where in he appeared riding on a scooter due to an injured leg. He was verbally confronted by Randy Orton in what was his final appearance in WWE.

All Elite Wrestling (2021–present)

Henry made his debut for All Elite Wrestling (AEW) on May 30, 2021, at Double or Nothing where it was announced that he will be a part of the commentary team for its new show AEW Rampage, as well as a coach.

Personal life

Henry has an older brother named Pat. He lives in Austin, Texas with his wife Jana, son Jacob, and daughter Joanna. He also has a two-foot ferret named Pipe. He drives a Hummer that he won in the 2002 Arnold Strongman Classic. On September 10, 2012, Henry served as one of the pallbearers for actor Michael Clarke Duncan's funeral.

In March 2019, Henry pledged to donate his brain to CTE research once he dies.

Filmography

Film

Video games

Henry appears in the following licensed wrestling video games:

Championships, records, and accomplishments

Powerlifting

• Championships Participation – High School Level
  • Two times 1st place in Texas State High School Powerlifting TEAM Championships (in Division I under Silsbee High School)
  • 1st place in Texas State High School Powerlifting Championships 1988 in SHW division
  • 1st place in Texas State High School Powerlifting Championships 1989 in SHW division
  • 1st place in Texas State High School Powerlifting Championships 1990 in SHW division
  • 1st place in National High School Powerlifting Championships 1990 in SHW division at age 18
  • results: Powerlifting Total – 2,033 lb (922 kg) (832 + 501 + 700 lb (377 + 227 + 318 kg)+
• Championships Participation – Junior&Senior Level
  • 1st place in International Junior (20–23) Powerlifting Championships 1991 in SHW division at age 20
  • 2nd place in Men's USPF Senior National Championships 1990 in SHW division at age 19
    • results: Powerlifting Total – 2,006.2 lb (910.0 kg) (365.0 + 212.5 + 332.5 lb (165.6 + 96.4 + 150.8 kg)
  • 1st place in ADFPA (USAPL) National Powerlifting Championships 1995 in SHW division at age 24
    • results: Powerlifting Total – 2,314.8 lb (1,050.0 kg) (948.0 + 462.9 + 903.9 lb (430.0 + 210.0 + 410.0 kg) raw with wraps
  • 1st place in WDFPF World Powerlifting Championships 1995 in SHW division at age 24
    • results: Powerlifting Total – 2,336.9 lb (1,060.0 kg) (953.5 + 518.1 + 865.3 lb (432.5 + 235.0 + 392.5 kg) raw with wraps
  • 1st place in USAPL National Powerlifting Championships 1997 in SHW division at age 26
    • results: Powerlifting Total – 2,248.7 lb (1,020.0 kg) (903.9 + 496.0 + 848.8 lb (410.0 + 225.0 + 385.0 kg) raw with wraps
• Records*
  • Teen III (18–19 years) Level
    • Teen-age World Records in the squat at 832 lb (377 kg) and total at 2,033 lb (922 kg) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class) set in April 1990 at The National High School Powerlifting Championships at age 18
    • Teen-age US American Records in the squat at 832 lb (377 kg), bench press 501 lb (227 kg), dead lift 700 lb (320 kg) and total at 2,033 lb (922 kg) set in April 1990 at The National High School Powerlifting Championships at age 18
    • Texas state and US American Teen-age record holder in all four powerlifting categories – the squat at 832 lb (377 kg), bench press at 525 lb (238 kg) and deadlift at 815 lb (370 kg) as well as the total at 2,033 lb (922 kg) at age 19.
    • Current Texas state and US American Teen-age record holder in the squat at 936.75 lb (424.90 kg) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class) since 1991
  • Collegiate Level
    • Current Texas State Collegiate Record holder in the squat at 936.75 lb (424.90 kg) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class) since 1991 (best in America as well but not registered as such)
  • Junior Level (20–23 years)
    • Current Texas State Junior Record holder in the deadlift at 850 lb (390 kg) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class) since 1995 (best in America as well but not registered as such)
  • Senior Level (24+ years)
    • Current Texas State Record holder in the squat at 954 lb (433 kg), the deadlift at 950 lb (430 kg) and the total at 2,337 lb (1,060 kg) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class) since 1995
    • Former All-time raw (unequipped) squat World Record holder at 948 lb (430 kg) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class) from July 16, 1995, to October 29, 1995
    • Former All-time raw (unequipped) squat World Record holder at 953.5 lb (432.5 kg) in SHW class from October 29, 1995, to June 7, 2010** (+regardless of weight class until November 4, 2007***)
    • Former All-time raw (unequipped) deadlift World Record holder at 903.9 lb (410.0 kg) in SHW class from July 16, 1995, to May 23, 2010**** (+regardless of weight class until July 4, 2009*****)
    • Current All-time raw (unequipped) squat World Record holder at 953.5 lb (432.5 kg) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class) since October 29, 1995
    • Current All-time raw (unequipped) deadlift World Record holder at 903.9 lb (410.0 kg) in SHW class only since July 16, 1995
    • Current All-time raw (unequipped) Powerlifting Total World Record holder at 2,336.9 lb (1,060.0 kg) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class) since October 29, 1995
    • Current All-time American Record holder in the raw deadlift at 903.9 lb (410.0 kg) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class) since July 16, 1995
    • Current American Record holder in the deadlift at 903.9 lb (410.0 kg) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class and equipment) since July 16, 1995
    • Current All-time US National Championship Record holder in the deadlift at 903.9 lb (410.0 kg) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class and equipment) since July 16, 1995
  • Federation Records
    • World Drug-Free Powerlifting Federation (WDFPF) World Records
      • Current WDFPF World Record holder in the squat at 953.5 lb (432.5 kg), the deadlift at 865.3 lb (392.5 kg) and the total at 2,336.9 lb (1,060.0 kg) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class and equipment) since October 29, 1995 (categorized as "open equipped", despite performed in singlet&knee sleeves only/without suit)
    • U.S.A. Powerlifting (USAPL) US American Records
      • Current USAPL US American Record holder in the deadlift at 903.9 lb (410.0 kg) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class and equipment) since July 16, 1995
      • Current US National Championship Record holder in the deadlift at 903.9 lb (410.0 kg) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class and equipment) since July 16, 1995
• Special Powerlifting Honors
  • "The World's Strongest Teen-ager" by the Los Angeles Times in April 1990.
  • Mark Henry was voted in the All-time Top 25 All-Mens US Powerlifting Nationals Team in 2007.
  • Mark Henry is the only human in history who has not only squatted more than 900 lb (410 kg) without a squat suit, but also deadlifted more than 900 lb (410 kg) raw.
  • Mark Henry is the only human in history to have squatted more than 900 lb (410 kg) without a squat suit and deadlifted more than 900 lb (410 kg) raw in one and the same powerlifting meet.
  • Mark Henry's 948 lb (430 kg) raw squat and 903.9 lb (410.0 kg) deadlift, done on July 16, 1995, is the highest raw "squat-pull-2-lift-total" (squat+deadlift=1,851.9 lb (840.0 kg)) ever lifted in a competition. (Andrei Malanichev's 948 lb (430 kg) squat and 881.8 lb (400.0 kg) deadlift = 1,829.8 lb (830.0 kg) on October 22, 2011, being the 2nd highest ever; Mark Henry's 953.5 lb (432.5 kg) squat and 865.3 lb (392.5 kg) deadlift = 1,818.8 lb (825.0 kg) being the 3rd highest, Benedikt Magnusson's 837.75 lb (380.00 kg) squat and 975.5 lb (442.5 kg) deadlift = 1,813.3 lb (822.5 kg) being the 4th highest; Malanichev's 992 lb (450 kg) squat and 815 lb (370 kg) deadlift = 1,808 lb (820 kg) being the 5th; Don Reinhoudt's 904.5 lb (410.3 kg) squat and 885.5 lb (401.7 kg) deadlift = 1,790 lb (810 kg) being th 6th)
  • Mark Henry does not only hold the greatest all-time raw (unequipped) Powerlifting Total in history at 2,336.9 lb (1,060.0 kg), but also the second greatest in history at 2,314.8 lb (1,050.0 kg).

* incomplete

** surpassed by Robert Wilkerson (SHW class) of the United States with a 975 lb (442 kg) raw squat with knee wraps on June 7, 2010, at the Southern Powerlifting Federation (SPF) Nationals (open competition) as the all-time raw world record in the SHW class

*** surpassed by Sergiy Karnaukhov (308-pound-class) of Ukraine] with a 970 lb (440 kg) raw squat with knee wraps on November 4, 2007 as the all-time raw "regardless of weight class" world record

**** surpassed by Andy Bolton (SHW class) of the United Kingdom with a 953 lb (432 kg) raw deadlift on May 23, 2010 (open competition) as the all-time raw world record in the SHW class (+regardless of weight class)

***** surpassed by Konstantin Konstantinovs (308-pound-class) of Latvia] with a 939 lb (426 kg) raw deadlift without a belt on July 4, 2009 as the all-time raw "regardless of weight class" world record

Weightlifting

• Olympic Games
  • Olympic Games team member representing USA at the Olympics 1992 in Barcelona, Spain, finishing 10th place in SHW division at age 21
  • Team Captain of the Olympic Weightlifting team representing USA at the Olympics 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, finishing 14th in SHW division due to back injury at age 25
• Pan American Games
  • Silver Medalist in the Olympic weightlifting Total in SHW (+108) division at the Pan American Games 1995 in Mar del Plata, Argentina at age 23
    • result: total – 804 pounds
  • Gold Medalist in the Snatch in SHW (+108) division at the Pan American Games 1995 in Mar del Plata, Argentina at age 23
    • result: snatch – 391 1/4 pounds, setting an American record
  • Bronze Medalist in Clean and jerk in SHW (+108) division at the Pan American Games 1995 in Mar del Plata, Argentina at age 23
    • result: clean and jerk – snatch 412 3/4 pounds
• North America, Central America, Caribbean Islands (NACAC) Championships
  • 1st place in North America, Central America, Caribbean Islands Championships 1996 in SHW (+108 kg) division
• U.S. National Weightlifting Championships
  • 1st place in U.S. National Junior Weightlifting Championships 1991 in SHW (+110 kg) division at age 19
    • results: total: 326.0 kg – snatch: 156.0 kg / clean&jerk: 170.0 kg
  • 4th place in U.S. Senior National Weightlifting Championships 1991 in SHW (+110 kg) division at age 19
    • results: total: 325.0 kg – snatch: 150.0 kg / clean&jerk: 175.0 kg
  • 3rd place in U.S. Senior National Weightlifting Championships 1992 in SHW (+110 kg) division at age 20
    • results: total: 365.0 kg – snatch: 165.0 kg / clean&jerk: 200.0 kg
  • 1st place in U.S. Senior National Weightlifting Championships 1993 in SHW (+108 kg) division at age 21
    • results: total: 385.0 kg – snatch: 175.0 kg / clean&jerk: 210.0 kg
  • 1st place in U.S. Senior National Weightlifting Championships 1994 in SHW (+108 kg) division at age 22
    • results: total: 387.5 kg – snatch: 172.5 kg / clean&jerk: 215.0 kg
  • 1st place in U.S. Senior National Weightlifting Championships 1996 in SHW (+108 kg) division at age 24
    • results: total: 400.0 kg – snatch: 180.0 kg / clean&jerk: 220.0 kg
    • Mark Henry was voted as the #1 outstanding lifter of the championships
• U.S. Olympic Festival Championships
  • 1st place in U.S. Olympic Festival Championships 1993 in SHW (+108 kg) division at age 22
  • 1st place in U.S. Olympic Festival Championships 1994 in SHW (+108 kg) division at age 23
• USA Weightlifting American Open Championships
  • 2nd place in the American Open Weightlifting Championships 1991 in SHW (+110 kg) division at age 20
  • 1st place in the American Open Weightlifting Championships 1992 in SHW (+110 kg) division at age 21
• RECORDS
  • Junior US American record holder (+110 kg) in the Snatch at 162.5 kg, Clean and jerk at 202.5 kg, and Total at 362.5 kg (1986–1992)
  • Senior US American record holder (+108 kg) in the Snatch at 180.0 kg, Clean and jerk at 220.0 kg, and Total at 400.0 kg (1993–1997)

Strength athletics

• Arnold Classic
  • Arnold Strongman Classic – Winner 2002
• First man in history to one-hand clean and push press the "unliftable" Thomas Inch dumbbell (172 lb (78 kg); 2 3/8" (6.03 cm) diameter handle)
• The Second Strongest Man That Ever Lived according to Flex Magazine

Henry as World Heavyweight Champion

• International Sports Hall of Fame
  • International Sports Hall of Fame (Class of 2012)

Professional wrestling

Mark Henry being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in April 2018

• Cauliflower Alley Club
  • Iron Mike Mazurki Award (2019)
• George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
  • Frank Gotch Award (2021)
• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • Most Improved Wrestler of the Year (2011)
  • Ranked No. 9 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2012
  • Ranked No. 472 of the top 500 greatest wrestlers in the "PWI Years" in 2003
• World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment/WWE
  • ECW Championship (1 time)
  • World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
  • WWF European Championship (1 time)
  • WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2018)
  • Brisbane Cup (2006)
  • Slammy Award (3 times)
    • "Holy $#!+ Move of the Year" (2011) Big Show and Mark Henry implode the ring after Henry superplexed him at Vengeance
    • Feat of Strength of the Year (2013) Pulling two trucks with his bare hands
    • Match of the Year (2014) – Team Cena vs. Team Authority at Survivor Series

See also

In Spanish: Mark Henry para niños

• List of strongmen
• List of powerlifters