The wrestling world was left shocked when longtime WWE veteran Mark Henry left the company and signed with All Elite Wrestling. The WWE Hall of Famer will be part of their commentary team, though it's believed he'll also have his retirement match with the company.
So, what led to Henry deciding to jump ship? On a recent edition of Busted Open Radio, the World's Strongest Man explained that he always hoped to become an executive in WWE. With his deal up, he approached Vince McMahon about getting involved in that side of things, but it was unfortunately around this time the company released hundreds of its Stamford employees as part of cost-cutting measures.
With it becoming clear there wasn't a place in him in WWE, Henry spoke to Vince one final time.
"Everybody knows me and Vince have love for each other, and more than love, respect. Me calling him and saying what needed to be said came from a place of like a brother telling his older brother, ‘Man, I’m tired of being in the shadows. I feel like somebody beneath you is holding me back."
"Man, it was like the coolest thing. He was like, ‘You know everything you need to know. If you feel like you have to go, I don’t necessarily want it, but if you feel like you need to go, then go. I know you’re going to be successful.’ That’s what you want," Henry continued. "I’m not going to run from the conversation like that. There are some people who are scared and unloyal. Nobody will ever say, ‘Mark Henry is unloyal.’ I’ve been loyal. There were times I was offered more money and I didn’t leave."
" 25 years with the same company, through the good, through the bad. I was there. Everything wasn’t perfect. What family has a perfect existence? Not very many, but mine was really good. I had a good experience. I learned a lot. I spent more time in the production office and in the trucks than I did around the ring and in catering. I always joke about being in catering and all that, but man, I always had an executive mindset."
So, there's clearly no bad blood on Henry's part, but it is a shame - and a real surprise - that WWE couldn't find a place for such an experienced veteran behind the scenes.
Do you think Vince made a mistake letting Mark make the leap to AEW?