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Revision as of 05:11, 17 November 2012

Mark Henry
Mark Henry in December 2010
Born (1971-06-12) June 12, 1971 (age 53)[1][2]
Silsbee, Texas[1][2]
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Mark Henry Markswoggle
Billed height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)[3]
Billed weight412 lb (187 kg)[3]
Billed fromSilsbee, Texas[3]
Trained byLeo Burke
Hart family members[1] Lewis Hotchin[1]
Debut1996
Mark Henry
Medal record
Men's Weightlifting
Representing  United States
Olympic Games
Qualified 1992 Barcelona +110kg
Qualified 1996 Atlanta +108kg
Pan American Games[2][5][6][7]
Silver medal – second place Mar Plata 1995 +108kg
Gold medal – first place Mar Plata 1995 +108kg
Bronze medal – third place Mar Plata 1995 +108kg
Competition record
Strongman
Representing  United States
Arnold Strongman Classic
1st 2002 Arnold Strongman Classic
Powerlifting
Representing  United States
WDFPF World Powerlifting Championships[8]
1st 1995 +145kg
USAPL National Powerlifting Championships[8][9]
1st 1995 +145kg
1st 1997 +145kg
USPF National Powerlifting Championships[8]
2nd 1990 +125kg
International Junior Powerlifting Championships[2][10]
1st 1991 +125kg
Weightlifting
Representing  United States
NACAC Championships[7]
1st 1996 +108kg
U.S. National Weightlifting Championships[11][12]

Template:CompetitionRecordFourth

3rd 1992 +110kg
1st 1993 +108kg
1st 1994 +108kg
1st 1996 +108kg
USA Weightlifting American Open Championships[13][14]
2nd 1991 +110kg
1st 1992 +110kg
U.S. Olympic Festival Championships[2][12][15]
1st 1993 +108kg
1st 1994 +108kg
U.S. National Junior Weightlifting Championships[2][16]
1st 1991 +110kg

Mark Jerrold Henry[17] (born June 12, 1971)[1] is an American powerlifter, Olympic weightlifter, strongman, and professional wrestler who is currently signed to WWE. He was two times an Olympian in 1992 and 1996[3] and a Silver, Gold and Bronze Medalist at the Pan American Games in 1995.[7] As a powerlifter, he was drug-free World Champion (1995)[8] and a two time U.S. National Champion (1995[9] and 1997[8]) as well as an all-time raw world record holder in the squat and deadlift.[2] Currently, he still holds the WDFPF world records in the squat, deadlift and total[18][19] and the USAPL American record in the deadlift[20][21][22] since 1995. He is credited for the biggest raw squat and raw powerlifting total ever performed by a drug tested athlete, regardless of weight class,[23] as well as the greatest raw deadlift by an American citizen.[20] In weightlifting, Henry was a three time U.S. National Weightlifting Champion (1993,1994,1996),[11] an American Open winner (1992),[14] a two time U.S. Olympic Festival Champion (1993 and 1994)[2] and a NACAC champion (1996).[7] He holds all three Senior US American weightlifting records of 1993-1997.[24] In 2002 he won the first annual Arnold Strongman Classic.[7] Since joining the World Wrestling Federation (now WWE) in 1996, he has become a one-time WWF European Champion and a two-time world champion, having held the ECW Championship in 2008,[25] and the World Heavyweight Championship in 2011.[26]

Before becoming a professional wrestler, Henry was a successful powerlifter as well as weightlifter. He began powerlifting at Silsbee High School, where he became Texas State Champion three times in a row from 1988 to 1990,[2] as well as National High School Champion in 1990,[27] setting teen-age world records in the squat and total.[27] Beginning his weightlifting training in 1990, Mark moved to Austin and won the National Junior Weightlifting Championships in 1991.[2] In 1991 he captured the Junior International title in powerlifting as well.[2] At only 19 years of age, Mark qualified for the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, where he placed 10th in the super heavyweight class.[2] More determined than ever to focus on Olympic weightlifting, he began competing in earnest all over the world. He won the U.S. American Open in 1992[14] and the U.S. Olympic Festival Championships in 1993 and 1994.[2] At the 1995 Pan American Games, Henry won 3 medals in the super heavyweight division - a silver medal in the weightlifting total as well as a gold medal in the snatch[6] and a bronze medal in the clean and jerk.[2][5] The following year, he became a North America, Central America, Caribbean Islands (NACAC) champion.[7] He was U.S. National Weightlifting Champion in 1993, 1994 and 1996.[11] At the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia Henry was voted team captain of the weightlifting team and made his last public appearance as an Olympic weightlifter - after sustaining a back injury during the competition he finished with a disappointing 14th place.[2] Despite his awesome talent in powerlifting, Henry seldom competed in his senior years due to his focus on weightlifting. In 1995 he easily became ADFPF/USAPL National Powerlifting Champion[9] and World Powerlifting Champion of the World Drug-Free Powerlifting Federation,[8] setting world records in the squat, deadlift and Powerlifting Total.[2] By that time, prior to the Olympics 1996, at the young age of 24, Henry was generally considered as the strongest man in the world by most lifting experts[2][28] for not only holding major all-time powerlifting world records but also the greatest five-lift-total ever achieved in the history of the lifting sports.[29][30][31][32] He made public appearances in TV and magazines as the "World's Strongest Man", which would later become his nickname as a professional wrestler as well.[2] It was in this phase of his life, in which he also made connections with Vince McMahon.[2] In 1997, while already being a wrestler, he competed one last time as a powerlifter to win the USAPL National Powerlifting Championships again.[8]

In early 1996, at the age of 24, Henry signed a ten-year contract with the WWF. Henry was trained by former Canadian professional wrestlers Stu and Bret Hart and Leo Burke. He made his television wrestling debut in September 1996. In January 1998, Mark Henry joined the stable Nation of Domination. After the disbanding of the group, he acquired the moniker "Sexual Chocolate", which led him to participate in controversial angles.

In 2000, Mark Henry was sent to the company's developmental territory Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) in Louisville, Kentucky to improve his wrestling skills. In 2001, after his mother died, he left wrestling for a while and decided to compete in the first annual Arnold Strongman Classic in 2002 - a strongman contest designed to find the strongest man on the planet based on brute strength and power. After training on heavy weights for 4 months, Henry won the contest convincingly, out-muscling some of the greatest strength athletes from all over the world, including defending World's Strongest Man contest winner of 2001 Svend Karlsen and 2006's World's Strongest Man Phil Pfister, as well as Powerlifting World Champion Andy Bolton. One month later, having proved himself worhty of the moniker "World's Strongest Man" once again, Henry returned to WWE, where he took part of the group "Thuggin' And Buggin' Enterprises" in 2003, a group compiled of African Americans who worked a race angle in which they felt they were victims of racism and were being held down by the "white man".

The following year, Mark Henry tore his quadriceps muscle, and was unable to compete for over a year. Upon his return, he was briefly involved in feuds with Kurt Angle and The Undertaker, before suffering a knee injury. After it healed, he continued to feud with The Undertaker, before being moved to the ECW brand in June 2008, where he had Tony Atlas as a manager. In June 2008, he won the ECW Championship and held it for three months. In 2011, Henry had a resurgence on SmackDown, which led to him winning his first World Heavyweight Championship in September 2011 when he defeated Randy Orton.

weight:50000

Mark Henry pushing a tank.

Mark has always been exceptionally big and strong. By the time he was in the fourth grade, he was 5'5" and weighed 225 pounds.[33] So his mother bought a set of weights when Mark was 10.[33] During Mark's freshman year at Silsbee Highschool, he was already able to squat 600 lb (270 kg) for repetitions, which was well over school record.[33] As an 18-year-old high school senior, Mark was called "the world's strongest teen-ager" by the Los Angeles Times, as he made it into the sidelines in eary 1990 for winning the National High School Powerlifting Championships and setting teen-age lifting world records in the squat 832 lb (377 kg) and total 2,033 lb (922 kg).[27] By the time Mark 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).[27][33]

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.[33] In July 1990 at the USPF Senior National Powerlifting Championships, the 19 years young Mark came second only to the legendary 6 time World Powerlifting Champion Kirk Karwoski.[34] While powerlifting relies primarily on brute strength and power, which Mark obviously possessed, Olympic weightlifting is considered more sophisticated, involving more agility, timing, flexibility and technique.[35] There have been few lifters in history, who have been able to be succssful in both lifting disciplines. Mastering the technique of weightlifting usually takes many years of practicing. But Henry broke four national junior records in weightlifting after only eight months of training.[36] He attempted to compete in powerlifting and weightlifting at the same time, and quite successful at that: 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.[36] Only few weeks afterwards, he became 1991's International Junior Champion in Powerlifiting as well.[2][10] In Henry's first year of competing in weightlifting, he broke all three junior (20 and under) American records 12 times, and became the United States' top superheavyweight, surpassing Mario Martinez.[15]

At the age of 19,[2] Henry had already managed to qualify for the weightlifting competition at the 1992 Summer Olympics, where he finished tenth in the super heavyweight class.[7][15] 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".[15] After the Olympics Mark became more determined than ever to focuse on weightlifting and began competing in earnest all over the world. In late 1992 he took the win at the USA Weightlifting American Open[14] 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.[2][11] At the 1995 Pan American Games Henry won a gold, silver and bronze medal.[2][7]

Having reached the pinnacle of weightlifting on a National and continental level, he competed again in powerlifting and shocked the world by winning the ADFPA U.S. National Powerlifting Championships in 1995 with an earthshattering 2314.8 lb raw Powerlifting Total, outclassing the lifter in second place by incredible 286 lbs.[9] In the process he set all-time world records in the raw deadlift at 903.9 lbs (410 kg) and the squat without a squat suit at 948.0 lbs (430 kg) as well as the all-time drug tested raw total at 2314.8 lb (1050 kg).[23][37][38][39][40] Later that same year in October, he competed in the drug-free Powerlifting World Championships and won again, even though he trained on the powerlifts only sparingly - due his main focus still being on the 2 Olympic lifts.[28] Astoundingly, he did not only become World Champion by winning the competition but he also bettered his previous all-time raw squat world record to 953.5 lbs (432.5 kg) and his all-time drug tested raw world record total to 2336.9 lbs (1060 kg), proving without a doubt to be the best powerlifter in the world in 1995 without even focusing on it.[8][23][28] Both of these records still stand today as the best unequipped drug-free lifts of all time, regardless of weight class.[23]

One year later, with the '96 Olympics already in sight, he became the North America, Central America, Caribbean Islands (NACAC) champion.[7] 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.[28] During his victory Henry became Senior US American record holder (1993–1997) in the Snatch at 180.0 kg (396.8 lbs), Clean and jerk at 220.0 kg (485.0 lbs), and Total at 400.0 kg (881.8 lbs), improving all of his three previous personal bests.[24][41] This 400 kg total, in the opinion of many experts in track field of international lifting - including Dragomir Cioroslan, the '96s coach of the U.S. team – was the highest ever made by an athlete who had never used anabolic steroids - who was lifetime drugfree.[28] By that time, at the young age of 24, Mark Henry was generally considered as the strongest man in the world by most lifting experts - even by many of the Eastern Block athletes who outrank him in weightlifting.[2][28][31] 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.[2][31] To this day, his five lift total is still the greatest in history by a fair amount - making him arguably one of the strongest men that ever lived.[2][29][31][32]

In the months prior to the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Mark received more attention and publicity than any lifter in recent US history.[2] He guested at Jay Leno, Conan O'Brien and Oprah Winfrey Show and was featured on HBO Inside Sports and The Today Show.[2] He was also featured in dozens of magazines including U.S. News & World Report, People Vanity Fair, ESPN The Magazine and Life where he was photographed nude by famed artist Annie Lebowitz.[2] 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.[2]

Although Henry even managed to improve his lifts to 407 kg in the snatch and 507 kg in the clean and jerk during his final eight weeks of preparation, luck wouldn't be on his side at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.[28] Henry, the generally acknowledged "strongest man in the world" at 6-foot-4-inches tall and 414 lbs bodyweight, became the largest athlete in Olympic history and was voted captain of the Olympic weightlifting team.[28][42] Unfortunately, he suffered a back injury during the competition and was unable to approach his normal performance level.[2] Due to the injury he had to drop out after his first clean and jerk attempt and finished with a disappointing 14th place.[7][28][43] 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.[28]

Since his career start as a professional wrestler shortly after the Olympics, he broke his leg in the Fall of 1996.[28] But by the summer of the following year he had rehabbed it 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.[8][28] He had planed to continue heavy training in powerlifting, although his travel schedule as a professional wrestler with the WWF (now WWE) has made sustained training difficult.[28] 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.[44] 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 1100 lbs without a “squat suit” and to deadlift 1000 lbs.[28][44]

Although in early 1998, he was still able to do five reps in the bench press with 495 lbs, three reps in the squat with 855 lbs (with no suit and no knee wraps), and three reps in the standing press with 405 lbs in training, while traveling with the World Wrestling Federation, he never returned to compete again in official championships in favor of his wrestling career.[28] He weighted 380 lbs at that time, and his right upper arm was measured at 24” by Terry Todd.[28] By basically ending his lifting career at the age of 26, it is safe to say that he never reached his full physical potential as a professional lifter. Despite this fact, most of his records remain unequaled to this day.

Mark Henry in December 2011.

Personal Powerlifting Records

Powerlifting Competition Records:

done in official Powerlifting full meets

  • Squat - 432.5 kg (953.5 lbs)[8] raw with knee wraps (done on October 29, 1995 WDFPF)
→ former all-time unequipped squat world record for over a decade in SHW class until 2010[45][46][47][48] (+regardless of weight class until 2007)[49]
→ current WDFPF world record squat in SHW class (+regardless of weight class and equipment) since 1995[8][18][19]
→ current drug tested all-time world record squat without a suit in SHW class (+regardless of weight class) since 1995[23]
→ former all-time raw world record deadlift in SHW class until 2010[50] (+regardless of weight class until 2009)[51][38][45]
→ current all-time American record deadlift in SHW class (+regardless of weight class and equipment) since 1995[20][52]
→ current all-time US national championship record deadlift in SHW class (+regardless of weight class and equipment) since 1995[53]
→ current USAPL American record deadlift in SHW class (+regardless of weight class and equipment) since 1995[20][21][22][52][53]
→ current drug tested raw world record deadlift (in SHW class only) since 1995[23]
→ current WDFPF world record in SHW class (+regardless of weight class and equipment) since 1995[8][18][19]
→ current drug tested all-time world record unequipped powerlifting total in SHW class (+regardless of weight class)[23]

Career aggregate Powerlifting Total (best official lifts) - 1108.0 kg (432.5 + 265.5 + 410) / 2442.7 lbs (953.5 + 585,3 + 903,9)

Powerlifting Gym Records (unofficial):

Career aggregate Powerlifting Total (best unofficial lifts) - 2516 lbs (1006 + 600 +~910)

  • Front Squat - 770 lbs (350 kg)[58]
  • Behind-the-neck-press - over 400 lbs (>181 kg)[58]

Personal Weightlifting Records

Weightlifting Competition Records:

done in official competition

→ Senior US American snatch record 1993-1997 in SHW class (+regardless of weight class)[10][24]
→ Senior US American clean&jerk record 1993-1997in SHW class[10][24]
→ Senior US American weightlifting total record 1993-1997 in SHW class (+regardless of weight class)[24]

Weightlifting Gym Records (unofficial):

all three done in training after the 1996's U.S. Nationals, but prior to the Olympics '96[28]

Combined Lifting Records

  • official weightlifting total + official powerlifting total = Combined Supertotal:
400.0 kg + 1060.0 kg = 1460.0 kg / 881.8 lbs + 2336.9 lbs = 3218.7 lbs raw with wraps
→ current all-time highest combined weightlifting/powerlifting total in history (since 1996*)[32][59][60]
  • 5 official weightlifting&powerlifting lifts combined - the snatch + the clean&jerk and the squat + bench press + deadlift = Five-Lift-Combined-Total:
180.0 kg + 220.0 kg + 432.5 kg + 265.5 kg + 410.0 kg = 1508.0 kg / 396.8 lbs + 485.0 lbs + 953.5 lbs + 585.3 lbs + 903.9 lbs = 3324.5 lbs
→ current all-time highest 5 lift total in history (since 1996*)[2][29][60]


* both combined all-time records had previously been held by legendary powerlifter Jon Cole[31]
Holding these all-time records in the lifting sports makes Mark Henry argueably one of the Strongest Men in history. Having achieved this at the very young age of 24 while being lifetime drug-free[28][29] makes it even more impressive. Many experts in the field, including Bill Kazmaier, Jan & Terry Todd, Dr. Robert M. Goldman, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Muscle & Fitness magazine and Flex magazine, consider him to be "one of the Strongest Men that ever lived" or even "the most naturally gifted strongman in history".[29][31][32][59][60][61][62]
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."[60]

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.[7] 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 first television wrestling match was at In Your House: Mind Games on September 22, 1996, where he defeated Lawler.[7] The feud continued on the live circuit during subsequent weeks.[63] 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.[64] 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 Sexual Chocolate (1998–2000)

Henry joined the faction with Farooq, The Rock, Kama Mustafa and D'Lo Brown on January 12, 1998.[7] 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.[65] After 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.[7][66] During the next year, Henry gave himself the nickname "Sexual Chocolate", and was involved in controversial angles with Chyna and a transvestite.[7] During a match at the August 1999 pay-per-view, SummerSlam, 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.[67] The next night, Henry was awarded the European title by Jarrett in return for his help.[68] Henry dropped the title one month later to Brown at the Unforgiven pay-per-view.[69]

After this, Henry turned into a fan favorite, and was seen on television romancing WWF women from Chyna to Mae Young as part of the "Sexual Chocolate" character.[7] He feuded with Viscera during this time as part of a storyline where Viscera splashed Mae Young while she was carrying Henry's child.[70][71] Young would go on to give birth to a hand. Along with this, Henry was made part of various other embarrassing and infamous storylines, including the admission that he was a sex addict.[7]

Hiatus/Strongman

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.[7] Later that year, Henry's mother passed away,[47] causing him to go on hiatus from wrestling.[7][47] 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.[47] So 4 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.[47] He has never been a professional strongman before, but in the coming contest he was up to face the very best of the best of professional strongman - such as the #1ranked 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 and Olympic weightlifting Champion Raimonds Bergmanis and reigning America's Strongest Man of 2001 Brian Schoonveld.[47][62] Then on 22, February 2002 in Columbus, Ohio the competition, consisting of 4 events, designed to determine the lifter with the greatest overall body power, began.[2] 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.[47] Only three man in history had ever been able to press it at all.[47][72] By deadlifting 885 lbs for 2 reps in the second event and easily pushing a 5.000+lbs Hummer with nearly flat tires in the third event, Henry kept his lead continuously throughout the competition and never gave it up again.[47][62] In the final "Farmer's Walk"-event Henry quickly carried the roughly 850 lbs of railroad ties up an incline, winning the whole competition convincingly[47][62] to capture the winning prize - a 75.0000US$ Hummer, a vacation cruise and 10.000US$ cash.[2][62] Since Mark had only trained for 4 months and defeated the crème-de-là-crème of worldwide strongman, who had been practicing for years, his win was a shock for strongman experts worldwide,[47] 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.[28][32][47][59][60][61]

Brand switches (2002–2004)

Henry returned to the WWE the next month and was sent to the SmackDown! brand, where he developed an in-ring persona of performing "tests of strength" while other wrestlers took bets on the tests, but the gimmick met with little success.[1] During this time he competed against such superstars as Chris Jericho and Christian.[7] After being used sporadically on WWE (formerly WWF) television during 2002, as he was training for a weightlifting contest, and suffering a knee injury, Henry was sent back to OVW for more training.[1][7]

In August 2003, Henry returned to WWE television on the Raw roster, where he found some success as a member of "Thuggin' And Buggin' Enterprises," a group of African Americans led by Theodore Long who worked a race angle in which they felt they were victims of racism and were being held down by the "white man".[7] During that time, Henry was involved in a brief program with World Heavyweight Champion Goldberg when former champion, Triple H, put a bounty on Goldberg.[1] This was followed by a brief rivalry with Shawn Michaels, before he engaged in a rivalry with Booker T.[73][74][75] After defeating Booker T twice, once in a street fight and once in a six-man tag team match, he lost to Booker T at the Armageddon pay-per-view in December 2003.[76][77][78] At a practice session in OVW in February 2004, Henry tore his quadriceps muscle, and was out for over a year after undergoing surgery.[1][7] Henry was then utilized by WWE as a public relations figure during his recovery, before returning to OVW to finish out 2005.[7]

Pursuit of the World Heavyweight Championship (2005–2006)

Henry in 2006.

During the December 30 episode of SmackDown!, Henry made his return to television, as he interfered in a WWE Tag Team Championship match, joining with MNM (Joey Mercury, Johnny Nitro, and Melina), to help them defeat Rey Mysterio and Batista for the championship.[79] A week later on SmackDown!, Henry got in a confrontation with the World Heavyweight Champion, Batista, and went on to interfere in a steel cage match between MNM and the team of Mysterio and Batista, helping MNM to retain their titles.[80] Henry then had another match with Batista at a live event where Batista received a severely torn triceps that required surgery, forcing him to vacate his title. On the January 10, 2006 episode of SmackDown!, Henry was involved in a battle royal for the vacant World Heavyweight Championship. He was finally tossed out by Kurt Angle, who won the title.[81][82]

Henry vs The Undertaker.

A week later, Henry received assistance from Daivari, who turned on Angle and announced that he was the manager of Henry.[83] With Daivari at his side, Henry would face Kurt Angle for the World Heavyweight title at the 2006 Royal Rumble in January, which he lost when Angle hit him with a chair (without the referee seeing) and pinned Henry with a roll-up.[84]

On the March 10 episode of SmackDown!, after putting Kurt Angle through a table with a diving splash, Henry was then challenged to a casket match by The Undertaker at WrestleMania 22.[85] Henry vowed to defeat The Undertaker and end his streak at WrestleMania, but was unsuccessful in this quest as The Undertaker would defeat Henry at the event.[86] Henry would get a rematch against the Undertaker on the April 7 episode of SmackDown!, however it ended in a no contest when Daivari announced his new client, The Great Khali, who was also making his debut. Khali then went to the ring and started to attack the Undertaker, thus ending the feud between them.[87]

During the rest of April and May, Henry gained a pinfall victory over the World Heavyweight Champion, Rey Mysterio in a non-title match.[88] Henry would also enter the King of the Ring tournament, in which he was defeated by Bobby Lashley in the first round.[89] He later cost Kurt Angle his World Heavyweight Championship opportunity against Mysterio, when he jumped off the top rope and crushed Angle through a table. Henry was then challenged by Angle to face off at Judgment Day, Henry then sent a "message" to Angle by defeating Paul Burchill.[90] At Judgment Day, Henry defeated Angle by countout.[91] Although winning, Angle got his revenge after the match by hitting Henry with a chair and putting him through a table.[91]

Henry later went on what was referred to as a "path of destruction", causing injuries to numerous superstars. Henry "took out" Chris Benoit and Paul Burchill on this path of destruction, and attacked Rey Mysterio and Chavo Guerrero.[92][93][94] These events led up to a feud with the returning Batista, whom Henry had put out of action with a legitimate injury several months beforehand. When Batista returned he and Henry were scheduled to face one another at The Great American Bash in July.[95] Weeks before that event, however, on the July 15, 2006 episode of Saturday Night's Main Event, Henry was involved in a six-man tag team match with King Booker and Finlay against Batista, Rey Mysterio, and Bobby Lashley.[96] During the match, Henry was injured, canceling the scheduled match at The Great American Bash, as Henry needed surgery. Doctors later found that Henry completely tore his patella tendon off the bone and split his patella completely in two.[97]

Return from injury and various feuds (2007–2008)

Henry returned on the May 11, 2007 episode of SmackDown!, after weeks of vignettes hyping his return.[98] He attacked The Undertaker after a World Heavyweight Championship steel cage match with Batista, allowing Edge to take advantage of the situation and use his Money in the Bank contract.[99] Henry then began a short feud with Kane, defeating him in a Lumberjack Match at One Night Stand.[100] Shortly after, Henry made an open challenge to the SmackDown! locker room, which nobody ever accepted. In the coming weeks he faced various jobbers—wrestlers who consistently lose to make their opponents look stronger—and quickly defeated them all.[101][102] On August 3, he claimed that nobody accepted the open challenge to step into the ring with him because of what he had done to The Undertaker, presenting footage of his assault on the Undertaker.[103] The Undertaker responded over the following weeks, playing various mind games with Henry.[104][105] Henry finally faced The Undertaker again at Unforgiven in September, losing to him after being given a Last Ride.[106] Two weeks later, Henry lost a rematch to The Undertaker after The Undertaker performed a chokeslam on Henry.[107]

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.[108] 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.[1] At Armageddon, Henry and Big Daddy V defeated Kane and Punk.[109] 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.[110]

ECW Champion (2008–2009)

Henry as ECW Champion with Tony Atlas.

As part of the 2008 WWE Supplemental Draft, Henry was drafted to the ECW brand.[111] 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.[112] 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.[25] A few weeks later, Hall of Famer Tony Atlas returned to WWE to act as Henry's manager. A month after Henry's title win, ECW General Manager, Theodore Long, unveiled a new, entirely platinum ECW Championship belt design.[113] Henry would lose the title at Unforgiven in the Championship Scramble match to Matt Hardy.[114]

Henry attempted to regain the championship throughout the end of 2008, including a match against Hardy at No Mercy, but was unsuccessful.[115] Henry and Atlas then engaged in a scripted rivalry against Finlay and Hornswoggle, which included Henry losing a Belfast Brawl at Armageddon.[116][117] At the start of 2009, Henry qualified for the Money in the Bank ladder match at WrestleMania XXV, and was involved in a series of matches with the other competitors on Raw, SmackDown, and ECW.[118][119][120] He was unsuccessful at WrestleMania, however, as CM Punk won the match.[121] In May, Henry began a rivalry with Evan Bourne, which began after Bourne defeated Henry by countout on the May 26 episode of ECW.[122]

Face Turn ,Various Tag Team Partners and Pursuit of the Unified WWE Tag Team Championships (2009–2011)

Henry before a tag team match with MVP.

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 Randy Orton, which he won, turning Henry into a fan favorite in the process.[123] In August 2009, Henry formed a tag team with Montel Vontavious Porter,the two formed a tag team called The World's Strongest Tag Team 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.[124][125] 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.[126] The next week they challenged The Big Show and The Miz in a title match but were unsuccessful.[127] At Extreme Rules, Henry and MVP fought for a chance to become number one contenders to the Unified WWE Tag Team Championships, but were the second team eliminated in a gauntlet match by The Big Show and The Miz. The match would be won by The Hart Dynasty (Tyson Kidd and David Hart Smith).[128]

It was later announced that Henry would mentor Lucky Cannon in the second season of WWE NXT.[129][130] Cannon was eliminated on the August 10 episode of NXT.[131] 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.[132] 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.[133] 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.[134]

Heel Turn,Feuds with Big Show and Randy Orton,World Heavyweight Champion, Hall of Pain and Injury (2011–present)

Henry at Tribute to the Troops.

In 2011, on the April 25 episode of Raw, Henry was drafted back to the SmackDown brand as part of the 2011 WWE Draft. In the main event of the night, Henry sparked a villainous turn for his character when he attacked his teammates, John Cena and Christian.[135] 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.[136] 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 and laid out Henry before the match could begin.[137] This act would ignite a feud between the two; Henry would attack Big Show both backstage and during matches[138][139] 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 Henry a future shot at the World Heavyweight Championship. Henry reacted by destroying the audio equipment and manhandling a technician.[140] Henry faced Big Show in a singles match at Money in the Bank and won. After the match, Henry crushed Show's leg with a chair, (kayfabe) injuring him, an act Henry would later reference as an induction into the "Hall of Pain".[141] On the following SmackDown on July 22, Henry would do the same to Big Show's tag team partner, Kane.[142] On the July 29 episode of SmackDown, Theodore Long informed Henry that he could no longer compete as no one dared to fight him. Sheamus interrupted, saying that he wasn't afraid of Henry before slapping him.[143] On the August 5 episode of SmackDown, Henry defeated Vladimir Kozlov (in Kozlov's final appearance before his release by WWE) and crushed Kozlov's leg after the match.[144] At SummerSlam, Henry defeated Sheamus by count-out after Henry slammed Sheamus through a ring barricade.[145]

Mark Henry as World Heavyweight Champion.

On the August 19 episode of SmackDown, Henry won a 20-man Battle Royal to become the number one contender to the World Heavyweight Championship to face Randy Orton at Night of Champions[146] and throughout weeks on SmackDown and Raw, Henry would attack Orton, getting an advantage over him.[147][148][149][150] At Night of Champions, Henry defeated Orton to become World Heavyweight Champion for the first time in his 15 years with WWE.[26][151] On the September 26 episode of Raw, Henry was set to face The Great Khali, but Henry attacked Khali before the match could begin. Henry and Khali would fight again on that week's episode of SmackDown, where Henry won and crushed Khali's foot after the match, (kayfabe) injuring him. Henry successfully defended the title against Orton at Hell in a Cell in a Hell in a Cell match.[152]

On the October 7 episode of Smackdown, Big Show returned and chokeslammed Henry through a table, thus earning a title shot against Mark 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 ruled a no contest.[153] Then he began a feud with Daniel Bryan after seeing him look at him the wrong way while being interviewed. Mark Henry would defeat Bryan by disqualification that night after being attacked by Big Show. Teddy Long would then announce that Henry would face Big Show at Survivor Series for the World Heavyweight Championship. On the November 18 episode of SmackDown, Henry viciously assaulted Bryan and promised that Big Show will be carried out of Survivor Series by paramedics and he would leave still the World Heavyweight Champion.[154] 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 smashed Henry's ankle with a steel chair.[155] The following SmackDown, Henry was attacked by The Big Show with a W.M.D after Henry insulted Big Show. Daniel Bryan would immediately race out to cash in his Money in The Bank briefcase on an uncounscious Henry, where he pinned him but Theodore Long rushed out to the ring to tell Bryan the match was not legal due to the fact that Henry was not medically cleared to compete.[156] Later that night, Bryan won a Fatal-Four Way match to face Henry for the World Heavyweight Championship in a steel cage.[157] On the November 29 live Christmas episode of SmackDown, Henry would defeat Bryan after hitting him with a "World's Strongest Slam" from the top rope and retained the World Heavyweight Championship.[158]

At TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs, Henry lost the World Heavyweight Championship to the Big Show in a chairs match. After the match, he knocked the Big Show out then Daniel Bryan cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase winning his first ever World Heavyweight Championship.[159] On the January 6, 2012, edition of SmackDown, Henry would cost Big Show a championship match after he pushed Bryan, making him win by disqualification.[160] On the January 20 edition of SmackDown, Bryan retained the championship against Henry in a Lumberjack match after the lumberjacks came in and attacked them.[161] At the 2012 Royal Rumble event, Henry faced Bryan and Show in a triple threat steel cage match for the world title, but Bryan escaped the steel cage to retain his title.[162]

On the February 3 edition of SmackDown, Henry was suspended indefinitely (in storyline) by SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long after Henry physically acosted Long as he demanded a one-on-one rematch that night with Bryan. In reality, Henry suffered a hyper-extended knee the previous week.[163][164][165] He would then appear in backstage segments on the February 17 edition of SmackDown and at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view.[166][167] Henry returned to in-ring action on the February 20 edition of Raw Supershow, in a losing effort against Sheamus.[168] Following this loss, Henry went on a three match losing streak against the likes of Sheamus and Big Show.[169][170][171] He finally ended his losing streak by defeating Ezekiel Jackson on the March 9 edition of SmackDown.[172] On the April 2 and 9 editions of Raw SuperShow, Henry faced CM Punk for the WWE Championship which he won by count-out and disqualification; as a result Punk retained his title.[173][174] On the April 16 edition of Raw SuperShow, Punk defeated Henry in a no disqualification, no countout match to retain the WWE Championship.[175] On May 14, Henry announced he was going under a career-threatening surgery for an injury.[176]

Championships, Records and Accomplishments

Mark Henry in late 2010.

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)[2][177]
    • 1st place in Texas State High School Powerlifting Championships 1988 in SHW division[2][33][178]
    • 1st place in Texas State High School Powerlifting Championships 1989 in SHW division[2][33][178]
    • 1st place in Texas State High School Powerlifting Championships 1990 in SHW division[2][33][178]
    • 1st place in National High School Powerlifting Championships 1990 in SHW division at age 18[27]
    • results[27]: Powerlifting Total - 922 kg (377.5/227/317.5) - 2033 lbs (832/501/700)
  • RECORDS*
    • Teen III (18–19 years) Level
      • Teen-age World Records in the squat at 377.5 kg (832 lbs) and total at 922 kg (2033 lbs) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class) set in April, 1990 at the National High School Powerlifting Championshipsat at age 18[27]
      • Teen-age US American Records in the squat at 377.5 kg (832 lbs), bench press 227 kg (501 pounds), dead lift 317.5 kg (700 lbs) and total at 922 kg (2033 lbs) set in April, 1990 at the National High School Powerlifting Championships at age 18[27]
      • Texas state and US American Teen-age record holder in all four powerlifting categories - the squat at 377.5 kg (832 lbs), bench press at 238 kg (525 lbs) and deadlift at 369.7 kg (815 lbs) as well as the total at 922 kg (2033 lbs) at age 19.[27][33]
      • Current Texas state and US American Teen-age record holder in the squat at 425.0 kg (936.75 lbs) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class) since 1991[179][180]
    • Collegiate Level
      • Current Texas State Collegiate Record holder in the squat at 425.0 kg (936.75 lbs) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class) since 1991[181] (best in America as well but not registered as such)[182]
    • Junior Level (20–23 years)
      • Current Texas State Junior Record holder in the deadlift at 385.6 kg (850.0 lbs) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class) since 1995[183] (best in America as well but not registered as such)[184]
    • Senior Level (24+ years)
      • Current Texas State Record holder in the squat at 433 kg (954 lbs), the deadlift at 410.5 kg (905 lbs) and the total at 1060 kg (2337 lbs) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class) since 1995[185]
      • Former All-time drug-tested as well as non drug-tested raw (unequipped) squat World Record holder at 430.0 kg (948.0 lbs) SHW class (+regardless of weight class) from July 16, 1995 to October 29, 1995[9][40]
      • Former All-time drug-tested as well as non drug-tested raw (unequipped) squat World Record holder at 432.5 kg (953.5 lbs) in SHW class from October 29, 1995 to June 7, 2010**[23][45][46][47][48] (+regardless of weight class until November 4, 2007***)[49]
      • Former All-time drug-tested as well as non drug-tested raw (unequipped) deadlift World Record holder at 410.0 kg (903.9 lbs) in SHW class from July 16, 1995 to May 23, 2010****[23][45][50] (+regardless of weight class until July 4, 2009*****)[51]
      • Current All-time drug-tested raw (unequipped) squat World Record holder at 432.5 kg (953.5 lbs) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class) since October 29, 1995[23]
      • Current All-time drug-tested raw (unequipped) deadlift World Record holder at 410.0 kg (903.9 lbs) in SHW class only since July 16, 1995[23][39]
      • Current All-time drug-tested raw (unequipped) Powerlifting Total World Record holder at 1060.0 kg (2336.9 lbs) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class) since October 29, 1995[23]
      • Current All-time drug-tested as well as non drug-tested deadlift American Record holder at 410.0 kg (903.9 lbs) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class and equipment) since July 16, 1995[20][52]
      • Current All-time drug-tested as well as non drug-tested deadlift US National Championship Record holder at 410.0 kg (903.9 lbs) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class and equipment) since July 16, 1995[20][53]
    • Federation Records
      • World Drug-Free Powerlifting Federation (WDFPF) World Records
        • Current WDFPF World Record holder in the squat at 432.5 kg (953.5 lbs), the deadlift at 392.5 kg (865.3 lbs) and the total at 1060 kg (2336.9 lbs) 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)[18][19]
      • U.S.A. Powerlifting (USAPL) US American Records
        • Current USAPL US American Record holder in the deadlift at 410.0 kg (903.9 lbs) in SHW class (+regardless of weight class and equipment) since July 16, 1995[20][21][22][52][53]
  • Special Powerlifting Honors
    • As an 18-year-old high school senior, Mark is called "The World's Strongest Teen-ager" by the Los Angeles Times in April 1990 for winning the National High School Powerlifting Championships and setting teen-age lifting world records in the squat 832 lb (377 kg) and total 2,033 lb (922 kg).[27]
    • Mark Henry was voted in the All-time Top 25 All-Mens US Powerlifting Nationals Team in 2007: To commemorate the 25th Anniversary USAPL Mens Nationals, a list of the top 25 powerlifters, who have made the biggest impact on the Mens Nationals, has been created: The "USAPL Silver Anniversary Mens Nationals Team". Mark Henry is the only member with just two wins, but in those two wins he left all speechless. His 903 DL in 95 is still unsurpassed in the USAPL. He also had two 900+ lb. squats. Most impressive is that in two outings his average margin of victory was 179 lbs. and it was done raw.[21]
    • Mark Henry is the only human in history to have squatted more than 900 lbs raw and deadlifted more than 900 lbs raw in one and the same powerlifting meet.[23][39][40]
    • Mark Henry does not only hold the greatest all-time drug-tested raw (unequipped) Powerlifting Total in history at 1060.0 kg (2336.9 lbs),[23] but also the second greatest in history at 1050 kg (2314.8 lbs).[9]


* incomplete

** surpassed by Robert Wilkerson (SHW class) of the United States with a 975 lbs raw squat with knee wraps on June 7, 2010 at the Southern Powerlifting Federation (SPF) Nationals (open competition, not drug-tested) as the all-time raw world record in the SHW class[48]

*** surpassed by Sergiy Karnaukhov (308-pound-class) of Ukraine with a 970 lbs raw squat with knee wraps on November 4, 2007 as the all-time raw "regardless of weight class" world record[49]

**** surpassed by Andy Bolton (SHW class) of the United Kingdom with a 953 lbs raw deadlift on May 23, 2010 (open competition, not drug-tested) as the all-time raw world record in the SHW class (+regardless of weight class)[50]

***** surpassed by Konstantin Konstantinovs (308-pound-class) of Latvia with a 939 lbs raw deadlift without a belt on July 4, 2009 (drug-tested competition) as the all-time raw "regardless of weight class" world record[51]

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[35]
    • 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[35]
  • Pan American Games[2][5][6][7]
    • 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[5]
    • 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,[5] setting an American record[6]
    • 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 - snatch412 3/4 pounds[5]
  • U.S. National Weightlifting Championships[11][12]
    • 1st place in U.S. National Junior Weightlifting Championships 1991 in SHW (+110 kg) division at age 19[16]
      • results[16]: 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[186]
      • results[186]: 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[187]
      • results[187]: 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[188]
      • results[188]: 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[189]
      • results[189]: 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[41]
      • results[41]: 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[41]
  • U.S. Olympic Festival Championships[15]
    • 1st place in U.S. Olympic Festival Championships 1993 in SHW (+108 kg) division at age 22[2]
    • 1st place in U.S. Olympic Festival Championships 1994 in SHW (+108 kg) division at age 23[2]
  • 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)[190]
    • 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)[24]

Strength athletics

  • Arnold Classic
    • Arnold Strongman Classic - Winner 2002 at age 31[7]: After only 4 month's training Mark Henry takes first prize in one of the most prestigious annual strongman events, the so-called "SUPER BOWL" of weightlifting,[47] out-muscling the best of the best in worldwide Strongman athletics including the #1ranked strongman in the world and World's Strongest Man competition winner of 2001 Svend Karlsen, World Powerlifting Champion of 2000 and 2001 Andy Bolton and World's Strongest Man winner of 2006 Phil Pfister.[47] Henry blew away the competition like no expert had expected, even setting a new world record in the Apollon's Axle in the process. By surpassing the crème-de-la-crème of worldwide strongmen, who have been practicing strength athletics their whole life, Henry outstandingly proved again to be the "World's Strongest Man" and demonstrated in a most impressive fashion, that he has arguably the greatest potential of all the strongmen worldwide.[47] Henry deadlifted 885 lbs for 2 easy repetitions and was the only competitor able to clean and press the Apollon's Wheel overhead 3 times.[47][62][72]
    • Winner of the $1000 Thomas Inch dumbbell challenge at the Arnold Strongman Classic 2002, by lifting the dumbbell to the level of his chest[47][72]
    • Fourth man in history to clean and press the Apollon's Wheel (a non-revolving 365 lb barbell with a 2 inch thick handle) overhead.[72]
  • First man in history to one-hand clean and push press the "unliftable" Thomas Inch dumbbell (172 lbs; 2.47" diameter handle), writing strength athletics history on June 22, 2002 in New Jersey - Mark was the first man in history, who was able to one-hand clean it from the floor to shoulder's height and then press it to arm's length.[191][192] Tom Black, who covered the event for the Cyberpump website, called the lift “the best documented feat of all the legendary performances and perhaps the most spectacular feat of strength ever performed.”[191][192] Though many have tried, only one man in history has yet been able to repeat this feat. The most difficult part is not to one-hand press it, but to clean it from the floor with one hand, because it requires insane grip and wrist strength.[191]
  • Mark Henry is crowned "The Second Strongest Man That Ever Lived" – according to Flex Magazine May, 2008: In a Top Ten List of the strongest men of all time called "Strength in Numbers", published by Flex Magazine, Mark Henry came in second only to the legendary 6 time Arnold Strongman Classic winner Zydrunas Savickas, who was voted #1. Henry was given the honors for his world class performances in powerlifting, weightlifting and strongman despite minimal training and exceptionally young age, as well as for his accomplishment of still holding the highest combined weightlifting/powerlifting total in history to this day. Henry surpasses even all-time great strength legends such as 3 time World's Strongest Man competition winner Bill Kazmaier, legendary Paul Anderson and Louis Cyr as well as 5 time World's Strongest Man winner Mariusz Pudzianowski.[32][59]
Henry as World Heavyweight Champion.
  • International Sports Hall of Fame
    • International Sports Hall of Fame (Class of 2012)[29]: Mark Henry is honored as one of the world’s greatest athlete legends in sports history for his extraordinary career as a lifetime drug-free strength prodigy in powerlifting, weightlifitng and strongman setting record marks in all three disciplines. He is inducted in 2012 together with fellow hall-of-famers Arnold Schwarzenegger, Cory Everson, Jack LaLanne, James Lorimer and Randy Couture.[193]

Professional wrestling

Personal life

Mark Henry is the cousin of former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Kevin Henry.[1] Henry's father, Ernest, died of complications from diabetes when Henry was twelve.[36] He has an older brother, Pat.[36] When Henry was fourteen, he was diagnosed with dyslexia.[33]

As a kid, Mark was a big wrestling fan and Andre the Giant was his favorite wrestler. While attending a wrestling show in Beaumont, Texas as a fan, young Mark wanted to touch Andre as he was walking down the aisle, but he tripped over the barricade. Andre picked him up out of the crowd, and put him back behind the barricade.[55]

Henry played American football in high school, until his senior year, when he strained ligaments in his wrist.[33]

Henry comes from a family in which almost all of the men are gigantic, especially his Great Uncle Chudd, who was 6’7″, weighed approximately 500 pounds, never had a pair of manufactured shoes, and was known as the strongest man in the woods of east Texas.[29]

Today, Henry lives in New York with his wife Jana and his son Jacob.[4] As of 2002, he has driven a Hummer that he won in the Arnold Strongman Classic that same year.[196]

Henry is also a fan of Arnold Schwarzenegger.

In wrestling

Henry prepares to perform a World's Strongest Slam on John Cena.
Henry prepares to perform a Swinging full nelson on John Cena.
Henry performing a body avalanche on Ted DiBiase and Cody Rhodes.
Mark Henry performing a chop on Fit Finlay.
Mark Henry vs the Undertaker.

Measurements

measurements from 2002/2003 @ 31/32 years of age

  • Height: 6-foot-4-inches[2] (193 cm)
  • Weight: 375 pounds (170 kg) @ 17% bodyfat[2] (220 pounds at age 9)[60]
  • Neck size: 23 inches[2] (58,4 cm)
  • Chest: 65 inches[2] (165 cm)
  • Biceps: 23[60] - 25 inches[2] (58,5 - 63,5 cm)
  • Wrist: 9 1/4 inches[60] (23,5 cm)
  • Waist: 48 inches (121,9 cm) @ 405 pounds[60]
  • Thighs: 36 inches[2] (91,5 cm)
  • Calves: 22 1/2 inches[2] (57 cm)
  • Shoe size: 16 EEE[2]
  • Suit jacket: 64"[60]


  • At 6-foot-3-inches and 366 pounds at age 21, Mark became the largest weightlifter in the history of the Olympic Games in 1992.[2]
  • At the 1996 Olympics, Mark Henry weighing at 407 pounds,[213] was still the largest athlete in Olympic history.[42]

Quotes around Mark Henry

Quotes about Mark Henry

  • U.S. national weightlifting coaching director of 1991 Lyn Jones about Mark in July 1991:
"He may be the strongest man in the world right now," and "He is the greatest natural talent I have ever seen."[36]
  • Dragomir Cioroslan, bronze medalist for Romania at the '84 Olympics and the '96s coach of the U.S. weightlifting team, about Mark on August 1993:
"I lifted for 16 years, I've coached for nine and I've never seen anyone with Mark's raw talent."[15]
  • 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." and "If pushed or challenged, his potential is far beyong what is shown, which puts it in a range of phenomenal."[60]
  • Dr. Robert M. Goldman in 2012 about Mark Henry at Mark's induction into the International Sports Hall of Fame:
"Mark Henry was a 2 time olympian, winner of the national and world title in powerlifting, world record holder in powerlifting. Really, Mark is probably one of the strongest humans ever born on the planet - literally! I mean in terms of natural, physical capacity! A truly remarkable human being...[...]"[29]
  • Dr. Terry Todd, super heavyweight powerlifting champion and lifelong expert in the field of strength, about seeing Mark Henry for the first time, reflected:
"We were at the state high school powerlifting championship, and more than one person said, you have to see this superheavyweight, [Mark Henry]" [...] "It was obvious that he had this almost unlimited potential."[214]
  • When asked, who the most memorable [male] lifters were, "the world's strongest woman" Dr. Jan Todd, one of the greatest female powerlifters of all time, replied:
"Mark Henry would top my list. I first saw Mark lift at the state high school meet here in Texas where he squatted over 800 pounds back in 1990. Although his powerlifting career has been brief because of his involvement with Olympic lifting and pro-wrestling, I’ve never been around anyone who possessed his level of natural strength. I’d also have to list Bill Kazmaier, who trained with me in the early 1980s."[215]
  • When asked, who did impress him the most during his career as a strongman, the first thing Dennis Rogers, the so-called "pound-for-pound World's Strongest Man" replied was:
"Bill Kazmaier & Mark Henry for their incredibly scary overall strength. [...]"[216]

Quotes by Mark Henry

  • Mark Henry on the question "[...] how much could you lift?" during an interview with IGN in May 2006:
"I've squatted over 1,000 pounds several times in my life and I was able to dead lift 900 pounds several times. There are a lot of people who will never even touch that kind of weight, but I was able to do it multiple, multiple times in my life. I've had a pretty good career with the lifting, and now it's all about wrestling. But I'll tell you what, when you're lifting 1,000 pounds, it's not for the faint of heart."[208]
  • Mark Henry on the question "How much can you bench?" during an interview with REV magazine (now defunct) in June 2009:
"I can do close to 600 pounds, but the bench press is the most limited, and the least functional of all the lifts. I've squatted 1006 lbs, and I've deadlifted 900 lbs consistently, which is my forte. There have been very few 900 lb deadlifters, ever."[55]

See also

References

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