Mark Henry surprised a lot of fans in 2021 when he showed up in AEW. Now, he has bid the company farewell.
During today’s edition of Busted Open Radio, Mark Henry announced that his time in AEW is over. Henry stated that his contract with AEW is set to expire tomorrow, and he wanted to address the matter. Henry mentioned that Tony Khan expressed his happiness and pride in what they achieved together, a sentiment Henry shares. Henry appreciated his time at AEW but felt it was time to focus on TheMarkHenry.com and the ReMarkable brand, so he decided not to renew his contract.
The former WWE World Heavyweight Champion explained that the decision was mutual and based on the understanding that he could not dedicate 100% of himself to AEW. He emphasized the positive experiences he had and his efforts to help as many people as possible. Henry mentioned that he is not leaving pro wrestling entirely but needs time to work on some projects before returning full force.
The WWE Hall of Famer and former World Heavyweight Champion signed with AEW in 2021, debuting at that year’s Double or Nothing pay-per-view. Since joining, Henry has served as an analyst, coach, scout, and mentor, with most of his on-screen work being as an interviewer and personality on AEW Rampage.
Neither Henry nor AEW President Tony Khan have publicly discussed Henry’s future. When not appearing for AEW, Henry hosts the Busted Open Radio podcast with fellow WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray and other industry names.
Mark Henry’s Future
Triple H has brought back several names since he took control of the company’s creative direction. It is not hard to imagine that Henry will find his way home in WWE eventually.
Henry has not competed since WWE’s Greatest Royal Rumble 2018 Premium Live Event, where he participated in the titular match won by Braun Strowman. His most recent singles match was on the February 13, 2017, edition of Monday Night Raw, where he was also defeated by Strowman. While Henry has teased a return to the ring for one last match, he has said he is unsure what it would take to make that happen.
Although Mark Henry never won a title in AEW, he held the World Heavyweight Championship for 91 days in 2011 and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2018.
On the home front, Mark’s son, Jacob Henry, is making his own waves. The massively talented athlete just signed to wrestle for the University of Oklahoma.