JohnCenaFan28
02-24-2009, 08:31 PM
Mark Henry is billed as the World's Strongest Man.
So when Henry, who participated in the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics in powerlifting and presently wrestles for World Wrestling Entertainment, tells you to do something, you might want to listen.
"If the people in Poughkeepsie haven't bought tickets yet, they should," said Henry by phone from his home in Beaumont, Texas. "I can't wait to get to Poughkeepsie. It's one of the better shows that we've brought to Poughkeepsie in a while."
WWE's RAW and Extreme Championship Wrestling brands will present the Road to WrestleMania Tour on March 1 at 5 p.m. Henry will wrestle grizzled veteran Dave (Fit) Finlay on the show.
"All I can say about Finlay is he can take a good beating," Henry said.
The 6-foot-1, 392-pound Henry placed tenth in Barcelona in 1992 and placed 12th in Atlanta in 1996 in super heavyweight powerlifting. He transitioned to a career in professional wrestling when he received a phone call from WWE chairman Vince McMahon.
Surprise phone call
Even though Henry didn't really believe it was him.
"Vince, himself, called me. He saw me on television," Henry said. "He gave me a call to see if I was interested after hearing me in an interview say I was a big fan. The first time I got the call I thought it was one of my buddies joking.
Although now he is a veteran, the transition to the ring was not easy for Henry.
"It was difficult," Henry said. "I had studied tae kwan do and I had boxed. Being the athlete I was, I felt like I could adapt to everything the first year or two. But I was an anaerobic athlete and it was really hard. Wrestling was such an aerobic sport, as well as a strength sport."
After signing with WWE in 1996, the company sent him to Calgary, Alberta, Canada to train with the legendary Bret "Hit Man" Hart and his father, the late Stu Hart. In addition to them, Henry credits his progress in becoming a pro wrestler to wrestlers Tom Prichard, Leo Burke, Danny Davis, Rip Rogers and Arn Anderson, as well as well-known wrestling manager Jim Cornette.
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"I've been taught by some of the best wrestlers ever in the business," Henry said. "If I can't go and represent their teaching, it's not their fault."
Henry, now 37, credits his longevity in WWE with keeping his head on straight.
"I've not only been responsible and forthright with the company, but I've also done everything I could to make sure nothing negative happens to me," Henry said. "I've showed a lot of restraint with people. There's been a lot of verbal abuse, but there's not been one incident. What this business needs is more people willing to leave it in the ring."
Nowadays, Henry travels with his on-screen manager, WWE Hall-of Famer, "Mr. USA" Tony Atlas.
"Tony's got a wealth of knowledge," Henry said. "He's been in the business when it was at its worst and he was at his best and also when it was unbelievable and he was at his worst. The advice that he gives is priceless."
Atlas was a big star in the 1970s and early 1980s, but had issues with drug abuse and poverty when the business boomed.
Another thing Henry has a lot of respect for is WWE's Wellness Policy. He had to go through Olympic drug testing and he thinks the steps WWE took are positive.
"I think it's absolutely amazing how good that it's doing," Henry said. "Not just the fact that drugs are illegal, but the policy is more of a wellness policy. It keeps people from dying. There's not many companies in the world that actually care."
Henry said he appreciates the passion of the Poughkeepsie fans.
"They're crazy. It's a crazy crowd," Henry said. "They want to get to you. If you're beating up on who they love, people are fanatical and that's what we want so we can perform at a higher rate."
Source: PKJ
So when Henry, who participated in the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics in powerlifting and presently wrestles for World Wrestling Entertainment, tells you to do something, you might want to listen.
"If the people in Poughkeepsie haven't bought tickets yet, they should," said Henry by phone from his home in Beaumont, Texas. "I can't wait to get to Poughkeepsie. It's one of the better shows that we've brought to Poughkeepsie in a while."
WWE's RAW and Extreme Championship Wrestling brands will present the Road to WrestleMania Tour on March 1 at 5 p.m. Henry will wrestle grizzled veteran Dave (Fit) Finlay on the show.
"All I can say about Finlay is he can take a good beating," Henry said.
The 6-foot-1, 392-pound Henry placed tenth in Barcelona in 1992 and placed 12th in Atlanta in 1996 in super heavyweight powerlifting. He transitioned to a career in professional wrestling when he received a phone call from WWE chairman Vince McMahon.
Surprise phone call
Even though Henry didn't really believe it was him.
"Vince, himself, called me. He saw me on television," Henry said. "He gave me a call to see if I was interested after hearing me in an interview say I was a big fan. The first time I got the call I thought it was one of my buddies joking.
Although now he is a veteran, the transition to the ring was not easy for Henry.
"It was difficult," Henry said. "I had studied tae kwan do and I had boxed. Being the athlete I was, I felt like I could adapt to everything the first year or two. But I was an anaerobic athlete and it was really hard. Wrestling was such an aerobic sport, as well as a strength sport."
After signing with WWE in 1996, the company sent him to Calgary, Alberta, Canada to train with the legendary Bret "Hit Man" Hart and his father, the late Stu Hart. In addition to them, Henry credits his progress in becoming a pro wrestler to wrestlers Tom Prichard, Leo Burke, Danny Davis, Rip Rogers and Arn Anderson, as well as well-known wrestling manager Jim Cornette.
Advertisement
"I've been taught by some of the best wrestlers ever in the business," Henry said. "If I can't go and represent their teaching, it's not their fault."
Henry, now 37, credits his longevity in WWE with keeping his head on straight.
"I've not only been responsible and forthright with the company, but I've also done everything I could to make sure nothing negative happens to me," Henry said. "I've showed a lot of restraint with people. There's been a lot of verbal abuse, but there's not been one incident. What this business needs is more people willing to leave it in the ring."
Nowadays, Henry travels with his on-screen manager, WWE Hall-of Famer, "Mr. USA" Tony Atlas.
"Tony's got a wealth of knowledge," Henry said. "He's been in the business when it was at its worst and he was at his best and also when it was unbelievable and he was at his worst. The advice that he gives is priceless."
Atlas was a big star in the 1970s and early 1980s, but had issues with drug abuse and poverty when the business boomed.
Another thing Henry has a lot of respect for is WWE's Wellness Policy. He had to go through Olympic drug testing and he thinks the steps WWE took are positive.
"I think it's absolutely amazing how good that it's doing," Henry said. "Not just the fact that drugs are illegal, but the policy is more of a wellness policy. It keeps people from dying. There's not many companies in the world that actually care."
Henry said he appreciates the passion of the Poughkeepsie fans.
"They're crazy. It's a crazy crowd," Henry said. "They want to get to you. If you're beating up on who they love, people are fanatical and that's what we want so we can perform at a higher rate."
Source: PKJ