Match Reviews for Mark Henry's Hall of Pain Run (WWE, 2011-2013)
For a general discussion of Mark Henry check out this link:
Must See Mark Henry Matches:
1. Mark Henry vs Big Show - Money In The Bank 2011
2. Mark Henry vs Sheamus - Summerslam 2011
3. World Heavyweight Champion Randy Orton vs Mark Henry - Night of Champions 2011
4. World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry vs Big Show - Vengeance 2011
5. Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry vs Big Show - Survivor Series 2011
6. World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry vs Daniel Bryan SD! 11/29/11 Steel Cage Match
7. WWE Champion CM Punk vs Mark Henry - RAW 4/2/12
8. WWE Champion John Cena vs Mark Henry - Money In The Bank 2013
Rey Mysterio vs Mark Henry - Smackdown 4/29/11
Let the Hall of Pain BEGIN! The draft was the night previous on RAW and this marks the beginning of Mark Henry's renewed push. He steamrolled John Cena on RAW to make a statement but ultimately cost Smackdown getting John Cena as Cena was drafted back to RAW. This is Rey Rey's last match on Smackdown he gives a really good going away speech. Rey was without a doubt the heart & soul of Smackdown from 2002-2011. We will miss you Rey. Gone, but never forgotten. Mark Henry says the only sad thing is that Rey's farewell is Mark's debut. Rey kicks Mark Henry in the leg and The World's Strongest Man swats him away like a gnat. Rey powders. He get back in and runs into the brick wall known as Mark Henry. Mark stands on Rey. These two rule together. Rey does his belly slide, but he rolls through. He ends up shoving Henry into the stairs and the big man takes quite tumble. Back from break, Henry crotches Rey on the top and then just steamrolls him. Henry misses the big ass splash. Rey dials up 619 then Dashing Cody Rhodes with the MASK~! comes out and attacks Rey for the DQ. OMG I forgot how much I liked "disfigured" Cody gimmick that was his best run ever. I was actually live in Manchester for the Birth of "Dashing" Cody Rhodes. Great debut for Mark because he uses all his size and power, but never goes for any covers so Rey never kicks out. He uses none of his finishes the splash or the slam meaning they are not cheapened. Great restraint from Mark Henry while still showing off his power and Rey was a great ragdoll for the big man. Really good TV match. ***1/4
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Mark Henry vs Big Show - Money In The Bank 2011
"You know nobody is going to look at me cross because I will break their face in" - Mark Henry
Somebody's gonna get their ass kicked. Somebody's gonna get their wig split. Excellent super heavyweight match. Maybe the greatest super heavyweight clash of the titans match ever. I feel like I am missing something obvious. Apparently, Big Show beat the shit out of Mark Henry when he was venting over Alberto Del Rio. Mark Henry was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Well Mark Henry is nobody's victim. He gave Big Show the World's Strongest Slam through the announce table at the last PPV and put him through the Steel Cage Wall in a different match.
Big Show comes out firing. Huge chops, rapid fire. Red hot start. Big Show with the FLYING shouldertackle, the big man leaves his feet! Mark Henry dropkicks the stairs into the Big Show's knee. Great knee work from Mark Henry. It was crazy watching Henry apply a single leg crab to the Big Show. You realize how gargantuan each man is. Big Show gets a flying shouldertackle from the ropes and then goes for the Chokeslam. Mark Henry hits the World's Strongest Slam. WOW! Kick out! Double WOW! Worlds Strongest Slam and then a pair of World Strongest Splashes! Post-match, Mark Henry inducts The Big Show into the Hall of Pain when he gives the Vadebomb to Big Show's injured leg jammed into a steel chair. Somebody gonna get their ass kicked. Both cut an intense pace, great knee work by Henry, awesome finish and just crazy watching two behemoth pick each other and kick ass. Big Show got his ass kicked. ***3/4
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Mark Henry vs Bobby Howard - Smackdown 7/29/11
The second inductee of the Hall of Pain: Kane. As Mark Henry demolished Kane's knee in similar fashion as he did Big Show's at Money In the Bank in the Smackdown after MITB. Now nobody on the Smackdown roster wants to face the World's Strongest Man. Hence this dweeb (perfect word from Michael Cole) comes and gets fed to the lion. Mark Henry is ready to induct this chump into the Hall of Pain when Teddy Long (ex-manager and current GM of SD!) comes out to tell Mark that he cant wrestle anymore because he cant find anyone to fight the big man. Sheamus comes out to a huge pop. WHAT?!?! There is even a Sheamus chant. Wow! He actually had a chance. Damn. Mark Henry says he talks too much. They scuffle and Sheamus sends Mark Henry packing setting up their barnburner of a match at Summerslam 2011.
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Mark Henry vs Sheamus - Summerslam 2011
This is when I first noticed Mark Henry and Sheamus as something special. I like so many were swept up in the Summer of Punk Part Deux. The pipebomb promo piqued my interest and saved my wrestling fandom. Then I went to the RAW in Boston before Money In The Bank and the interactions among Cena, Punk and Vince led to the best promos I have ever seen live. 2011 was the only year were I bought two PPVs in the same calendar year: Money In The Bank and Summerslam. I was NOT watching Smackdown at the time. My brother and I didn't really care for either guy at the time, but by the end of the match we were sold and both of us were going crazy for the finish.
My favorite type of match is two big uglies just going out there and clubberin' and tossin' each other around. This is exactly what this was. Mark Henry was on a roll. Inducting Big Show, Kane and Vladimir Kozlov into the Hall of Pain. Watch this match and notice how judicious Mark Henry is with leaving his feet. It makes those bumps mean something. Watch Sheamus' punches how they lose something in the heat segment. Watch the struggle. Sheamus is punching a brick wall basically. They are both fighting through each other's offense. Sheamus is able to take Mark Henry to one knee, but when he goes for the Irish Curse Backbreaker his reach is exceeding his grasp. Mark Henry just hurls him over the top rope.
Mark Henry press slams Sheamus from the floor into the ring. That's power. Huge clothesline and Worlds Strongest Splash gets two. There is this insane spot. Sheamus is on the ropes like he is going to take a 619. Mark Henry comes crashing through with all his weight to the floor. To the floor. Booker gets in the best line ever, he just left a skid mark on that boy. Damn straight. Awesome spot from the big man. There is a "Lets Go Sheamus" chant. They really might have had something with him. Sheamus just does not have much behind the punches. Argentine backbreaker, Sheamus breaks the clasp, but takes the Bret Bump. Mark Henry goes for the Vaderbomb, but misses. See that's how you setup a heroic babyface comeback against a monster: missed moves! Axehandles from Sheamus rock Mark Henry and the flying one takes him off his feet to a big spot. Mark Henry gets how to be a monster. Sheamus is just all over Mark suffocating him with knees and forearms. Battering Ram! He wants the Brogue Kick. Miss. Henry is looking for the World Strongest Slam, but Sheamus evades. BROGUE KICK~! He kicks him straight out of the ring. Great bump by Mark. Sheamus follows him outside. That's unwise. Boy, you bout to get hurt. Worlds Strongest Slam to the post and then World Strongest Slam THROUGH THE BARRICADE! HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT! My brother and I lost it for that. That's when we knew Mark Henry was for real. Mark Henry wins by countout. Great use of the countout victory. Awesome power match with both exhibiting a strong grasp of babyface and heel psychology and awesome power moves. ****
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Mark Henry vs Sheamus - Smackdown 8/26/11
Mark Henry won a battle royale to become the number one contender to the World Championship the Smackdown after Summerslam. He has a great interaction with Bret Hart at the beginning of the night talking about disrespect. He is so authoritative when he speaks. Nothing flashy, just to the point. Another good match outta these two. Great lock ups, I like Sheamus going for the knees early learning from Summerslam that just straight ahead firepower wont work. Mark Henry gets a big boot and splash in the corner to take control. Backbreaker, Sheamus takes the Bret Bump. It is all Mark Henry early. Sheamus gets a DDT out of a press slam. Sheamus is a great babyface comeback. Lots of fire and big moves. The barrage of axehandles, I liked the kneelifts to the head on the apron. The Battering Ram to get two was a great climax to this segment. Mark Henry powders. Sheamus tries to reach through the ropes and Mark Henry slings him through the ropes hard to the floor. Mark Henry is thinking Worlds Strongest Slam through the announce table by Sheamus throws him onto the announce table and throws a chair on him. Sheamus wins by countout. Mark Henry aint gonna be embarrassed. He is looking to get him some. Sheamus is always spoilin for a fight. Sheamus grabs the steps and chucks him at Henry but hits the post. Henry clobbers him from behind. WORLDS STRONGEST SLAM ON THE STEPS! The post-match angle was awesome. Another damn good outing from these two. Ill have to check to see if they have any matches while Mark is World Champ. ***1/2
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World Heavyweight Champion Randy Orton vs Mark Henry - Night of Champions 2011
"WELCOME TO THE HALL OF PAIN" That post-match promo has to go down as one of the best championship victory promos of all time.
It seems that Mark Henry coined the term "Hall of Pain" on the Smackdown before this show. I gotta check out that promo. Amazing match. Best Mark Henry match I have seen thus far. There are a couple different elements at work here. It is not just Mark's power and mass versus Orton's speed and guile. Mark Henry is the "Worlds Strongest Failure" according to Randy Orton. He is a career underachiever. How will he perform in the biggest match of his career. Henry shows off some of that power early but Orton goes for the legs. Orton can be uptempo when he wants to be. Garvin stomp by Orton focused on the legs. Mark ends up on the outside and rips the cover off the announce table. Show his inexperience. Orton has him rattled. Mark hits a big boot on Orton. I cant believe Mark can pick up his leg that high. Orton has one last gasp with the sleeper. Great idea. Mark backs him in he corner. Orton is on the top rope and one swing of that bear paw sends Orton crashing to the floor. Mark Henry in control is a beautiful thing. Mark Henry is just in a zone. One of the best super heavyweight, power heat segments. Stretching Orton's back across the ring post. Big bodyslam and that big ass splash. Orton is trying to fire up and Mark hits these huge headbutts. The entire Hall of Pain run built to this moment and Mark Henry was ready. However, this confidence turns to arrogance. Mark Henry starts to toy with the World Heavyweight Champion. I use that term to remind everyone this is the World Heavyweight Champion he is wrestling, Mark Henry is on the roll of a lifetime, but even he should not take the World Heavyweight Champion lightly. Orton starts to build some momentum. He has a great punch and European Uppercut. Henry stymies him with one of those big headbutts. Orton to the mat. Henry splash, but nobody is home. Here is the Champion's opening. He is rocking. I liked the rapid fire ten count punches in the corner with Henry on one knee. Orton hits some massive clotheslines but Orton cant get him off his feet. Standing dropkick knocks the big man down! We got a fight on our hands now, boys!
Now we get to unique part of the match. Henry shoves Orton off when he goes for the Hangsman DDT and hits a heavy clothesline. Mark Henry hits the World Strongest Slam and Orton kicks out?!?! What's unique? This was not an act of finisher trading. This was a spot that was built to. Mark Henry had control let that control slip from his grasp by getting cocky and once he regained control he went for the kill, but Orton kicked out. This actually built to another segment instead of spot trading. By kicking out of the World Strongest Slam in this context, you truly believe Orton will win. In a typical wrestling match with this build, Orton is a 95% chance of winning. I think this one of the most effective red herrings they have ever produced.
Having had his finish kicked out of, Mark Henry does the sensible thing and goes for a bigger bomb. The Vaderbomb. He eats feet. You feel that Orton finish stretch that will end up in victory. He kicks Mark Henry down to size. DDT. Hangsman DDT. Yep Orton has this one. He moves in for the kill and with one flick of his tree trunk like leg Mark Henry takes Orton's knee. Orton sells it like he has been shot in the leg. Orton's selljob is incredible. The way he is writhing in pain. Everything he tries to get up, he sort of collapses. He cant put any pressure on his leg. He uses Mark Henry to get up. Mark Henry is all business. Not a single shred of mercy. Orton defiant goes for the RKO and Henry throws him off. World's Strongest Slam. 1-2-3. WELCOME TO THE HALL OF PAIN!
Amazing match. Early frustration from Mark Henry before settling into a groove. I loved how he earned that heat segment fighting through a sleeper and knocking Orotn off the top. He ruled that heat segment. I loved how he got cockier and cockier allowing Orton back in. Orton was terrific in this match. Good selling early, awesome fire late and the leg selling at the end was downright awesome. The kickout of the Worlds Strongest Slam is one of the best false finishes they have had in awhile. Like I said 95% of the time when a match is paced like that, the babyface goes over after kicking out of a heel's finish. Awesome curveball. Loved the finish with Mark injuring the leg, Orton's selling, the last ditch RKO attempt and then Mark Henry finishing the job. Badass. ****1/2
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World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry vs Randy Orton
Hell In A Cell 2012 Hell In A Cell
Not nearly as good their Night of Champions match, but few matches are. Has there been any good Hell In A Cell matches at this PPV? Since there is no bloodletting, it is kinda just a normal match with an occasional cage shot. I will say they do use the cage better than most. Orton comes out the gate home. He shoves Henry into the cage twice. He hits a massive clothesline to knock Mark Henry off his feet. This was a good shine. The big angle development since Night of Champions a scant two weeks prior was that Orton hit the RKO on Smackdown so you know it is possible. What you are saying is that he has a chance. They play tug of war with each other arms by the ring post which was cool. Orton tries to jump on Mark Henry. Bad idea. Mark catches him and drives him into the post and the cage. So they did use the cage to transition to Mark Henry on offense. Save for Vader, Mark Henry is the best super heavyweight at offense. He does it completely differently than the big striking Vader. He is just pure power. Two great powerslams one is outside the ring. He hurls the steel steps at Orton. He friggin chucks it like nothing. Good thing Orton got out of the way. I love the little things like Orton trying to Irish Whip and Mark just whipping into the near buckles and squashing him with a splash. The repeated backbreakers and bearhug was great psychology from the big man. Henry goes for the Worlds Strongest Slam on the steps, but Orton climbs the cage and kicks Mark Henry in the head. Orton unloads, dropkick takes the big man off his feet. Hangmans DDT. RKO~! 1-2-NO! OH SHIT! Orton goes for the punt, caught, WORLDS STRONGEST SLAM! Orton you got your ass kicked.
There was more dead space and this felt more routine than Night of Champions, but these two have great chemistry. ****
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World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry vs Big Show - Vengeance 2011
I love these two together. The video package before this is amazing. Great emotional babyface return promo by Big Show. Then Mark Henry doesn't want to give him a match so Big Show chokeslams him through a table and hits with a chair. Fuck yeah! Big Show starts off red hot and has Mark Henry reeling. Henry wants his title to go home. Big Show gets him back in the ring and Mark Henry hits a flying chop block. BIG BODYSLAM BY MARK HENRY! Good leg work. I like that once Big Show gets out he cant hold Mark Henry's wait. They have a great slugfest on their knees which means they are about Rey Mysterio's height. Damn! Big Show gets the best of it. Look at Mark Henry BUMP N FEED for Big Show. Look I love respecting size and all that but you got to be impressed by Mark Henry there. Plus he is the smaller man in the match. That's always mind blowing when Mark Henry is the smaller man. Big Show HUGE BODYSLAM on the Worlds Strongest Man! He is calling for the Chokeslam, Bang, 1-2-NO! Awesome. Mark Henry gets the Worlds Strongest Slam for two. Mark Henry is incredulous. He thinks to himself the only way to top it is go to the top. CHOKESLAM OFF THE TOP! HOLY SHIT! 1-2-NO! What are they going to have do to finish each other off? Big Show now goes to the top...Mark Henry meets him...No...NO...OH MY GOD...THEY BROKE THE GODDAMN RING!!! The crowd lost their fucking shit for that. This was a great super heavyweight slugfest and the finish run was really well done but that finish puts it over the top. Best pure superheavyweight match of all time! ****1/4
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World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry vs Daniel Bryan - Smackdown 11/4/11
Daniel Bryan is the current holder of the Money In The Bank Contract. To my knowledge this is the first real interaction he has had with a world champion since winning that match. Big Show wants a rematch with Mark Henry because he was not beaten the ring just exploded. Mark is saying no. One way to retaliate is to help Daniel Bryan win the World Championship and that's what Big Show sets out to do. The beginning of the match is fun with Daniel Bryan trying the best he can to bring the big man down but is just flung all around the ring. Henry is squeezing Bryan's head up against the post and Big Show scares off the Worlds Strongest Man to establish his presence. The finish stretch is electric. Daniel Bryan hits a dropkick to the knee and brings Mark Henry to one knee. When he is doing his patented kicks, you feel the rumble from the crowd. He blasts Mark Henry in the head with a kick and the place comes UNGLUED! I think they go something with this Daniel Bryan kid.
Mark Henry presses him off with authority! Bryan goes up top, Henry catches him, Guillotine Choke. Mark Henry chucks him off. Mark Henry is PISSED! Great facial expression from him. I'd be pissed to if some pissant try to choke my ass out. Mark Henry repeatedly splashes Daniel Bryan in the corner. It is clear he is no longer trying to win a match but injure Bryan. So Big Show Knock His Ass Out. Big Show gets some water to revive Daniel Bryan to try to have him cash in his MITB contract. By the time Bryan, comes to it is too late and Henry hits the Worlds Strongest Slam on Bryan and then blasts Show with the briefcase. Teddy Long comes out and we are going to have a Holla Holla Rematch at Survivor Series. Holla! Once Daniel Bryan gets Mark Henry off his feet, this is just pure awesome pro wrestling theatre. ***1/4
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World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry vs Daniel Bryan - Smackdown 11/11/11
Daniel Bryan has a couple "hunnies" (AJ & Kaitlyn as Booker T would say) fawning over him. Booker T also insinuates that Daniel Bryan does not look like he has ever had a girlfriend. What!??! Michael Cole was still doing the heel gimmick this late, which I don't remember. Bryan bows up to Mark and slaps his hand out of his face. He even gives him some backsass. Mark Henry says he has guts just a shame he is going to spill all those guts over the ring tonight. Oh Hell Yeah! Michael Cole says Daniel Bryan is a hypocrite for almost cashing in last week since Bryan stated he was waiting for Mania.
Not as good as last weeks, but still entertaining. This time Daniel Bryan gets a missile dropkick to knock Henry down to one knee. Kicks and head kick lead to LeBell Lock. Henry powers out and it is on! He squashes Bryan in the corner. Bryan does ask for more before Mark puts him out of his misery with the World's Strongest Slam. I am sure the internet was abuzz at the time that Bryan got his ass handed to him here by Mark Henry. Goes to show you, you got to be patient.
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World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry vs Big Show - Survivor Series 2011
Big Show took down Mark Henry via a waistlock and then armdragged him. He armdragged Mark Henry. That was something else. Just basic spots are eye-popping when these two do it. The body of the match is very similar to Vengeance. I don't feel like they really broke new ground with Henry targeting the leg. It felt a lot more sluggish too. Henry hits his slam and a pair of splashes. The match gets better once Henry drives Big Show through the barricade. Again this pales in comparison to the Sheamus spot. Big Show makes it back to the ring and delivers a superkick. Without a doubt, the spot of the match is Big Show hitting a TOP ROPE ELBOW DROP!!! WOW! Mark Henry kicks out at two but is clearly rattled and punts Big Show in the nuts to trigger a DQ. Mark Henry wants to eliminate the Big Show so he gets a chair and wraps it around Big Show's leg. Big Show moves and Henry hits nothing but canvas. KO PUNCH! Big Show gives Mark Henry his receipt by legdropping a chair and shattering his ankle. The match itself is the least of all their matches, but check out the top rope elbow drop from the Big Show and the post-match angle is awesome as Big Show gets a measure of revenge. ***1/2
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World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry vs Daniel Bryan
Smackdown 11/29/11 Steel Cage Match
Daniel Bryan's little hunny, AJ, kisses him on the lips before the match. Daniel gives a pretty good promo to Matt Striker before the match. He is confident that he can get the job done tonight given the fact that Mark Henry's ankle was broken by Big Show at Survivor Series. This is one of the best cage matches of the all time, a good mix of cage use early and escape attempts. Mark Henry is like a wounded bear injured, but still very dangerous. Daniel Bryan tries to take advantage of his limited mobility by trying to escape the cage. Henry catches him both times. Bryan tries to chop the big redwood down with kicks, but Henry just flings Bryan into the cage and then splashes him into the cage. The best is when Goliath uses the slingshot on David. Henry pulls Bryan back on the ropes and then lets go sending Bryan into the cage. Henry's ankle is really bothering him. He keeps trying to leave via the door, but Daniel Bryan desperately holds onto the injured ankle. Mark Henry hits two of his BIGGEST clotheslines. These were just awesome. Bryan did a great job selling, Mark Henry is selling the ankle really well. Eventually Daniel Bryan gets Mark Henry down and applies the LeBell Lock. Henry powers out, but Bryan wriggles free and it is the ankle lock. HUGE POP! Henry uses his power to whip him off. Bryan goes for the escape. I thought they did a great job building Bryan's escape teases. The crowd was wicked into this. Henry ultimately hits the Worlds Strongest Slam from the top rope to win the match. Mark Henry's knees must hate him. Excellent David vs Goliath match with the wrinkles of the injured ankle and the steel cage. ****
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World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry vs Big Show - TLC 2011 Chair Match
All good things must come to an end. Given how both men have injured one another with steel chairs, it is fitting that steel chairs come into play. However, calling something a chairs match is very silly as I think we all realize. Sub-5 minute match where the first two minutes or so are stalling so definitely their weakest effort. Mark Henry slams Big Show's hand into the stairs. Big Show cant grip for the chokeslam (exhibited twice) and has nothing behind his punches. Mark is just wailing on him with a chair and stomps on a chair to the hand. Mark winds up and Big Show catches him with the KO punch. 1-2-3! New World Champion! Big Show's first world championship in nine years. Mark Henry attacks after the bell and hits a DDT on a pile of chairs. Big Show is out! Daniel Bryan cashes in. Thus would begin the saga of the Yes Movement! A good little match that on the surface is just that, but it would turn out to have massive ramifications on the landscape of the WWE. ***
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World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan vs Mark Henry
Smackdown 1/20/12 Lumberjack Match
I hate heel vs heel matches. Face vs face matches are implicitly intriguing. You can get really good technical wrestling out of it. Or the tempers flare halfway through the match narrative. Or the subtle heel narrative. Heel vs heel matches inevitably are heat vacuums because you don't want to see either of these assholes make a comeback. In the monster heel vs the annoying prick heel matchup, I think most people enjoy watching the annoying prick get his ass handed to him, which for the most part is what they go for here. Daniel Bryan is manhandled throughout the match. Being tossed around like a ragdoll. I don't know how I didn't see it coming, but I too like Josh Matthews was wondering why Bryan was going out of his way to antagonize the lumberjacks. Eventually Bryan does make a comeback and see this is what I am talking about. I no longer want to see this and Bryan is still making a babyface comeback. It would be more tolerable if he was heelish about it. It is the usual chop the tree down, dropkicks and Yes kicks (not yet Yes kicks, also he has not been Yesing as much since the first Yesing). Mark obliterates him with a clothesline only gets two. Press slams him over the top onto the lumberjacks. Mark Henry ends up on the outside and it is bedlam. The Lumberjacks attack Bryan and Henry. Henry tries to restore order by picking the lumberjacks off of Bryan but they swarm him. Again, Bryan escapes with the championship in a No Contest. Teddy Long makes Daniel Bryan vs Big Show vs Mark Henry in a Steel Cage for the Rumble! Now that's gonna be awesome!
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World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan vs Mark Henry vs Big Show - Royal Rumble 2012 Steel Cage Match
Three months of excellent booking all culminates here. If a triple threat is actually booked in such a way that warrants a triple threat match I will watch it. How can Daniel Bryan survive with these two gargantuan humans in there? Well one way to solve that is not be in there with them. He tries to make a run for it and Mark Henry yanks him down into a BIG SHOW SPEAR! Big Show then unloads with red hot strikes and splashes Mark Henry up against the cage three times. At this point, Bryan is back up and trying to escape again. Having finished off Mark Henry, Big Show can turn his attention in kicking that little pipsqueek's ass. Big overhand chops and cage shots. I love when an annoying jerk gets his ass handed to him. Big Show's KO punch meets nothing, but steel. Ow! Bryan dropkicks Big Show's knee when he charges. Bryan hits a nasty dropkick to Mark Henry's head. Then hits another dropkick on Big Show. Bryan wants out via door now it is Mark Henry's turn to whup this boy. Mark Henry gets his licks in including the great slingshot spot until Big Show hits him with a superkick. Bryan smacks the hell out of Big Show. Dumb move. Big Show with big sledgehammer blows to Daniel Bryan. Great selling and feeding by Bryan. Big Show hurls Bryan into the cage. Some really great bumps into the cage by Bryan. Colossal bodyslam by Big Show on Bryan. Looked fucking great. Mark Henry is back up and takes Big Show off his feet with a clothesline. Now he can turn his attention to Daniel Bryan then stands on the little man. They working the triple threat formula instead the cage well and it is giving the giants time to rest. Mark Henry goes for the splash into the cage, but eats cage. SPEAR BY BIG SHOW! Daniel Bryan covers! Mark Henry kicks out. Big Show back to chucking Daniel Bryan all around the cage. Bryan gets a tornado DDT and then the LeBell Lock. Henry breaks it up. Henry goes for the Worlds Strongest Slam. KO PUNCH! Big Show covers and Daniel Bryan shoves him off. Daniel Bryan races up the cage and Big Show has him with one hand but Daniel Bryan falls to floor to win.
It is pretty telling that Mark Henry didn't get one major nearfall in this match. After this match, Mark Henry would be shunted down the card with one brief bright spot in 2013 when he faked his retirement against Cena. Another great angle was Mark Henry showing off his American and Olympic Pride against Rusev in 2014. This pretty much is the end of the road for the Hall of Pain. It was an amazing run that caught me off guard while it was happening when I was reading about it (didn't have time for Smackdown in college on Friday nights), but finally getting to see it was a true treat. Mark Henry was in the zone. As for this match, I thought it was a brisk fun beat the shit out of Bryan match where Bryan was great bumping for these giants and Big Show was really motivated. Very fun match. ***3/4
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WWE Champion CM Punk vs Mark Henry - RAW 4/2/12
When I decided to go to WrestleMania in 2012 with my Dad & brother for my graduation from my master's program I saw it as the ultimate gift to myself. In a lot of ways, I was actually in nadir of my wrestling watching. I didn't watch Smackdown at all. I was totally clueless to the whole Yes Movement and I was wondering why everyone was chanting Yes in the parking lot. Honestly, a lot of the storylines headed into RAW did not pique my interest. The pipebomb promo of 2011 renewed my interest in pro wrestling, but I still was not as into it. WrestleMania XVIII was an incredible experience. It was very important in rejuvenating my love for wrestling, but I would say the night after was all the more reason. I have told the story many times that it was Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania XIX that made me a lifelong fan again after I completely stopped watching in September of 2001. Well his return in 2012, spurred on a resurgence in my desire to plunge deep into pro wrestling like I never had before. It was in the summer of 2012, I discovered this message board and my life has never been the same. Thank you, Brock! The other thing I remember from that night was how fucking awesome CM Punk vs Mark Henry was. I was already back in my apartment in Michigan and my brother was back home in Boston. We were texting together just marking out about how amazing this match was.
Context, the night before CM Punk defended his championship against Chris Jericho and injured his back. Mark Henry was rewarded with a title shot because CM Punk called John Lauranitis a toolbox at the top of the show. This is without a doubt in my mind the greatest in-ring verbal trash talk I have ever heard. You have your old stand-bys like "That all you got." "I own you.", but then you got some really clever ones "Oh, you wanna count? Count this" then Mark Henry counting along to each stomp. The pinnacle of this and it was burnt in my mind from this match is "Did I tell you to move? You only move when I tell you to move". It is ***** trash talk that is for sure.
Incredible performances from both men, just a perfect David vs Goliath match. CM Punk is trying valiant but keeps getting manhandled and his back just isn't holding up. The number one reason he is staying in this match is that he keeps moving out of the way of things. Mark Henry is beating the tar out of him though. CM Punk is laying in his shots. I loved his elbow flurry before the bearhug could be cinched in. There is one flurry of kicks and then Kenta Kobashi like chops that is just electric. Mark Henry sold all this like a million bucks so when it was time to go down it felt like a huge deal. CM Punk's selling and fighting through the pain is some of the best I have ever seen. Mark Henry played the monster role flawlessly. He gave CM Punk openings but he also knew when to cutoff him. It really made you question how CM Punk could win this match? Guess what ultimately he loses! How about that for a curveball! It has been so long since I had seen the match I totally forgot. CM Punk hits two fabulous running knees in the corner. I got to emphasize this CM Punk's strikes looked fantastic in this match. He goes for his standard bulldog out of the corner but Mark Henry throws him over the top rope on the floor. CM Punk goes splat, but Mark has been knocked so loopy he does not capitalize so CM Punk gets counted out. To me it was a strange finish because Mark Henry was on his way down the card and they never followed up on it. God, I wish they had a program together. I think they could have put together something really special.
I wouldn't bat an eye if someone said this was the best Mark Henry match ever, I like the Orton Night of Champions match better for the definitive finish, but this was a joy to watch. Definitely check it out if you haven't. ****1/4
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Mark Henry's Retirement Speech RAW 6/17/13
"BABY IM COMING HOME"
Honestly, I think this is my pick for the greatest promo in pro wrestling history. I just watched it and the part where he talks about his daughter crying everytime when he leaves, I welled up. Jesus! I knew what was going to happen and I still welled up. I was smiling too while it happened because he got me. That's pro wrestling, baby. Hell even when I watched this in real time in 2013 I smelt the angle from a mile away it still didn't keep me from being swept up in it. From the great self-depreciating humor of "I figured if you forgot me, you would remember this jacket" and "Don't cry for me, Argentina, I am doing enough crying for myself." to talking about the respect he has for everyone that works for WWE, the pride he has in his career, though he has one regret and his family. It is really the perfect retirement speech and that's what makes it so good. He is crying and smiling. Honest to God, you think he is retiring. The promo Cena cuts before this is amazing. Talking about how terrible 2012 was with no World Championship victories, losing to The Rock, but he never gave up and his fans never gave up on him. He is earnestly thanking his fans. Then he discusses how he will be ever-vigilant for his next challenger. Here comes Big 'Ol Mark and Cena is crying & smiling along with the rest of us. "Thank You Henry" chant, damn he worked us good. Mark Henry, you did pro wrestling proud, brutha. "BABY I'M COMING HOME!" World's Strongest Slam. I STILL GOT A LOT LEFT IN THE TANK! THATS WHAT I DO! If I gave out star ratings for promos this is the six star promo.
I am excited to watch the match because I aint never seen the match.
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WWE Champion John Cena vs Mark Henry - Money In The Bank 2013
On the heels of what I have called the greatest pro wrestling promo of all time, we get a damn good David vs Goliath. Cena's disdain for babyface shines can be forgiven here as he eats a knee right from jump when he charges into the Human Brick Wall known as Mark Henry. Mark Henry puts on one of the best heat segments in history. Torturing Cena and treating him like a ragdoll. The Headbutts and body attacks were there and so was that insane straddle to the floor that Alberto Del Rio does but now it is 412 lbs Mark Fucking Henry doing it, but he busted out new ways to inflict pain such as the Front Suplex to the steel steps and the Giant Swing (loved the one into the barricade). I will say I would have liked more struggle from Cena, but his selling was great and the offense was good. Cena tried hope spots like dropkick and a slam (his back gave out), but Henry snuffed it out. It was only when Henry was applying a head vice that Cena started to make the big man reel with punches. First shoudlertackle didn't knock the big man down, but the second one sure did. I think he should have went for more. Cant get up the massive Mark Henry for the FU. Mark Henry squashes him like a pancake, but only gets two. Cena does hit the FU but only for two. Know that is depressing. You finally do the move you want to do and it doesn't even finish the job. He goes up top, crossbody, CAUGHT, WORLD STRONGEST SLAM, PHILLY ERUPTS, 1-2-NO! HUGE REACTION! That was great. Henry is pissed and tears off the turnbuckle pad in anger. Then a light bulb goes off. He gets some chairs to distract the ref tears off a different corner. He goes to send John in and Cena reverses and the Big Man takes straight to the chest. STFU, but Mark gets the ropes. Mark Henry pushes Cena into the ref and BOOM kicks a field goal through the uprights and Cena is down. 1-2-NO! Worlds Strongest Slam, no Cena picks the ankle and it is STFU and that leads to the tap out.
Awesome David vs Goliath match. Could have used more struggle in the beginning. Great, great offense from Henry and Cena sold well, but would have liked Cena to fight and then have Henry fight through Cena. The transition to the finish run was fine, the punches were good would have liked Cena to switch up against Mark Henry, but hey what are you gonna. Finish run from the first flattened FU to the end was awesome. Great one last gasp of Mark Henry! ****
