Former WWE World Heavyweight Champion admits he wasn’t supposed to compete in AEW

A former WWE World Heavyweight Champion recently disclosed that he was never supposed to compete in AEW. The star in question is Mark Henry.

At the Double or Nothing pay-per-view event in 2021, WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry made his surprising debut in Tony Khan's promotion. The debut led to speculations about the World's Strongest Man's potential in-ring return. However, the veteran was appointed as a backstage trainer and a commentator for Rampage. He did not wrestle a single match in the Jacksonville-based company.

The 53-year-old announced his departure from Tony Khan's promotion in May 2024. During a recent appearance on the Huge Pop podcast, Mark Henry was asked whether there were talks of him competing inside the squared circle in AEW. The veteran completely denied it, claiming that he was an ''old, beat-up man!'' Notably, Henry's last in-ring performance came at the Greatest Royal Rumble Premium Live Event in April 2018.

”No! I’m an old, beat-up man. I’m not trying to have nobody whoop my a**,” he said. [H/T: Ringside News]

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WWE Hall of Famer admits taking a pay cut to work for AEW

During the same podcast, Mark Henry revealed that he joined AEW because he wanted to gain experience as an executive, claiming that he wanted the company to ''flourish.''

The former WWE World Champion also admitted that he took a pay cut to join Tony Khan's company.

"I took a pay cut to go work at AEW. Don’t get it twisted. I went there because I wanted to get experience being an executive, and I wanted to help that company flourish and help those people that were over there be better than they were, and you ask the talent, 'Did Mark Henry try to help you? Hell yes! All the time!"' he added.

Meanwhile, Mark Henry recently made an appearance on Monday Night RAW. It will be interesting to see if the veteran performer signs a deal with the Stamford-based promotion in the future.