A Strong Push

Photo from WWE.com

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger on Twitter

Mark Henry has been with the WWE for 15 years.  That is hard for me to fathom.  I don't know why that is.  If I'm doing my math correctly that's longer than any of the current ACTIVE wrestlers on the roster.  I didn't count Undertaker, Jerry Lawler, or Triple H because of their inactivity in the ring.  I'm not sure but Kane (aka Issac Yankem, Fake Diesel) may have a year on Henry.  Anyway, I never thought 15 years later Henry would finally be getting a push toward the world heavyweight championship.

It's sexual... (from WWE)

I've never been a huge fan of the World's Strongest Man.  Although in the Attitude Era, I did enjoy his Sexual Chocolate gimmick, sans the encounter with Sammy (Google it if you don't know what I'm talking about) and the delivery of the hand he fathered with Mae Young.

I think the current character Henry is playing is perfect for him.  He's a big, strong, mean dude and that is showing.  Look at his recent conquests... the Big Show and Kane have both been taken out.  Henry destroyed the audio guy one night, and he brutalized Sheamus and Randy Orton.

Slammin' the Big Show (from WWE)

Regular readers have seen my rants before about having a good monster heel in the WWE.  They almost always seem to lose their steam and turn into some sort of comedy act, or they completely change their character.  So right now, Henry's new attitude comes at a perfect time as far as I'm concerned.  

He's actually got me interested in his character now, and (I can't believe I'm saying this) he looks to be a legitimate threat to Randy Orton's title reign.  While I'm not 100% convinced that Henry will win the belt at Night of Champion's, I wouldn't be surprised if he did.  Of course, I don't predict a long title run by any means.  The WWE is constantly playing hot potato with the titles, so why not get Mark Henry in the mix.

Pinning Orton, a look into the future? (from WWE)

Six months ago I wouldn't have even considered the possibility, but I really think the company is building him up the right way.  He's destroyed several former champions, guys who are bigger than him.  His dominance is a refreshing change, and while it's a veteran getting the title push this time around, at least it's someone we haven't seen in the title hunt before.  Or at least not as a serious contender.  

What are your thoughts on the new Mark Henry?  Will he finally get the title he's wanted for so long? Share your ideas here, on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube.