Mark Henry Discusses Differences Between WWE & AEW Backstage

Viewers of "WWE Raw" this past Monday were treated to a familiar face in the audience: that of WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry. With his AEW contract expired, Henry was once again free to appear for the company where he spent more than two decades. Last May, Henry revealed that he would not be renewing with Tony Khan's company, where he had served as a coach, mentor, and occasional commentator. Now a veteran of both locker rooms, Henry was able to offer insight into the differences between the two on "Busted Open Radio."

"The WWE has an advantage because they have experience and time on their side," Henry said. "AEW's a young company, and it needs to have the screws tightened still. And some decisions have to be made: who's gonna run the show? And how soon can you get to work? Because a lot of times things are left hanging in the balance too long. And stuff ends up not getting done. And then there's the afterthought: 'Oh s***, we gotta go do this. We start in 20 minutes.' It's too late by then." "The World's Strongest Man" first joined AEW in 2021, after expressing a desire to learn more of the executive side of the business, an opportunity he said he was not afforded in WWE due to lack of experience. Khan was able to give Henry that opportunity.

These days, Henry appears to be focused on readying his son Jacob for the world of wrestling. Jacob Henry, who recently signed a developmental deal with WWE, appeared alongside his father on "Raw," where both received an enthusiastic reaction. No word on whether the former "Sexual Chocolate" will be fulfilling a more permanent role behind the scenes at WWE, or if his appearance was merely a one-off in his home state of Texas.