Mark Henry: Continuing the Dominance

On Monday 4th February, Mark Henry returned to WWE television. This was after a nine month long absence due to injury. This happened to be after a Rey Mysterio vs Daniel Bryan match that also had Elimination Chamber (the up-coming pay-per-view, at that time) implications.

Henry destroys Rey Mysterio, Raw 4/2/2013

He would go onto decimate both competitors as well as Rey's tag team partner, Sin Cara. A statement had been made. This would continue on the following Smackdown (Friday 8th February), where Henry would come to the ring after The Great Khali had just defeated Titus O'Neil. This would be where Henry would show his freakish strength by overpowering Khali and delivering the World's Strongest Slam.

Henry would then call out Smackdown General Manager, Booker T, to explain why he was not included in the Elimination Chamber match - after all, he is a former World Champion. Henry would continue his verbal assault, and threatened to destroy the Smackdown locker room and the Elimination Chamber competitors until there was a space for him in the match. This was a very convincing and to-the-point promo from Henry - letting Booker know that it was a 'critical' mistake overlooking him.

Booker would then make a match between Henry and Randy Orton, whereby if Henry won he would earn a spot in the Chamber match. This was achieved as he would dominate Orton and produce a World's Strongest Slam to gain the clean pinfall victory. This was a great feather in the cap of an already dangerous and serious threat to the other Chamber combatants. The following week on Smackdown; and final show before Elimination Chamber; Henry would face Orton again. This time Orton would have a game plan - to wear Henry down with a steel chair. This gained Henry a disqualification victory. Orton would attempt to wear Henry down further with the chair, but was overcome when Henry caught the chair and delivered another World's Strongest Slam - a very strong build leading into the pay-per-view.

Despite not winning the Chamber match - and not becoming number one contender to the World Heavyweight Championship - Henry still came out of the match looking stronger than ever. It took a shot from Jack Swagger, a Codebreaker from Chris Jericho AND an RKO from Orton to dispose of Henry. Prior to this Henry had eliminated both Tag Team Champions - Daniel Bryan and Kane - with World's Strongest Slams.

On elimination, Henry re-entered the Chamber and left a further mark on the match - delivering his devastating finishing maneuver on all three of the remaining Chamber participants. So, despite being eliminated third, he still looked a monster heel - taking three opponents to get the job done. Strong.

So what's next for The World's Strongest Man?

Meaner, Angrier, Hungrier

 Monday Night Raw (18/2) following Elimination Chamber, was business as usual for Mark Henry. Michael Cole would remind us of Henry's path of destruction during the Chamber match. This would lead to a match between Henry and Sin Cara - a simple squash match. Henry looking dominant as always - it's been a joy to watch him deliver World's Strongest Slams to both Sin Cara and Rey Mysterio as them guys are so small in comparison to Henry that it looks truly crushing.

The end of this segment was a little worrying for Henry's future, though. The Great Khali came out to confront Henry - after Henry had attacked, and then beaten him in the space of a week. The worrying thing is that there shouldn't even be a confrontation again - Henry has already chewed Khali up and spat him out. There is no need to revisit this.

If the aim here is to give Henry another win over the giant Khali then I am in favour of that. But if the plan is to make Khali look strong in any way then it should not be happening. If you make Khali strong at the expense of Henry then you water down Henry's threat and momentum. Henry has returned and looks stronger, meaner and more focused than ever. WWE have a genuine monster on their hands here - someone that could become their number one heel if dealt with correctly.

With seven weeks before Wrestlemania, there needs to be a good program worked out for Henry - unless there already is one in the works. He has returned and, other than Brock Lesnar (who will only make sporadic appearances through the year), is the scariest, biggest, most unpredictable threat to the World Champions. He must be utilised in the right way.

Surely, the World Heavyweight Championship is in his future again?

Somebody is going to get their ass kicked.

@jimmosangle