10 Emotional WWE Moments That Made Fans Cry
3. Mark Henry Swerves The Universe
Not only did Mark Henry bring huge portions of WWE’s viewership to tears in June 2013, he had much of those same fans calling for his blood by the end of the segment. His fake retirement speech was a storytelling masterclass, as Henry expertly suckered the audience into believing that his career was over, before flipping the script completely.
John Cena was in the ring addressing the fans when Henry’s music hit, and the big Texan strolled down the ramp in a bold salmon jacket. “You can put your guard down,” he told the wary WWE Champion, before completely disarming both Cena and the fans with an impassioned “farewell” speech. For a man who got over as a big, intimidating monster, Henry drew unparalleled levels of sympathy with an A+ acting performance that had much of the audience reaching for a handkerchief.
The twist was absolutely brutal. Having been utterly convinced that they were hearing Mark Henry’s final words as a WWE superstar, the crowd were stabbed in the heart when he turned on Cena, flattening the champ with a World’s Strongest Slam. It remains the standout moment of Henry’s career and a flawless example of crowd control, with most of the tears turning to righteous anger by the end.