10 Wrestlers EVERYBODY Was Wrong About

Did you know Mark Henry was signed to an excessively lucrative and hopelessly optimistic ten-year deal when he first put pen to paper with WWE way back in 1996, off the back of the strongman's participation in the Summer Olympics? Of course you did, because his travails and subsequent triumph have been told ad nauseum, most recently when the man himself eloquently spoke on his career whilst accepting his well-earned Hall of Fame ring.

It bears repeating just how awful Henry's early years in the fed were, however. WWE themselves, overcome with buyer's remorse, were absolutely desperate to offload the seemingly useless lump from their roster to the extent that The World's Strongest Man was saddled with one humiliating gimmick after another. As he would in many a strongman contest, Henry remained utterly obstinate, determined to make a virtue of his opportunity (and, obviously, continue to cash those cheques in).

Such was the extent of 'Sexual Chocolate's endeavour that by the time his original contract reached its conclusion in 2006, the big Texan was a noted veteran trading blows with the likes of Batista and The Undertaker for the World Heavyweight Championship. There was no doubt about a renewal.

WWE may have been convinced, but the jury was still out for many more discerning followers. When Henry opened his Hall of Pain in 2011 - and preserved one special induction for John Cena moments after his iconic salmon-jacketed retirement - he was finally afforded something approaching, if not universal praise, at least universal respect.