10 Wrestlers Who Looked Better Over 40 Than In Their Prime
Life begins at 40...
AJ Styles is a once-in-a-generation performer.
That his body hasn't completely given up on him after 19 years as one of professional wrestling's most spectacular athletes is miraculous. AJ no doubt has his aches and pains, even today, eight months after his 40th birthday, he remains one of WWE's hardest-bumping risk-takers.
The current WWE Champion isn't the only wrestler to excel at such an age, though. The physical toll might be the realest thing in this scripted world, but many performers excel well into their 40s, and in some cases, beyond. Even fewer have produced their career's best work in their fifth decade on Earth, but somehow, these ageless wonders pulled it off.
By this point, such performers have compensated for their natural decline in athleticism by mastering the mental side of the game. Their bodies aren't what they used to be, but their minds are sharper than ever, and they develop a style more reliant on smarts and psychology than physicality.
That isn't to say the names within haven't their their fair share of licks, but you don't get to this point without taking care of your body...
10. Mark Henry
Few wrestlers have endured a career trajectory like Mark Henry's.
Handed a bumper 10-year contract in 1996, the former Olympian looked way out of his depth early on, and was sent back to developmental for further seasoning on more than one occasion. It took a long time for him to develop into a believable performer, and his career apex didn't happen until 15 years after his debut.
'The World's Strongest Man' turned 40 in 2011, and this coincided with his career's best run. The 'Hall Of Pain' gimmick took him from listless midcard powerhouse to WWE's most ruthless monster heel, and as Henry ran through the biggest and baddest men on the roster one by one, it was hard not to be drawn in by his searing intensity.
Mark's peak came at Night Of Champions '11, when he defeated Randy Orton to become World Heavyweight Champion. Though never a five-star worker, his strength of character carried him to many memorable moments, and he was great at working around his restrictions. Sadly, his physical decline was right around the corner, and Henry's best run was disappointingly short, but he still left a mark.