12 WWE Failures Who Became World Champion
2. Mark Henry
There was a time when WWE higher ups were more concerned about Mark Henry's fixation on McDonald's milkshakes than what he'd be doing as World Heavyweight Champion. Jim Ross has spoken about Henry's trials and tribulations via his 'Grilling JR' show, and it's a fascinating listen. The then-WWF had high hopes for Mark when they inked a deal in 1996, but he struggled to live up to that.
So, Henry floundered whether he was in the Nation Of Domination, being reborn as 'Sexual Chocolate' so he could impregnate Mae Young with a human hand (?!) or performing impressive feats of strength on SmackDown. WWE just couldn't get much bang for their buck with the big powerhouse. Then, in 2011, something clicked. Well, pinning it all on 2011 perhaps doesn't tell the full story.
In truth, Mark had started to show signs of life whilst ECW Champ a few years before that; it's just that few cared for the offshoot ECW brand, and the belt wasn't credible. By beating Randy Orton at Night Of Champions 2011 though, Henry rocketed up that credibility scale. His 'Hall Of Pain' gimmick was fearsome and believable, and it coincided with Mark doing the best work of his entire career.
Finally, some value from the 1996 Olympian.
We're talking about the same man who was sent down to developmental because WWF staff thought he just didn't have a grasp on the fundamentals...4 years after his debut! A full 15 years into his career, that "something clicked" and the genuine strongman proved he belonged in the upper echelons of WWE.
His 2013 retirement ruse was outstanding too, for the record. "You think it's that easy?!".