WWE star Mark Henry recently spoke with Esquire Middle East to promote WWE 2K17 and below are some interview highlights:
ESQ: Mark, you’re a sharp-dressed kinda guy:
“Thanks, I love fashion. Actually, funny story, I used to give the Esquire Big Black Book to young wrestlers when they would join the WWE, because they needed to know how to dress. You can’t be a champion and look like a bum. You have to look, and be, the part. It’s not just because it’s required of your job, but is important to how you hold yourself.”
“…You know, CM Punk hated suits and would refuse to wear them, but that went with his character. Although, someone made a joke backstage that he looks like a plumber wearing a suit. I think Big E Langston is the same! [Laughs] He’s got those wide shoulders, a real big butt, he looks like one an accordions in a suit!”
With all the next generation of developmental talent coming through, the age range is getting younger. Is there a more jovial ‘millennial’ atmosphere backstage these days?
“It is to an extent, there’s the ‘Up,Up,Down,Down’ crew (Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston, etc) they are hard workers but are also adamant about playing video games. They play combat games, they play sports games like soccer. But one of things is that whenever a new WWE2k wrestling game comes out they are all over it. I’m not going to say that there’s some gambling going on, but there is plenty of betting! Money doesn’t change hands but there are plenty of people doing 100 push-ups for losing.”
You can play as NXT characters in the game. Are there any younger guys that you particularly want to work with?
“Neville. I love his skill set. I want him to do better in the company. I also love working with Cesaro. I think he is under-utilized on the roster, but I don’t make the decisions! I remember when we wrestled in Qatar, he was even able to get me in the Big Swing. I didn’t think he was gonna be able to lift me, but he did.”
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
