Mark Henry Birthday Special: From Weightlifting Achievements to WWE Debut, Here Are Five Lesser Known Facts About 'World's Strongest Man'

Mark Henry turns 49 years old on June 12, 2020.  He is an American powerlifter, Olympic weightlifter, strongman and retired professional wrestler, who is currently signed to WWE under a Legends contract. Mark Henry also contributes to the wrestling company these days as a backstage producer. Prior to joining WWE in the year 1996, Mark Henry was into powerlifting. He has won WDPFF (World Drug-Free Powerlifting Federation) in the year 1995 and he is also emerge victorious in U.S. National Champion competition in the year 1995 and 1997. On the occasion of Mark Henry's birthday, let us take a look on lesser-known facts about WWE Hall of Famer.

Mark Henry was born in Silsbee, Texas on June 12, 1971. Mark Henry's father died due to diabetes when he was only 12 years old. At the age of 14, Mark Henry was diagnosed with dyslexia. Mark Henry comes from a family, where everybody is huge in size. The former WWE wrestler uncle Chudd was known as the strongest man in the Piney Woods of East Texas. Mark Henry is termed as, 'World's Strongest Man' for his feat in powerlifting and weightlifting. Mark Henry made a debut in WWE at the age of 24 in the year 1996.

Lesser Known Facts About Mark Henry

1. Olympic weightlifter Mark Henry has the all-time highest five lift total. His best lift in benchpress, snatch, squat, deadlift clean and jerk add upto 3324.5 pounds, which are accomplished in all drug-tested competitions. Mark Henry has also won Arnold Strongman Classic in the year 2002. This, indeed, justify his title as, 'World's Strongest Man'.

2. Mark Henry also holds the record of the biggest raw squat and raw powerlifting total ever performed by a drug-tested athlete, regardless of weight class.

3. Mark Henry made his first television appearance on World Wrestling Federation (WWF) programming on the March 11, 1996 episode of Monday Night Raw, where he press slammed Jerry Lawler.

Classic Match Between Mark Henry & Jerry Lawler

4. As a child, Henry was a big wrestling fan and Andre the Giant was his favourite wrestler. During a wrestling show in Beaumont, young Henry tried to touch Andre as he was walking down the aisle, but tripped over the barricade.

4. During the Attitude Era, Mark Henry was given a famous gimmick of,  'Sexual Chocolate' which is one of the main highlights of his WWE career.

5. Mark Henry was originally trained by legendary wrestler Bret Hart.

Mark Henry in his WWE career has become WWF European Champion once, and world champion twice in which he has held the ECW Championship in 2008 and WWE's World Heavyweight Championship in 2011. Mark Henry was inducted in WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2018. We wish Mark Henry a very Happy Birthday.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 12, 2020 08:01 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).