Mark Henry is furious with AEW for top star’s booking

AEW often faces criticism from some of its former wrestlers and staff, while others continue to praise the company after leaving. Mark Henry signed with Tony Khan in May 2021 to work as a coach and commentator but decided to let his contract expire on May 28, 2024. The former WWE champion is very close with a few All Elite talents and is now speaking out on a recent key decision.

Powerhouse Hobbs recently returned from a year-plus injury hiatus with a Handicap Match squash on Dynamite. The one-time AEW TNT Champion then won a Casino Gauntlet to earn a shot at the World Championship, but he failed to dethrone Jon Moxley in the main event of last week’s inaugural Maximum Carnage Dynamite, losing in 13 minutes. Chaos unfolded after the match as The Death Riders attacked Hobbs until Rated FTR made the save.

The Embodiment of Willpower and The World’s Strongest Man have publicly discussed their relationship in previous interviews, with Henry referred to as “my wrestling dad” by Hobbs. While reviewing Dynamite on Busted Open Radio, the WWE Hall of Famer commented on how close they are, and expressed frustration over how the rising star was booked:

“Hobbs — I got interest in him. He’s like a son to me, he calls me dad. And I’m pissed that my son got treated like s**t,” Mark Henry said. [H/T to WrestlingInc]

Henry noted how Rated FTR took too long to make the save for Hobbs. The former ECW Champion also expressed concern over Hobbs’ future after the loss to Moxley, and the loss to International Champion Konosuke Takeshita at Worlds End:

“He could’ve came out a lot better and it would’ve been better for them — they would’ve made money. I’m not gonna cut my hand off to spite my arm. Just wash your hands of somebody if that’s how you feel about them. … I hope I never hate somebody so much that I would rather see them fail on my TV than to have them win and be successful on my TV. It’s a damn shame,” Mark Henry said.

The Dynamite angle led to Hobbs teaming with Rated FTR and The Outrunners on Saturday’s Maximum Carnage Collision episode. They defeated The Death Riders and The Learning Tree in 12-man tag team action.

Updated AEW Homecoming lineup

AEW’s fourth Homecoming special episode will air as its inaugural Collision edition. The company will return to its homebase of Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, FL on Saturday for the live Collision Homecoming episode. Below is the updated lineup:

• Mariah May and Toni Storm will face-off ahead of Grand Slam
• Brody King and Buddy Matthews vs. Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona
• Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly, and Roderick Strong vs. Daniel Garcia, Daddy Magic, and Cool Hand Ang

AEW held the first-ever Homecoming as a Dynamite special in January 2020, then in August 2021. The series continued in January 2024 with a two-night event on Dynamite and Rampage.