Why is Mark Henry dead trending?
WRESTLER Mark Henry has taken to social media to dispel rumors circulating about his supposed death online.
Gossip is spreading that the WWE legend has died - but where has it come from?
Who is Mark Henry?
Mark was born in East Texas in 1971 and quickly became a fan of wrestling, idolizing French wrestler Andre the Giant.
He struggled at school, being diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of 14 and later scoring below 700 on the SAT, but he excelled in both powerlifting and football.
The Los Angeles Times nicknamed him “the world’s strongest teenager”, and by the time he graduated high school, he had set state and national records in all four powerlifting categories.
The teen sensation burst onto the international scene at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, finishing tenth in the Super-Heavyweight class.
At the Pan American Games three years later, he won gold, silver, and bronze medals.
In 1996, WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) signed the star, where he remained for nearly 25 years and eventually earned the title of “World’s Strongest Man”.
Mark retired from WWE in 2021, telling the Insight podcast that he had been refused a job behind the scenes.
He said: “From a business standpoint, I wanted a position in the office because I didn't want to wrestle anymore, and they wouldn't hire me.
Most read in Sport
“I didn't have experience on the corporate side or the business side, or the executive side, or however you want to phrase it ... I was not given that opportunity."
Mark has a wife, Jana Henry, and two children - daughter Joanna Henry and WWE wrestler Jacob Henry.
Why is Mark Henry dead trending?
It’s unclear exactly why rumors of Mark's death have resurfaced, but the World’s Strongest Man has been the center of many celebrity death hoaxes over his career.
In 2011, rumors swirled that he had died live on an episode of SmackDown after being beaten by Paul Wight, also known as Big Show.
The world of wrestling has a history of dramatic and sudden deaths, perhaps leading fans to invent similar narratives.
WWE (then WWF) wrestler Owen Hart famously fell to his death, off-camera, during the Over the Edge pay-per-view event.
The following day, Mark was seen crying on an episode of Raw is War.
On this occasion, users have been taking to X to share the news of Mark’s supposed death, with one saying: “Finally, Mark Henry has gone!”
Another joked: “Why mfs keep tryna kill off Mark Henry????”
Read more on the Irish Sun
What has Mark Henry said about the death hoax?
Thankfully, Mark is alive and well.
Speaking in a video, posted to his X and Instagram accounts on 2 September, he said: “Guys, don’t believe everything you hear. I’m feeling pretty alive, watching Longhorns, hanging out, about to go get a snack! How about y’all?”