Mark Henry: ‘I am not retired’

The wrestling web got mixed signals on a news item over the past week. According to some, former WWE World Heavyweight champion Mark Henry was retired from in-ring performing. Other said that was old news, and/or that the World’s Strongest Man was only on a kind of temporary retirement.

Sports Illustrated went to the man himself, and it turns out latter reports came closer to the truth (insomuch as we can ever call wrestler quotes “the truth”):

“I am not retired. There is still a lot I can do.”

While the 22 year veteran wants us to know that salmon blazer can stay on the hanger, it also doesn’t sound like he’ll be lacing up the boots for anything beyond maybe a one-off match here or there in the near future:

“I love the WWE, I love the company, but I have two kids and they want me home. They want me to see their recitals and sporting events, and I want to see them grow and evolve. My dad didn’t live with me when I was growing up, and he missed so much. I am not going to repeat that.”

So there you have it, unless he’s working us. We’ve seen him cry some pretty convincing tears on this very topic before.

Check out the whole interview at SI.com for Henry’s reflections on his time in the business, and how he hopes to contribute going forward.