WWE Legend calls out AEW management after Mark Henry opens up about his departure from the company (Exclusive)

AEW signed Mark Henry as a coach and commentator in May 2021, just months after his 25-year WWE tenure officially ended. The former World Heavyweight Champion recently went viral for comments on his time with Tony Khan's AEW, and the fallout continues. Now two wrestling legends are weighing in with exclusive takes.

The World's Strongest Man announced exactly one year ago, on May 27, 2024, that he was leaving All Elite Wrestling the following day as he was not renewing his contract. The 53-year-old Olympian was back with WWE under a Legends contract as of this past March. A few weeks later, Henry made surprising remarks on how there were backstage incidents that led to his All Elite Wrestling departure. While the former ECW World Champion did praise AEW, and wish them well, he promised to blast the people involved in events that led to his exit, noting that he would not be speaking publicly about it unless they did first. Teddy Long believes AEW officials are to blame for the backstage problems between veterans and younger talents.

The 2017 WWE Hall of Famer and Sportskeeda Wrestling Senior Editor Bill Apter recently discussed Henry's viral comments on WrestleBinge. Co-host Mac Davis asked Long about the situation, and noted that he's heard the issues stem from rising talents not listening to the established legends. Teddy gave a bit of advice to Tony Khan and his team.

"Well, I don't know, man. [laughs] [Mac: I heard this is related to issues legends were having] Well, who did they have the issues with? [Mac: with the talent that didn't want to listen to veterans] Well, why didn't people that are in charge talk to the talent, and let the talent know, 'Hey, here's a guy right here... blah, blah, blah, blah, blah... you need to listen to!' You have a meeting, you bring Mark in, you sit down, you bring in all your talent and everything, and in this meeting you let them know who Mark Henry is, 'He can help you!' So, I guarantee you they never done that," Teddy Long said. [From 1:38 to 2:30]

Davis pointed out that talents with indie experience must learn how to wrestle for TV, especially if they've never done a television product before. Long reiterated how officials should have prevented a predicament such as this, then recalled how The Undertaker did what he was supposed to as a talent. Apter agreed, and declared Henry to be the same way.

"Well, didn't nobody tell them to listen to the veterans. The Undertaker is the only, well I've seen some other guys, but Taker was the first guy that I've seen, that he would come to TV and he would walk down to that ring, and he would stand, and look and see, and wherever he thought he was needed or he could help, he would jump right in and do it. [Apter: that's Mark Henry] That's right," Teddy Long said. [From 2:48 to 3:18]

Henry has been retired since 2018, the same year he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, and began working behind the scenes. His last matches were a February 2017 RAW loss to Braun Strowman, and the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 33 two months later, but he returned in April 2018 to work the 50-man Greatest Royal Rumble.

AEW Dynamite and Collision updated lineups

AEW will invade the El Paso County Coliseum in El Paso, Texas for Wednesday's live Dynamite, featuring Double or Nothing fallout. Collision will also be taped to air in its usual Saturday timeslot. Below is the updated lineup:

1. International Championship Four-Way Qualifier: Brody King vs. Josh Alexander (Dynamite)
2. International Championship Four-Way Qualifier: Claudio Castagnoli vs. Komander (Collision)
3. International Championship Four-Way Qualifier: Máscara Dorada vs. Hechicero (Collision)

Kenny Omega will defend his International Championship against the winners of the aforementioned qualifiers on June 4 at the sixth AEW Fyter Fest event. Dynamite will air in its usual 8pm TBS timeslot that night, while a special Collision airs right after at 10pm due to the 2025 NHL playoffs airing on TNT that Saturday.