Mark Henry Reacts Positively to AJ Styles and Cody Rhodes’ Tribute on “WWE SmackDown”

In a recent episode of “WWE SmackDown,” AJ Styles and Cody Rhodes acted out a famous moment from Mark Henry’s past. Back in 2013, Henry pretended to retire before attacking John Cena. When Henry heard about this tribute, he talked about it on “Busted Open Radio.”

He surprisingly saw it in a positive light, saying that when something is successful, it often gets copied, and that’s okay because it shows admiration rather than stealing.

Henry couldn’t help but notice the striking similarities between the segment and his own past performance, down to the choice of clothing. Despite the resemblance, he seemed pleased with the homage, appreciating the attention to detail and the acknowledgment of his past contribution to WWE history.

Bully Ray, also present during the discussion, emphasized the importance of surpassing the original when borrowing or imitating. While he found the segment enjoyable, he remarked that it didn’t quite reach the level of impact that Henry’s original performance had, citing the predictability of Styles’ attack on Rhodes compared to the unexpected nature of Henry’s heel turn.

Henry echoed this sentiment, noting that while the segment served its purpose in sparking conversation, it felt more like a parody than an attempt to genuinely surprise the audience.

He speculated that WWE’s intention was not to deceive fans but rather to generate buzz and discussion, which they succeeded in doing. Overall, while the segment may have lacked the element of surprise, it effectively achieved its goal of getting people talking.