Mark Henry recalls WWE’s history of giving unexpected wrestlers a chance to shine

WWE occasionally gives unexpected wrestlers a chance to shine, as seen recently with Ricky Gibson’s appearance as Kevin Owens’ tag team partner on SmackDown. This event reminded Mark Henry of a similar situation with Colin Delaney during WWE’s ECW reboot. Henry recalled working with Delaney, who was initially brought in as an extra talent, and how a simple, weak punch to Henry’s thigh got a strong crowd reaction.

Henry’s interaction with Delaney helped create a half-underdog, half-comedy act that resonated with the audience. This led to Delaney being offered a WWE contract, which lasted about nine months before his release in August 2008. Delaney later made brief appearances in AEW in 2021 and 2022, mostly in losing efforts. These instances highlight how WWE sometimes gives lesser-known talents opportunities that can lead to unexpected career developments in professional wrestling.

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