Mark Henry Looks Back On Chris Benoit Phone Call That Stopped Him From Quitting WWE

WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry has disclosed how he was close to retiring from pro wrestling and was persuaded by Chris Benoit to continue his wrestling career.

Henry said that injuries had taken a toll on his body in the 2000s, with one notable injury coming during his match with Benoit.

"I tore my quad coming back — I was injured and went back to Louisville to knock the rust off, and then I tore my quad. I was out for six months, and then I healed up and I was on a roll. I was killing, about eight months. And then I dislocated my shoulder; this is right before WrestleMania," recalled Henry on "Busted Open."

The late WWE star, though, coaxed him to stay in pro wrestling, with Benoit telling him that he had to continue as he had worked hard to get to the position that he was in. He called this conversation one of the most important ones of his pro wrestling career.

"Benoit called me and checked on me. He said, 'Hey, man, that was a tough deal. How are you feeling?' I was like, 'I think I'm done.' The disappointment, I just couldn't take it no more," Henry said. But, Benoit had some spirited words for him to reconsider his retirement decision. "He said, 'Listen, man, we work too hard to get you where you are now for you to quit no.' He said, 'I will come to Austin and get your a*s in shape. You're gonna heal up. It's muscle and bone. Don't let that mess with you. We need you. C'mon, man.'"

Henry said those words encouraged him to give wrestling another shot, and he didn't suffer an injury for three years after that. He said that after the injury, he was trying to figure out ways to make money outside the pro wrestling world.