AndretheGiantbattle inWrestleMania3.
Besidesbeingabuddingactor (heappeared
in lastyear’scomedyhit
Trainwreck
withAmy
SchumerandBillHader),Cena isamong thebiggest
of thenewwaveofWWEstars,which includes
MarkHenryand theBellaTwins,NikkiandBrie.
Evennow, almost13yearsand24
championshipssincehe first took
to thering,WrestleManiaremains
a thrill. “It’sanaccolade tobe
includedyearafteryear, espe-
cially thisyearwith thepotential
enormityof theevent,”hesaysof
theupcomingshow. “WithWWE,
it’s trulyaglobalexperience.”
ANOTHERBIGNAME
expected
toattendthisyear’sevent is
MarkHenry.A formerOlympic
weightlifter,HenrycallsAustin,
Texas,homeand isexcitedabout
WrestleManiareturningtothe
LoneStarState.Longdubbed
the“world’sstrongestman”by
WWE,Henry,44, isapproach-
ing20yearson itsroster.He
waspartofasecondgenerationofsuperstars,
includingTheRockandSteveAustin, introduced
inthemid-1990s.Assuch,he isa linkbetween
WWE’s ’80sheydayandthemodern incarnation,
whichhastoworkevenhardertothrive intoday’s
entertainment-on-demandculture.
ForHenry,WrestleMania32representsthe
culminationofa longandunexpected journey.
Onceayoungwrestling fan fromthetinyTexas
townofSilsbee(population6,700),he isthrilledto
becompeting inTexasonWWE’shighest-profile
platform. “I’m100percentTexan, sothere isa lotof
pridehaving it inmyownbackyard,”hesays. “I look
forwardtobeingonthegrandstage.”
OneofHenry’smostenduringWrestleMania
memoriescameabout inthesuburbsofChicago, in
2006,wherehefoughta“casketmatch”againstThe
Undertaker.Henrywasnostrangertobigbouts,but
hewalked intotheringwithtrepidation.“Icouldn’t
hear,”herecalls.“Thesoundofthecrowdwasso
loud. It justshookmeabit.Thatwasmyfirstreal
tasteof intimidation.”Henry lostthebout,but just
being intheringwithTheUndertaker,whowent
ontowin21straightWrestleManiamatches,was
enough.Henry’syoungson isahugefanofthefran-
chise,andhe’d liketocreateasimilarmomentfor
himatthisyear’sevent.Maybethistimehe’llwin.
LEFTTORIGHT:
“Rowdy”Roddy
Piper;Randy
“MachoMan”
Savage;WWE
ChiefBrand
OfficerStephanie
McMahon;Ryback
working thecrowd
46
FEBRUARY2016
AMERICANWAY
PHOTOS
DAVIDHALLORAN;COURTESYWWE;WALTER IOOSSJR./
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
/GETTY IMAGES;
GEORGENAPOLITANO/GETTY IMAGES
