Why Matt Hardy Isn't Surprised About Mark Henry Leaving AEW

After a three-year run, Mark Henry recently announced that he'd be leaving All Elite Wrestling once his contract expired on May 28. According to Henry, his exit from AEW stems from his desire to further focus on other professional projects, such as the ReMarkable brand. On an episode of "The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy," Henry's former colleague Matt Hardy weighed in on his departure, noting that it didn't come as much of a shock.

"It wasn't surprising to me really," Hardy said. "I think AEW is going for a younger roster people that kind of work the AEW style, that do the more five star slash banger matches. I think that's what AEW is looking for more than anything else right now. I think Mark Henry could have been a contributing factor in some sort of TV role. I think the things he did from a recruiting standpoint, he was helping with a lot of special events and charity things and just promoting the company in many ways. He's really good at all that. He's very much a people person who gets out and networks and speaks with different people. Mark's going to be fine. Guys like me guys, like Mark, we've made our money. We're good when it comes to stuff like that."

During his time under the AEW banner, Henry undertook a variety of roles, such as coach, scout, and commentator. In coaching, Henry particularly focused on helping talent, such as Will Hobbs and Action Andretti, develop their in-ring psychology and character. 

Similar to Henry, Hardy too recently departed from AEW. Since then, Hardy has notably resurfaced in TNA Wrestling, where he's simultaneously revived his "broken" gimmick.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.