WWE Vengeance 2011: Why Mark Henry Needs to Defeat the Big Show

Now, this is how you make an impact.

Big Show, after being on the shelf since July, has made his return, targeting the man who took him out at Money in the Bank, World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry.  

And, Show has made his presence known, putting Henry through the announcers table two weeks ago on SmackDown, then confronting him again this past Friday night.  

"The World’s Largest Athlete" means business, and I have to say that while he’s not exactly a young man anymore, Show is deceptively quick for his size.  He’s not going to be confused for a Luchador anytime soon, but he’s also not a vastly immovable object who cannot even run the ropes.

While it’s good to have Show back, the fact is his return does not bode well for "The World’s Strongest Man," who has been on an unbelievable roll for several months now.

A lot of fans have just been waiting for the other shoe to drop when it comes to Henry’s run at the top, and it could very well be close to happening now that Big Show is back on the scene.

So, is Show the next World Champion?

Henry has been portrayed as an unstoppable monster, a vicious heel who is all about destruction, obliterating everyone in his path.

Kane, Vladimir Kozlov, The Great Khali, they have all been inducted into the champ’s Hall of Pain.

I have to say, I dig that gimmick.

But they’re not alone, as Jerry Lawler was broken in half on a table that did not break, courtesy of Henry, and let’s not forget about that poor tech who was just doing his job.

By the way, when is he going to come back seeking revenge?

So, even with all of the work that was put in to convince fans that Henry is the real deal, some still did not buy what they were seeing.

That is, of course, until he beat Randy Orton.  Twice.

Henry has definitely arrived, and now that he is firmly established as the top heel in the company, the question is, will Big Show really be the man to stop him?

There’s no doubt that Show obviously matches up to Henry, and their showdown at Vengeance should be a real knock down drag-out.  

There’s nothing like two big powerhouse guys in the ring, throwing their weight around with massive strikes in a brutal confrontation.

OK, well, at least that’s what I’m hoping for, and not the alternative.

I believe that one of the reasons Henry has gone over as well as he has in his current run is because he has consistently been matched up against guys who make him a more viable champion.

His feud with Sheamus, while not lasting long, went a long way to establishing Henry’s credibility as a tougher-than-nails character.  After all, Sheamus is no push over, and is legitimately hard-nosed in his own right.  

By going toe-to-toe with "The Celtic Warrior," and coming out on top, Henry proved his mettle, showing that he can take extreme punishment.  Fans may love Sheamus and his new never-back-down attitude, but Henry faced that challenge and ran right through it.

Then, of course, there’s Orton, who has been accused of not making anyone else, not giving any other worker the rub like perhaps he should.  

Not only did he put Henry over, he threw everything he had at him, in pure aggression, and technical ability.  But, Henry still emerged the winner, as big and bad as ever.

So, once again, Henry proved that he can weather any storm, while doing his part, and being put over by the men who have lost to him thus far.

And, what does that mean for his upcoming match against Big Show?

The truth is, Henry owned Show in nearly every confrontation they had, up to and including the night he put "The Giant" out of commission.  What has changed now?

What more can Show do for Henry that he hasn’t done already?  Does his return, and the hype surrounding it, mean that fans are supposed to believe that he is now capable of defeating Henry and taking the World Title?  

Will this renewed rivalry do justice for both men, or be the catalyst that causes Henry to lose his place in the company?

Henry does not have to crush Big Show in order to maintain his stranglehold on his spot in WWE.  He just has to beat him.  If he loses at this point, after all that’s been done to elevate him to this level, it will be a real shame, and in my mind, a real waste.

Henry is the real "Apex Predator" of WWE, and he should be allowed to stay that way.