PFLUGERVILLE, Texas — The pride of Silsbee, Texas, Mark Henry, may be retired from wrestling for WWE, but he continues to take part in "smack downs" involving food.
In this case, gumbo.
"Gumbo is a dish where you integrate a bunch of different things," Henry said.
The two-time Olympic powerlifter and WWE hall of famer is a man of his community, and Henry is active in charitable projects in the Austin area and an avid supporter of UT athletics.
The inaugural Gumbo Smackdown in Pflugerville on Saturday will pit the former powerlifting and wrestling great against Wild Magnolias' chef Darrell Owen in a gumbo cook-off.
Henry jokingly said, "I'm doing it mainly to shut up Darrel Owens, who is the chef at Wild Magnolias, and we talk a lot of noise and we're going to have a good time doing it."
Henry grew up cooking with his mom in Southeast Texas.
"I do a New Orleans-style gumbo," Henry said. "My mom was a chef. I cooked my whole life. I enjoy it, and it's therapeutic for me."
You can attend and sample gumbo from this cook out on Saturday between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. at Wild Magnolias in Pflugerville. The address is 15424 FM 1825, Suite #240.
The cost is $3 to sample and cast your vote and $7 to purchase a full serving of your choice.
A portion of the proceeds benefits Henry's "Strong Kids Organization."
On Sunday, a documentary about Henry will air on the WWE Network.