Why WWE brought in Tony Atlas

Photo courtesy of wwe.com

During an episode of ECW on SciFi this past summer, new and old World Wrestling Entertainment [WWE] fans were a bit perplexed after seeing several appearances throughout the show by WWE Hall of Famer Tony Atlas [pictured above on right side] and even more perplexed after he aligned himself with then ECW Champion Mark Henry [pictured above on left side], becoming Henry's manager.

Several months later, some light has finally been shed as to why Atlas was brought in to WWE. According to a report on rajah.com, the main reason WWE brought Atlas in was not so much to mentor Henry but rather, to be a good influence on him on the road.

Henry has often traveled alone and has never been a healthy eater during his 12-year tenure with WWE, who were concerned about Henry's weight as a result of him becoming immobile when becoming too heavy. Atlas, who is in his early 50's, is in fantastic shape due to his strict training schedule and eating habits, which prompted WWE to make Atlas Henry's traveling partner with the feeling Atlas will keep Henry's weight, eating habits and conditioning under control.

Kudos to WWE for recognizing a problem with one of their talents and for having the brains to pair that talent with a positive influence. Yes, Atlas has had his battle with steroid and drug use in the past, but the man has paid for those mistakes and has been clean for close to two decades.

In addition, because of Atlas' strict training regimen, Atlas is actually in better shape than most the guys on the WWE roster today and is not afraid to show it as evident by his preference to wear a cut-off dress shirt with a tie that shows of his muscles, something Vince McMahon frowns upon because he doesn't want the audience to think Atlas is coming back as a wrestler.

I will say that the move appears to be a stroke of genius on WWE's part as Henry has not only be injury free since his move over to the ECW roster but is also having the best run of his career. While he may not be as thin as his days in the "Nation of Domination," Henry has definitely been looking leaner [less side rolls] and more muscular, especially in the arms and legs of late.

In addition to being in shape for his size and looking a lot healthier, Henry has also stepped up his in-ring work, improving his craft and having very solid matches against the likes of Undertaker and Matt Hardy, which are probably the best in-ring matches Henry has had during his entire WWE tenure.

If anyone needs any further proof, just watch the Hardy vs. Henry match from No Mercy 2008 and most will agree it is the best match Henry has ever been in because of the psychology involved, something Henry never had a grasp on before.

For the sake of both men, I hope this pairing is for the long-haul because both can benefit from each other with Atlas being the breath of fresh air for Henry to turn his lifestyle around and Henry having somebody he can not only train with but also, confide in while on the road, a rarity in professional wrestling.