Who is Curtis Axel? 5 Facts You Need to Know
Joe Hennig, who you may remember for having the worst ring name in WWE history, Michael McGillicutty, made his return to WWE TV last night.
Luckily, Hennig has been completely repackaged. Gone is the name that no one could spell, replaced with Curt Axel, and now he's a "Paul Heyman Guy". What's not to like?
The only problem is it's not easy being 'Mr. Perfect's' son. Joe Hennig is the son of former WWE Superstar Curt Hennig. No matter what he does, who he beats, or what he says, his entire career will be compared to his father's amazing legacy.
Before we call the guy a star or dud, let's get to know him a little better. Here are five facts to get you acquainted with Mr. Axel...
The Origin of the Name 'Curtis Axel'
Joe Hennig's dad was 'Mr.Perfect', but he's not just a second generation WWE Superstar. Joe's grandfather was also a legend of the squared-circle. Larry 'The Axe' Hennig is Joe's granddaddy, and is inspiration for his new last name, 'Axel'.
The first name, Curtis, is a bit more obvious to wrestling fans of the 80's and 90's, as Joe's dad is named Curt Hennig. This is better than using a piece of his father's ring name, or he'd be something like 'Perfect Axe.'
A lot of people are clamoring for Joe Hennig to use his real name, but taking bits of his family's names could work just as well. Look how well it did for Rocky Maivia, in the long run, not just when he started using the name.
He's the Resident WWE Fantasy Football Guru
If there's one thing you have to worry about when it comes to Curtis Axel -- it's him getting the best pick in your fantasy league draft. The dude takes his Fantasy Football nearly as seriously as his professional wrestling career.
In 2011, Curt Axel won the WWE Magazine Fantasy Football League, going undefeated with a 12-0-1 record. He claims he never roots for his hometown Vikings ahead of his own fantasy team, which is the kind of commitment you have to make if you want to win that twenty bucks from all your friends.
He's a former WWE Tag Team Champion
Before Team Hell No, Rhodes Scholars, and The Shield were breathing new life into the WWE Tag Team division, Curtis Axel, as McGillicutty, reigned as tag team champion with David Otunga. The same David Otunga who is married to the beautiful Jennifer Hudson.
Axel has already held gold on WWE TV, and while it wasn't a glorious championship run, he is still in the record books. Curt Axel/Michael McGilliCutty also held three FCW tag team championships, with different partners.
Four championship wins, and only one constant, the son of Curt Hennig.
Curt Axel Loves Brock Lesnar
A lot like he helped bring The Rock back to the WWE, Curt Axel also helped train Brock Lesnar, for his WrestleMania 29 match against Triple H. It was probably here that the idea for Curt Axel joining Paul Heyman grew. Lesnar is as big of a "Paul Heyman Guy" as you will find in this world.
Not only did Curt Axel help Brock Lesnar get ready in the ring, but he also has a son named Brock. There's just no denying the effect that Brock Lesnar's influence has had on Axel's career, and now Axel is picking up where Brock Lesnar left off at Extreme Rules.
Does Curt Axel have any chance of going over Triple H in a future match-up? That's certainly one way to begin pushing him to the sky.
He Trained The Rock...Sort Of
Did you know Curtis Axel was The Rock's behind-the-scenes training partner for his most recent WWE run? Rock didn't just show up at Royal Rumble, put on some wrestling gear, and go out to win the WWE Championship from CM Punk.
Axel and The Rock logged plenty of training time together, and Rock even went as far as to put over his partner on his Twitter account.
The Rock's matches weren't exactly setting the world on fire, and his body didn't handle the trauma of the bouts well, but Curt Axel did his part. It's just a shame that The Rock's muscles were at full capacity, and every bump caused them to rip from his body.