WWE RAW Superstar Zoey Stark has delivered a perfect tribute to ‘Mr Perfect’ Curt Hennig, over two decades after the passing of the WWE Hall of Famer. On social media, Stark shared clips of herself performing several impressive feats accompanied by Hennig’s WWE theme song.
My homage to Mr. Perfect. I still remember his promo video like it was yesterday pic.twitter.com/oPFMQEAV4e
Fans will recognize this video as a tribute to Hennig, who was introduced in the World Wrestling Federation with a series of vignettes highlighting his skills in various fields. Whether it was basketball, baseball, bowling, or something else entirely, Hennig was able to accomplish feats to perfection.
Hennig’s perfect skill set in WWE would see him capture the Intercontinental Championship on two occasions and hold the gold for a combined 404 days. After joining WCW, Hennig would become WCW United States Heavyweight Champion and also held the World Tag Team Titles with Barry Windham.
Hennig sadly passed away in February 2003 at the age of 44 and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007. That same year, his son Joe would sign with WWE and compete as Curtis Axel before his 2020 release. He would later return to WWE as a producer.
Zoey Stark in WWE
Stark’s tribute to Mr. Perfect comes at an interesting time in the career of the former NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion. Stark has aligned with Shayna Baszler and Sonya Deville as a dominant group on RAW that has been feuding with Damage CTRL. Stark was called to WWE’s main roster last year as an ally of Trish Stratus though their partnership ended at Payback 2023.
WCW Fall Brawl 1997 saw a traditional WarGames match pitting the Four Horsemen against representatives of the New World Order. The pairing made sense with the Horsemen traditional masters of the gimmick against the faction that was in many ways their successors as main event heels and WarGames fixtures (they’d feature in WarGames scenarios from 1996 until the company stopped running these specialty matches).
The main point fans remember from this match, though, was that newly minted Horseman Curt Hennig turned on his allies to join the nWo, costing them the match and arguably putting the last nail in the coffin of The Horsemen as a legitimate threat. What if Hennig hadn’t turned heel at all, but rather remained a Horseman?
WarGames Itself Might Have Been Great
The 1997 edition of WarGames wasn’t bad—certainly not as poor as the more experimental editions in the years to come that were really only WarGames in name. Nonetheless, it didn’t stand out and most fans only remember it for Curt Hennig promptly turning on his team and setting up a nasty finish with him threatening to slam Ric Flair’s head in the cage door to get his teammates to surrender.
While Hennig was no longer in his prime, he was still an elite worker. His efforts, combined with Flair’s, and with Syxx on the opposing side could have made for one of the last great WarGames matches in WCW, whether or not the Horsemen won in the end.
Curt Hennig Might Have Been A WCW Main Eventer
Curt Hennig is often considered one of the great missed opportunities as it pertained to all-around talents whom WWE never pushed to full-fledged main event status. WCW could have made good, minting their own new top guy with a babyface Hennig, backed by The Horsemen, a credible challenger to Hulk Hogan’s WCW title, and perhaps even a world champion.
Hennig was the kind of performer who might have singlehandedly elevated the WCW main event picture, including headlining opposite fellow stars who could go in the ring like Randy Savage or Scott Hall, besides still working feuds with Bret Hart or Diamond Dallas Page with more stakes attached.
The nWo Vs. The Four Horsemen Might Have Been A Great Faction Feud
Looking back, on paper, fans might think of the New World Order vs. The Four Horsemen as a great rivalry between iconic stables. The reality is that the Hollywood Hogan and company mostly dominated the feud, outsmarting The Horsemen when it mattered and prevailing in most major match scenarios.
Part of the problem was that The Horsemen were hamstrung with outstanding talents like Dean Malenko, who nonetheless weren’t over with fans at the main event level, leaving Ric Flair as their only star with the credibility to hang with the top five or so stars of the nWo.
Curt Hennig could have bridged that gap, pushed as a top-level babyface who re-legitimized the group, rather than getting lost in the shuffle as just another guy in the nWo. Like the very best faction feuds, this one might have run across multiple team scenarios and different one-on-one matches between the two lineups.
In the end, we’ll never know quite what would have been if Curt Hennig had stuck with The Four Horsemen rather than joining the nWo. Just the same, Hennig did feel like a squandered talent there for his forgettable work with the nWo after the original turn and getting wedged into The West Texas Rednecks faction, which he made the most of but was a bit beneath his talents. Working alongside Ric Flair as the top Horsemen—and perhaps even still feuding with him in time—could have been special.
Curt Hennig signed with WCW in mid-1997 during the height of the Monday Night Wars. Eric Bischoff recently spent some time on his 83 Weeks Podcast talking about Hennig’s time in the company.
Bischoff spoke about how he had a lot of expectations for Hennig coming into WCW as he had been a fan of his work previously.
“Consciously or subconsciously there was a lot of expectation that I had,” Bischoff said. He would continue to say, however, that injuries really hampered Hennig’s ability during his time in WCW.
“After a certain point you have to go ‘it’s just not there anymore.’ And you understand why, I understood why, the end was just injuries. Your back is kind of a big deal,” Bischoff said.
“You can work around certain injuries, I guess,” Bischoff continued. “But a back is you can’t sit, you can’t sleep, you can’t stand up, you can’t walk and you can’t not walk. I mean, you’re in constant pain and you have to be really careful about what you do in the ring and really work around a lot of things and not do things you used to be able to do. I think that reality became clear by this point, for sure,” Bischoff continued.
Hennig spent 3 years in WCW from mid-1997 until mid-2000. During that time, he won the United States Championship once and held the tag titles once along with Barry Windham as the West Texas Rednecks.
Bischoff’s conversation with Conrad Thompson can be heard in the player below:
WWE Hall of Famer, co-host of Grilling Jr and AEW Commentator Jim Ross recently discussed fellow Hall of Famer and WWE legend Curt ‘Mr Perfect’ Hennig.
This week’s episode of Grilling Jr centered on the King of The Ring 2000 PPV; with JR answering questions surrounding the then WWF at the time. One of the questions posed to JR was on Hennig and his potential to be a top-tier color commentator in the company.
Jim Ross on Curt Hennig
“Curt was a very well respected guy. We were inducted into Hall of Fame the same time in 2007” Jim Ross began. “I thought he had the upside and potential to be one of the best color analysts ever in pro wrestling. He had a wonderful sense of humor, great comedic and timing in general” JR continued. “Wonderful product knowledge and a second generation guy under Larry ‘The Axe’ Hennig.”
Jim Ross then discussed how Curt’s inability to get past wanting to work in-ring hindered his progression in the commentary booth. “But he was like a lot of guys, he couldn’t get that last match out of his system.And so the issue was that he was more motivated to wrestle than he was to broadcast.”
“I’m sure there was a difference in money, I get that too” JR continued. “But the other major factor with Curt? He had been banged up. He had some back issues or something if I recall correctly.”
Do you think that Curt Hennig had the potential to be the greatest color commentator ever? Let us know in the comments
– It was on this date 15 years ago when WWE Hall of Famer “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig passed away at the age of 44 years old. Curtis Axel sent out this tweet today remembering his father.
On February 10, 2003, Hennig was found dead in a hotel room in Tampa, Florida. The Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office declared acute cocaine intoxication as his cause of death. His father, former wrestler Larry “The Axe” Hennig, said that steroids and painkillers also contributed to his death.
– WWE posted this video clip from the series finale of the WWE Network show Swerved of The Boogeyman and Papa Shango pranking unsuspecting mall patrons. The Boogeyman is also shown eating worm pizza in front of customers at a pizza restaurant.
UFC Hall Of Famer Don Frye recently appeared on Submission Radio as a guest and revealed an interesting story about WWE Hall OF Famer Curt Hennig among other things. Below are some of the highlights from his interview:
Curt Hennig putting a pill on his drink as a prank during a tour of Japan:
“Oh man, we got on the airplane in LA, Curt and Brad and I, and Curt bombed my drink. And I was out. And all the way, for a whole second day in Japan I don’t remember. I don’t remember the flight, I don’t remember landing. I was out. I missed the whole day. So I remember he bombed me a heavier drink and came back around and kept doing it a couple of times. Yeah, he just dropped a pill in it.”
How he got back on Hennig:
“I got him back when we were in Brad’s gym. I filled his wrestling boots full of cream cheese. And Brian and I ran the ropes, working out. Curt pulled his foot out and shook his head and gave me a dirty look. He tried to get even, he thought he put it back in my boots but he put it in Brian’s boots. So I got him and I got Brian. But then I tell you what, Curt got me back a couple of time and he just, so embarrassing the stuff (we did). He was great. He was one of those people that you’re just privileged to meet, to be able to call a guy an acquaintance or a friend, it’s unbelievable to spend time with the guy.”
Why Cream Cheese:
“You know, I had one of those little silver foils of cream cheese in my gear-bag left over from a flight, and so I though what the hell else am I gonna do with it? (laughs) there was his boot, there was the package of cream cheese, there’s the opportunity.”
You can watch the full episode of Submission Radio featuring Frye below:
Today, WWE 2K16 got some new downloadable content (or DLC), the Legends pack, which adds six of WWE’s greatest legends (almost all of whom are Hall of Famers) to the game: The Big Boss Man, Trish Stratus, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes, Lita, and Mr. Perfect (Curt Hennig). The DLC pack is $8.99 on its own but is also available as part of the $24.99 Season Pass that covers all of the game’s DLC.
Also, the Terminator DLC, featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger as his most iconic character, is now available as a standalone item for $4.99. Previously available only as a pre-order code with early copies of the game, it features Arnold as the T-800 character with looks inspired by tge first two Terminator films.
Here’s 2K’s whole press release:
2K today announced WWE 2K16’s next downloadable content offering, the Legends Pack, is available now for the PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment systems, as well as Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system, and Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft for a suggested price of $8.99. TheLegends Pack features a diverse roster of playable talent, including WWE Hall of Famers Dusty Rhodes, Lita, Mr. Perfect, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and Trish Stratus, as well as WWE Legend Big Boss Man.
Also available for standalone purchase today is blockbuster action film star and WWE Hall of Famer Arnold Schwarzenegger, playable as two characters – T-800 from The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day films – for a suggested price of $4.99.
The Legends Pack is also included in the WWE 2K16 Season Pass. For a suggested price of $24.99, a savings of more than 20 percent versus individual content purchases, players will receive the following items as they become available:
Accelerator
Players will gain instant access to all unlockable content available in the game (excluding downloadable content);
New Moves Pack
Featuring more than 30 new moves, including the Corner Enzuigiri (made popular by WWE Diva Nikki Bella), Avalanche Ram (made popular by WWE Diva Paige), Sidewinder Suplex (made popular by WWE Superstar Kevin Owens), Standing Crossface Chickenwing (made popular by WWE Superstar Stardust) and Dragon Sleeper (made popular by NXT Superstar Finn Bálor);
2015 Hall of Fame Showcase
Playable matches include:
“Macho Man” Randy Savage vs. Jake “The Snake” Roberts;
Rikishi vs. The Rock;
Alundra Blayze vs. Paige;
Larry Zbyszko and Arn Anderson vs. Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat and Dustin Rhodes
Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Ric Flair;
The Bushwhackers (Butch Miller and Luke Williams) vs. The Natural Disasters (Typhoon and Earthquake);
The Outsiders (Kevin Nash and Scott Hall) vs. Harlem Heat (Booker T and Stevie Ray);
Future Stars Pack
Playable NXT Superstars: Samoa Joe, Diego, Fernando, Blake and Murphy
Additional downloadable content available now for WWE 2K16includes the following:
MyPlayer KickStart (PS4™ system and Xbox One Exclusive)
Players will gain instant access to boost created Superstar ratings and attributes in the game’s MyCareer mode
Developed collaboratively by Yuke’s and Visual Concepts, a 2K studio, WWE 2K16 is rated T for Teen by the ESRB and is available now for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 computer entertainment systems, Xbox One and Xbox 360.
WWE Hall Of Famer Scott Hall recently spoke with the folks at Title Match Wrestling about why he didn’t receive as many world title shots as others did, as well as the back-story behind an incident involving Ultimate Warrior during his WWE run.
“I was doing whatever was asked of me,” said Hall of not being put in many world title matches. “I looked at it as being a team player, whatever the team needed me to do on pay-per-view. Whether it was being on first or being on last.
Hall was also asked about some major reshuffling that took place prior to WWE Survivor Series 1992, as significant roster changes prevented the originally scheduled line-up from taking place.
“It was supposed to be Flair and I against Warrior and Savage. Warrior had a history of holding Vince up for money before pay-per-views to get his guarantees, and Vince called his bluff. They had to substitute for Warrior, so they brought Mr. Perfect in,” Hall said.
“I was told prior to the match I was going to break Randy’s leg and retire him. But when you have a substitute, you have to feature the substitute, so I think I got PerfectPlex’d and Flair got PerfectPlex’d.”
– WWE Superstar Curtis Axel inducted his father — “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig — into the Pro Wrestling Hall Of Fame at their 14th annual induction ceremony in New York this weekend. Others included at the ceremony were Rick Martel, Michael Hayes and more. Slam! Wrestling has a recap of the ceremony, which you can check out at Canoe.ca.
– In response to a fan on Twitter who commented about WWE taking NXT on the road for live tours outside of their home base in Florida, Triple H noted that they are “just getting started,” alluding to the fact that NXT will be doing more tours outside of Florida in the future.
– Following Monday’s post-Payback edition of WWE RAW, a quick five-minute “RAW Fallout” show is scheduled for the WWE Network. Additionally, fans will get to see a “First Look” special at the new WWE DVD on Jerry Lawler on the WWE Network this Monday night.
– WWE broadcast member Renee Young noted on social media that one of her upcoming guests on her “Unfiltered” show on the WWE Network will be “King” Bad News Barrett. As noted, Young’s guest on Monday’s edition of the WWE Network show will be Wiz Khalifa.
– Saturday was officially “Jerry Lawler Day” in his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. This year’s Saturday, which fell on May 9th, is the same date that Lawler won the AWA World Heavyweight Championship with Curt Hennig, who would later go on to fame in WWE under the “Mr. Perfect” gimmick.
– WWE Hall Of Famers Hulk Hogan and Jimmy Hart are featured in a new Baltimore Sun video at an airport. In the video, it is revealed that Hogan can’t sign autographs because the cameras that follow him stress him out. Check out the clip above or at Newsinc.com.
WWE Hall of Famer Scott Hall recently appeared on The Kevin Gill Showand spoke about his interest in working at a trainer in NXT. Hall, who is known for having an incredible mind for the business, says he’s a huge fan of the brand and is more involved in wrestling today than he’s been in a long time.
“I’m a huge fan of NXT,” Hall said. “Believe me, my goal is to someday have a position there. So I’m throwing it out there to whoever is listening, like Triple H.”
“I watch NXT all the time. I’m more involved in wrestling currently, then I have been in a long, long time. Because I have a son who’s on the scene, so now we gotta watch NXT because those are his peers, those are his competitors, those are his co-workers, and maybe his buddy’s down the line. That’s who he’s gonna be doing business with. We watch stuff from Japan, from the UK, so I am immersed.. I feel more immersed in the wrestling scene than ever before. And it feels really cool because Cody is so excited and so young, and I get to vicariously live through him, and say whenever you have a question, I’m here!”
Hall said he was “so happy” to be a part of WrestleMania 31 and to be there at RAW the next night talking to the young guys. As a veteran of the industry, he understands the importance of passing on knowledge to the next generation of wrestlers.
“Ive always felt like, what we do in our industry is help. The guys who know help the guys who don’t know. I always tell any young guys, particularly my son Cody, I’m his biggest fan… I say listen to everybody, then make upyour own mind, Do your own thing!”
Hall remembers greats like his friend Curt Hennig, who was part of a generation where they took pride in putting younger guys over.
“To me, Curt (Hennig) is a magical guy. He was so unselfish, and he was influenced by Pat Patterson who is a genius. So a young Curt was around a young Pat Patterson, and these are guys who all come from the school of helping guys.. especially if the guy has a clue! Teach Em! Team Em! Teach Em! If you’re winning, some guys are like ok, I’m gonna kick out on three. The school of Pat Patterson and Curt Hennig and then later me, Shawn Michaels, Marty Jannetty and all these guys were like NO BRO. If you are going over, its your night. Bro, your gonna make a hell of a comeback on me, then beat me with your finish, and I’m gonna lay there for 20 while you stand there and let your music play. If it’s your night, it’s your night. Let the people get what they want!”
He also spoke about his personal demons and the sacrifices in his personal life that he made while he was on the road.
“I didn’t always make a lot of good decisions, but my kids still talk to me, and my kids still love me, so I couldn’t of been that bad of a dad. I know that the trade off of being on the road and being a pro wrestler is that your entertaining a lot of people’s kids, while your kids are sitting at home. I did what I had to do, I was trying to score while I could, when I was young, and then I could retire.”
– In the following video from Diamond Dallas Page’s official YouTube channel, WWE Hall Of Famer Scott Hall pays tribute to fellow WWE Hall Of Famer “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig.
– Former WWE Superstar CM Punk recently filmed some footage for Nerdist.com in Aquora Hills, California. Below is a photo from the shoot.
Throughout the course of WWE history, many have had the chance to latch onto the most coveted prize in sports entertainment: the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
Many former champions have been memorable. Others have been downright Miz-erable. Unfortunately, some of the most talented and entertaining superstars in the history of the company never had the chance to obtain the sport’s prized possession. Here are five of the most talented superstars to never hold the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
5. William Regal
Regal holds the dubious distinction of being the first inductee into the much-respected “Kiss My Ass Club.” If only that honor were as distinguished as holding the WWE Championship…
Despite never holding the top prize, Regal was no stranger to gold in the WWE, having been a champion on 15 different occasions although he is, in my opinion, criminally underrated.
With all of the skills necessary to have a run as the face of the company, Regal’s situation is likely similar to that of Jake “The Snake” Roberts or Scott Hall, where the wrestler’s personal problems prevented the company from being able to fully commit.
4. Owen Hart
Bret Hart called himself “The Best There Is, The Best There Was, and The Best There Ever Will Be.” One man who could always match him step-for-step in the ring, however, was his little brother Owen.
The so-called “Black Hart,” Owen was one of the best in-ring technicians of his generation, was great on the microphone, and was surprisingly hilarious when guesting as a color commentator (e.g., 1996 King of the Ring).
As we all know, his life was tragically cut short before ever reaching the pinnacle of sports entertainment, but I think most will agree he would have carried the strap well had he been granted the opportunity.
3. Roddy Piper
“The Hot Rod” revolutionized the role of the heel during the 1980s. I mean, who else had the balls to break a coconut over Jimmy Snuka’s head?
His uncouth tactics and lack of respect for those around him would be an inspiration for those who followed, including Steve Austin and CM Punk.
As one of the most recognizable superstars of his era, it seems hard to believe that Piper never got a run as champ, but he was at a disadvantage by wrestling in an era where faces almost always came out on top.
WWE officials are under the impression that Curtis Axel, who is from the Minneapolis area and is part of the famous Hennig family (Larry Hennig, Curt “Mr. Perfect” Hennig), may receive a babyface reaction from the fans in attendance at this Sunday’s WWE Elimination Chamber event.
As previously reported, Axel, along with Ryback, will take on Goldust and Cody Rhodes in a tag-team match during the Kickoff Show prior to the start of the pay-per-view.
WWE Hall of FamerJim Ross updated the Q&A section of JRsBarBQ.com. Here are some highlights of what he said about:
If he called any Curt Hennig matches:
“Many. He was excellent. A natural. You must be new. Thanks.”
If WWE thought they would win the lawsuit with the World Wildlife Fund:
“Obviously WWE thought they would win the case as did I. I wouldn’t say it was chaos but it did cause of lot of extra work.”
Daniel Bryan’s recent booking:
“Daniel Bryan’s TV persona seems like a no brainer to me. The fans want him to compete and to be the underdog who never quits and wins his share of matches. Easy matter in my view to ascertain. Just listen to the paying customers.”
If WWE would benefit from holding fewer pay-per-view events:
“Long term planning & sticking to the plan has more to do w/ creative than # of PPV’s. Bottom line is always going to be the talents.”
The following are interview highlights with wrestling legend “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan:
On which current WWE Superstars he feels has the ‘It Factor’ right now: “I think everybody likes Dolph Ziggler, you know I seen him back in the Spirit Squad days. You see that kid, he’s got the blonde hair and a lot of white teeth, good body, good-looking young guy. He’s the kind of guy, a marquee player that WWE looks for, like John Cena, Hulk Hogan, somebody of that nature. I think Ziggler fits that bill. Kind of an unknown hero is McGuillicutty (Curtis Axel). I think Curt’s boy, third generation wrestler, he’s got a lot to show.
On second and third generation WWE Superstars: “I think guys that grow up in the business are just a little more polished than guys like myself who came into wrestling blind. I had no idea what to expect. I think, like Jake the Snake Roberts, Ted Dibiase, your second generation wrestlers, we see even more in Cody Rhodes and Ted Junior, that they grew up in the business and have a better understanding of the show.”
On the upcoming Mid-South DVD and the territory days: “Mid-South was a great wrestling territory, as you know many of the WWF stars came out of Mid-South. It was a great training area, not only did you learn how to do your work in the ring, but you learned how to do your interviews.”
“A lot more guys were making a living wrestling and it was a great time in the business. Of course, the WWE, WWF days was better for a few unique guys but for overall wrestlers, it was good in the territory days.”
Check out the complete interview online at ChaddukesWrestlingShow.com.
– Speaking to Saint Cloud Minnesota News, Larry “The Axe” Hennig offered his thoughts on his grandson being remolded as Curtis Axel, which pays homage to the legendary AWA wrestler as well as “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig (son of Larry Hennig and father of Curtis Axel).
“He’s no overnight sensation,” said Hennig. “He’s been working hard the past five years to get where he’s at. And he deserves it.”
Hennig believes WWE would have cut ties with his grandson if he didn’t possess the talent necessary to become a player for the sports-entertainment organization.
“He’s representing a billion dollar company. You have to be good or you’re going to be gone. They can’t afford any misfires there,” said Hennig.
As for Larry himself, he and his wife run a real-estate business in St. Cloud, Minnesota, “Larry Hennig Auction and Realty.” To read the article, click here.
– WWE Classics On Demand’s Hall of Fame retrospective for July will chronicle the career of “The Original Diva,” Sunny. The official YouTube account of WWE has posted this clip of Sunny from early in her professional wrestling career supporting her client ‘Primetime’ Brian Lee.
– According to WrestlingFigs.com, WWE Hall of Famer “Rowdy” Roddy Piper will appear at the Days of the Dead Convention taking place next Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Wyndham Indianapolis West, 2544 Executive Dr. Indianapolis, Indiana.
WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog, which you can read in its entirety at JRsBarBQ.com with his thoughts on the late WWE Hall of Famer Curt Hennig on the 10 year anniversary of his passing. Here’s what JR said about Hennig:
“Can’t help but think about Curt Henning aka Mr. Perfect today on the anniversary of his untimely passing. “Perfecto’ was as good a natural athlete as I’ve ever been around in the wrestling biz. Curt starting so young and wrestling so much likely contributed to his lingering back injuries as back ailments are horrific for any performer in the sports entertainment biz. Curt was also one of the funniest guys that I ever worked with on commentary and had legit, natural timing much like a guy he watched while growing up, Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan.”
“Curt truly loved life and some could argue that he loved it a little too much at times. Nonetheless I value the relationship that we had and the fun doing WWE voice overs at the Stamford, Ct studios back in the day. Chief Jay Strongbow nicknamed Curt “Dennis the Menace” because of his mischievous demeanor at times.”
“Curt was one of my favorite wrestlers and when he was healthy he could hang with anyone. I am optimistic that his son Joe also know as Michael McGillicutty will be a main event level talent before all is said and done. I’ve seen Joe wrestle a great deal especially down in NXT and he has every thing he needs to be special. It’s all about timing and right place at the right time but I’m confident that Joe will persevere and get to the next level and it could happen in 2013. I’d be surprised if it doesn’t.”
JR also wrote about Bruno Sammartino’s WWE Hall of Fame induction, Mark Henry’s return to WWE television and WWE signing indie talent.
WWE Hall of Famer Curt Hennig, best known to many as Mr. Perfect, passed away on this date 10 years ago. A decade later, Hennig is still remembered as one of the most beloved performers of his generation, with his freakish athleticism and rarely-matched technical ability. We’d like to take a moment to acknowledge the the life of Curt Hennig and express gratitude for the many great moments he creative. We also encourage you to comment below and share your favorite memories from his illustrious career.
From his time in the AWA, to the iconic “Mr. Perfect” sports vignettes, his unforgettable run with the WWF Intercontinental championship, his chemistry with Bobby Heenan and Ric Flair, his “Rap is Crap” antics with WCW’s West Texas Rednecks and his final WWE run that began with a surprise entry in the 2002 Royal Rumble, there was only one Mr. Perfect.
RIP Curt Hennig.
Hennig’s son Joe (WWE superstar Michael McGuillicutty) tweeted the following this afternoon regarding his father:
My Dad lives thru me everyday. I swear on the moon & stars that my mark will be made in this business. The #Hennig name will endure forever.
— WWE.com has posted a list counting down the top twenty-five Intercontinental Champions of all-time and Randy Savage comes in at number one. He is trailed by Chris Jericho, Ultimate Warrior, Mr. Perfect and Pat Patterson. To view the complete list, click here.
— BarbershopWindow.com has released a “Kamala” Benefit T-Shirt, with all proceeds going to aid the legendary wrestler’s medical bills. The first seventy-five customers who order the shirt will receive an autographed photo of WWE developmental wrestler Kassius Ohno (a/k/a Chris Hero).
The former WWE Superstar has undergone amputation of both of his feet due to his ongoing battle with diabetes.
— Mick Foley will perform stand-up comedy this Thursday in Williamstown, New Jersey at Antony & Cleopatra’s. Call 856-629-2211 for event information.
— Following strong sales for the The Very Best of WCW Monday Nitro DVD last year, WWE has plans to release another video set highlighting the best of World Championship Wrestling later this year.
Amazon.com is currently taking pre-orders for a WCW Clash of the Champions DVD from WWE on May 22, 2012. Run time is listed at 540 minutes.
Clash of the Champions were a series of professional wrestling television specials aired by WCW from 1988 to 1997. The specials were supercards intended to feature pay-per-view caliber matches, similar to the World Wrestling Federation’s Saturday Night’s Main Event.
— Friday marks the nine year anniversary of the passing of WWE Hall of Famer “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig. Shawn Michaels went on Twitter to remember the legendary wrestler he worked at length with.
“I’d like to honor the memory of Curt Hennig, unbelievably gifted, great teacher and one of the funniest, most joyful guys to be around. Mr.P!!” Michaels wrote.
At the suggestion of Hennig, Michaels adopted “The Heartbreak Kid” nickname upon turning heel in 1992.
Scott Hall posted his latest “Last Call with Scott Hall” video, where he and Larry Zbyszko remember the late Curt Hennig on the eighth anniversary of his death. Curt Hennig, the father of WWE star Michael McGillicutty, passed away on February 10, 2003.
Check out the video below, where Hall and Zbyszko watch an old AWA match from 1985, where Hall and Hennig took on AWA tag champions Jimmy Garvin and Steve Regal.
