83 Weeks - Curt Hennig [Show Notes] (Patreon)

Curtis Michael Hennig was born on March 28th, 1958 to famed father Larry “The Axe” Hennig in Robbinsdale, Minnesota. Hennig grows up with Rick Rude and goes to Robbinsdale High School alongside fellow future wrestlers Tom Zenk, Brady Boone, Nikita Koloff, John Nord, Road Warrior Hawk and Barry Darsow. What an amazing group of talent coming from ONE high school compared to a broad area don’t you think?

Curt’s father Larry was an old school tough guy worker from the AWA working for Verne Gagne. Just last month we covered Verne but Larry was a huge part of the Minnesota scene. What do you remember of Larry from watching the AWA?

Curt debuts for the AWA in 1980 as a prelim babyface while he’s training. His debut is to bring Larry back for a fued with Adrian Adonis. Do you remember seeing Curt’s early matches?

He goes off on the road working in the WWWF and the Pacific Northwest “learning the craft.” He comes back in 1984 to team up with his father to work a program with the Road Warriors. What is your first memory of seeing Curt work?

You enter the AWA in 1987 around the same time Curt is starting his ascent and there’s always been rumor and innuendo that there was tension between Curt & Greg because of Curt’s rising star and Greg’s not so much. Do you remember seeing anything like that?

When did you first meet Curt and what were your initial thoughts on him?

What do you remember of the legendary program between Curt & Nick Bockwinkel?

Bockwinkel is leaving the AWA to become a road agent for the WWF and retire at the age of 52 but on his way out his job is put Curt over. The 60 minute match for ESPN where Curt bleeds all over the place is the match that really put Curt on the map. Knowing Curt growing up in the business how important was that for Curt and how much respect did he have for Bockwinkel?

The rumor and innuendo at the time is at the same time Bockwinkel is leaving Hennig is also negotiating with the WWF about making the move and it leads to making Verne putting the title on him to keep him from leaving. Do you remember talking to Curt about this during any point in his career?

Hennig wins the AWA Title finally from Nick Bockwinkel at SuperClash on May 2, 1987 with a very convoluted finish. Hennig turns heel by taking brass knuckles from Larry Zbysko to defeat Bockwinkel. The title is sort of held up as the AWA figures out what they want to do as backstage issues come up...

From the Observer…”The idea was that they were grooming Hennig, after establishing him as a heel, to win the title from Bockwinkel a few months down the line at a summer spectacular. But Hennig had other plans. Before the match, when word was out Hennig was being primed for a big push, the WWF started negotiations with him again, since Hennig had yet to get that promised title belt. The idea was agreed upon that Hennig, who was tired of waiting for what had been promised him for six months, would do the match, beat the champion on television, and even though he wouldn’t get the title, he would disappear and show up on WWF TV, thus embarrassing the AWA one more time.”

Did you get both sides of this story from Verne and Curt and if so what were their thoughts? Who do you think is in the right here...Verne who promised Curt but never got to it or Curt who was being led on in his mind for a title he may never get and miss an opportunity?

In front of the fans at SuperClash they announce the title is being held up after Zybysko’s interference which turns into Larry telling his son Curt to leave since he still wasn’t really getting the title. Verne changes the storyline and simply announces that Hennig is the champion after Curt agrees to stay. How convoluted is this for Verne to be doing this?

Curt holds the AWA Title for 53 weeks before dropping it to Jerry Lawler on May 9th, 1988. How was Curt to deal with as champion and did you suffer any of the famous Curt Hennig ribs back then?

Any memorable title defenses Curt had that stands out in your mind?

Curt makes a deal with the WWF after dropping the title and debuts to “Mr. Perfect” vignettes. What did you think of them as an introduction to a character?

Did you have any doubts Curt would be a success in the WWF?

Hennig went on to work with Hulk Hogan and Ultimate Warrior but was never that top top guy in the WWF. Do you think his size held him back?

Did you talk with Curt during his WWF run at all or did your communication with him end when he left the AWA?

Hennig hurts his back in June 1991 as Intercontinental Champion. He suffers a broken tailbone along with a bulging disc in his lower back when he takes a whip into a turnbuckle. He comes back to put over Bret Hart at SummerSlam 1991 in that classic match at MSG. Knowing the pain and suffering Curt was going through how amazing is that match now looking back at it?

It’s not known at that point if Hennig would ever work again. He’s suggested to have major back surgery or spinal fusion to fix his issues and never has the surgery but collects a large settlement from an insurance policy through Lloyd’s of London. Did you ever talk with Curt about this and his decision? Was he always in pain to the best of your knowledge?

Hennig comes back to the WWF as a manager of Ric Flair and then works on and off again as a wrestler, even beating Flair to send him back to WCW in a “Loser Leaves Town” match. Did Curt ever come to you when you were in charge of WCW about making a move from 1993-1995?

From the Observer…

“Before Rude got hurt, there were numerous problems brewing between Rude and WCW to the point that many were very skeptical at the time, due to the timing of it, as to the legitimacy of Rude's back injury. In the weeks leading up to the match, Rude had asked WCW to buy him out of his contract which paid $315,000 per year, similar as they had done when dumping several contracts at around the same period of time, paying guys a figure of about 60% or 70% of what was left on their contract to simply go home, and in exchange the wrestler wouldn't work for opposition groups. So Rude, who had been bothered by neck and back injuries already, was attempting to negotiate his way out of the company and into either a retirement or a lengthy hiatus literally days before suffering the career ending back injury in Japan. In addition, to attempt to pressure WCW to acquiesce to his wishes, he also stated that he wouldn't put Ric Flair, Vader or Hulk Hogan (who was to start with the company six weeks later), who along with Sting were the biggest stars in the company at the time, over for various different reasons. In the days when wrestling big show main events were actually planned out months in advance, the plan at that time was for Hogan to debut on July 17, 1994 at Bash at the Beach in Daytona Beach, FL and either do a tag team match with Flair (a babyface at the time) teaming with him against Rude & Curt Hennig (who WCW was attempting to lure out of retirement at the time), or if Hennig fell through, as it did, do Hogan & Sting vs. Flair, who would turn heel to start a program with Sting and Hogan, teaming with Rude. In both scenarios, Rude was the one who was going to drop the fall to Hogan, and Rude still had heat with Hogan from the WWF days because Rude, due to the size difference, never got a big money program with Hogan even though he was a better heel than the majority of those Hogan worked with during that period.”

What say you Eric...how close to true was this scenario?

In 1996 it looks like he’s going to make a full time comeback to the WWF as a wrestler and feud with Hunter Hearst Helmsley. It’s all a ruse to become a heel manager for Triple H in his feud with Marc Mero but something interesting happens the week after Hennig turns. From the Observer…

“It appears that Curt Hennig may become the latest wrestler to switch affiliations from WWF to WCW. Hennig met with Eric Bischoff late this past week and the two sides apparently reached a verbal agreement on a deal where Hennig would return as an active wrestler. However, Titan Sports is contesting the agreement, claiming in a legal letter from Jerry McDevitt to WCW that WCW was interfering with Titan's contracts. In the letter, Titan was under the assumption that Hennig would make a surprise appearance on the 11/11 Nitro show and warned WCW that it would take legal action if such was the case. In any event, Hennig would not be able to use the name Mr. Perfect, since that name is a WWF creation, and WCW was believed to not be planning on using Hennig so quickly due to his WWF contract, with his expected starting date with WCW being early February. McDevitt declined to state how long Hennig was under contract, just that the contract was valid and there was no provision in it to give 90 days notice at this time.”

Eric how did this come to be? He’s in the middle of a heavily pushed angle on WWF TV and then he just drops off the air and this hits the Observer. Who reached out to who? Did you ask for clarification on his contractual status? Were you cautious to engage? Did you want Curt because it was messing with the WWF’s business or because you knew what he could bring to the table? Did you need him to pass a medical check to bring him on board because of his back issues?

Why did Curt want to walk away with the WWF? As good ol JR always points out it’s either cash or creative? In this case what did Curt express to you?

From the Observer...

“There must have been major underlying heat between Hennig and McMahon for Hennig to not only jump, but to also burn McMahon and the WWF on two consecutive weekends on the way out the door. The story going around is that Hennig had no interest in returning to the ring, as he was a very short time away from a lifetime disability settlement in his Lloyd's of London policy which would have paid him a reported $300,000 lump sum. However, something happened, which Hennig blamed McMahon for, which led to Lloyd's not going to pay the lump sum, which, without the lump sum, probably lessened Hennig's reasons for not wanting to return to the ring.”

Is Meltzer accurate regarding this and this was Curt’s revenge? Did he need the money or did he just want to get back into the ring that badly?

In early December Meltzer states this regarding Curt & the WWF:

“Hennig was contemplating a huge lump sum settlement from Lloyd's of London, which was either $150,000 (according to WWF sources) or $300,000 (according to others). To get the settlement he'd have to basically sign a deal that he was permanently disabled and could never wrestle again...Since WWF figured he might wrestle and since he was under a disability deal with Lloyd's, the WWF's legal department sent a memo to Lloyd's to try to reach a settlement regarding the deal. At that point Lloyd's nixed the idea of paying Hennig the lump sum for permanent disability because they believed he was thinking about returning to the ring, so therefore he wasn't permanently disabled. Hennig was furious thinking the WWF had double-crossed him which led to him contacting WCW and going there as revenge. After no-showing the weekend of 11/9, he and McMahon talked things out and McMahon offered him a five-year wrestling contract with a $300,000 per year downside guarantee, which Hennig verbally agreed to, and McMahon felt everything was cool since Hennig was guaranteed far more money in the contract than whatever he was going to make in the Lloyd's settlement. While we don't know the WCW figures, apparently Bischoff's offer for a three-year deal was higher so Hennig went with WCW, without telling McMahon, and no-showed an autograph session, the Hall of Fame dinner, Survivor Series and the Superstars voice-overs. The WWF is claiming Hennig has breached his contract, which expires in May, by no-showing the past three weeks.”

Lot to unpack here. Did Curt know he was done with the WWF after what they did and how aggressive was your offer to Curt to beat out the WWF offer? It’s been reported that Curt was making $750,000 a year. Care to comment?

Do you know if Curt went back to the WWF with a counter after your offer or was it just a done deal right then and there?

Do you think your past history with Curt made the negotiations easier?

Curt can’t sign until his WWF contract expires in May but now you have a lot of time to prepare for Curt and set up his first program. Does anyone in WCW come to you and say…”Hey I want to work with Curt” or do you know exactly where you’re going with him from the time you sign him?

Any fear Curt would go back to the WWF since you have all that time in between the agreement and the actual ability to put pen to paper?

Speaking of that...from the Observer in late March of 97:

“The latest chapter in the Hennig saga started at the Cauliflower Alley Club banquet in Studio City, CA on 3/15, and ended, or at least appears to have ended on 3/24 with Nitro opened with the appearance of Larry Hennig in the front row in Duluth. At the CAC, Larry Hennig introduced his son, who was being awarded, as a future WWF champion, and the two talked highly about Vince McMahon. The reports we received is that Hennig, whose Titan contract expires in a few weeks and was expected to join WCW immediately as a full-time wrestler at that point, was in Titan Towers on 3/18. According to WWF sources, Hennig was expected to make a surprise appearance at Wrestlemania, largely to return the Lex Luger favor from the original Nitro. When Eric Bischoff got the word about the CAC banquet and the Titan rumors, he contacted Hennig, which I believe was on 3/21, who told him something to the effect of it being him just screwing with McMahon, which Hennig has probably now done as much if not more than any wrestler alive. Of course, nobody was sure, being this is pro wrestling and there were those in WCW worried until Mania ended that he still might make a surprise appearance since he's still under contract to Titan. WCW wanted to put it back in Titan's face by opening Nitro with Curt Hennig, however, due to the WWF contract, they are still legally unable to do so, so they did what they figured was the next best thing and put Larry Hennig there to open the show and make it clear that Curt was on his way to their side.”

Is this how you remember it and is that why Larry Hennig was there to open the show?

Curt is scheduled to debut as Diamond Dallas Page’s mystery partner at Bash at the Beach 97. He appears at the end of Nitro on June 30th in Las Vegas as a last second tease to build to the next week where he opens the show and is interrupted by Ric Flair. Flair is acting like Hennig is destined to be a Horseman but Hennig let’s him know he’s a free agent that’ll be going to the highest bidder. Why debut Curt this way and give him 2 weeks of TV time before the mystery surprise is him? To build him up or do you think it came off more flat than expected?

How involved was Curt with his creative on his debut?

Were there talks of putting him with the nWo or the Horseman as was hinted after his debut?

Hennig makes his WCW in-ring debut at Bash at the Beach. From the Observer:

“7. Scott Hall & Randy Savage beat Diamond Dallas Page & Curt Hennig in 9:35. Hennig as the mystery partner left the match flat as the fans didn't care. He looked slow and bloated in the ring to make things worse. Finish saw Hennig apparently supposed to take a bump backwards over the ropes when Page was accidentally pulling the rope down, but that didn't actually materialize. Hennig never went over the top and then shoved Page and walked out. In the ring, Hall gave him the Outsiders edge and Savage dropped the elbow on Page for the pin. 1/2*”

Was putting Hennig in this spot a let down because everybody was wanting Sting to be the partner? What did you think of Hennig’s condition here on his debut when he had months to prepare?

Was there heat with DDP and Hennig? There’s been speculation that Curt would always call Dallas “Mark” because of Page’s tendency to script out his matches ahead of time. Any truth to that?

Hennig is kind of a tweener as he’s scheduled to team with Flair at Clash of the Champions against Syxx & Konnan and then at Road Wild he’s going one-on-one with super babyface DDP. How did you expect the crowd to react to him?

Curt and DDP have a below average match at Road Wild where Hennig ends up pinning DDP. This is the beginning of a push for Curt as DDP is red hot coming off the Savage feud but looking back is this a mistake? Curt hasn’t exactly been up to his old form.

Arn Anderson does the “Spot” promo that we’ve covered a bunch of times in the archives and gives his “spot” to Curt Hennig. Curt’s kind of a lost thing in all this because the nWo parody isn’t exactly a focus on him but what was Curt’s reaction to both Arn’s heartfelt promo and the parody?

We get to Fall Brawl which we’ve also covered in the archives but jesus christ Curt slams that cage door into Flair’s head doesn’t he?

The Carolinas never really drew the same after this show for WCW. Do you think the ending of this match played any part in it?

Curt is now a nWo member and the next night on Nitro defeats Steve McMichael for the WCW United States Title. Was this the first time you were starting to see the old Curt Hennig?

Flair costs Hennig the United States Title to DDP which gives DDP his win back but it’s Dusty Finished back to Curt the next week. Why?

Rick Rude joins the nWo after the Montreal Screwjob. Did Curt help put that together with his childhood best friend?

Rude & Hennig going forward seem to be together in the nWo with Rude being with Curt at ringside. What did you think of the pairing and do you think they added to each other?

Curt pins Flair at World War 3 to retain the WCW US Title in what Meltzer called a **½ match. This is the closest we got from such a hard turn with Curt slamming the cage door on Ric’s head to a payoff. Why is that? Did they just not get to where you thought they were capable of going?

DDP beats Hennig at Starrcade 1997 to officially defeat and take the title from him. From the Observer:

“6. Diamond Dallas Page beat Curt Hennig in 10:52 to win the U.S. title. Both worked hard, but the crowd wasn't into it and the match was only okay. Page did a few nice reversals off Hennig's attempts at his winning fisherman suplex before finally hitting the diamond cutter for the clean win. **”

Did they just not click in the ring?

Curt kind of floats around as “B” member of the nWo until entering a feud with Bret Hart who obviously now is in WCW. This leads to a rematch of their infamous match in MSG which was the highlight of Curt’s WWF career at Uncensored 98 in Mobile, ALABAMA!

From the Observer:

“7. Bret Hart beat Curt Hennig in 13:51. Match was okay, but didn't have much heat. They built old style as if they were going to do a long match, doing a lot of quick takedowns. Hennig cut him off and used the fisherman suplex, but Hart kicked out to a big pop. Hart did a rolling reverse, but Hennig reversed him holding the tights for a near fall. Hart finally clamped on the sharpshooter for the submission. After tapping out, Hennig and Rude destroyed Hart including Rude using a Rude Awakening and Hennig laying him out with a chair to the head. **½”

Bret gets his win...Curt and Rick lay him out afterwards and it starts a sort of program with the Hart Foundation (Bret, Davey Boy & Jim Neidhart) with the nWo that leads to a bunch of tag team matches with Curt and various nWo members against Davey and Jim and it just gets dropped. Do you remember why?

So what’s next for Curt? He’s being groomed for...GOLDBERG. Eric...Curt hasn’t won anything. Why is this the next step for Goldberg?

In the meantime Goldberg wins the WCW World Heavyweight Title over Hulk Hogan and his scheduled WCW US Title match against Hennig at Bash at the Beach 1998 is now for the WCW World Title. Curt’s first shot at the Big Gold Belt lasts all of...3 minutes and 51 seconds as he becomes Goldberg’s 112th victim. Did Curt have any issues doing this match and losing in the form and fashion that he did or did he just understand business?

He does the house show tours with Goldberg putting him over obviously. Was this done to get Bill some ring time or were they all short squashes?

Curt & Rude stay with the nWo Black & White in the Red & Black Wolfpac - Black & White Hollywood split. Were they just cool at this point to do whatever?

How was Curt around this time? He’s gotten heavier at this point...is that injuries? The partying lifestyle? What would you say it’s from?

There’s been a long rumored story that Hennig, Scott Norton & Warrior were under the ring for a show to do a surprise run-in and Hennig had to go to the bathroom so bad that he shit under the ring and made the other two sick of it from the smell. Is that true and did you give him any shit for it?

Curt is not seen after a Fall Brawl 98 loss to Dean Malenko until he helps you defeat Ric Flair at Starrcade 98. His knee was giving him issues and was it time off that he just needed?

Coming back at Starrcade for that finish with you was always the plan for his return?

This leads into an odd pairing. Hennig...a nWo guy...is going to team with Barry Windham...a not nWo guy...to face Ric & David Flair in David’s in-ring debut. Where did this come from Eric?

From the Observer:

“8. Ric & David Flair beat Barry Windham & Curt Hennig in 13:56. David, who had trained to do a few spots with Windham but had no training time with Hennig, was in just for the angle. He totally lacked facial expressions and wasn't ready to be in a match, but hadn't trained to be a wrestler either. He was still better than Reggie White or Jay Leno, and showed up in better condition than Dennis Rodman. After David did his spots with Windham, he tagged out and it was largely a handicap match. Flair's charisma made it a decent match, and Hennig really worked hard and looked the best he has in a long time bumping to get Flair over. David gave Hennig a low blow. Hennig came back on David and set him up for the fisherman suplex, but Arn hit Hennig with the tire iron and David pinned him. After the match, both factions of the NWO showed up destroying Anderson and also Chris Benoit, who ran in for the save. Hogan came out and handcuffed Ric to the ropes and they took David down and Hogan was whipping him with his lifting belt. Hogan spray painted "EZE" on David's back. They threw David to Ric. Then they dragged him out and Hogan punched him a few times and was whipping him again. Super heat angle. **¼”

Lot to unpack here. What did you think of David? How good is all of the heat that goes along with this? Did Hogan just not want to spray paint Eric?

What did Curt think about working with Barry?

Hennig gets turned on by the nWo on a Nitro in Dallas and is kind of just dumped out of the group. Was it time to move Curt away from them and get him a fresh start?

At SuperBrawl as part of the WCW World Tag Team Title Tournament Hennig & Windham worked Benoit & Malenko twice. Because it was double elimination Benoit & Malenko already had one loss while Hennig & Windham had none. Benoit & Malenko win the first fall in 19:34 to earn the second match...which ends in 20 seconds when Windham pins Malenko to win the WCW World Tag Team Titles. Why Eric, Why?

The return at Uncensored gives Benoit & Malenko the win over Hennig & Windham in a Lumberjack match. Does anybody really care at this point about Curt & Barry?

Hennig works a TV main with a now babyface Hulk Hogan and loses in 4 minutes. Curt & Barry both get hurt and then Curt gets the worst news possible...his best friend, Rick Rude, passes away at the age of 40. What was Curt like during this time?

Not long after the tragic accident of the death of Owen Hart occurs. These two deaths so close together must’ve taken a toll on Curt did it not?

On May 31st...in the Houston Astrodome...Curt Hennig comes out and sings country music and Bobby Duncum Jr. comes and joins him. Konnan & Rey Misterio Jr. come out and thus the greatest program in WCW history...Rap is Crap vs. Master P, The No Limit Soldiers & Konnan & Rey Mysterio is born.

First off Eric how much of this is because of Curt’s love for country music? Second off...and I’m sure we can go for hours about this...Master P? $200,000 an appearance is that correct? How did this deal come together?

From the Observer…

“Master P, who Bischoff tried to get over as a life long wrestling fan and not some guy who has come into wrestling to collect a paycheck, didn't even know the name of the guy he was doing his program with (Curt Hennig) and referred to him as the cowboy guy.”

Was Master P doomed from the start?

From the Observer: “At the Great American Bash the Pay-Per-View opens with Master P and his No Limit Soldiers coming out of a limo and meeting up with Curt Hennig. Hennig got in their face but asked for an autograph. Master P, who evidently hasn't been watching Nitro, gave him an autographed CD. Hennig broke it in P's face.”

Did Hennig and Master P ever have any issues trying to figure out what the hell the other one was going to do?

Later on in the match...once again from the Observer…

“4. Konnan & Rey Misterio Jr. beat Curt Hennig & Bobby Duncum Jr. in 10:44. Hennig's entrance music should head up most of the Worst of lists but it's bound to become an all-time cult favorite and Hennig is going to become a cult babyface for his role in this feud if the powers that be don't see the future and cut him off ahead of time. Hennig must really be into this feud because his work is the best it's been in a long time. Konnan finally hot tagged in, but Barry Windham came out of the crowd and KO'd him. Swoll, Master P's bodyguard who wants to be a pro wrestler (which is where this connection really stems from) who once played for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League), then knocked Duncum Jr. down with a forearm and Misterio Jr. pinned him. Security that got all of P's entourage out of there for interfering in the match, while allowing Hennig, Windham and Duncum to destroy Konnan & Misterio Jr. in the ring after the match including hog-tying Misterio Jr. The angle wasn't bad, but it wasn't anything that anyone remembered five minutes after it was over. **¼”

This went well which was probably a sign that things to come were going to go badly right?

From the Observer…

“Willie Nelson is expected to do a WCW vignette with Hennig. Certain people are recognizing Hennig is about to turn face against their wishes, so they are going to do a deal where Hennig tries to buddy up to Nelson but he shoots him down trying to get the country fans to think of Hennig as being uncool as well”

No offense Eric but you’re a southern company...did you not realize that the West Texas Rednecks were going to be the biggest babyface act on the roster?

Who wrote Rap is Crap? How much fun did Curt have recording it?

From the Observer…

“They aired a Hennig video taped in Nashville on 6/25. The idea that the Windhams and Duncum are actually playing musical instruments was a little hard to take even though Barry as a kid toyed with the drums and Duncum can play a little as well but Hennig never sang before in his life. The song is actually getting some interest as a novelty single both from record companies and a few country stations and stations with DJ's that do a lot of wrestling talk.”

Seriously this is one of my favorite things ever in WCW and how could it not be? It’s everything that’s great about wrestling don’t you think?

Bash at the Beach features an elimination tag match where Konnan, Rey Misterio, Swole & BA (Brad Armstrong) defeat Curt Hennig, Barry Windham, Kendall Windham & Bobby Duncam Jr. Where the hell did Master P go Eric?

Goldberg returns after an absence and just as Hennig is really getting over...he’s fed to Bill in his return. Was there really no one else that he could’ve beaten?

All of a sudden...Rap is Crap disappears and is replaced by...Good Ol’ Boys. WHY ERIC WHY?

On the 8/16 Nitro Hennig was scheduled again to face Goldberg...but supposedly he disappeared from the backstage and it was changed to Windham. Do you remember this and what happened?

Vincent (Virgil, Mike Jones) joins the West Texas Rednecks. Eric...is this a rib?

Eric you’re let go at this point. Do you think putting Vincent in this group had anything to do with it?

You come back on April 10th, and Curt is on that Nitro. Was it great to see Curt again and how did he look to you?

Shawn Stasiak is renamed “The Perfect One” to work a program against Curt Hennig which culminates at Slamboree 2000 in the Kemper Arena. Couple things here:

1. What did Hennig think of working with Stasiak?
2. Did Curt have any objection to doing this program based around Stasiak replacing him as “The Perfect One?”

Now the other part of this. This pay-per-view takes place on May 7th which is Owen Hart’s birthday and it’s the first birthday of his after his death. Obviously the show is at the Kemper Arena which is where Owen Hart tragically passed away. This is the show where the planned big bump for Chris Kanyon off the cage is supposed to happen. It’s been reported that Curt was super pissed about this. Before the show supposedly you showed everyone where Kanyon’s bump was supposed to happen and you told everyone not to bump there. While Curt does his match with Stasiak he picks him up and threatens to slam him on the ramp but his “back gave out.” Did this give you a freak out and is any of this true?

Stasiak pins Hennig with his own Perfect Plex in 7:55 and thus ends Hennig’s run with WCW on Pay-Per-View. In a small trivia note Curt Hennig’s last WCW match is a win over future TNA star Chris Harris.

Curt’s contract expires in the summer of 2000. Were you still around at this point?

Did you talk to Curt after he left the company at all?

Curt has a very brief run in the WWF afterwards which ends not long after the Plane Ride from Hell and he’s gone before you enter as Raw GM.

When was the last contact you had with Curt?

Sadly...we lost Curt on February 9th, 2003. He left behind a wrestling legacy with his son Joe Hennig (Curtis Axel) along with his wife Leonice and 3 other children.

What are your favorite memories of Curt and how do you want him best remembered?