Joe Hennig: I Fought To Be Joe Hennig When I Was Curtis Axel, Paul Heyman Tried To Help Me
Joe Hennig comments on being Curtis Axel.
Joe Hennig is the son of “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig, but in WWE on the main roster he went by Curtis Axel, which was a tribute to his father and grandfather Larry “The Axe” Hennig.
Appearing on Busted Open Radio, Hennig was asked about using the name Hennig and if that’s something he wanted to do moving forward if he returns to the ring.
“I’ve always wanted my name. My last name means the world to me. The name Hennig. I fought it the whole time I was up there. I fought it when I became Curtis Axel. Even Heyman [Paul Heyman] tried helping me get that name, my name back. They just wouldn’t budge. I was fine with Curtis Axel, you take Curt, Curtis, and Axe is Larry ‘The Axe,’ so it was cool and that was fine with me, but I always wanted to be Joe Hennig. When I was in developmental in FCW, I was Joe Hennig. I won the world championship there as Joe Hennig, and once I got brought up, they changed my name, I thought it was some kind of rib. It wasn’t. When I comeback, that’s something I’m going to work out. I’m not doing anything except be Joe Hennig,” he said.
Hennig has not wrestled since WWE released him in April 2020. He returned to the company in 2022 to work as a producer but was released the same year.
It is unknown if or when Hennig will return to the ring.
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