Former WWE Intercontinental champion Curtis Axel recently spoke with SI’s Extra Mustard blog about his father “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig’s legacy.
“My father’s legacy will forever be sketched in history as one of the greatest performers in not only the WWE, but also the whole world. He is in the WWE Hall of Fame. He could not only talk the talk, but he could walk the walk through his look, athletic ability, and attitude. He had more love for this business than anyone,” Axel said.
Axel added that even though his father is gone, his legacy lives on through him, Curt’s friends and fans. His father was his best friend and hero and he’s determined to make him proud no matter what.
He also spoke about what it was like to be the son of such a revered legend. Curt Hennig is as bonafide a Hall of Famer as they come and there must be pressure associated with having to fill those shoes.
“It’s a cursed blessing,” Axel said. “It isn’t easy trying to live up to what my father accomplished–for Christ’s sake, my dad’s name was ‘Mr. Perfect.’ We’re constantly compared, and I couldn’t be prouder to be his son, but I’m not trying to be my father. It’s a common misconception, because my father is a Hall of Famer and a major star in this business, that the path was paved for me. But that’s the furthest thing from the truth. Some generational guys start their training on the WWE payroll, but I didn’t.”
Check out the full interview over at Sports Illustrated and follow Curtis Axel on Twitter @RealCurtisAxel.