Curt Hennig was one of the most talented and charismatic professional wrestlers of his generation. He performed under his real name and the ring name Mr. Perfect in various promotions, including WWE, WCW, and TNA. He was a multiple-time champion and a WWE Hall of Famer. However, his life was cut short at the age of 44 when he died of a cocaine overdose in 2003. Here is a look at his career, his personal life, and the circumstances of his tragic death.
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The Early Days of Curt Hennig
Curt Hennig was born on March 28, 1958, in Robbinsdale, Minnesota. He was the son of Larry “The Axe” Hennig, a legendary wrestler who competed in the AWA and NWA. Curt followed in his father’s footsteps and made his pro wrestling debut in 1980 in the AWA. He also had a brief stint in WWE in 1981, but returned to the AWA in 1983.
He became one of the top stars of the AWA, winning the tag team titles with Scott Hall and the world heavyweight title by defeating Nick Bockwinkel in 1987. He held the title for 373 days, the seventh-longest reign in history . He left the AWA in 1988 to rejoin WWE.
The Rise of Mr. Perfect
In WWE, Hennig was given the gimmick of Mr. Perfect, an arrogant heel who claimed to be flawless in everything he did. He starred in several vignettes that showed him performing amazing feats in various sports, such as bowling a 300, hitting home runs with Wade Boggs, and throwing a Hail Mary pass to himself .
In the ring, he was equally impressive, displaying technical prowess and charisma. He remained undefeated on WWE television for over a year, even getting a countout win over Hulk Hogan on Saturday Night’s Main Event . His first televised loss came at WrestleMania VI in 1990 to Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake .
Despite the loss, he was given a big push as he won the Intercontinental Championship twice, becoming the longest-reigning champion of the 1990s . He had memorable feuds and matches with Bret Hart, Ric Flair, Lex Luger, and Shawn Michaels. He also served as an executive consultant for The Genius and as a manager for Ric Flair and Diesel.
However, his career was hampered by injuries, especially to his back. He retired from in-ring competition in 1993 and became a color commentator for WWE . He briefly returned to action in 1995 as a special guest referee for Bret Hart vs Bob Backlund at WrestleMania XI . He then left WWE and joined WCW.
The WCW and TNA Years
In WCW, Hennig resumed his wrestling career and became a member of the Four Horsemen stable. He betrayed them and joined the nWo faction led by Hulk Hogan . He won the United States Championship twice and the tag team titles once with Barry Windham .
He also formed a group called the West Texas Rednecks with Windham, Bobby Duncum Jr., and Kendall Windham. They feuded with rap group Master P’s No Limit Soldiers and recorded a song called “Rap Is Crap” . Hennig left WCW in 2000 after being released from his contract.
He then wrestled for various independent promotions, such as WWC, where he won the Universal Heavyweight Championship . He also made a brief return to WWE in 2002 as part of the nWo reunion. He participated in the Royal Rumble match and was one of the final three participants before being eliminated by Triple H .
He then left WWE again and joined TNA, where he competed for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship against Jeff Jarrett and Ron Killings . His last match was on January 25, 2003, when he teamed with Barry Windham to face David Flair and Buff Bagwell at an independent show .
The Death of Curt Hennig
On February 10, 2003, Hennig was found dead in a hotel room in Brandon, Florida . He was scheduled to wrestle that night for Jimmy Hart’s Xcitement Wrestling Federation . The cause of death was determined to be acute cocaine intoxication or cocaine overdose .
According to reports, Hennig had been using cocaine for several days prior to his death and had also taken steroids and painkillers . He had a history of drug abuse and had been to rehab several times . He also suffered from heart problems and had an enlarged heart .
Hennig’s death shocked and saddened the wrestling world, as he was widely respected and admired by his peers and fans. He was survived by his wife, Leonice, and his four children, including Joe Hennig, who later became a wrestler in WWE under the name Curtis Axel . He was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007 by his friend Wade Boggs .
The Legacy of Curt Hennig
Curt Hennig was one of the best all-around wrestlers of all time. He had the skills, the charisma, the personality, and the passion to entertain and captivate audiences. He was a pioneer of technical wrestling in WWE and influenced many future stars, such as Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Chris Jericho, and Kurt Angle .
He was also a versatile performer who could adapt to different styles and roles. He could be a serious competitor or a comedic character. He could be a heel or a face. He could be a singles star or a tag team partner. He could be a wrestler or a manager. He could do it all.
He was truly Mr. Perfect.
