WWE Fans

you're right, he could be destined for great things.

I think a lot of people just have those expectations that CM Punk should be fighting star guys all the time, and Axel isn't a big enough name for him. that is fair enough I guess, although that means can anybody really improve? and how do you become a bigger star?( that would be with working with bigger stars) I'm just looking at it, like if CM Punk wins the next match then they need another Heyman guy if they want to keep this feud going, but not because Curtis Axel isn't a big enough star.

What I want is Curtis Axel to sound more natural, its like he is standing there talking, and it is like some cartoon monster is dubbed over. Yeah I know, you can't just turn a natural switch and then start cutting amazing promos.

interview with the man of the hour.

Usually, I ask folks how they decided to get into this business, but that seems pretty obvious for you.

I always kind of wanted to do it, especially in high school, I'd bring it up to my father, I want to try this out. He never really wanted me to do it for several reasons, but mainly, he wanted me to get an education. So he said if you go to college, I'll think about it. So I went and got a two year degree. I basically looked at a piece of paper and said, this looks like the easiest one, so I'll just go for this degree. So I got that and he said, OK, I'll let you know when Brad Rheingans' camp is starting back up. Unfortunately, my dad passed away and I was never able to go to his camp. But a couple years after that, Brad actually called me, approached me asking if I was still interested in being a professional wrestler and I said, yeah, I still have a desire to do this. He said we have a camp starting in about a month, so come on down. So I was like, cool, and I went there. It was about six months off and one training with Brad. Nothing really in the ring, mostly hardcore cardio work outs and chain wrestling and bumping in the ring and hitting the ropes. That was about it; no matches or doing any moves. So that eventually shut down, I wasn't able to go anywhere and didn't have any matches. Then I was actually approached by Harley Race when my daddy was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame at WrestleMania [23]. He's a good friend of my grandfather's, so he asked if I was still interested, and I said yes, I'd like to come down to your facility. So in June of '07 I drove down to Eldon, Missouri -- real tiny town -- and started training with Harley. Wrestled there, had my first match in July 2007, and then stayed at Harley's for about a year, then got signed by WWE, which was a blessing in disguise because my wife was about to have our first child. So I got down to Tampa, Fla., in June of '08 and trained there for a few years and got brought up to the WWE as Michael McGillicutty. And now I'm Curtis Axel, thank god.

Did you have an input on your current ring name, Curtis Axel?

When I became Michael McGillicutty, ever since that point, I was throwing hundreds of names at them. And I'm sure Axel Curtis or Curtis Axel was in there somewhere. I was talking with a guy that works for WWE, Joey Styles, he actually brought that name up as one of the possibilities. But they didn't want to go that route with me at first. They wanted to have me do my own thing and not even pay homage to anything to do with my family. Which, you know, is kind of nice, so I can try to do this on my own, and I tried to do the best I could with Michael McGillicutty without any TV time or whatever. But I'm sure that name was pitched as one of the hundreds I threw at them.

Any other memorable ones out of those hundreds you threw at them?

There were some ridiculous names. I just got sick of it. Most of them were Joe. Joe Able. Joe Mercer. Most of them were all Joe, you know? Able was one, I wanted to be Joe Able, like Cain and Abel, and try to do something with Kane. That was just one of them I kind of liked. I wasn't really sold on any of them, I just wanted to get rid of Michael McGillicutty. That was my one priority.


You debuted in the WWE as part of the Nexus and you and David Otunga were tag team champions for a while, and then it seemed like you kind of disappeared for a long while. What do you learn from that first go-round and how did that make you better when you came back?

I just learned to be more comfortable with what I was doing in the ring. You go to these live events and if you don't have much TV time, the audience doesn't really know who you are, it's hard to get them behind you or to not like you, in my case. I had to learn to do that without any recognition. And now that my face is getting shown on TV, the reactions are so much better as Curtis Axel than they were as Michael McGillicutty. I prided myself when I was Michael McGillicutty on getting some crowd reactions, because if they don't know me and I can get a reaction out of them, I must be doing something right, you know? Just becoming Curtis Axel it's so much better, it's so much easier, and so much more fun. You know, working with CM Punk, he's one of these fan favorites and people just love him and it makes them hate me even more. So my job is getting easier when I'm in the ring; it's great.

Right before you came back as Curtis Axel, there was a picture that the Rock tweeted earlier this year, mentioning you were his workout partner when he was getting ready to face CM Punk and then I heard that you trained with Brock Lesnar before WrestleMania too. How did you end up working with them and what did you learn working with all-time greats like that?

The WWE office, they know they could trust me taking care of those guys. I was so honored. They flied me out to go train with the Rock and that guy is awesome. Training with him, he pays attention to every little detail and crowd reaction. The way he does his moves and he works, it's so fluid. It's amazing the way he thinks and the way he works. And just picking his brain, he actually spent time with me and asked me what I did in the ring and different moves that I did, where I could place them to get more reaction from the people and all this kind of stuff. Just picking that guy's brain, for me, was just unbelievable. I was so honored to be picked to go up there and train with him. And then Brock Lesnar, my god, that guy is a beast. I actually, I've known him for many years because he started with Brad Rheingans also, in Minnesota training with my dad, so him and my dad were close friends and all that stuff, so I kind of knew him anyway, so he could trust me and he knew he could help me because my dad helped him, and he likes to give back. He's been up and down on this road back in the WWE for a little bit now. He's been in my head, and he's a Paul Heyman guy, and it's cool to spend time and have him critique little things that I'm still doing and give me some advice. So it's pretty sweet dude.

You mention you're both Paul Heyman guys. How's it been working with Paul Heyman? Do you guys travel on the road together and talk shop often?

Oh yeah. He's a genius man. He's been around the business for years and he's like an encyclopedia. He tells me stories, like AWA stories when he was with my dad. That's actually how we kind of got talking because there was a pitch out where he was actually going to manage my dad in AWA but it never went through, so I'm like, "well, why don't you start with me?" And he was like, "yeah, yeah." He's like Brock Lesnar and the Rock you know, I can pick his brain and the guy is unbelievable on the microphone and he's unbelievable when it comes to the ring psychology. He's an evil genius and I couldn't ask for a better guy to travel with and just pick his brain.

So you pitching the idea to him, is that how this partnership got started?

We were talking about it and I brought it up to him, what do you think about this, us being together? Brock's part-time and CM Punk was hurt at the time and I was like, Paul, WWE needs Paul Heyman on television. So that was my pitch to him. But before that, before I was even with him, he would be at the live events and this Raw and Smackdown TVs and he would come up and give me advice. So I was like, man, if this guy wants to take time out of his busy day and help me out, I would approach him with everything I had and he'd help me out, and then I approached him with this pitch and he liked it. We would talk more about it; I think he might've brought it up to the higher-ups in WWE and here we are.

When you debuted as Curtis Axel, you were thrown into matches and angles right away with top guys like Triple H and John Cena. Did you feel a lot of pressure those first few weeks?

Oh man, the first day ... first I find out I'm changing my name to Curtis Axel, then I find out I'm going to be a Paul Heyman guy. I'm fist-pumpin', I was so pumped, and then Vince [McMahon, WWE owner] says you're wrestling Triple H in the main event. I'm like, to-tonight? And he's like, yeah, yup. And I'm like, oh my God, I'm going crazy, I was pacing, not even in the locker room, but in the hallways. I've got my gear on and no one knew who the Paul Heyman guy was going to be. I'm pacing, but I'm fired up. I'm nervous as heck. But after I got that first match out of the way with Triple H, everything was fine after that. My second match with him I wasn't nearly as nervous, same with Cena, and now I'm feeling more and more comfortable working with guys like Punk and I'm more confident in the ring now. But at first, yeah dude, it was pretty nerve-wracking.

Obviously, the Intercontinental Championship is a very prestigious title, one that your dad wore quite a few times and you had a very emotional response when you won it at Payback. What does it mean to you to be the IC champion?

Dude, it's unbelievable. When I got put into that Triple Threat match at Payback, that was the first thing that crossed my mind -- that I had an opportunity to win the title that my father made famous in the '90s, the Intercontinental Championship. And if I were to win it, we'd be the first father-son duo to ever hold that title. So that whole week building up to the pay-per-view, that's all I could think about. My grandpa was like, if you win this, it's going to be crazy. So when I did win it, it was pretty emotional. My dad was the first thing I could think of when I grabbed that thing and I held it up. I called home afterward and talked to my wife and my grandfather and I had my whole family at my house, and I guess from what they were saying everybody was crying. It was very emotional just because of how much that meant to me to hold the same title my father held.

Can you talk a little bit about this program you're in with CM Punk right now? It seems like you're a bit of a third wheel at the moment, just because Punk and Heyman are such huge personalities. Do you view this more as an opportunity to make people take notice of you?

Of course, yeah. I'm in the ring with Paul Heyman and CM Punk, two of the most recognized faces in the industry. Working with them can only elevate me. If I can beat Punk, that's going to elevate me even more to main stage matches, championship matches, where I want to be anyway. So I know maybe it's going to be a slow build, but I'm going to take a giant leap and make sure it doesn't take as long as it should. I'm going for it, man, I'm going to beat Punk, and I'm going to prove it's not just Mr. Perfect, there's a whole 'nother level to the Hennig family and it's continuing on through Curtis Axel. And I'm going to do something my father never did, and that's hold the WWE Championship.

Non-wrestling question. I understand you're a big fantasy football guy and were undefeated a few years in the WWE league, so got any advice or secrets to your success you can share?

That's awesome. I had a feeling that would be the question. I always love talking about fantasy football. I figured this out two years ago, I never used to hit the waiver wire that much. And that's where the last two years I've won most of my leagues because I'm always paying attention. It's hard to look at the stats of every single game, but you've got to pay attention to injuries and guys that are doing better than other guys. I hit the waiver wire up like crazy. Sometimes it works -- most of the time it works, sometimes it doesn't -- but you gotta be on that thing. I'm trying to think who it was that I picked up ... but he was on the wavier wire and I picked him up and he was a stud, you know? That's where you win championships, through the waiver wire. You always have your studs in your lineup, but if you can pick up a guy nobody knows about and might do well or succeed when a guy gets injured, that'll win you championships.

[Booster Gold]

Does anyone else think Axel's head is a little too big for his body? It gives him sort of a bobblehead effect.

I couldn't agree more.
No secret that he hated the name Michael McGillicutty.
I think it's one of the worst names ever.
Anyways, I would be surprised if he gets a win over CM Punk at Night of Champions.

I don't know, man. I think this would be a win for Axel if the story continues. At the end Punk will be standing tall, but since they have two pay per views in October it gives you time. After that, Axel will be back to permanently wrestling the R Truth's, Cody Rhodes and Kofi Kingstons, you know the reliable guys that have a valuable place on the card.

there can't be a card filled top to bottom with main eventers, there isn't enough wrestlers, and people would get unhappy. That is just where I see Curtis Axel when this thing with CM Punk ends. I don't see anything special in him in the ring or anywhere really, for him to be a main eventer.

I will compare him to Wade Barrett, and look where he is. I prefer listening to Wade Barrett , and he is about the same as Axel in the ring, maybe the only reason Barrett is not with Heyman is because Barrett can speak. I could see Barrett carrying himself in the big matches, like he did at the start. It seems impossible now because Barrett has been stuck in this zone (jobber-midcard lose lose lose lose lose) for so long. Axel got saved by being back on NXT.

If Curtis Axel ever gets to the main event vs John Cena I will send everybody a deposit file code ( that doesn't work )

[Vile]

I think Barrett is so much better than they make him out to be. I agree he is much better than Curtis Axel, and they really should have made him champion during the Nexus storyline. Then I heard he was going to win the Money In the Bank last year but he got injured. He really needs a push up the card at this point.

It's a good point during the interview when Curtis Axel mentioned how it's really hard to get crowd reactions at house shows when you're never on TV. It reminds me of Curt Hawkins; in the off chance he does get on Main Event or something, he gets no reaction because nobody even knows him. Isn't that more the fault of McMahon, that he doesn't even give guys like this a chance on TV, and then blames them when they get no reaction?

[Absent Friend]

Originally Posted by Vile

I think Barrett is so much better than they make him out to be. I agree he is much better than Curtis Axel, and they really should have made him champion during the Nexus storyline. Then I heard he was going to win the Money In the Bank last year but he got injured. He really needs a push up the card at this point.

It would've been too early if Barrett got the title back then. It's not like he was an above average wrestler back then, he had the look and talking, but I wouldn't buy him as WWE Champion by that point. It would help now if he got more associated with the Corporation, after all, he's been at it with Daniel Bryan a lot. He could be Vince's personal pick, while Hunter already has Randall.

Axel's where he needs to be, he's working with a big star while holding Paul Heyman with one arm and the IC title with the other. He's only going to improve if he works with guys that are better than him, so he's on the right track.

[Love Buzz]

Are the corporation going to grow in numbers? Triple H needs a strong enemy first and by Vince absence I take it he'll be back to 'take charge' but gets overruled and then the feud commences resulting in Triple H winning somehow? Maybe Triple H will recruit Undertaker to face Daniel Bryan at Wrestlemania 30 and winner gets control of WWE and obviously Taker wins then immediately turns on Triple H then we can all give Vince a send off and have a party on Raw although secretly we'll all be thinking, bet he hasn't retired.

[Booster Gold]

Originally Posted by Alan Kellerman

I don't know, man. I think this would be a win for Axel if the story continues. At the end Punk will be standing tall, but since they have two pay per views in October it gives you time. After that, Axel will be back to permanently wrestling the R Truth's, Cody Rhodes and Kofi Kingstons, you know the reliable guys that have a valuable place on the card.

Me thinks CM Punk may get the win or a DQ loss to get even on Paul Heyman.
I just don't see him losing one more PPV match especially after the Brock Lesnar beatdown.
I guess we'll find out.

Just heard that Mark Henry is injured.
I wonder how this will affect the Shield's tag team match at NOC. Hmmm...

WWE has confirmed an injury to Mark Henry at Saturday's WWE live event in Boston. Henry was pulled from last night's live event in Washington, DC. WWE reports that Henry is scheduled to undergo a MRI to determine the severity of the injury.

- Mark Henry confirmed his injury via Twitter yesterday and joked that he couldn't even celebrate 500,000 Twitter followers because of a bum hamstring. Henry tweeted: "Yeah guess the word is out, I pulled my hamstring last night I got through it all just got to Austin!" "Ring the damn alarm I just went over 500,000 followers. An can't jump around because of a bum hammy!"

They keep changing The Dazzler grade. B+ to B, and now he is back to B+

amusing.

Hunter comparing Bryan to Doink The Clown The next Cruiserweight champion. I don't recall there being loud chants for Doink either.

the iron clad contract mentioned again, woohoo. Bryan vs Big Show main event.

[Booster Gold]

Big Slow is going to cry his way to victory tonight.
By the way, why is HHH still calling him the 7 foot tall 500 pound giant?
He is more like 350 pounds now ffs!

the 7ft tall 350lbs Giant.

or

the 7ft tall 500LBS GIANT.

and there is your answer.

Cody having the breakthrough match ( lol ) yeah, like the other 100 breakthrough matches he had before he is back washing my dishes. Finish him, Randy

Tripper needs to work on his ''you're fired''