Curt Hennig Biography

(American Professional Wrestler)

Birthday: March 28, 1958 (Aries)

Born In: Robbinsdale, Minnesota, United States

Curt Hennig was an American wrestler, commentator and manager. He was best known for performing as ‘Mr. Perfect’ and under his own name in various professional wrestling promotions like ‘AWA’ (American Wrestling Association), ‘WWE’ (World Wrestling Entertainment, formerly ‘WWF’), ‘TNA’ (Total Nonstop Action Wrestling) and ‘WCW’ (World Championship Wrestling). The son of a former professional wrestler, he displayed an interest in wrestling at a young age but then ventured into football. An injury led him back to the world of wrestling, where he trained under a famous coach. He worked as a wrestler for many years with ‘AWA’ before making his debut for ‘WWF’ under the ‘Mr. Perfect’ moniker. Thereafter, his career soared and he won many titles and championships. But after a debilitating back injury, he had to take a break from wrestling and became a manager and commentator for a few years. After recovery, he came back to wrestling and worked with ‘TNA’ and ‘WCW’. He was also a member of the famous wrestling group ‘New World Order’ (nWo). He passed away from a drug overdose at the age of 44. He is survived by his family.

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Quick Facts

Also Known As: Curtis Michael Hennig

Died At Age: 44

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Leonice Leonard

father: Larry Hennig

mother: Irene Mitchum

children: Curtis Axel, Joe Hennig

Born Country: United States

American Men Tall Celebrities

Height: 6'3" (190 cm), 6'3" Males

Died on: February 10, 2003

place of death: Tampa, Florida, United States

Cause of Death: Combined Drug Intoxication

Notable Alumni: Normandale Community College

U.S. State: Minnesota

More Facts

education: Normandale Community College

  • 1

    What is Curt Hennig best known for in his wrestling career?

    Curt Hennig, also known as Mr. Perfect, is best known for his time in the WWE where he portrayed the arrogant and skilled character of Mr. Perfect.

  • 2

    How did Curt Hennig get the nickname "Mr. Perfect?"

    Curt Hennig was given the nickname "Mr. Perfect" because of his exceptional in-ring skills, flawless execution of wrestling maneuvers, and his ability to make difficult moves look effortless.

  • 3

    Which WWE Hall of Famer did Curt Hennig have a memorable feud with?

    Curt Hennig had a memorable feud with WWE Hall of Famer Bret "The Hitman" Hart, which culminated in a classic match at SummerSlam 1991 for the Intercontinental Championship.

  • 4

    What was the significance of Curt Hennig's portrayal of the character "Mr. Perfect?"

    Curt Hennig's portrayal of the character "Mr. Perfect" was significant because it showcased his charisma, technical wrestling ability, and helped establish him as a top heel in the WWE during the 1990s.

  • 5

    In addition to his wrestling career, what other ventures did Curt Hennig pursue?

    In addition to his wrestling career, Curt Hennig also ventured into acting and had roles in various films and television shows, showcasing his versatility and entertainment skills beyond the wrestling ring.

Childhood & Early Life
Curtis Michael Hennig was born on March 28, 1958, to Larry Hennig and Irene Hennig, in Robbinsdale, Minnesota. His father was a former professional wrestler, nicknamed ‘The Axe’ in ‘AWA’. He had four siblings, brothers Jesse and Randy, and sisters, Susan and Sandra.
At the age of six, he displayed an interest in wrestling and his father reportedly began to teach him some simple moves. He studied at ‘Robbinsdale High School’.
By the age of 12, he had begun training for wrestling but soon got more interested in football. While attending University of Minnesota, he reportedly played for the college football team.
He suffered a knee injury while playing football and underwent surgery for it. Thereafter, he did intensive wrestling training with renowned coach, Verne Gagne, where he got his injured leg back in shape. Gagne also got professional recruiters interested in him.
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Career
In January 1980, Curtis Hennig made his professional wrestling debut with ‘AWA’ as ‘Cool’ Curt Hennig.
During his two years at ‘AWA’, he became a fan-favorite and won a tag team championship before focusing on winning singles titles.
In 1982, he left ‘AWA’ to join ‘WWF’ but was unhappy with his role as a young upstart.
In 1983, he left ‘WWF’ to join his father at ‘Pacific Northwest Wrestling’ but after a few matches, went back to ‘AWA’, where his career finally took off and he was billed as the star of the promotion.
In 1988, he left ‘AWA’ yet again to rejoin ‘WWF’, this time under the nickname ‘Mr. Perfect’, a character that fans loved a lot and earned him much fame.
In 1990, prior to his nasty battle with the famous wrestler, Bret Hart, he had seriously injured his back. He went ahead with the fight against medical advice and suffered a massive injury that derailed his career for the next three years.
In 1991, after recovering from his injury, he returned to ‘WWF’ as another wrestler, Ric Flair’s manager, leading him to many title wins.
In 1992, he signed on as a commentator for ‘WWF’.
In 1993, he returned to the ring but his comeback was quite short due to a flare-up of his back injury.
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In 1994, he left ‘WWF’ and took almost a year off to take care of his injury.
In 1995, he was employed as a commentator for ‘WWF’ matches and was out of the ring for another year.
In 1996, he left ‘WWF’ when his contract expired.
In 1997, he joined ‘WCW’ and competed under his real name. He also became a member of ‘nWo’ that year.
In 2000, after many titles and wins, he left ‘WCW’.
In 2001, Curt Hennig competed in many domestic and international promotions like Australia’s ‘i-Generation Superstars of Wrestling’, ‘All Japan Pro Wrestling’, Puerto Rico’s ‘World Wrestling Council’, ‘ Xcitement Wrestling Federation', etc.
In 2002, he returned to ‘WWE’ for the last time where he competed in some matches but was fired after instances of disorderly and drunken behaviour. Thereafter, he competed in independent promotions like 'Pro Pain Pro Wrestling’ and ‘Future of Wrestling’ (FOW). Finally, he joined ‘TNA’ that year.
In January 2003, he competed in his last match ever.
Awards & Achievements
In 1982, Curt Hennig became the ‘AWA Heavyweight Champion’ and in 1983, he won the ‘AWA Tag Team Champion’ with Scott Hall.
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In 1990, he won the ‘WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship’.
In 1997, he was awarded the ‘WCW United States Championship’.
In 2002, he won the ‘FOW Heavyweight Championship' and became the last wrestler to hold that title. Until Billy Fives in 2011
In 2007, he was inducted into the ‘WWE Hall of Fame’.
In 2015, he was inducted into Amsterdam, New York’s ‘Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame'.
He is a two-time winner of the ‘WWF Intercontinental Championship’.
He has won the ‘WCW World Tag Team Championship’ once and ‘NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship' thrice, including once with his father.
He was awarded the ‘i-Generation World Heavyweight Championship' twice.
He was the winner of ‘WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship’.
Family & Personal Life
Curt Hennig married Leonice Leonard. They had four children, sons, Joseph and Hank, and daughters, Amy and Kaite. Amy and Joseph are professional wrestlers too.
On February 10, 2003, Curt Hennig died from a lethal combination of cocaine, painkillers and steroids in a hotel room in Tampa, Florida. He was buried at ‘Gethsemane Cemetery’ in New Hope, Minnesota.
Facts About Curt Hennig

Curt Hennig was known for his exceptional athletic ability and was a standout amateur wrestler before transitioning to professional wrestling.

Hennig had a reputation for being a prankster backstage, known for his playful antics and practical jokes that kept the locker room entertained.

Outside of wrestling, Hennig was an avid fisherman and enjoyed spending time outdoors pursuing his hobby.

Hennig was a skilled artist and enjoyed drawing in his free time, showcasing his creative talents beyond the wrestling ring.

See the events in life of Curt Hennig in Chronological Order

How To Cite

Article Title
- Curt Hennig Biography
Author
- Editors, TheFamousPeople.com
Website
- TheFamousPeople.com
URL
https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/curt-hennig-10547.php

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