In a recent appearance on the “Busted Open Radio” podcast, former WWE wrestler Curtis Axel (Joe Hennig) opened up about various subjects, one of which was not being able to use his real name while working for the company.
According to Axel, he had always desired to go by his real name. He said,
“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.”
