Former WCW/WWE/TNA professional wrestler, Sean “X-Pac” Waltman and former WCW professional wrestler, The Maestro, joined Nani on Pandemonium to pay tribute to the late Curt Hennig (Mr. Perfect). The broadcast features an exclusive introduction by WWE Hall of Famer “Mean” Gene Okerlund.
The tribute series will also feature more professional wrestlers telling never-before-heard stories as they pay tribute to Curt Hennig’s life and career. Part I of the Curt Hennig Tribute series, which is also available to listen to on www.PandemoniumRadio.com, featured Former WWE Champion Rob Van Dam and WWE Hall of Famer Scott Hall.
You can read the excerpts below and listen to the full broadcast on www.pandemoniumradio.com.
Sean Waltman, on how Curt Hennig inspired him:
He was mentor along the likes that you just don’t find them in our industry. He was so selfless and so giving of the knowledge that was given to him that he actually instilled in me. It was my duty to pass that knowledge along to the next generation. There’s a lot of things I wouldn’t have today if it wasn’t for Curt Hennig. And he taught so many people…The Kliq, in general, Scott [Hall], Shawn Michaels… guys like that those were all guys that were inspired and mentored by Curt as well. He was a hero of mine. As an adult, he was my hero.
Sean Waltman, on Hennig’s pranks in the locker room:
“One of the funniest guys. Him and Owen Hart, two funniest guys ever in the history of the wrestling business.”
The Maestro, on how Curt Hennig inspired him:
“He was always easy going, laid back. He was always striving to have fun. He’s told myself and a few others, ‘Have fun in what you’re doing. And alway find something fun in what you’re doing.’ That’s just the way he was. I mean, he was just great for morale. He was such a great guy to be around.”
The Maestro, on watching Curt Hennig being inducted into the Cauliflower Alley Club by his father, Larry ‘The Axe” Hennig:
“I was listening to his dad’s speech last year at the Cauliflower Alley Club reunion and I can see where Curt got all his humor from. Larry just had the whole joint just rolling with his speech. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree on that deal.
“They showed the portrait at the end of Curt that someone made from him and it did – I mean there wasn’t a dry eye in the place. A lot of people looked up to Curt and Curt had a lot of friends and he was just all around great guy.”
The Maestro, on Hennig’s pranks:
“Curt and Owen Hart had the similar type ribs where they were just ribs out of – out of fun.
I mean, Owen was another guy that was just fun-loving to be around. He was really easygoing. It was just great to see guys like that. You just kind of wish there were more people like that in the business, you know what I mean? I know there was one time that Owen came in the dressing room dressed like Chyna with the fake bra and everything that she used to wear …The metal bra and everything and the hair and… Just like what they did to Hunter and Road Dogg and Billy Gunn. Everybody was laughing and Chyna couldn’t keep a straight face. She tried but everybody was busting out laughing. He was unique you know? Oh my God, it was classic. That’s what Curt was, too. You know he’d just do things out of fun. He would start a rumor and stir the pot a little bit to see if or who would fall for it.”
The Maestro, on Hennig’s relationship with Brock Lesnar:
“Curt was the guy that kind of introduced Brock Lesnar, breaking him in to the business. He was bragging on how Brock was going to be a big deal. He showed me a picture of Brock and I’m like, “Oh my God, I’ve seen this guy. I have seen them when he’s at amateur wrestling before he had broken the business right? USA, freestyle, Greco – Roman. So we toured – you know doing tournaments and everything and I remember seeing him. And he showed me the picture and I was like, ‘Oh my God, I know that dude. I’ve seen him in the tournament, man.’ And Brock was even big then. And I think I was a couple weight classes down but I was looking at the guy on the mat I was like, ‘Thank God I am not in his weight class.’ I mean he was, he was a beast then, too. Curt was putting them over, saying, ‘He’s going to be great man. He’s big, he’s strong.’ He was really high on Brock.”
The Maestro, on how Bobby “The Brain” Heenan began working with Hennig:
“Curt got in the picture was because… The first two weeks when Flair came back to WWE, Heenan was his riding buddy. Eventually, Bobby couldn’t take Ric’s lifestyle no more, saying, ‘I can’t take it no more’ because, you know how Ric likes to party, and he’ll stay up late and do his thing.’ So Bobby started riding with Curt.”
The Maestro, on how Ric Flair still tells stories about Curt Hennig:
“WWE was promoting the video game [WWE2K] with Jim Ross. It was Jim Ross’ like last time in WWE apparently. Ric was sitting next to Mick Foley and Paul Heyman and he was telling an old Curt Hennig story about him wrestling with Harley Race. Ric was trying to do both their voices. And Ric’s impersonating Harley, like, ‘What’s your finish kid?’ and then he impersonated Curt Hennig’s voice, a little high pitched, ‘Drop kick off the top rope’. Harley said, ‘Yeah? I’ll move.’ Oh my God, it was hilarious. I think Ric had one too many. This is the Curt Hennig story Ric told. It was classic with Harley Race.”
You can listen to the full broadcast on www.pandemoniumradio.com.
Follow Nani on Twitter @MuppHits for the latest updates on Pandemonium’s interviews.
About Pandemonium:
Pandemonium Radio Network was launched in March 2016. Pandemonium was formerly part of the VOC Nation Radio Network’s show line-up on www.vocnation.com While Pandemonium’s host, Nani, was part of VOC Nation Radio Network’s flagship show, VOC Wrestling Nation, they were awarded the WRA for “Best Booked Show”. Pandemonium had been nominated for several Wrestling Radio Awards, including “Male Interview of the Year”, “Female Interview of the Year”, and “Best New Show” in 2015.
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
