 |
|
|
Third Generation Hennig Training at Harley Race Wrestling Academy
The relationship between Harley Race and The Hennig family dates back to the early 60’s when Race ran into Larry Hennig, trained by Verne Gagne, and formed a powerful duo that went on to capture the AWA Tag Team Championship on four separate occasions. At the time of their first reign, "Pretty Boy" Larry Hennig and "Handsome" Harley Race were the youngest Champions ever in wrestling history. Their last title reign came to end when Hennig suffered a series knee injury in the ring in 1967. On that night Hennig refused to go to the hospital but instead, had Race drive him 500 miles back home to Minneapolis. When Larry Hennig returned to the ring, he once again teamed with Race. Race soon left however to pursue a singles career. In 1974, with a full beard and a new attitude Hennig began calling himself "The Axe," as he feuded with Ray Stevens and Nick Bockwinkel. He soon became a crowd favorite. In 1979, Larry’s son Curt, entered the AWA . The father and son duo teamed for many years taking on all comers. Harley Race returned to the AWA in 1984 and feuded with Curt Hennig. This feud saw the emotional confrontation between the former partners, Harley Race and Larry Hennig. The team of Larry and Curt went on to win the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship in 1985 before Larry retired from the sport later that year.
Curt would go on to become the AWA Heavyweight Champion in 1987, defeating the legendary Nick Bockwinkel. After losing the title to Jerry Lawler in 1988, Curt left the company for the WWE. It was there that Curt formed the arrogant persona of "Mr. Perfect." Hennig went on to become a two-time WWE Intercontinental Champion and longest reigning Intercontinental Champion of the 1990’s. Curt wrestled with a severe back injury throughout his career, which forced him out of the ring at times and into other roles.
Curt left the WWE for WCW in 1997 and joined up with the successful groups of The Four Horsemen and NWO. Hennig would go on to become the United States Champion and Tag Team Champion. Hennig returned to WWE as "Mr. Perfect" in 2002. He had a brief stint for TNA in 2003 before his passing on February 10thof that year. In 2007 he was inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame and the whole Hennig family was on hand for this monumental occasion, including Curt’s son Joe.
Early on in his life Joe’s dad Curt never encouraged him to pursue a career in wrestling. "He kind of tried to keep us away from it," Joe said. "But he would always say it was the best business in the world." About a year before Curt’s passing, Joe’s dad began asking him if pro wrestling would be something he would be interested in getting into. Joe said he would give it a shot. With an amateur background Joe began training for the professional ranks shortly after his Dad’s passing. He trained under Brad Rheingans and a had short stint with Brock Lesnar. When Rheingans school closed down, Joe’s grandfather, Larry, told him there was only one place to go. So Joe packed his bags and headed to Eldon, Missouri and joined the Harley Race Wrestling Academy in June of 2007. Joe knows he has some big shoes to fill but he is looking to give it his all. Wrestling fans can expect to see Joe in action very shortly in World League Wrestling.
|
|
