Opinion

Cook’s Top 5: Curtis Axel Moments

With his recent release, Cook takes a look back at some highlights of Axelmania!

Published

5 years ago

May 1, 2020

Steve Cook

With his recent release; Cook takes a look back at some highlights of AxelMania!

Curtis Axel is a third-generation professional wrestler. His father, “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig is widely regarded as one of the best wrestlers of his era. His grandfather, Larry “The Axe” Hennig was considered one of the toughest wrestlers of his era. Following in their footsteps was never going to be easy, and it was always going to be tough to live up to their standards.

Nobody’s going to say that Axel shined at the same level that his father or grandfather did. His WWE stint won’t be as well-remembered as Mr. Perfect’s. He won’t be remembered as one of the best in-ring talents of his era, or as one of the toughest. However, Axel did spend more than a decade in the WWE system and had some highlights to his credit. Here are five of them!

5. Joining The Social Outcasts

Axel was part of a number of groups over the years. The New Nexus. The Paul Heyman Guys. One of my favorites was this rag-tag band of folks that had been overlooked by management. Heath Slater, Adam Rose & Bo Dallas joined Axel in an attempt to get noticed. It had somewhat limited results, as Rose ended up leaving the company soon after the faction formed, but the other three did get roles in “The Marine 5: Battleground” out of it. Those roles would lead to better things for Axel & Dallas down the road.

4. Joining the Miztourage

After the Social Outcasts disbanded, Axel & Bo Dallas continued their association with little in the way of success coming to either man. Enter The Miz, who noticed their talent on the set of The Marine 5 & offered his help in making Axel & Dallas the stars they deserved to be. A deal was made & the Miztourage was formed. Miz has always been at his best with a supporting cast around him, and Axel & Dallas (along with Maryse) helped make Miz seem like an even bigger deal.

3. Never being eliminated from the 2015 Royal Rumble

The 2015 Royal Rumble was one of the most critically-panned Rumbles of all time. People had lots of complaints. Daniel Bryan got eliminated too early. Roman Reigns shouldn’t have won. Most of these complaints were debatable, but Curtis Axel’s was 100% legitimate.

He was never eliminated! Erick Rowan attacked during Axel’s ring entrance and took his slot in the match. This wasn’t an unprecedented moment in Rumble history, but it was the first time during the social media era that fans were able to get together and protest the non-elimination of a competitor. Given peoples’ general disgust towards the outcome, it was only natural that #AxelMania took off online as an ironic reaction. Axel got a little bit of run and some amusing segments out of it, but that WrestleMania main event slot never came his way.

2. Winning the Raw Tag Team Championship with Bo Dallas

The Miz got drafted to SmackDown while his Miztourage remained on Raw. With their meal ticket gone, Axel & Dallas had to find a way to keep themselves busy. After failing to attract a new leader, they decided to go into tag team competition as the B-Team. Expectations were very low, but Axel & Dallas shocked the world by defeating Matt Hardy & Bray Wyatt for the Raw Tag Team Championship. This was Axel’s second reign as a WWE tag team champion, as he & David Otunga had held gold during the dying days of the New Nexus in 2011. Seven years later, it seemed like Axel’s door had closed, but he & Bo proved that they still had something left in the tank. This reign would only last fifty days, but it reminded us all that on any given night, people we had previously counted out could rise to the occasion.

Honorable Mention: The Genesis of Michael McGillicutty?

Looking back, I’m not sure Joe Hennig ever really had a chance after NXT. He went into Season 2 as one of the favorites, even with a dire new ring name. McGillicutty made it to the finals, losing to the man temporarily known as Kaval. (Compared to what some of those Season 2 guys got served up by the random name generator, Low Ki got off pretty easy, right?) Michael didn’t take his loss very well, and delivered a barely coherent diatribe that sounded like somebody who read a script and completely forgot the lines. He was inexperienced, so you want to cut him a little slack. However, it wouldn’t surprise me if that was the moment Vince McMahon decided that this kid wasn’t exactly Perfect.

1. Winning the Intercontinental Championship

When I first started watching the WWF, Mr. Perfect was the Intercontinental Champion. I thought he carried the title well, and looking back years later after I gained a little knowledge, I realized he had indeed been one of the best Intercontinental Champions of all time. The championship’s importance has certainly had its ups and downs over the years, but people of a certain age still hold it in high regard and yearn for the days when the IC Championship matches were often the highlight of the show.

Mr. Perfect was one of the guys that made a “secondary title” mean as much as anything else going on. For Curtis Axel to hold the championship that his father held during one of the most well-remembered periods of his legendary career had to mean everything to him. You can see his celebration 46 seconds into the video above and it tells you all you need to know. Axel never won a world championship, but that championship was probably just as important to him on an emotional level, if not more so.

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Opinion

Chairshot Staff Picks: Money In The Bank

Extra, extra read all about it… Chairshot Staff picks are in!!!

Published

2 weeks ago

June 6, 2025

PC Tunney

Sing it with me… money money money money moneeeeeeeeeyeeeeee… everybody’s got a price! MONEY IN THE BANK is here!!! How money will our staff picks be?!?

AJ – Roxanne Perez
Andrew – Stephanie Vaquer – *Bubba Sparxxx Impression* I don’t tell stories, I let them tell theyself.
Dave – Guilia – A stacked field but I just like her here.
DJ – Naomi
DPP – Roxanne Perez
Jason – Alexa Bliss
Patrick – Roxanne Perez
Rey – Naomi – If Naomi loses, we riot!
Rob – Naomi
Greg – Alexa Bliss – Bliss has had huge reactions since returning and is moving a ton of merch. While I can see them wanting to build Roxanne Perez, Giulia, or Stephanie Vaquer, I think Alexa Bliss.

Tunney’s Take: Rhea Ripley – I’ll make my case short and sweet… Mami in the Bank! You can’t leave that money on the table.

Chairshot Pick – Tie – Naomi 3 & Roxanne Perez 3 (Alexa Bliss 2, Giulia 1, Rhea Ripley 1, Stephanie Vaquer 1)

AJ – LA Knight
Andrew – El Grande Americano – Feels correct given his push and the fact he’s over.
Dave – Seth Rollins – Got to push that new faction.
DJ – LA Knight
DPP – El Grande Americano
Jason – LA Knight
Patrick – Solo Sikoa
Rey – LA Knight – Looks like another push, and he does have history with Cena.
Rob – Solo Sikoa
Greg – Seth Rollins – This company is extremely high in the El Grande Americano gimmick, but this match comes down to Seth Rollins or LA Knight. Given the Rollins storyline, it’s his briefcase to win.

Tunney’s Take: El Grande Americano – Picture this: Chad Gable wins the AAA Mega Championship and El Grande Americano wins MITB! WHAT A SATURDAY in LA!!!

Chairshot Pick – LA Knight 4 (El Grande Americano 3, Seth Rollins 2, Solo Sikoa 2)

AJ – Becky Lynch – Sadly
Andrew – Becky Lynch – I still don’t care about Lyra.
Dave – Lyra Valkyria – Starting to warm up to her and Becky has a lot to do with that.
DJ – Lyra Valkyria
DPP – Becky Lynch
Jason – Becky Lynch
Patrick – Lyra Valkyria
Rey – Becky Lynch – Put some fire on the Irish Beef.
Rob – Becky Lynch
Greg – Becky Lynch – I don’t think you do a rematch here just to have Becky lose again. Unless Bayley shows up to help Lyra.

Tunney’s Take: Becky Lynch – A big part of me feels that winning this title checks off a major box for Becks in her HOF career.

Chairshot Pick – Becky Lynch 8-3

AJ – Cena & Paul
Andrew – Rhodes & Uso – Easy way for Cena to lose without eating the pinfall.
Dave – Rhodes & Uso – Get the QB back on the winning track.
DJ – Rhodes & Uso
DPP – Rhodes & Uso
Jason – Cena & Paul
Patrick – Cena & Paul
Rey – Rhodes & Uso – Heels usually lose these kinds of matches. Logan takes the pin.
Rob – Cena & Paul
Greg – Rhodes & Uso – I hope Jey isn’t an afterthought here like Cody was last fall when he was paired up with Roman. I think Cody pins Cena to set up Cody-Cena 2 at SummerSlam.

Tunney’s Take: Cena & Paul – I don’t think Cena is involved in another loss until he loses the WWE Championship. I also think Logan Paul is NOT done trying to capture Jey Uso’s World Heavyweight Championship. …Travis Scott in the house?

Chairshot Pick – 6-5 Rhodes & Uso

In closing I want to thank everyone on the panel for participating with their picks! You can follow each prognosticator/podcaster on X @ the handles below. We all enjoy Pro Wrestling so remember three things… be respectful of others, comparison is the thief of joy and HAVE FUN!

AJ – @PhenomenalAJB
Andrew – @IWCWarChief
Dave – @AttitudeAgg
DJ – @TheMindlessPod
DPP – @itsmeDPP
Jason – @JediFett
Patrick – @WrestlngRealist
Rey – @itsreycash
Rob – @rbonne1
Greg – @gregdemarco44
PC – @PCTunney
TheChairshot.com – @ChairshotMedia

prowrestlingtees.com/TheChairshot – a PLETHORA of GREAT designs…MAKES A GREAT GIFT!

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Opinion

Chairshot Staff Picks: Backlash St. Louis

Chairshot Staff picks!!!

Published

1 month ago

May 9, 2025

PC Tunney

May is upon us and with that, so is Backlash from St. Louis! What does the first PLE after WrestleMania have in store for the WWE Universe? Let’s see if the Chairshot Staff can properly interpret the crystal ball of rasslin’ future.

AJ – Pat MacAfee – Gunther has to start losing control and who better than an announcer.
Andrew – Pat MacAfee – Goldberg getting involved does seem correct here.
Dave – Gunther – He’s not losing to a broadcaster.
DJ – Gunther – Pat is sent to the shadow realm until football season is over.
DPP – Gunther – Post match beat down leads to Pat time off.
Jason – Gunther – One massive spot and or bump from Pat.
Patrick – Gunther
Rey – Gunther – RIP MacAfee, t’was a good life.
Rob – Gunther
Greg – Pat MacAfee – Why? Goooooldbeeerrrrrgggggg!

Tunney’s Take: Gunther – Seems like the right pick here. Pat may be getting some time off and Gunther needs more heat.

Chairshot Pick – GUNTHER 8-3

AJ – Lyra Valkyria – Becky’s hopefully putting her over, still mad about Dakota.
Andrew – Becky Lynch – I have no real interest in Lyra currently.
Dave – Becky Lynch – Lyra is boring AF!
DJ – Lyra Valkyria – Bayley interferes.
DPP – Becky Lynch – Becky cheats and steals the title.
Jason – Lyra Valkyria – Bayley costs Becks.
Patrick – Becky Lynch
Rey – Becky Lynch – Story needs to jump up a bit, Becky Charlotte’s Lyra.
Rob – Lyra Valkyria
Greg – Becky Lynch – It’s been fun, Lyra. (It kinda hasn’t)

Tunney’s Take: Lyra Valkyria – Bayley’s interference should set up some type of program with Becky as we head towards Summer(Slam).

Chairshot Pick – BECKY LYNCH 6-5

AJ – Jacob Fatu – Great way to put him over w/ two former WHCs and LA Knight.
Andrew – Jacob Fatu – He’s Jacob Fatu!
Dave – Jacob Fatu – Too soon to pull the belt off him.
DJ – Jacob Fatu – Priest and LA can’t decide who’s is bigger.
DPP – Jacob Fatu – Your hardcore match, tables and chairs involved.
Jason – Jacob Fatu – The Champ retains due to or in spite of Solo.
Patrick – Jacob Fatu
Rey – Jacob Fatu – All gas. No brakes. Ain’t losing.
Rob – Jacob Fatu
Greg – Jacob Fatu – Someone from The Samoan Dynasty ain’t winning a title just to drop it.

Tunney’s Take: Jacob Fatu – Uncle Mo is on Fatu’s side and other than Knight, I don’t see Drew or Priest holding the US title in the current circumstances of this title’s landscape.

Chairshot Pick – JACOB FATU 11-0

AJ – Dominic Mysterio – Judgement Day shenanigans just leading up to Finn turning on Dom later.
Andrew – Penta – Dom’s fine having a short reign, could also work for pushing AAA.
Dave – Dominic Mysterio – He’s probably more over than Penta.
DJ – Dominic Mysterio – Dirty Dom takes home the gold and the girl.
DPP – Dominic Mysterio – Big Head helps Dom pull out the win.
Jason – Dominic Mysterio – By hook and crook.
Patrick – Dominic Mysterio
Rey – Dominic Mysterio – Latino Heat keeps burning. Finn gets closer to the edge.
Rob – Dominic Mysterio
Greg – Dominic Mysterio – Someone from The Guerrero Dynasty ain’t winning a title just to drop it.

Tunney’s Take: Dominic Mysterio – That belt looks good with the king of chicken tendys. I can see Penta and Rey reforming as a tag team sooner than later.

Chairshot Pick – DOMINIC MYSTERIO 10-1

AJ – John Cena – Why? Cena wins, lol.
Andrew – John Cena – Shenanigans ensue so it’s not a clean win.
Dave – John Cena – The last time is now.
DJ – John Cena – Randy hears voices telling him he needs an Attitude Adjustment.
DPP – John Cena – Cena tries to cheat but the ref doesn’t call for a DQ.
Jason – John Cena – Nefarious means, Randy not ready for Evil John Cena.
Patrick – John Cena
Rey – John Cena – Cena just counting down the dates. Should be fun though.
Rob – John Cena
Greg – John Cena – You know they want Cody to be the hero in the end.

Tunney’s Take: Randy Orton – Once upon a time Randy got himself intentionally disqualified and it cost John. Saturday, history repeats itself with a 180-degree twist. Cena retains via Orton DQ victory. This time, Travis Scott’s appearance takes care of that task.

Chairshot Pick – JOHN CENA 10-1