Ryback is speaking out after Curtis Axel’s arrest, and he’s choosing to focus on support rather than pile-on criticism.
After news broke about Joseph Hennig’s Minnesota DUI case, Ryback took to Twitter and reflected on his time teaming with Hennig in WWE as RybAxel. He said that run was one of the most interesting parts of his WWE career, pointing out that they worked constantly and even received their own two-pack action figure.
“My run with Curtis Axel, Joe Hennig, as RybAxel was one of the most interesting periods of my WWE career. We were used constantly, booked on every house show, wrestled for the WWE Tag Team Championships on multiple occasions, main evented parts of a European tour against The Shield alongside Randy Orton, and even got a two-pack action figure together, which I’m actually very proud of.”
Ryback then explained that even though he wasn’t featured as strongly during that period as he had been at other points, working with Hennig was easy and enjoyable. He also praised their chemistry and backstage vignettes, saying much of that work never got the exposure it would have today.
“While it wasn’t a time when I was featured as heavily as I had been before or would be afterward, it was one of the most enjoyable runs of my career. Working with Joe was easy. The chemistry was real, and I genuinely believe our backstage vignettes were some of the best promo work either of us ever did. Unfortunately, much of that material never reached the audience the way it would today.”
Ryback noted that their content mostly existed before WWE leaned heavily into social media, which meant a lot of their material was limited to WWE.com instead of television.
“This was before WWE heavily utilized social media, and a lot of our content lived on WWE.com rather than television. To this day, I believe the RybAxel breakup is one of the greatest tag team breakups most fans never saw.”
He then shifted to Hennig personally, calling him a good man and father while acknowledging that mistakes happen. Ryback made it clear he was not excusing bad decisions, but said he was grateful nobody was injured or killed.
“Joe Hennig is a great man and a great father to his three boys. None of us are perfect, and we all make mistakes in life. I’m not condoning poor decisions, but I thank God nobody was injured or killed.”
Ryback made it clear that he hopes the arrest becomes a setback Hennig can learn from and use to grow and become an even better version of himself. Ryback said he has a lot to offer not only the wrestling business, but to the world.
“My hope is that this becomes a setback that ultimately propels Joe forward to continue learning, growing, and becoming an even better version of himself. He has a lot to offer not only the wrestling business, but the world. Wishing you the best, Joe.”
Hennig, best known to WWE fans as Curtis Axel, was arrested on May 17 in Anoka County, Minnesota. He is facing a Third-Degree Driving While Impaired charge based on an alleged refusal to submit to chemical testing, which is a gross misdemeanor under Minnesota law.
That charge carries a maximum penalty of up to 364 days in jail, a fine of up to $3,000, or both if convicted as charged. Hennig also faces misdemeanor charges for obstructing the legal process, possessing an open bottle of alcohol in a vehicle, and failing to stop after an accident involving property damage with no injury.
The criminal complaint alleges the arrest followed a property damage crash at a McDonald’s in St. Francis, Minnesota. Police claimed Hennig showed signs of intoxication, refused to exit the vehicle, was physically removed, and later refused chemical testing after being read the Minnesota Breath Test Advisory. At this point, there is no indication that a plea deal has been offered or that the case has been resolved. The final outcome could still change depending on future court proceedings.
Ryback’s message makes it clear he still has respect for his former tag team partner. While he did not excuse the allegations, he framed the situation as something Hennig can hopefully learn from and move past.
Do you think Ryback handled his response to Curtis Axel’s arrest the right way? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comments.
