WWE star Curt Hawkins recently spoke with Justin Barrasso for Sports Illustrated Extra Mustard’s Five Questions; you can read a few highlights below:
Curt Hawkins comments on starting the ‘La Familia’ storyline, how much of an influence Edge was on his career:
Zack and I got called up to be part of ECW, which was still a WWE product on TV. We were called up as the Major Brothers, we were working in Deep South at the time, and we were supposed to work with another Deep South tag team called Team Elite, which was Mike Knox and Derek Neikirk, but they never pulled the trigger on those guys – so we were like the only tag team on ECW with no one to work with. We were left, almost in limbo, doing absolutely nothing. That went on and on and on, and, in wrestling, that’s not a good place to be. Zack and I became a little paranoid and self-aware of all that, so we started pitching ideas.
We were watching a lot of Entourage at the time, and the idea that we came up with was to be Edge’s entourage. We were legit big fans and admirers of the guy, and we kind of looked like him at the time, so we thought it would be a good fit. The writers were into the idea, but just because they say they like something doesn’t mean it’s going to happen. We knew if we had Edge on board then it would really get some steam. He didn’t know us at all beside the ‘hello-how are you-handshake’ type stuff,’ so I just stopped him one day. I figured the worst that could happen was he’d say no, and mentioned I had this idea I’d love for him to check out. I asked for his email, he gave it to me, and I sent it to him. He got on board, and that literally changed our whole careers.
I had the most first-class education in pro wrestling from Edge. I got to watch who I believed, at that time, was the absolute best wrestler in the whole world be the WWE champion and watch, first-hand, at what went into being a champion—how a champion conducts himself, puts matches together, and does promos—it was just incredible. Zack and I got to sit there and experience it all and learn. It was almost like a real-life apprenticeship with the world champion. Even beyond that run, Edge was my go-to guy for advice or even just to pick his brain. I really do think, in 2008 and 2009, Edge was the best wrestler in the world. He was kicking ass on all cylinders—promos, in-ring work, everything. I still try to use what he’s taught me in my own work, I still think he’s the best.
Hawkins comments on his memories of working in NXT with Dusty Rhodes, being a part of his final match:
When I was at the Performance Center and NXT, I got to have some awesome matches with Sami Zayn and Neville where we could really put in some time. I was in FCW so I also worked with Dusty Rhodes every week for a year. He was a vital part and he, along with Edge, were the two people who saved my career. I’d already been on TV, had the tag titles, then I went back down to FCW. Dusty saw in me that I was a star, and he gave me confidence in cutting promos and helped me out immensely. I’ll forever be grateful to him.
It’s a little known fact, but I actually had his last match ever. He wanted to tag with Dustin and Cody. So in the summer of 2010, me, Trent Barreta, and Caylen Croft as the Dude Busters main-evented an FCW show against the Rhodes. It was the only time the Rhodes boys ever tagged, and it was Dusty’s last match ever. The match ended with me taking an elbow from Dusty. It was very, very cool, and I was very, very honored.
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