I started watching wrestling in 1988, back when kayfabe was still alive and kicking. Professional wrestling was a "sport" then, Vince McMahon was a "commentator", and a figure four leglock was "devastating". But for me, nothing defined this period more than the clear delineation (in the WWF at least) between the good guys and the bad guys. Now this line is all but extinct, but back then it was easy to tell who the villains were. And if you came to a wrestling event looking for someone to boo, you were going to be spoiled for choice. This was a time of classic heels like "Ravishing" Rick Rude and "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase, as well as no nonsense bruisers like Bad News Brown, a guy who really didn't get along with anybody, heel or face. But the one that stood out the most in my eyes was a guy who called himself "Mr. Perfect". I don't know much about Curt Hennig's days in the AWA, didn't care for his run in WCW, and his post WCW tenure in the WWE was uneventful. But when he first stepped on the scene as Mr. Perfect, I immediately took notice. His character wasn't terribly ground breaking; he was your basic cocky heel. He would stride down to the ring while his classic style theme music emanated from the arena loud speakers, throw his sweat-drenched towel into the audience, spit his gum and smack it out of the air. These were all nice little gimmicks. But Perfect caught my attention for one reason and one reason only.

You see, before you had the undefeated Samoa Joe, and before Goldberg's "streak". There was "the perfect record". No one seemed able to beat this guy. That was astonishing to me! Time and time again, he would face the likes of Jake "the Snake" Roberts, Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka, Bret "the Hitman" Hart, even Hulk Hogan, and not one of them was able to gain a victory over him. Granted, he wouldn't always win by pinfall, but match after match, he would emerge, his perfect record still intact. And for good reason. Not only was he adept at breaking the rules, he was also a skilled technical wrestler. But what made him so effective in the ring, I think, was the fact that he was so damn methodical. As soon as Perfect gained the upper hand, he would slow the pace of the match down, bide his time, pick his shots. Then he would hit his opponent with a bevy of punches, stomps, forearms, kneelifts, stiff chops, and beautifully executed dropkicks, all the while boasting to the crowd and slapping and taunting his hapless victim, reminding him "You're in the ring with Mr. Perfect!" Indeed. This was a guy I loved to hate. All of this punishment would then inevitably culminate in the "Perfect-Plex". Being as I was still a kid at the time, I wasn't sure about too many things, except one . . . NOBODY kicked out of the Perfect-Plex! Sure, Hogan kicked out at the 1990 Royal Rumble, but I like to think Perfect, knowing he couldn't win the rumble match that way, intentionally released the hold. Anyway, the Hulkster then predictably "Hulked up" and threw Perfect over the top rope, though I don't think this counted as a loss for him. His record was still spotless. It seemed he would never lose.

Enter WrestleMania VI. In a match against Hulk's buddy Brutus "the Barber" Beefcake, the perfect one was inadvertently slung into the ring post and knocked out cold. "Surely he'll get his foot on the rope, or his henchman the Genius will distract the ref", I thought. One three count later, I found out how wrong I was. The unthinkable had just happened: Mr. Perfect had lost! The perfect record was no more! And it was down hill from there.

Most would argue that it wasn't until after that infamous event that Hennig achieved his greatest success in the WWF, becoming a two time Intercontinental champion. But for me it was meaningless. To me he was no longer Mr. Perfect. Hell, guys even started kicking out of the Perfect-Plex! I personally think the Perfect/Hogan feud should have started at the Royal Rumble then ended with Perfect losing his undefeated streak and the WrestleMania main event in one, single memorable moment. That, I feel, would have been a fitting end to such a cool heel character, not jobbing to Brutus "The Disciple-Bootyman-Hairface" Beefcake. Alas, this was not to be. The Ultimate Warrior's star was on the rise, and the WWF decided that the Immortal one should pass his retractable torch on to him at in the 'mania main event. (And we all know how that turned out). Oh well, here's some of my favorite Mr. Perfect quotes.

"Nobody beats Mr. Perfect! Nobody!"
"Now that's perfect!"
"You're in the ring with Mr. Perfect!"
"Come on Beefcake!" (at WM6)
"Who's next"!" (ditto)

by Richard Johann ..