Curtis Axel, real name Joseph Hennig, was arrested on May 17, 2026, in Anoka County, Minnesota. According to records, the former WWE star faces several charges, including DUI, refusal to submit to a chemical test, obstructing the legal process, possession of an open alcohol container in a vehicle, and disorderly conduct.

Following the news, Axel’s former WWE tag team partner Ryback shared a lengthy statement on X, reflecting on their time together as RybAxel and offering support to Hennig during the situation.

“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.

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. 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.”

Ryback then turned his attention to Hennig’s personal character and expressed relief that no one was harmed.

“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. 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.

And that’s the last bite. Feed Me More!”

Ryback and Hennig formed RybAxel in 2013 and spent several years teaming together in WWE. Although the duo never captured tag team gold, they became a regular fixture on WWE programming and live events, earning a loyal following among fans during their run.