Joe Hendry, currently the NXT Champion and emerging as a prominent figure in NXT, revealed that WWE could have welcomed him much earlier than his 2025 contract if he had been ready to seize the opportunity. In a recent interview with Metro UK, the Scottish wrestler shared that he first got involved with WWE back in 2014, when he appeared briefly as Rusev and Lana’s lawyer on an episode of Monday Night Raw. However, it wasn’t this small role that influenced his career path—it was the meaningful conversations he had behind the scenes.
Hendry highlighted a key moment with WWE official William Regal, describing their discussion as one of the most pivotal in his wrestling career. He explained that the advice and insights Regal gave helped shape his approach to professional wrestling and guided many of his decisions in the industry.
Despite opportunities and some disagreements with WWE over the years—particularly around the 2016 British Championship tournament in Blackpool—Hendry chose not to sign with the company at that time. This wasn’t because WWE wasn’t interested in him.
Reflecting on that period, Hendry modestly admitted, “Sometimes I can talk about it, sometimes I can’t,” regarding the 2016 offers. He felt he wasn’t ready then and believed he needed to travel and improve his skills worldwide to be able to perform at WWE’s top level and fully develop as a performer.
After officially joining WWE in November 2025 following his departure from TNA, Hendry quickly became a staple of NXT television and clinched the NXT Championship just last week. He stresses that reaching this peak was a gradual process that required patience and growth, making his current success feel all the more rewarding because it happened on his own timeline.
Do you think Joe Hendry made the smart move by waiting until he was prepared to join WWE, or should he have accepted the opportunity back in 2016? Share your thoughts below and be part of the conversation.
Fan Take: Joe Hendry’s journey underscores the importance of timing and readiness in a wrestler’s career, showing that patience can lead to greater achievements. For WWE fans, his rise offers an inspiring example of perseverance and could signal a new era of talent development within NXT and beyond.
