Exclusive:Joe Hendry's rise from Edinburgh Corn Exchange to Wrestlmania and beyond and what's next for WWE NXT Champion
The Edinburgh Evening News caught up with the new NXT Champion following his title win on Netflix last week.
It has been an incredible 12 months for Edinburgh wrestler Joe Hendry who has gone from achievement to achievement, culminating in him becoming the new WWE NXT Champion.
The 37-year old former Drummond Community High School pupil made his debut in the sports entertainment juggernaut at the 2025 Royal Rumble event as a surprise entrant in the titular match. He followed that by with another surprise appearance, this time in front of 60,000 people at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, as he answered the challenge of legendary superstar Randy Orton at Wrestlemania 41 night two.
Hendry was contracted to TNA Wrestling at the time, where he also held their world championship, and appeared through a working relationship between the two companies but has since signed with WWE. Now, he leads the NXT brand as the new world champion and has big plans for 2026.
“I’m super proud to represent Edinburgh” - new WWE NXT Champion Joe Hendry
"I've been very fortunate the last couple of years that I've had the opportunities that I've had,” said Hendry. “I'm super proud to represent Edinburgh.
"I love Edinburgh, so this is awesome to be doing this interview with this championship on my shoulder. I often think it's going to be impossible to top this past year but we're starting off the right way.
"I've got the NXT championship, so I'm just so excited for what this year is going to bring when it comes to me being the NXT champion and representing the brand."
Hendry is a 13-year professional wrestling veteran, dating back to his start with Scottish promotion Insane Championship Wrestling (ICW) in 2013. He has featured for multiple ‘independent’ promotions over the past decade and even competed in freestyle wrestling for Scotland at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
While working for Edinburgh based Discovery Wrestling he entertained fans at venues like the Corn Exchange and Portobello Town Hall. Now, you can watch him every week on Netflix as he represents his home city at the Orlando based Performance Centre.
"When you mention those Edinburgh venues that I've wrestled at, I actually wrestled in Portobello Town Hall after that WrestleMania appearance, that was really important to me as are my roots in Edinburgh. I just love professional wrestling and to be able to take the joy in doing what I love to do and to be able to take it to a platform like WrestleMania... from the first day when I walked into the training school, when I have been performing at smaller venues, of course you're thinking and you're dreaming of where you can take this, but when you actually get there, it's a whole other thing.
"It's just such an amazing feeling to walk out in front of that many people and get the opportunity to wrestle Randy Orton in a featured match at WrestleMania. It just doesn't get any bigger than that, so it was a huge moment and I was super proud to do it and to represent Edinburgh.
"I'm extremely proud to be NXT champion and I know that you say it's the developmental brand, but look, we're on Netflix here in the UK. That's huge. So in order to be put in this position, we have to be the absolute top of our game and the competition that we had in that ladder match, I think the quality of the show of NXT is unbelievable and I think if someone hasn't seen pro wrestling before or they haven't watched for a little while, that NXT would be an amazing place to start and go and check out because it's a high energy, action-packed professional wrestling show and it just is everything that a professional wrestling show should be. So I'm so proud to be NXT champion and I'm excited to see where we can take the brand.”
Joe Hendry wants dream match vs WWE Undisputed Champions Drew McIntrye in Scotland
Hendry’s path to the WWE has followed in the footsteps of many other Scottish wrestlers before him. However, none have achieved the same success as current WWE undisputed champion Drew McIntyre, the 6ft8 ‘Scottish Warrior’ from Ayr who currently holds the top and most prestigious title in the company.
“In the UK, we're on Netflix, which is so huge,” said Hendry. “All my friends and family are able to watch, so it's a huge privilege and an honour to do it. I've watched the biggest names in the business hold this championship, including Drew McIntyre, who is also Scottish.
“He held this championship and now he is the undisputed WWE champion. So for me and him to be champions in WWE at the same time and for me to be representing NXT in this way, it's very special.
"Me and Drew, we wrestled extensively on the independent scene about 10 years ago now, so to be able to do it in WWE would be unbelievable. A dream of mine would be to wrestle for WWE in Scotland and, looking at the landscape now, it's a very exciting time and I think that clash between myself and Drew would be incredibly exciting."
While the chance to face off with his old rival would be certain to sell out tickets in any Scottish venue, Hendry’s current goal is just to be able to compete for WWE against any opponent in his homeland. He added: “It's been quite a while since I've been back in Edinburgh but I work with so many great people, and I help train a bunch of people in Edinburgh so I'm super invested in their careers and how they develop and grow. My goal is to help pass on what I'm learning the way somebody like Drew passed on information to me.
“I'm hoping to be able to pass on some lessons that I'm learning here in WWE to everyone back home who is doing so well, wrestling at Portobello Town Hall and the venues that you mentioned. I'm delighted to be able to pass on some of that information.
“I haven't been back to Scotland in quite some time so I'm looking forward to getting back. I love Edinburgh. I love Scotland. Any opportunity to get back to Scotland, I'm going to take it. I would love to get back to Scotland to wrestle for WWE sometime in the near future."
What’s next for Joe Hendry after WWE NXT Championship win?
WWE currently have no live shows scheduled for Scotland, but have made regular appearances over the past few years. Wrestling at a future show here is a longer term goal for the Edinburgh native but, for now, his focus is on keeping hold of his NXT Championship with no shortage of challengers already lining up.
Hendry hopes to carve out his own legacy as NXT Champion, saying: “We could take up the whole interview time just reeling off the massive names in the business that have held this championship. Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, Drew McIntyre, Finn Balor. For me to be holding this championship, it's huge pressure but pressure is a privilege.
"I think that I've proven in the past that I can be somebody that can be relied on to be the champion and to elevate the brand and that really is my goal. I remember when I came to NXT, I asked Shawn Michaels, 'what do I need to do to be the type of guy that could lead NXT?' and we had a great conversation.
"Over the months that followed, I was in that performance center every single day, just building myself up piece by piece, brick by brick to become the type of person that could be the champion here in NXT. Mow I've worked to get to this point but, as you know, becoming champion is one thing, staying champion is a whole other thing.
"This is where the hard work really begins, so how I approach things is I approach things on a day-to-day basis. Whatever I have next is what I will give my absolute best efforts to. I'm doing media right now so this is my focus. I'm going to go to the performance center later today and train. That's going to be my focus. Tomorrow, we're going to have NXT, and I'm going to walk out as NXT champion, and that's going to be my focus. Then we'll move on to Wednesday and whatever that brings.
"Every day is going to bring something new, it's going to bring a challenge. With each of these challenges, the hope is that you grow and grow, and you eventually look back and you've left, but you've contributed something to the legacy of this championship.”