Joe Hendry recently appeared on The Takedown on SI, where he talks about about the lessons he has learned from CM Punk and John Cena and how he has been applying it during his current reign as WWE NXT Champion.
“It’s a huge responsibility. Being the champion is a rare privilege. And when you are the champion, there is now pressure on your shoulder to try and help elevate the ticket sales. You need to be aware of ratings. You need to be aware of locker room morale. You need to try and lead by example. There’s a lot of pressure. But like I said, I’ve spent a lot of time at the Performance Center. I’m really, really enjoying the training, and I feel like we’ve got a real team environment down there. We’re divided into different groups, and I feel like my group is just — we’re so motivated, the roster is hungry, and it’s an exciting time. So to be the one that gets to wear this championship and spearhead the brand right now, it’s a huge honor and it’s a responsibility that I take very seriously. Every championship title reign has a story, and I want the story to be that I was able to elevate the championship and help elevate the brand…
Anytime I get to a live event, my first question is to ask, ‘Where are we at with the draw? Where were we last time?’ And I’ve learned that from, CM Punk does that, John Cena did that, all the top talents did that. So I’ve tried to learn as much as I can from these guys. I’ve been fortunate enough to spend time with these guys and learn from them. And that is one thing I’ve noticed, is that they’re very hands-on with the stats and knowing what they are. And, yes, it’s pressure, but in this game pressure is a privilege.” H/T to F4WOnline.com for the transcription.
Joe Hendry is scheduled to defend the NXT World Championship against Ricky Saints at NXT Vengeance Day special event on March 7, 2026, live from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.
