TNA World Champion Joe Hendry has recalled the career-defining conversation he had with Shawn Michaels during his time in WWE NXT.
One of many TNA stars to make a shock appearance on NXT TV in 2024, Hendry received a thunderous ovation when he debuted on the WWE brand. Along with gaining notoriety thanks to his work on Impact, Hendry was able to market himself to the wider world thanks to his catchy entrance song and going viral on social media.
During his time at WWE, Hendry took advantage of the resources by gaining advice from one of the all time greats. Speaking with Jon Alba for The Takedown on SI, Hendry recounted his lengthy conversation with Shawn Michaels:
“A moment that was very special to me was, there was one day where, you know, because I was training at the Performance Center full-time, I was walking past and I just thought, ‘you know what?’ I checked on the door and asked Shawn if I could come in, and we started talking. Shawn’s running at a major TV show. He’s a busy guy. But we sat down for an hour and we talked, and he asked about my life, and we got to know each other. And he says, ‘you know what? Now I get it.’ He’s like, ‘yes.'”
Continuing, Hendry added that it was Michaels who advised him to present his backstory more on television, which was vital in his character development:
“This is where Shawn really helped me put the pieces together. So he says, ‘you know, we know about the song and the spinning around and the meme and all that. We know that. But you know what? This is the story that we’re going to tell.’ He said, ‘I didn’t know that you’ve been doing this for 11, 12 years. I didn’t know about all the ups and downs and all of the challenges that you’ve had to overcome’. He’s like, ‘Now I get it. That’s the story that we’re going to tell.’
“So Shawn really taught me to embrace that side of things, which again, speaks to talents when they are able to authentically be themselves. And I’m absolutely thrilled about the partnership. And, you know, I would relish the opportunity to work with Shawn Michaels again. And I can, hand on heart, say that I gave my very best when it came to representing TNA in NXT. I gave my absolute best. I gave everything I had.”
Joe Hendry Aims High As TNA World Champion
At TNA Genesis, Joe Hendry finally saw his dream come true as he defeated Nic Nemeth to become the new World Champion. Now the top star in the company, the Scottish star has the entire roster looking to take the title away from him. When asked who he wanted to call out first, Joe Hendry explained why it had to be John Cena.