Joe Hendry is the new TNA World Champion, winning it in his third chance at the title. Many fans believed in Joe Hendry in 2024. They also thought he would win the title at Slammiversary, but that didn’t come to fruition. He also missed out on winning the title at Bound For Glory. This led to fans claiming TNA “dropped the ball” and didn’t capitalize on Hendry’s popularity.
Hendry spoke with WrestleZone Managing Editor Bill Pritchard about how he approaches feedback like that. The new champion said
that he takes inspiration from John Cena in those situations. Hendry agreed that fans were ready for him to win the title last year but pointed out that they were still ready at TNA Genesis. In channeling Cena, Hendry says he puts his best foot forward, no matter what he is or isn’t doing in the ring.
“I take the John Cena methodology, which is you do the absolute best with the situations that you are presented with. That is the approach I’ve always taken. Actually, in the last couple of years, I’ve really focused more on that, just delivering the absolute. At the end of the day, my job isn’t to dictate to management when I get this title shot or that title shot or who I face,” Hendry said.
“My job is to do the absolute best with what I’m given. I remember being at Slammiversary and thinking, ‘Whoa, the fans are ready for this.’ I was at Bound for Glory, thinking, ‘Whoa, the fans are ready for this,’ but you know what? They were ready for it at Genesis,” he pointed out.
Joe Hendry knows TNA told the right story
Hendry joked that he’s “safely” in his 16th minute of fame now, and said the crowd’s reaction to his title win makes him believe TNA did the right thing at Genesis.
“I did one interview the morning after the title win and it was all over the news. We’re still getting crazy hits on social media. This is still going and it’s a team effort. I’m just really enjoying seeing how this all unfolds,” Hendry said. “Look, if we were in that arena and it was and the reactions weren’t there, we’d maybe look at things a different way. [But] no one’s ever kicked out of the Standing Ovation before, and when Nick did, the reaction in the arena, it gives me goosebumps thinking about the sounds and sights from that arena that night. Looking at that, I think we did something right.”
Joe Hendry says his road to the TNA world title is a fitting one
Hendry said the third time wasn’t only the charm, but it was also very representative of his life so far. He praised former champion Nic Nemeth as a “phenomenal representative for TNA and the [wrestling] industry,” and can’t think of a better opponent in a title match.
“It taking three times is very representative of my real life. If you look at all the things that I’ve done in my life, it’s taken me a long time. When I started amateur wrestling, I had probably about six or seven attempts at national titles before I finally won one. I’d been to TNA before in the past, and i only lasted a few months. I’d been other places where it didn’t quite work out. In my life, through all the things that I’ve done, I never get things the first try.
“So doing it this way is actually a bit of a snapshot into my life. I hope it inspires people to realize that when you do get knocked down, you just have keep going and being relentless and believing in yourself. If you keep doing the right things you’re supposed to be doing, it’s going to happen. You’re going to get there. That is who I am. It happening this way, that is Joe Hendry.”
Watch our full interview with Joe Hendry below:
