Joe Hendry Wins NXT Championship: Results & Highlights
- Orlando, Florida – February 3, 2026, marked a significant night for NXT as Joe Hendry emerged victorious in a seven-person ladder match to claim the vacant NXT Championship.
- The match, contested between Ricky Saints, Hendry, Jackson Drake, Dion Lennox, Shiloh Hill, Keanu Carver, and Sean Legacy, proved to be a physically demanding and chaotic affair.
- From the opening bell, the match was characterized by its frenetic pace.
Hendry Captures NXT Championship in Dramatic Ladder Match
Orlando, Florida – , marked a significant night for NXT as Joe Hendry emerged victorious in a seven-person ladder match to claim the vacant NXT Championship. The title became available after Oba Femi vacated it following his promotion to the WWE main roster.
The match, contested between Ricky Saints, Hendry, Jackson Drake, Dion Lennox, Shiloh Hill, Keanu Carver, and Sean Legacy, proved to be a physically demanding and chaotic affair. The contest unfolded at the WWE Performance Center, with Robert Stone serving as the interim General Manager following Ava’s departure from the role over the weekend.
From the opening bell, the match was characterized by its frenetic pace. Dion Lennox was quickly sent to the floor, while Keanu Carver initially established dominance with powerful offense, utilizing ladders as weapons against his opponents. Shiloh Hill responded with impactful moves, including a back-first slam onto a ladder. Ricky Saints injected speed into the match, executing dropkicks and a tornado DDT that energized the crowd.
Hendry strategically employed ladders throughout the match, both as offensive tools and to disrupt the attempts of others to ascend. Despite several near-wins, Hendry made a calculated risk by diving onto the competitors outside the ring instead of immediately climbing, a decision that allowed his opponents to regain momentum.
The intensity escalated as competitors bridged ladders, broke them, and innovatively used them to gain an advantage. Notable moments included Dion Lennox being driven spine-first onto a bridged ladder, Sean Legacy performing a Sliced Bread maneuver from a ladder, and Shiloh Hill utilizing a broken ladder as stilts before being taken out of the action. Keanu Carver endured considerable punishment, repeatedly finding himself the target of attacks and even being buried under a pile of ladders by multiple competitors.
In the climactic moments, both Ricky Saints and Joe Hendry managed to reach the top of opposing ladders and simultaneously grabbed for the championship. A brief struggle ensued, culminating in Hendry striking Saints with the title belt, causing him to fall through a bridged ladder. With his final obstacle removed, Hendry successfully retrieved the championship, officially winning the match and becoming the new NXT Champion.
This victory represents a major milestone in Joe Hendry’s career, marking his first major title win within WWE. His triumph concludes a series of qualifying matches initiated after Femi’s departure and signals the beginning of his reign atop the NXT roster.
Elsewhere on the NXT card, Izzi Dame retained the NXT Women’s North American Championship in a triple threat match against Thea Hail and Lola Vice. Elio LeFleur defeated Charlie Dempsey in a WWE Speed #1 Contenders Tournament Semi-Final. Heather & M By Elegance defeated Sol Ruca & Zaria for the TNA Knockouts World Tag Team Championships. Lexis King & Stacks were victorious over Kale Dixon & Andre Chase.
The episode also saw a backstage altercation between Jaida Parker and Blake Monroe. Shawn Michaels announced Robert Stone as the interim NXT General Manager, filling the vacancy left by Ava’s departure.