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Joe Hendry Wins 7-Man Ladder Match to Capture the NXT Championship
Feb 1, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Joe Hendry during the Men’s Royal Rumble match during the WWE Royal Rumble at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Joe Hendry Wins 7-Man Ladder Match to Capture the NXT Championship

Originally posted on Wrestling on SI  |  By Rick Ucchino  |  Last updated Feb 3, 2026 10:12 PM ET

He was nowhere close to 100 percent, but Joe Hendry believed in himself and overcame the odds Tuesday night to capture the NXT Championship for the first time in his career. 

Hendry outlasted six other men in a hard-hitting Ladder Match, outdueling former NXT Champion Ricky Saints in a high stakes game of tug of war to secure the gold.

The young guys in the match showed out with some innovative offense, including Shiloh Hill walking on two pieces of a broken ladder like they were a pair of stilts, but in the end it came down to the two more seasoned competitors.

After Saints booted Keanu Carver off the top of the ladder and through another one set up on the floor outside the ring, Hendry met Saints at the title belt and slugged it off of Ricky's face to knock him down to the ground. Hendry then pulled the coveted championship off the hook and held it high for everyone inside the WWE Performance Center to see.

Tuesday night's Ladder Match was booked after former NXT Champion Oba Femi relinquished the title back at New Year's Evil. He did so mere moments after he defeated TNA X-Division Champion Leon Slater, which ended his second reign with the gold after just 31 days.

The Ruler made his main roster debut this past Saturday night during the Men's Royal Rumble Match. Femi entered from the No. 1 position and logged the first five eliminations of the match. He lasted nearly 40 minutes before he was tossed over the top rope by Brock Lesnar.

WWE NXT Title Tuesday Results (2/3/26):

  • Izzi Dame defeated Thea Hail and Lola Vice to retain the NXT Women's North American Championship after Kelani Jordan attacked Vice.
  • Tony D'Angelo said he came back to NXT for two reasons. The first was DarkState, and the second we'll have to wait to find out until after he's done with DarkState.
  • Elio Lefleur defeated Charlie Dempsey to advance in the Men's Speed Championship Tournament.
  • The Elegance Brand defeated Sol Ruca and Zaria to retain the TNA Knockouts World Tag Team Championship after Ruca accidentally hit Zaria with a Sol Snatcher.
  • Stacks and Lexis King defeated Chase U in a tag team match set up by new Interim NXT General Manager Robert Stone
  • Robert Stone booked Kendal Gray & Wren Sinclair vs. Sol Ruca & Zaria next Tuesday night. The woman who scores the decisive pinfall will receive an NXT Women's Championship Match against Jacy Jayne.
  • Joe Hendry defeated Ricky Saints, Shiloh Hill, Sean Legacy, Dion Lennox, Keanu Carver and Evolve Men’s Champion Jackson Drake in a Ladder Match to win the NXT Championship.

This article first appeared on Wrestling on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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