Joe Hendry walked out of WWE NXT on Tuesday night as the new WWE NXT Champion after winning the 7-Man Ladder Match for the vacant NXT Championship. Although Hendry grasped the title and cemented history, it seems like all the plaudits have gone to another contender who impressed fans with his wild spots and unique performance. The contender is none other than Keanu Carver.
The NXT Championship was up for grabs after Oba Femi vacated it following his title defense against Leon Slater at New Year’s Evil. That led to only the third ladder match ever held to crown an NXT Champion. Hendry faced Ricky Saints, Dion Lennox, Shiloh Hill, Keanu Carver, Jackson Drake, and Sean Legacy in a fast-paced match that delivered on the exciting promise of a ladder stipulation.
In the end, Hendry secured the win after a tug-of-war moment with Saints. The two stood on opposite sides of a ladder, fighting to grab the title. Hendry hit Saints with the belt, knocked him down, and then unhooked the championship. Still, for many watching, Carver was the breakout star of the night.
How Keanu Carver’s Performance Stole the Spotlight in the NXT Ladder Match
Throughout the match, Carver showed off his insane power and durability. He threw opponents around, slammed them into ladders, and used them like weapons. He also took some brutal bumps. At one point, he was buried under a pile of ladders thrown by all of his opponents. It looked like he was finished. Instead, he suddenly rose from under the wreckage and went on a rampage.
He tossed Drake into the crowd and hit Hill like a truck with a huge shoulder tackle. One of his craziest spots of the night was driving Legacy through a wall at ringside. During the final moments of the match, Carver and Saints climbed side-by-side on two ladders to grab the title. But it ended badly for Keanu Carver, who crashed hard through another ladder lying ringside in a nasty fall. The brutal landing took him out of the match, but not out of people’s minds.
By the time Hendry was celebrating with the title, social media was already buzzing about Carver’s best performance.
Keanu Carver pounces Jackson Drake into the front row.#WWENXT pic.twitter.com/bHKDQhzAdO
— meraWRESTLING (@meraWRESTLING) February 4, 2026
Keanu Carver has all of the tools to become a star in WWE.#WWENXT pic.twitter.com/WoxYbgboIb
— Fightful Wrestling (@Fightful) February 4, 2026
KEANU CARVER RAMS SEAN LEGACY THROUGH A WALL!pic.twitter.com/GhYTxtzhTR
— WrestleTalk (@WrestleTalk_TV) February 4, 2026
OH MY GOD ?@starkmanjones pic.twitter.com/59uDXkqCo0
— WWE (@WWE) February 4, 2026
Carver may not have won the NXT Championship, but he walked away with momentum, credibility, and a lot of new fans who now see him as a future main-event star.
Watch the 7-Man Ladder Match for the WWE NXT title here.
Read More: New WWE NXT Champion Crowned After Tug-of-War–Style Ladder Match Finish
