Joe Hendry recently spoke about how much he respects fellow Scotsman Drew McIntyre. Hendry said McIntyre reminded him of The Undertaker during their time on the independent scene.
He shared that McIntyre once pointed out that Scotland makes up only a tiny percentage of the world’s population, yet Scottish wrestlers have won a big share of WWE championships.
Hendry said he feels proud seeing two Scottish wrestlers holding major WWE titles at the same time. Hendry is enjoying his first run as NXT Champion. Before signing with WWE in November 2025, Hendry gained attention through the WWE–TNA partnership. He entered the 2025 Royal Rumble at number 15 and later showed up at WrestleMania 41, answering a challenge from Randy Orton.
On the other hand, McIntyre is leading the WWE SmackDown brand as the Undisputed WWE Champion.
Joe Hendry Reflects on Drew McIntyre’s Influence From Their Indie Careers
According to Hendry, McIntyre had a strong presence in the locker room. He said the way people talk about The Undertaker as a respected leader in WWE is similar to how they saw McIntyre on the indies. During an interview with Fox News, he said,
“It was Drew that said to me that Scotland is 0.068% of the world’s population, but we have a much larger percentage of WWE titles. So, very proud to be someone that’s worked with Drew. The way that people talk about the Undertaker in the locker room, that’s how we saw Drew McIntyre when we were on the independents,” Hendry said.
Hendry added that McIntyre always pushed him to improve and helped bring out his best. He also said he’d love to face him again in WWE someday.
“He was our Undertaker and so to see him now as undisputed WWE champion and for me to be NXT champion at the same time is an amazing feeling. He challenged me when we worked together. He always made me better and brought out the best in me. So, I’d be delighted if our paths could cross again,” he said.
Right now, Hendry is feuding with Ricky Saints, who attacked him after a recent title defense. On the February 17 episode of NXT, Hendry officially accepted a championship match against Saints for Vengeance Day.
Read More: Joe Hendry vs. Ricky Saints NXT Title Match Set For Vengeance Day After Heated Confrontation
