Joe Hendry has reflected on his pivotal 2016 match with Drew McIntyre, which marked his transition to pursuing wrestling full-time. Now a WWE roster member, Hendry’s journey began in the UK wrestling scene, where he competed against McIntyre during his independent and TNA tenure as Drew Galloway.
During an appearance on Insight With Chris Van Vliet, Hendry discussed his most recent singles match with Galloway, revealing that this encounter was the catalyst for him leaving his day job to commit to wrestling. He also touched on his brief return to work before joining TNA in 2022, highlighting the challenges of his career path.
On His Final Match With McIntyre:
“The last time I had a one-on-one match with Drew McIntyre was 2016. It was in Edinburgh at Meadowbank, an arena I’d frequented as a child for sports. That night, I quit my job to go pro wrestling full-time. That’s when everything changed.”
On the Pandemic Struggles:
“During lockdown, my business took a hit. Right before joining TNA, I had to return to a grueling sales job, starting at 4 a.m. to drive customers in at 5 a.m. It was a stark reminder of how unpredictable life can be. Being a wrestler, I had built a business, but then it failed. I had to hustle just to survive while chasing my wrestling dreams. It was humbling, but I never gave up.”
