IMPACT wrestler Joe Hendry gained over 45lbs to emulate legends like Goldberg and transform his career-Alistair McGeorge-Entertainment – Metro

Joe Hendry is the total package (Picture: IMPACT Wrestling)

Do you believe in Joe Hendry? The IMPACT Wrestling star is confident the answer will be a firm ‘yes’ after Bound For Glory.

The Scottish wrestler has spent almost a decade focusing his life on becoming the best talent possible, using his past career as a musician (his band almost got signed by Sony) to add another layer to his character, and even competing at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

An enforced break due to Covid-19 gave Joe a chance to totally transform himself, and he exclusively told Metro.co.uk how he put on around three stone to reach the next level.

‘I feel like things are really starting to click,’ he said as he’s set to make his IMPACT debut in the Call Your Shot battle royal tonight (October 7) after weeks of hilarious vignettes hyping him someone who can ‘motivate’ the company.

‘A lot of people they remember who I was in-ring in 2016 when I’d been wrestling for three years. That’s where my criticism might come from. But what they may not have seen is what I look like,’ he added.

‘I bulked up to 265lbs, legit. I bulked up massively, people haven’t seen what I do now so I’m excited to show that at Bound For Glory.’

Although Hendry was still in ‘pretty decent shape’ – weighing in at around ‘210, 220’ – he wanted to push himself to do something different with his career, having become known for his charisma.

‘I can’t get motivated doing something I’ve already done. I thought, you know what? I’m in pretty decent shape the way I was at – 210, 220, that sort of way. My goal was, can I get to the UFC heavyweight cut-off, which is 265lbs,’ he explained.

‘I actually made it, I made it to that. It was very tough but I got my squad and deadlift up to 500lbs, I could still nip up. I’ve trimmed down a little bit now but I feel really strong, really ready.’

Hendry was contracted to Ring of Honor in the US but stuck at home during the pandemic, and the promotion closed its doors at the end of 2021 before being bought by AEW boss Tony Khan.

‘I needed the pandemic to stop me wrestling, to take a step back and go, you know what wrestling’s missing? We need more in-ring people like Psycho Sid, like Scott Steiner, like Goldberg,’ he explained.

Joe Hendry wants to channel heavyweights like Goldberg (Picture: WWE)

‘I thought, you know what? If I bulk up, I can do that and I can merge it with the entertainment. I realised then – I was kinda doing some technical stuff, kinda doing some power stuff.

‘I can be the guy that suplexes two people, nips up and then says my catchphrase. I started to realise, that’s what my act is!’

It’s one he’s developed for years, even going back to is relatively late start in amateur wrestling in his mid 20s, which led to him becoming a two-time National Champion before the Commonwealth games.

He added: ‘I’ve oftentimes looked back on my music endeavours – which I did for 10 years. And I thought, I was saying to my mom, “It’s a shame I failed with that, I wish I’d done X, Y, Z.”

Joe (seen here with Tommy Dreamer) is ready to make a splash in IMPACT Wrestling (Picture: IMPACT)

‘And she was like, “What are you talking about? It’s a huge part of your job now!” She’s right! My life has been on all these twists and turns, ups and downs and all these different endeavours, and now they’re here.’

In October 2022, ‘here’ is IMPACT Wrestling, a place Hendry is sure he will thrive having already been given a lot of creative freedom with his early vignettes, while years ago boss Scott D’Amore once included him in a list of potential future world champions.

‘He said Moose, Josh Alexander and me! Two of them have been world champion, so I feel like I’ve got to complete the triple threat there,’ he smiled with absolute sincerity.

Now, Joe thinks of himself as the total package as a wrestler, and he’s excited to prove he is more than just amusing skits and entrances as he looks to take IMPACT by storm, having grown up a huge fan of the brand.

‘A year ago, I was wondering, when am I next gonna get back to America,’ he pondered. ‘I’ve bulked up now – at one point, it was bordering on superheavyweight.’

He added: ‘I’m athletic, I can do these entrances, I can these vignettes. I’m focusing in on pro wrestling and I’m just ready to deliver.’

IMPACT Wrestling: Bound For Glory airs Friday night (October 7) at 1am on Fite TV.

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