WWE fans first saw Joe Hendry earlier in the year when he made a surprise appearance in the Royal Rumble. And now, after he had reportedly signed a full-time contract with WWE a few days ago, according to multiple sources, details emerging suggest it’s not the typical developmental deal.
Hendry is on NXT right now, but his deal is allegedly structured more like a main-roster deal, and he’s making above the main-roster minimum.
According to a Fightful Select Q&A Hendry is “on a main roster level deal, making above the main roster minimum.” Other outlets have since confirmed that, despite Hendry’s NXT presence, his financial terms are more in line with a regular WWE Superstar rather than a developmental talent.
The main roster minimum is allegedly around $300,000 to $400,000 a year, excluding merchandise or pay-per-view income. So Hendry’s definitely puts him among (if not the) highest-paid talent on NXT.
The length of his contract has not been disclosed, but sources speculate it could be a 3–5 year deal like main-roster deals. Before this signing, the TNA World Championship had several months left on his TNA contract, and he used outside representation to negotiate his move to WWE.
Joe Hendry recently made an appearance with Thea Hail during Week 1 of NXT Gold Rush at The Theater at Madison Square Garden. They worked a cross-promotional match with Chelsea Green and Ethan Page for the AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championship.
He also has increasingly been making appearances in backstage segments and in the ring. WWE’s strategy for him is crystal clear now that we know his contract is a main-roster level deal.
Joe Hendry’s Surprising Pay Grade for an NXT Talent
The fact that Hendry’s deal is above the main-roster minimum has raised eyebrows in the wrestling world because it’s not the typical path for NXT talent. By making him above the main roster floor, WWE is treating him as a long-term investment rather than just grooming him through the developmental ranks.
Since he’s still on NXT, this confirms WWE sees a future where Joe Hendry is competing on bigger stages, maybe moving to Raw or SmackDown quicker than expected. But WWE has not publicly disclosed the official salary breakdown or the contract length.
But one thing is for sure: WWE believes in him, and they are backing that vision financially.
