Joe Hendry wins the NXT Championship

The former TNA World Champion Joe Hendry won the ladder match to win the NXT Championship on this week’s episode of NXT TV.

When Oba Femi vacated the NXT championship before hopping on a jet plane straight to the WWE main roster, a decision had to be made regarding how the developmental brand would crown a new champion. Ultimately, some qualifiers were held, and they narrowed the field to seven participants for a Ladder match, with the title hanging high above the ring.

Ricky Saints, Shiloh Hill, Sean Legacy, Dion Lennox, Keanu Carver, Evolve Champion Jackson Drake, and Joe Hendry all got the chance to become the top guy on this week’s episode of NXT television, an interesting field with a seemingly clear favorite and a list of guys who could become that if given the right push.

It was, of course, a mad stunt show. Everybody took a crazy bump or two, it seemed like, with a few fun spots — like Shiloh Hill using two ladders as stilts at one point, standing out in our mind, mixed in. The finish saw Saints right there alone at the top of the ladder, taking his sweet time hitting his signature pose. When he turned around, Hendry was right there, ultimately winning a tug-of-war when the Saints fell off to a bridged ladder below.

The pop for the former TNA star’s big win was loud even for Performance Center standards.

Do you believe? Joe Hendry has officially captured the NXT Championship.