00:00An event of Vengeance Day to retain the NXT title.
00:06What I really wanted to know to kind of start this off, and not just for these premium live events,
00:10but what kind of pride, pressure, and privilege comes along with being in the main event?
00:17Well, as you know, the main event is the toughest spot.
00:22The main event is at the end of the show.
00:24The audience, if it's NXT especially, the audience have seen an amazing night of action.
00:28And you, as the main event, you must deliver.
00:32And that's what I did my very best to do at Vengeance Day.
00:35It was a physical matchup, but I'm still sitting here as the NXT champion, so I'm feeling good.
00:41Life is good.
00:42My co-host here, we've tried for years to put him through a table, and corporate keeps shutting it down.
00:49You've popped out of some amazing places, refrigerators and so much.
00:53Has there been one that you've pitched and they've been like, no, no, you can't do that one?
00:57Or a dream scenario that you want to show up out of?
01:00It doesn't work that way.
01:01It's when someone says my name, I'll just appear.
01:03I don't get to choose.
01:05Sometimes, listen, I haven't had a day off in years.
01:08Sometimes I'll just be, you know, okay, today's the day I'm going to read a book.
01:12I'm going to play a video game.
01:13I'm going to watch a movie.
01:14Someone says my name, and I just teleport to whatever they are.
01:17That's how it works.
01:18That's how we got them on the show today.
01:20It works in person and on Zoom.
01:22Yeah, we didn't have them booked at all, and we just were like, hey, they're going to be an Allen
01:27for NXT.
01:28Let's give it a shot.
01:29Let's see what happens.
01:30Now, you had a great weekend.
01:33You retained your NXT title.
01:35Are you a little sad that your fellow Scott, Drew McIntyre, he dropped the WWE Championship on Friday?
01:42I am sad that Drew's not the champion anymore.
01:45We crossed paths super briefly at a WWE 2K26 event, and we forgot to get the picture together.
01:53I'm devastated.
01:55He took a picture with the WWE Championship in front of the screen that I'm on at HQ, because if
02:00you're a champion in WWE, you're on one of the screens.
02:03So, Drew took a picture in front of it, but we didn't get the one in person, which I'm gutted
02:07about.
02:07But, yeah, I was sad to see that Drew is no longer the champion.
02:12The guy's been a huge inspiration for me, someone I've worked with, someone I've learned a lot from.
02:18So, I was super happy we were champions at the same time.
02:21But, yeah, sad to see that championship go.
02:24Now, you're talking about the 2K26 game.
02:27What was it like to see yourself on that primary poster for that game?
02:32That was awesome.
02:34So, I'll tell you, there's been a couple of things, a couple of really pleasant surprises in WWE.
02:39One surprise, when I was at WrestleMania, the merch team presented me with my first piece of WWE merch.
02:46I didn't know about it.
02:47It was a surprise.
02:47So, that was really cool.
02:48And the same thing happened with the video game.
02:51They called me into the PC.
02:52They said, yeah, yeah, we're just going to film some stuff.
02:54Yeah, it's just some slow-mo stuff we need to get.
02:57And it was this huge, I should have known, it was this huge elaborate setup.
03:01And I should have known, it was, yeah, just need to get some, you know, just some background footage, whatever.
03:07But, no, that was, they filmed it for the video game, for the commercial.
03:11And then I, it was a surprise for me.
03:14So, when I heard about it, I had to go, wait, is this, I was like, is this legit?
03:17Like, I wasn't sure if a fan had, like, you know, made me in the game.
03:21And then I turned on my Xbox, and I was like, it's me!
03:23Luke, it's me!
03:24So, it was, it was an awesome surprise.
03:26I've just, I've been so busy, I haven't had a chance to really play the game, because I've just been
03:33on the road constantly.
03:34But, now, I've got it on Xbox, and I've got it on Steam as well.
03:38So, I'm going to get it on my Steam Deck, and we're going to get going here, because I'm excited
03:42to see everything the game has to offer.
03:44And, obviously, he's been busy, because people keep saying his name.
03:46Right, that is a great point.
03:49Now, I've heard the urban legend, I was kind of hoping we'd get some context.
03:53Is it true that video games are kind of what got you into wrestling to begin with?
03:58Yep.
03:59When I was, when I was in wrestling, when I was a fan of wrestling, I played the games for,
04:04I'd say, 20 hours a week, and I watched wrestling six hours a week.
04:07So, it was, it was the games that got me into it.
04:09Who was your go-to playable character in some of these video games?
04:14It was, it was always The Rock.
04:16It was always The Rock.
04:18So, for me, I remember what I would do is I would load up The Rock, it was SmackDown 2,
04:23I would load up The Rock with five finishers, and I would just, you know,
04:26so I would just hit my opponent, hit five people's elbows, done.
04:30What was it like going up against, or what has it been like kind of feuding with Ricky Saints?
04:35Do you feel like he's got a little bit of a Rock vibe going to him?
04:40Well, I'd say, you know, The Rock, The Pebble, you know, maybe a Rock vibe, who knows.
04:46But, maybe there's a song there, who knows.
04:50But, I will say, I'm super excited, I'm glad I managed to retain the championship, but this is the thing
04:57about NXT Live, you never know what happens next.
05:00I've got challengers all over the place, and you know, who knows who that challenger is going to be, because
05:08we're going to be in Allen, Texas.
05:10I'm super excited to visit you guys, and we're coming to the Credit Union of Texas Event Center.
05:15And, guys, look, here's the thing with NXT, right?
05:18We've got huge stars.
05:19I'm going to be a little bit arrogant when I say that.
05:21I'm going to try to stop myself from pointing to myself, but I just, we've got to be honest here.
05:26We've got huge stars.
05:27We've got you!
05:27Yes!
05:28We've got huge stars, we've got amazing athletes, and we've got the best women's division in wrestling today.
05:33This, to me, is the best value in entertainment, because guess what, guys?
05:37Tickets are starting at $25.
05:39That's fantastic.
05:40$25.
05:41That's fantastic.
05:42It's outrageous.
05:43Yeah.
05:44It's outrageous.
05:45$25 you can get along to this show.
05:47But that, to me, is the best value in entertainment.
05:49So, basically, what he's saying is, hey, get them while you can, because in the next go-around, when you're
05:54still champion, these ticket prices might go way up.
05:57Well, look, I think the thing that I love about NXT is that it's a really, like I say, we've
06:05got something for everyone on the show.
06:06If you've never seen professional wrestling before, you are going to love this.
06:09We've got action, we've got stars, and it's going to be fun.
06:12You know how the live events are, guys.
06:14It's going to be super fun.
06:15Yes.
06:15To this day, I have a story of, I took my eight-year-old at the time to a WWE
06:21live event.
06:22Brock Lesnar came out there and annihilated everybody in his path.
06:26But this is when the Shining Stars had their little travel brochures.
06:30And we were like, we want a travel brochure.
06:33And while one of them was knocked out unconscious, he slid one to my little son, and he thought it
06:38was the greatest thing ever.
06:40So, I'm definitely with you on that.
06:43And another—
06:44Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.
06:44Let me ask you.
06:45So, someone—say that again.
06:47Who gave them the travel brochure?
06:49So, the Shining Stars, when they would come out and talk about how great Puerto Rico was, and then Brock
06:55Lesnar came out there and annihilated everyone, and their brochures went flying.
07:00And we had a very good seat, and we were like, hey, help us out with the brochure.
07:04And one of the wrestlers was just like, yeah, let me just slide that over to your son.
07:08And it was just—it was freaking amazing.
07:10And he still has it.
07:12I gotta be honest with you.
07:13I love the fact that he's got the brochure.
07:15I love that.
07:16But if I'm wrestling Brock Lesnar, handing out brochures isn't going to be the first thing.
07:20I think that's probably why they got smashed.
07:23Now, one of the things that I know you've mentioned in the past is you talked about with CM Punk
07:28and John Cena.
07:29It's just like the business of being at the top, and one of the pieces of advice that they told
07:34you is like, hey, how much money did we make last time we were here?
07:37How much money did we make this time we were here?
07:39Are you still really interested in that business aspect of it all?
07:44Always have been.
07:45Yeah, you absolutely have to.
07:46Absolutely have to.
07:47I'm always keeping an eye on the metrics, the facts, and the figures.
07:51We're doing everything.
07:51The goal here is to take NXT to new heights continually.
07:55And it's something that we're super excited about.
07:58We love giving our best each and every week on CW as well.
08:03We love giving everything that we've got in these live events.
08:05Because here's the thing.
08:06If you give the people the absolute best show that you can, that means more people are going to come
08:11back next time.
08:12So expect the most amazing show when we come and visit.
08:16Well, Joe, we really appreciate all of your time today.
08:19Thank you so much.
08:20I'd love to have you on again sometime down the road.
08:23You know how to do that.
08:24And only talk music.
08:26I've got an 18-year-old who's going to college for music.
08:29So if we could do that at some point, have that conversation, I would love it since you love your
08:34music as well.
08:36Hey, well, who knows?
08:37You just never know when I might be releasing a musical project.
08:40So if that happens, just get in touch and we'll set up.
08:44That's what I'm talking about.
08:45Credit Union of Texas Event Center, used to be known as the Allen Event Center in Allen, March 28th.
08:52That's a Saturday night.
08:53You've got no excuses.
08:547.30 p.m.
08:56NXT champion Joe Hendry.
08:58Thank you so much for jumping on with us today.
09:01Thank you, guys.
09:02Appreciate it.
09:03There he goes.
09:03Joe Hendry right here on the KNC Masterpiece.
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