Jakk Sellstrom says Joe Hendry benchmark can help WWE hopefuls
Jakk Sellstrom says the latest advice for wrestlers chasing WWE attention is to get over on joe hendry levels. The former NXT UK star, who now coaches in the UK, framed that benchmark after the most recent WWE tryouts took place in the UK this past week.
“The latest thing that I got told that would grab their attention was to ‘get over’ – ‘get over on Joe Hendry levels.’ Take that for what you will,” Sellstrom said on his YouTube channel. For wrestlers trying to read a recruitment process that changes by the person in front of WWE, that is the clearest target he could give them.
Sellstrom’s read on WWE
Sellstrom said he was not a WWE talent scout, but he has asked for years what the company is currently looking for in recruits. His answer was blunt: “I don’t even think they know until they see it. That is the God’s honest truth.”
He said the results he has seen back that up. Some wrestlers got signed because they were heavyweights who could move like cruiserweights. Others got through with a really good promo, or because of a certain look. “Whatever it is, it’s different for everyone. There’s not one thing I can say to you, ‘You’re gonna get signed for that,’” he said.
Gear, promos, gym work
Sellstrom’s advice to hopeful wrestlers was practical rather than mystical. “Work on all areas. Work on presenting yourself like a star. Get good quality gear. Get good boots. Your overall presentation, your character, be as unique as possible,” he said.
He also told wrestlers to “work on your promos, work on yourself in the gym, work on all of these areas.” That is the part that turns his comment from a slogan into a checklist: presentation, physical condition, and speaking ability all sit in the same pile when WWE is watching.
Recruit page and scouts
Sellstrom added a concrete route for wrestlers who want to stay visible. “Other things you can be doing – you can go on their Recruit page, you can create yourself a profile, update it every few months,” he said.
He also named the people he believes matter in and out of the United States: “Internationally outside the US it’s Jim Smallman. If you’re in the United States, get hold of Gabe Sapolsky.” His final line was the closest thing to a rulebook: “It is very hard to be ignored if you are going above and beyond.”
For wrestlers at the UK tryouts, that is the useful part. The Joe Hendry standard is not a guarantee, but it is a sign that standing out means more than one good match or one good look; it means building enough presence that the room notices fast.
