Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, wrestling enthusiasts of all ages! Buckle up for a tale as wild as a wrestler’s costume collection! On the latest “WWE NXT,” an unexpected star made a dramatic, albeit brief, appearance. That star was none other than TNA’s Joe Hendry, and his journey from TNA to WWE was as short as a campaign promise—36 seconds, to be exact.
Someone must have whispered his name three times, Beetlejuice style, because Hendry magically appeared in the 25-man number one contender Battle Royal that kicked off the June 18 show. The fans in attendance went wild, truly believing in the power of Hendry. But alas, Hendry’s moment in the sun was snatched away faster than a kid’s candy on Halloween, courtesy of fellow TNA star Frankie Kazarian.
That’s right, folks. In a dramatic twist worthy of a soap opera, Hendry was unceremoniously tossed out of the ring by his TNA buddy Kazarian, clocking in a participation time shorter than a commercial break. But don’t count Hendry out just yet! He took to social media with a message as defiant as a cat refusing to come down from a tree: “Anywhere, Anytime, ANY SHOW @WWE @ThisIsTNA.” Boom. Mic drop.
Before his untimely exit, Hendry hyped himself up as the “24 versus one sensation,” but it seems he wasn’t thrilled about facing 24 wrestlers all at once. Post-elimination, he took his frustrations out on none other than WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels. With a level of sarcasm that could cut through steel, Hendry questioned if it was HBK’s grand idea to pit “Joe Hendry versus NXT.” Classic.
The battle royal eventually crowned Je’Von Evans as the victor, who will now head to Heatwave on July 7 to challenge Trick Williams for the NXT Championship. As for Hendry, until WWE calls his name again, he’s set to continue his feud with Kazarian over in TNA. The two have been at each other’s throats like cats and dogs, with Kazarian recently triumphing over Hendry at TNA’s Against All Odds event.
Adding more fuel to this fiery feud, Hendry has aligned himself with former AEW standout and current TNA producer Ace Steel. Steel is gearing up for a Chicago Street Fight against Kazarian on the June 20 “TNA Impact,” seeking revenge on behalf of his new pal Hendry.
So, there you have it! Joe Hendry’s WWE NXT debut may have been fleeting, but it has set the stage for an explosive continuation of his rivalry with Kazarian. Will we see Hendry back in WWE for a longer stint? Only time, and perhaps another whispered name, will tell!