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Say His Name and He Appears: Joe Hendry Arrives at the Men's Royal Rumble

Say His Name and He Appears: Joe Hendry Arrives at the Men’s Royal Rumble

Say his name and he appears…On Saturday, amid the most stacked Royal Rumble perhaps ever, WWE and TNA’s relationship took center stage when Joe Hendry made his debut in the match to a huge reaction from the crowd.

From June to September, Joe Hendry enjoyed a bit of a residency in NXT, participating in seven matches and winning four of them, including a #1 contendership for Ethan Page’s NXT Championship. Hendry was unsuccessful in his attempt to claim the title, but his stint in NXT was memorable nonetheless.

This time around, however, Joe Hendry showed up in WWE in a scene you’d have to see to believe. Having recently defeated Nic Nemeth (thanks to an assist from JBL) to claim his first-ever TNA World Championship, Hendry arrived for the rumble much as Jordynne Grace did the year before, with belt in hand. It’s still a bit surreal hearing TNA name-dropped on broadcasts, let alone their wrestlers showing up on WWE shows. Seeing the championship belts on those shows, though, is truly something it’s hard to believe anyone ever would have suspected.

Joe Hendry acquitted himself well in the match, entering at number 15. He was well received and got quite a loud and positive crowd reaction. He got to mix it up with the likes of Jacob Fatu, Sheamus, and even Roman Reigns.

Hendry would ultimately be eliminated by Reigns, making his appearance a short-lived one. Let’s hope that this is not the last of Hendry on the main roster.

It’s time to believe in Joe Hendry in 2025.

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Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on Joe Hendry, the WWE Royal Rumble, and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. You can check out an almost unlimited array of WWE content on the WWE Network and Peacock.

About Marilee Gallagher, Manager

Marilee Gallagher is a Philadelphia native and lifelong sports fan with interests beyond just the major five U.S. sporting leagues. At Last Word on Sports, she is the Department Manager for Last Word on Pro Wrestling, helping lead a team that covers WWE, AEW, and indies both in the U.S. and internationally. Past writing experience includes time as a featured columnist for Bleacher Report and Rant Sports.