Just a few hours after NXT General Manager Ava assigned Jordynne Grace as the special guest referee for the NXT vs TNA Women’s match at NXT Showdown, TNA Director of Authority Santino replied in a way only the Milan Miracle can. Even if Joe Hendry announced he would appear at NXT Showdown, Marella announced that Hendry would be the special guest referee of the NXT vs TNA Men’s Survivor Series-style match.
Team NXT will feature WWE NXT Champion Ricky Saints, TNA World Champion Trick Williams, Je’Von Evans, and Myles Borne. As for Team TNA, they will be represented by Mike Santana, Moose, TNA X-Division Champion Leon Slater, and TNA International Champion Frankie Kazarian. Hendry will have a massive task on his hands, primarily because of how polarizing both teams will be toward him.
Joe Hendry was meant to be there
On NXT, TNA Team Captains Mike Santana and Kelani Jordan were unsure of whose side Joe Hendry and Jordynne Grace would be on, and they’re not leaving next week up to chance. As a result, neither of them was picked for Team TNA. If Joe Hendry complained about the situation, like Jordynne Grace did, he announced on Friday that he would appear at NXT Showdown, whether someone says his name or not.
In his message, Joe Hendry agreed with Grace, saying, “none of this happened without Jordynne Grace.” He added that he changed the entire landscape of NXT vs TNA and confirmed he would be there tomorrow at NXT Showdown. Santino Marella made it official: Hendry would be the special guest referee of the NXT vs. TNA Men’s match.
It’s official, @joehendry will be the special guest referee for the men’s survivor series style match at #showdown #TNA #NXT @ThisIsTNA @WWENXT pic.twitter.com/ZhDXf2hECa
— Santino Marella (@milanmiracle) October 6, 2025
What Santino Marella Didn’t Say
NXT General Manager Ava had a request in her reply to Jordynne Grace yesterday. “I know that you have a history with a lot of these women, so I’m asking you, please be professional and use your discretion,” said Ava. This is exactly what we could have expected from Marella, but he didn’t say these words.
Since the beginning of the year, Hendry has spent more time on NXT than in TNA, even more since he lost the TNA World Championship. It will be interesting to see where Hendry’s loyalties rest in this important, tag-team elimination match. It has been reported that Hendry is expected to join WWE full-time when the time is right, and he has made several appearances for the brand, including this weekend.
Joe Hendry appears in Gainesville, Florida this Saturday at NXT Live
👏👏 pic.twitter.com/iRcaKWY4xr— Joe Hendry (@joehendry) October 1, 2025
Who will be the Traitor(s)?
Jordynne Grace left TNA Wrestling to sign with WWE NXT, becoming a full-time member of the NXT roster. Joe Hendry is still under contract with TNA Wrestling despite spending a lot of time in NXT. TNA Knockouts World Champion, NXT’s Kelani Jordan, is the TNA Team Captain despite being Champion for only a few days.
Mara Sadé is a former NXT talent turned TNA Knockout, whom Kelani Jordan almost called Jakara Jackson during the announcement of the NXT and TNA teams’ participants. And I would be remiss not to remind you that NXT’s Trick Williams is the TNA World Champion. We may all have an idea, but we’ll find out this Tuesday night.
Dont worry bby I’ll call it
RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE 🔥 https://t.co/nCPpdTsYTM— Jordynne Grace (@JordynneGrace) October 4, 2025
WWE NXT vs. TNA Wrestling Showdown – Tuesday, October 7
- TNA vs. NXT Survivor Series Men’s Match (Joe Hendry as guest referee): Team NXT (NXT Champion Ricky Starks, TNA World Champion Trick Williams, Myles Borne, and Je’Von Evans) vs. Team TNA (Mike Santana, TNA International Champion Frankie Kazarian, Moose, and TNA X-Division Champion Leon Slater)
- TNA vs. NXT Survivor Series Women’s Match (Jordynne Grace as guest referee): Team NXT (NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne, Sol Ruca, Jaida Parker, and Lola Vice) vs. Team TNA (TNA Knockouts World Champion Kelani Jordan, TNA Knockouts World Tag Team Champions Jessie McKay and Cassie Lee, and Mara Sadé)
- Winner Takes All Match: NXT’s Tag Team Champions Darkstate vs. TNA World Tag Team Champions The Hardys
- NXT North American Championship: Ethan Page (c) vs. Mustafa Ali
NEXT WEEK at #NXTShowdown
👊 Team @WWENXT vs. Team @ThisIsTNA – Men's and Women’s Survivor Series Style Matches
🙌 The Hardy Boyz vs. DarkState – Winner Takes All Tag Team Championship Match
😤 @OfficialEGO vs. @MustafaAli_X – North American Championship Match
📺 8ET/7CT… pic.twitter.com/9eF1DDI6jJ
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) October 1, 2025
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