Ladies and gentlemen, buckle up because the wrestling world’s biggest plot twist since that time Uncle Vinny tried to wrestle a bear is upon us! The recent NXT Heatwave had more surprises than a magician at a pickpocket convention, and it’s all thanks to a brief yet electric cameo by none other than Joe Hendry.
For those of you binge-watching the NXT/TNA crossover like it’s the latest season of “Wrestling and the Restless,” you may have noticed something peculiar during the final moments of NXT Heatwave. Just as the dust settled from the main event’s fatal four-way chaos, Joe Hendry’s face appeared on our screens for a grand total of, wait for it, two seconds. Yes, folks, TWO SECONDS! Blink and you would’ve missed it. Hendry, the TNA sensation known for his viral antics, was last seen in WWE action on June 18th during a 25-man battle royal, probably just to remind everyone that the Scotsman can indeed outnumber the numbers.
Our insiders over at Fightful Select have dropped the mother of all bombshells: WWE is planning to make Joe Hendry the new pied piper of their viral kingdom. Think of it as the ultimate game of “Where’s Waldo?” but with more wrestling moves and fewer striped shirts. The powers-that-be are apparently banking on Hendry’s knack for becoming an internet sensation faster than you can say, “Did he just tweet that?”
Rumors are swirling like a wrestler in a spin cycle that WWE sees Hendry, much like the formidable TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace, as the golden goose ready to lay a million clicks’ worth of golden eggs. The word on the street is that serious wooing is in order once Hendry’s TNA deal expires. Senior VP of Talent Development Shawn Michaels, during the NXT Heatwave media call, practically gushed over the prospect of reuniting with the man, the myth, the meme legend. Michaels even compared Hendry’s out-of-the-box approach to, well, someone who’s never even heard of the box.
Hendry, ever the showman, responded to the cameo on X (formerly Twitter for those living under a social media rock) with a screenshot and the caption “Compliments to the Chef,” a cheeky nod to the viral meme of Michaels donning a chef’s hat—courtesy of Jordynne Grace. Now, if that doesn’t scream, “I’m cooking up something special,” I don’t know what does.
So, wrestling fans, keep your eyes peeled and your memes at the ready. Joe Hendry is coming, and he’s bringing more viral content than a cat video marathon.