Joe Hendry’s WWE WrestleMania Match Was Kept Quiet Until the Last Minute

WrestleMania 41 fans got a massive surprise when TNA Wrestling star Joe Hendry stepped through the curtain to answer Randy Orton’s open challenge. But it turns out, WWE wasn’t the only company caught off guard—so was TNA.

According to Fightful Select, “Joe Hendry is still under TNA contract,” and the company’s own roster didn’t know about the appearance until the eleventh hour. “A lot of people in TNA say they found out about the match yesterday,” the report noted, adding that WWE had already approached Hendry by the time of Kevin Owens’ injury announcement.

Owens, who was originally set to face Orton, had to bow out due to a serious neck issue that now requires surgery. With Orton still demanding a match for his 20th WrestleMania appearance, WWE scrambled to find a replacement—and Hendry was apparently the secret pick all along.

Hendry, wearing a custom WrestleMania t-shirt, made his entrance to a roaring crowd before losing to Orton in a short but electric match. Afterward, Orton raised Hendry’s hand before dropping him with one more RKO for good measure.

This surprise crossover moment now has fans wondering if WWE and TNA are cooking something behind the scenes—or if this was a one-night-only shock. Either way, Hendry just made a huge impression on wrestling’s biggest stage.

Do you think this opens the door for more TNA stars to appear in WWE? Or was Hendry just a one-off moment? Drop your thoughts in the comments and let us know what you think about WWE’s big gamble.