WWE Already Had Joe Hendry in Motion for WrestleMania Before Kevin Owens’ Injury Went Public

WrestleMania 41 fans were stunned when TNA World Champion Joe Hendry showed up as Randy Orton’s mystery opponent—but as it turns out, that shocking crossover wasn’t as last-minute as it looked.

According to Fightful Select, WWE had already started lining up Hendry for the match before Kevin Owens publicly announced his neck injury. The wheels were in motion, and many in TNA reportedly only found out “for sure on Saturday,” just hours before the match took place. Hendry wasn’t listed internally on WWE’s production run sheets, helping keep the surprise tightly under wraps.

Though Hendry is still under TNA contract, it was also confirmed that the deal is set to expire sometime within the next 12 months. “Hendry has an agent now, and we’ve been told along the way that WWE naturally has maintained interest,” the report noted. WWE has reportedly brought him in for various appearances and matches before.

In another major revelation, Sports Illustrated’s Jon Alba confirmed Fightful’s earlier report that WWE had previously approached Hendry for a match on Monday Night Raw in Glasgow. That pitch? A short program with The Miz. However, TNA management—specifically Ariel Shnerner—shut it down, reportedly because the match would have involved Hendry taking a loss. Some in the company now believe that decision may have played a role in Shnerner’s eventual termination.

Despite online backlash over Hendry’s quick defeat at WrestleMania, Fightful noted that TNA staff and talent were largely unfazed. “They felt like it was more exposure for TNA,” the outlet wrote, suggesting that the moment could ultimately benefit the promotion more than it hurts.

So while Hendry didn’t walk away with a victory, he may have kicked open a new door—for himself and TNA.