Following years of hard work and dedication, Joe Hendry has finally made it to the WWE main roster.
Previously a star on the UK independents, Hendry broke into the US thanks to his work in TNA wrestling, which led to him joining the WWE roster via NXT. On the April 27 Raw, Hendry officially arrived on the red brand by performing a concert live on Netflix. Poking fun at Logan Paul, Hendry managed to stand tall during his first night on the main roster, albeit with an assist from The Street Profits.
Set to turn 38 in early May, Hendry is one of the most experienced call-ups in recent times. With his time on the biggest show in wrestling now underway, what can fans expect from the Scottish star moving forward?
Joe Hendry: Future WWE Champion Or Destined For The Undercard?
The Call-Up
While many NXT call-ups have found themselves in a match on Raw to pick up an easy win, Joe Hendry made his debut in a more unique way. As has been the case with his time in NXT and TNA, the former TNA World Champion performed a live song where Logan Paul was the punchline. Hendry sang that Logan Paul should be fired, with announcer Michael Cole obnoxiously singing along to the chorus on commentary. As someone who has found Hendry to be entertaining throughout his run, Cole’s comments made the segment hard to get through, especially as Raw’s latest addition is supposed to be a firm fan favourite.
Although making fun of Logan Paul will remain a way to elicit a positive response from the fans for the foreseeable future, it could be argued that singing a song about wanting someone to lose their job just a few days after more than 20 wrestlers got released was not the best move.
Predictably, Paul and Austin Theory interrupted and began a beatdown on Hendry until The Street Profits made the save. Although Hendry stood tall, he did feel without direction at the end as it’s clear that Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins are chasing The Vision’s tag team gold. Hopefully, WWE has a long-term Joe Hendry plan in place as opposed to a call-up for the sake of a call-up.
The Reputation Proceeds Him
Even if fans only watch main roster TV, this won’t be the first time they have seen Hendry in action. With 3 TV appearances in 2025, Hendry was a surprise entrant in the Royal Rumble, Randy Orton’s surprise WrestleMania opponent, and made a cameo appearance alongside R-Truth at December’s Saturday Night’s Main Event special, the site of Cena’s final match. However, unlike previous call-ups such as Oba Femi and Bron Breakker, Hendry did not have the strongest start. Eliminated easily from the Rumble and effectively squashed by Randy Orton at Mania, has Hendry already hit his ceiling before the journey has officially begun?
While fans can remember some of the bad times, they can also be quick to forget. The New Day did not have the best start when they formed, but went on to be one of the greatest factions of all time. Additionally, Big E, Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston all picked up individual accolades on top of tag team gold. Hendry is not being presented on the same level as Oba Femi right now, but things could change.
Another positive on Hendry’s side is that he is from the UK, a market that has always supported WWE very strongly. From Drew McIntyre to Kit Wilson to the recently returning Paige, British fans love a native star they can get behind. When Raw returns to London in the summer, expect to hear a thunderous ovation for Hendry.
The Music Videos
As fans are well aware, no one does WWE like WWE. With the biggest production budget of any pro wrestling company, access to countless legends and the ability to pretty much make anything happen, in theory there is no limit to what Hendy could pull off with his parody songs. Fans of Hendry’s work in the UK have previously seen the Scottish star mock the likes of Drew McIntyre, Kurt Angle and Scotty 2 Hotty, and on the Raw roster there are a lot of choices for fresh rivalires. However, joining WWE could be more of a hindrance than a help for Hendry given the potential exposure. While bands and record companies won’t look twice at their song being parodied on a local independent show, national TV is a lot different. There’s a reason licensed songs are used so rarely by wrestlers, and it comes down to money. Hendry may get the rights to a big song for a big match, but don’t expect any Creed or Bon Jovi parodies anytime soon.
That being said, Hendry is no stranger to creating viral songs. With the right opponent, context and melody, there’s no reason why the former NXT Champion can’t go viral again.
Too Much Comedy?
To say that WWE does not take itself seriously is putting it lightly. Very much marketed as entertainment, there is very much a space to give the fans laughs as much as there is gripping moments and emotional reactions. However, with the likes of R-Truth and Danhausen also being present, the company has an embarrassment of riches for the light-hearted role. With Danhausen terrorising the undercard, Roman Reigns on top and a high-paced mid-card, where does Hendry realistically fit on the red brand?
A Heel Hendry?
The Scottish star has been presented as a clear fan favourite ever since he arrived in the US. With a catchy theme song, audience participation and the ‘Say his name and he appears’ gag, the live crowds have been very much behind the former NXT and TNA World Champion. But as this is wrestling, no one is beloved by the fans forever. Hendry has been a heel on the indies, and there is no reason why it can’t be revisited in WWE. However, with a musical act and the option to insult the hometown fans before being interrupted, there is the danger of Hendry veering into Elias territory. Even though Elias did get to interact with some of the biggest names from wrestling’s past and present, it did have a limited shelf life. That being said, having Hendry share the ring with a legend could create some fun TV.
The In-Ring Work
Hendry would be the first to admit that he won’t be doing Canadian Destroyers off the top rope or moonsaults to the outside, but that isn’t what WWE is all about. From Hulk Hogan to John Cena and Roman Reigns, the big stars in WWE have made a long and successful career out of doing select moves well and being a compelling character. With a background in amateur wrestling and working a style with minimal risk, Hendry could easily mix it up with the top stars on the brand and serve as the lovable underdog.
Also, not everyone has to be Gunther. Despite the fact that she regularly loses and is the butt of the joke more often than not, Chelsea Green has become one of the biggest stars on SmackDown. While Green has no problems losing, she has found success individually and as a tag team. While some fans may not like this statement, with WWE, it has always been about the moments more than the in-ring result.
Joe Hendry In WWE: The Verdict
If fans get behind Joe Hendry enough, there is no reason why he can’t have a reign with one of the top championships, even if it is a short Jey Uso-esque run with the gold. It doesn’t have to be a long and epic journey to the top, especially with the Money in the Bank briefcase being right there for the taking. While a tag team or mid-card title is more realistic, history has shown that just about anything can happen in professional wrestling. With enough fan support, there’s no reason why Hendry couldn’t rise to the main event scene. It appeared that at one point this may have been the case for LA Knight, who has been on somewhat of a similar journey to Hendry, but sadly, the company had other plans.
No matter what happens, Hendry has reached a level in professional wrestling that very few have been able to achieve. Whenever this all ends, which could be years from now, Hendry will be more than set on the independent and convention circuit. Getting over on his own, Hendry deserves the success he is getting at this stage of his career, and is proof that perseverance can lead to big things at any stage of someone’s career.
With enough belief, Hendry could have a WWE career filled with highlights that may live on for years to come. Some may think that Hendry’s time is limited, but they also predicted he would never get here in the first place…
Featured image: WWE
