Joe Hendry has a knack for making the inconceivable a actuality. It is how he is cultivated such a large swathe of believers. The TNA world champion arguably acquired a louder ovation than any WWE celebrity on the 2025 WWE Royal Rumble. Now he is planted the seeds for one thing much more formidable: a match with John Cena.
“John laid down the problem. He stated it is on me to make it occur. I settle for that problem,” Hendry informed CBS Sports activities. “I have to rise to the event to make that one of essentially the most compelling matchups in skilled wrestling. John stated if I can generate the excitement to the purpose the place the events that want to need that match to occur, he’ll be there for it.”
Hendry and Cena had an intensive dialog on the Rumble in Indianapolis. In response to Hendry, Cena shared phrases of knowledge and conditionally accepted his request for a match between them. The burden falls on Hendry to make the match of plain fan curiosity. That is an incredible process. Cena is arguably the best WWE celebrity of all time and a bonafide Hollywood star. Hendry, regardless of his outstanding rise and standing as coveted TNA world champion, has a mountain to climb as a non-WWE performer.
If Cena’s problem wasn’t daring sufficient, it additionally comes with a time restrict. The 16-time world champion is at present on his farewell tour. Cena will retire on the finish of 2025 and everybody desires a job in his remaining in-ring 12 months.
“We do not have a number of time left,” Hendry stated. “That’s the matchup I am on the lookout for. It is an enormous objective for me this 12 months and in my profession. John Cena was the first wrestler I ever spoke to after I was 15 years previous. The matchup means loads to me.”
Cena vs. Hendry is about greater than profession accomplishments. It is a story 20 years within the making. Cena was Hendry’s favourite professional wrestler. It is Cena who sparked Hendry’s curiosity within the enterprise. Naturally, a 15-year-old Hendry was saddened when he could not attend an area meet-and-greet together with his hero. Till he acquired the cellphone name of a lifetime. Hendry’s buddy, who went to the meet-and-greet with out him, informed Cena of his predicament. Cena agreed to name Hendry, holding up a fan queue for 10 minutes to talk with him. That teenager can be blown away to suppose a match with Cena would ever be on the desk.
“In a wierd approach, it was an analogous state of affairs. He gave me time when he did not have to after I was 15. He gave me time when he did not have to over [Royal Rumble] weekend,” Hendry stated. “It was a really full-circle second for me.
“However, truthfully, I feel that 15-year-old can be blown away and extremely proud. As a result of that 15-year-old actually did not suppose he was able to a lot. I assume I’ve proved to him that we’ll obtain one thing.”
Studying that Hendry as soon as thought so little of himself is jarring. Missing self-confidence is the antithesis of his model. His theme music is titled, “I Consider In Joe Hendry” — a tune that went viral on social media and peaked at No. 4 on the UK’s Official Large Prime 40 charts. However very like Hendry encourages followers to imagine in him, he additionally has realized to imagine in himself.
Hendry vividly remembers the day he broke his dad’s coronary heart. Hendry’s father had inspired his son to pursue a black belt in Judo, however Hendry stated that folks like him weren’t reduce out for such achievements. Poetically, Hendry was gifted with inconceivable self-belief the day he was lastly awarded that honor.
“I am only a regular man giving it my greatest and making an attempt to get this finished. I suppose folks establish with that,” Hendry stated. “I did not come into sports activities or teachers with an abundance of expertise. I’ve needed to work actually laborious to develop into gifted.
“It did not really feel like a lot got here naturally to me at a excessive stage.”
The Royal Rumble is one instance of Hendry’s ambitiousness. Hendry’s raucous shock look on the Royal Rumble performed out in entrance of roughly 70,000 followers. Hendry describes it as “an unfathomable quantity of individuals.” And though the deal got here collectively very near the date — Hendry had booked a number of appearances in Indianapolis simply in case — Hendry willed it into existence a 12 months earlier than.
“I walked into my college students after the final Rumble when Jordynne [Grace] appeared. I stated to them, ‘Mark my phrases, I will be in that subsequent Rumble.’ And I used to be,” Hendry stated. “I informed folks I might win this [TNA] championship and I did. I’ve delivered and executed on each single factor I stated I used to be going to.”
WWE and TNA formally introduced a multi-year partnership this 12 months after working collectively regularly in 2024. However seeing the TNA world championship on a serious WWE pay-per-view continues to be unbelievable. Hendry is proud to be on this place, seeing it as a chance to offer again to the corporate that has invested a lot in him.
“I bear in mind watching AJ Types come from TNA Wrestling and getting into the Royal Rumble,” Hendry stated. “I used to be considering, ‘Woah, what a solution to make an affect!’ Pun meant, if you’ll. I felt like it will be such a ridiculous notion that I might in the future do the identical factor.
“TNA actually elevated me and gave me the event I wanted to be the skilled wrestler I knew I may very well be. Now it is my flip to return the favor and elevate this championship, which is already a massively prestigious championship… I wish to generate enterprise for TNA and contribute so different folks can get the event that I bought. It is such an essential firm in skilled wrestling.”
Try the complete interview with Joe Hendry beneath.
How can Hendry procure sufficient curiosity to make the match a actuality? He is doing it daily. He is lobbying for it on social media, in interviews and rallying his large Web fanbase round a second as highly effective because the dream that fuels it.
“I imagine I used to be given the fantastic alternative of being within the Royal Rumble as a result of it was nice for the followers, it was nice for TNA and hopefully I contributed one thing to WWE within the course of,” Hendry stated. “I feel the identical logic must be utilized to the John Cena match.
“If I can generate sufficient buzz the place I can contribute, then it is a chance. However it’s very a lot on me. To be clear, identical to the Rumble, folks have been asking me concerning the Rumble for over a 12 months earlier than it occurred. I didn’t know till shortly earlier than however I deliberate as if it have been going to occur. I am enjoying to win and it’s a must to on this sport.”
The TNA world champion squaring off with Cena, WWE’s main man from 2005 to 2015, was as soon as reserved for fantasy matchmaking and video video games. In 2025, it is unlikely however not inconceivable. There may not be a greater underdog to place your chips on in 2025. There is a cause so many individuals imagine in Joe Hendry.
“I belief my intestine as a result of that is all you have on this sport,” Hendry stated. “Trusting my intestine has bought me to an unimaginable place proper now. I am trusting my intestine that going for this John Cena match is the precise factor to do.”