TNA World Champion Joe Hendry made waves with his surprise appearance at WWE WrestleMania 41 as the mystery opponent for Randy Orton. While Hendry came up short against “The Viper,” the spotlight firmly shone on the rising star during his high-profile debut on WWE’s grandest stage.
In a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, John Cena—who also had a career-defining night at WrestleMania 41—spoke highly of Hendry’s potential and charisma, recalling a brief interaction they shared months prior at the Royal Rumble.
“Joe is awesome. I got the chance to meet Joe at the Rumble, face-to-face. He had a small moment in Rumble and he’s like, ‘Hey, you’re good at this, how do I make this more?’ I gave him some advice, ‘You don’t. You go out there, you be yourself, and you make your moment, your moment. When you try to make your moment more than is given, that’s selfish. You’re a small piece of a great show.’ I thought he did excellent at the Rumble.”
Cena continued to sing Hendry’s praises for his WrestleMania showing, highlighting both his in-ring poise and presence on the big stage.
“I thought he was brilliant. If I don’t know that kid, I got to know him. He got to do his stuff, he got to be in a WrestleMania match with Randy Orton, and he got a fantastic moment in giving Randy his 20th WrestleMania (match). We got an introduction on a large level to Joe Hendry. I think he’s going to be a major player. He loves it and he gets it right. He has a great mind.”
While Hendry may have taken the loss, the TNA-WWE crossover moment continues to gain traction, with top stars like Cena recognizing the Scottish star’s long-term value.
Stay tuned to PWMania.com for more updates on Joe Hendry’s future and all the fallout from WrestleMania 41.
