Joe Hendry has not appeared on WWE television for nearly a month, but the popular crossover star is continuing to embrace the storyline explanation for his absence.
Hendry’s most recent appearance came on the May 25 edition of Monday Night Raw, where he was in the middle of performing his popular “Fire Logan Paul” parody song when he was blindsided by Austin Theory.
Theory, representing The Vision faction, attacked Hendry from behind with a steel chair, leaving the former TNA World Champion laid out and writing him off WWE programming.
Since then, Hendry has remained absent from WWE television.
During an appearance on Early Bird Special, Hendry stayed firmly in character while addressing his current condition and joking about the severity of the attack.
“Things are a little crazy right now. Logan’s injury happened, we thought he was going to be gone for a long time and he’s reappeared.”
Hendry then turned his attention to the attack that sidelined him.
“I got attacked by Austin Theory with 87 chair shots, so I’m still recovering from that. Things are a little crazy at the moment.”
The reference to Logan Paul stems from the same episode of Raw, when WWE announced that Paul had suffered a torn triceps injury. The injury led to Bron Breakker stepping in as Austin Theory’s replacement tag team partner and altered several storylines on the red brand.
Before being taken out of action, Hendry had been gaining significant momentum with WWE audiences through a series of musical segments and comedic appearances that capitalized on the popularity he built during his run as TNA World Champion.
His crossover success became one of the more unique elements of WWE’s ongoing relationship with TNA Wrestling, helping introduce Hendry to a broader audience while maintaining his signature blend of humor, charisma, and crowd interaction.
Although Hendry’s comments were clearly made in storyline, they suggest WWE is continuing to keep the angle alive while fans wait for his eventual return.
Whether that return comes as part of a renewed feud with Austin Theory, The Vision, or another WWE star remains to be seen, but Hendry’s popularity has continued to grow despite his absence from television.
For now, according to Hendry himself, he’s still recovering from those “87 chair shots.”
