TNA World Champion Joe Hendry continues to garner praise across the wrestling world following his high-profile crossover appearances in WWE, including his surprise entry into the 2025 Royal Rumble and a singles match against Randy Orton at WrestleMania 41. But according to Hendry himself, it was a backstage conversation with John Cena that truly helped shape his mindset for those milestone moments.
Speaking on the Insight with Chris Van Vliet podcast, Hendry detailed the advice he received from the 17-time World Champion at the Royal Rumble Premium Live Event.
“So I remember going up to John… I said, ‘Hey, it’s great to ask your advice sometime.’ This is Rumble, where he’s got a huge spot here. He’s like, ‘Well, why don’t we go talk right now, and you can ask me anything you ever wanted to ask me.’”
Knowing he’d share the ring with Roman Reigns, Hendry asked Cena how to make the most of that moment.
“I’m in there with Roman. How do I take what I’ve got and make the most of it? How do I make it more?”
Cena’s response reshaped Hendry’s entire perspective.
“He said, ‘You don’t.’ He paused, and he explained to me… The viral moment at the Rumble for me was the entrance, looking around, coming in and hitting my moves on Miz, and then being eliminated by Roman. After Roman comes in, that’s his moment. So what John was trying to say is, your moment is coming out there, and now you’re a cog in a bigger machine.”
The advice resonated deeply with Hendry, prompting a shift in how he approached his subsequent WrestleMania bout with Randy Orton.
“That kind of taught me to instead of think selfishly about these moments… If I hadn’t had that conversation with John, I don’t know that I’d have been thinking about the best way to do the RKO. It’s like that got me thinking about it from that perspective. I really feel like me and Randy were just on the same page. He was awesome.”
Hendry concluded with heartfelt appreciation for both Orton and the opportunities presented to him.
“I can’t tell you how thankful I am to have all the moments that I’ve had.”
Hendry’s rising stock in both TNA and WWE circles continues to make him one of the most talked-about names in wrestling. With more crossover potential on the horizon, fans can expect to see a lot more of the self-professed “internet viral sensation.”
Stay tuned to PWMania.com for more exclusive updates on Joe Hendry, WWE/TNA collaboration developments, and all your wrestling news.
