In a recent episode of the podcast “Rewind, Recap, Relive”, the TNA World Champion Joe Hendry recalled a memorable backstage experience with Triple H at the 2025 WWE Royal Rumble event, sharing,
“Well on that occasion, I was waiting ready to go. They were saying, ‘We’ll give you the signal.’ And then I see Triple H walking over to me, put his arm around me and we took the photo, so that’s what happened right before my music played. It was awesome.”
During this particular WWE Royal Rumble event, Hendry had the distinction of being the first active male TNA athlete to participate, entering the fray at the 15th spot. Even though his entrance incited an enthusiastic cheer from the crowd, his Rumble stint was cut short by the 16th competitor, Roman Reigns, and Hendry did not end up eliminating any of his rivals.
Having already made appearances for WWE several times, including a bid for the NXT World Championship title in 2024, Hendry has attracted attention from the WWE franchise. Rumors hint at WWE’s interest in expanding Hendry’s role and potentially securing him under their banner once his contract with TNA concludes.
Joe Hendry also spoke about his encounter with Triple H at The Royal Rumble:
[embedded video]