Joe Hendry Raves About Experience Backstage At WWE WrestleMania 42
When WWE veteran Kevin Owens had to withdraw from his WrestleMania 42 match due to injury, Randy Orton was suddenly left without an opponent. Obviously someone in WWE must ahve said Joe Hendry's name, because he appeared and answered Orton's WrestleMania 42 open challenge to which the promotion had to pivot. Hendry spoke about his experience while talking with Chris Van Vliet on his "Insight" podcast and his excitement is evident.
"I can't believe this is real," Hendry said of his feelings in the moment. After his match with Orton, Hendry said he headed backstage and spoke with Orton, CM Punk and Cody Rhodes. He then mentioned the little room WWE had set up for him, describing his entry into the venue as a "military operation" — something Triple H should know all about, based on his time with DX. "But I was walking from this little room I had. I was just walking past. And again, this is when life doesn't feel real, who could have timed this? So I'm walking back. You actually saw this in the backstage footage. I had a nice conversation with Michael Cole. I had a wonderful, quick conversation with Stephanie McMahon as well.
Hendry said he watched the rest of WrestleMania 42 with William Regal, someone he credits with helping him understand the wrestlign business better. "He talked to me for two hours when I just started to go, this is what this game is. Ultimately, the big message was that pro wrestling is about building trust with the audience, trust with your peers, trust with your colleagues, trust with management."
"So I'm walking back from there, and at the same moment the match has just finished, John is walking back with his WWE Championship," Hendry saiud. "He's literally just become the greatest of all time. It's now a fact he's the greatest of all time. He's walking back, and this is how awesome John is. Sees me, once he came out of Gorilla, immediately walks over to me."
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Insight" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.