Backstage News On Joe Hendry's WWE NXT Debut

Someone uttered the words "say his name" and Joe Hendry appeared on the June 18 edition of WWE NXT, making his debut in the process as he was one of the surprise entrants in the Battle Royal to determine Trick Williams' challenger for the NXT Championship at Heatwave. 

Hendry received a huge pop inside the WWE Performance Center for his debut and he opened the show, saying he would take the NXT Championship back to TNA. Things didn't quite work out that way, though, as Hendry was the first man eliminated from the Battle Royal by fellow TNA talent Frankie Kazarian. The two wrestlers have been feuding in recent weeks and Kazarian defeated Hendry at Against All Odds last week. 

Hendry was furious about what happened during his NXT debut and he was shown backstage complaining to WWE Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative Shawn Michaels, during which Hendry said he would appear anywhere at any time on any show. 

Hendry's debut came together after a more permanent working relationship between WWE NXT and TNA Wrestling was established over the past month which led to Jordynne Grace challenging for the NXT Women's Title at Battleground and Tatum Paxley challenging for the TNA Knockouts World Championship at Against All Odds. 

There had been references to Joe Hendry on WWE NXT and Monday Night Raw in recent weeks, with Fightful Select's Corey Brennan reporting that the teases were intentional and had been planned out. 

Brennan further noted that Hendry has long had admirers within WWE NXT, particularly due to his charisma and comedic ability. One NXT talent believed it would be a "lapse of judgement" if WWE didn't make Hendry a part of the crossover between TNA and NXT.

The crossover between WWE NXT and TNA is reportedly set to continue and talent within NXT believe the current arrangement is "far from over."