WWE Royal Rumble 2025: 10 Surprise Entrants We Could See

7. Joe Hendry

NXT Joe Hendry
WWE

Anyone who has followed Joe Hendry's career knows how much value he's put into properly marketing himself online. That was true when he was a 'Local Hero' and 'Prestigious One' on the independent scene, and it's true now he's tearing it up in TNA. It was only a matter of time before WWE took notice. They handed Joe an impressive short stint in NXT last year.

That won't be the last time you see the guy on WWE programming. Shawn Michaels reportedly loved him, and there's been a lot of talk on socials amongst fans about an expected spot in the 2025 Rumble for Hendry. Why not? His entrance alone would be special, and it'd introduce Joe to a whole new casual market via the group's new venture on Netflix.

Whether it's expected by some or not, seeing any non-WWE full timer in the Rumble will always register as a surprise. Hendry would benefit from working around 10-15 minutes, especially if he gets to share the ring with huge names like Roman Reigns, John Cena, CM Punk and others. That'd help the Scot on his road to eventually becoming a megastar himself.

Numbers on X and YouTube were impressive when Hendry stopped by NXT last summer. WWE would've been paying attention to that, because those metrics matter in today's biz. Triple H might well be willing to try Joe on for size and see if he'd pan out longer term. A 'try before you buy' situation, in other words.

Trust the process? Nah, believe in Joe Hendry!

Contributor

Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.