WWE NXT had a few surprises up its sleeve tonight, including a reunion of an NXT Tag Team, but it saved its biggest surprise for last. Earlier in the night Brooks Jensen got reinstated to NXT and then proceeded to attack Je’Von Evans, which eliminated him from being able to tag with Trick Williams against Ethan Page and Shawn Spears. Williams tried to find another tag partner but it wasn’t revealed who that would be until the match was about to start, and then it was revealed to be none other than TNA’s Joe Hendry. Hendry and Williams would end up getting the win, but Williams wasn’t sure what to make of his new ally, and the commentary team played up the fact that we could have a new championship contender in the mix, teasing a future Title shot.
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A New Tag Partner
The crowd was in on Hendry from the beginning, even doing the wave right along with him. When the match started Williams hit Page and then knocked him down before throwing Spears into the ring and clocking him with multiple strikes in the corner. Williams then knocked Page for a loop before tagging Hendry in, who threw Spears up for a slam and then hit an impressive vertical suplex on Page. Williams went up top and knocked Spears down with a crossbody soon after.
Back from break, Hendry was able to break out of a hold from Page and tag in Williams, who knocked Page down with a roundhouse kick. Page came back and knocked Williams to the floor before throwing him back in the ring to Spears, but then Oro Mensah changed up everything when he ran in and started attacking Page. That caused Page to have to hop the barricade and run, leaving Spears on his own.
A New Title Challenger?
Hendry had Spears and hit him with a fallaway slam before more chants of “we believe” hit. Spears wasn’t happy and then Hendry threw him out of the ring so he could get hit with a Trick Shot. Hendry then lifted Spears and hit the big slam for a pin and the win, getting his first pin in NXT. A fist bump between the two winners followed and then they celebrated with some arm waves, but the commentary team started to play up the fact that NXT could have a new challenger to the NXT Championship here with Hendry, especially if he’s sticking around. Williams’ expression of warinessechoed this, and it looks as if Hendry and Williams might have to clash sooner rather than later if that’s the case.
While NXT might not have been prepared for just how big a reception Hendry received in his first appearance, they seem fully aware of it now. NXT teased Hendry’s return repeatedly over the past few days and even ended NXT Heatwave with Hendry’s turning towards the camera. If they’re ending their PLE with a Hendry tease, it’s clear they know he’s a draw, and that continued throughout tonight’s episode, with more teases of Hendry. He didn’t show up until the end of the show, but his presence was clearly felt.
What did you think of Hendry’s appearance on NXT? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!
