Say his name, and he appears. I believe in Joe Hendry.
Man, last year in WWE 2K25, Joe Hendry was huge in the custom creations. Seriously, I kept seeing him everywhere! It made sense though, he’s a really popular guy with the community.
Everyone was surprised to see the then-TNA Champion at the 2025 Royal Rumble, though many had predicted his appearance. What really shocked people was when he showed up at WrestleMania, accepting an open challenge to wrestle Randy Orton.
Hendry’s recent popularity is really showing. Even with the collaboration between WWE and TNA, he wasn’t included in the game’s roster last year, which the developers at Visual Concepts acknowledge is a difficult situation. As Creative Director Lynell Jinks explained last year, they’re always facing tough choices when building the roster.
Man, I was so hyped for WWE 2K26, and Visual Concepts totally delivered! They finally put Joe Hendry in the game – they actually said his name and he’s there! It’s been a long time coming, and I’m stoked!
Joe Hendry Credits the WWE Video Games For His Career in Pro Wrestling
We recently got a hands-on preview of WWE 2K26 at WWE headquarters, and WWE Superstar Hendry was there. He was a big hit with fans at the event, but I was able to chat with him about what it’s like to be included in the game.
It seems Hendry has been a wrestling game enthusiast for years, and he actually says those games were his introduction to professional wrestling.
Growing up, I was completely hooked on the Smackdown video games. I loved creating storylines and characters, and surprisingly, I even used them about five years ago to plan my own physical transformation. Throughout my wrestling career, I’ve continued to use the games for inspiration, especially when designing my gear. Wrestling video games have always been a massive influence on me, and they’re ultimately what inspired me to become a pro wrestler, so being in the game now feels incredible.
Though Hendry recently gained wider recognition, his professional wrestling career actually started in the early to mid-2010s on smaller independent shows. He first appeared in Ring of Honor in 2016, then debuted in TNA (now Impact Wrestling) in 2018, before returning to Ring of Honor later that same year.
He didn’t become truly popular until his second time with TNA, when he fully embraced the persona he’s known for today – including his look and, crucially, his theme music.
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It’s amazing to see Hendry in these video games! It feels like everything’s come full circle because he’s always said these games are what got him started, and now they’re even influencing the kind of roles he plays and the stories he’s telling. It’s a really cool connection!
If you pre-order WWE 2K26 or buy one of the special editions, you’ll unlock the Joe Hendry Pack. This pack lets you play as Joe Hendry in the game and includes a special shirt for him, an EVO card for use in MyFACTION mode, and a unique Spin Island Emote.
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2026-02-23 19:11