Joe Hendry has WWE crowds singing along every week, but he is not closing the door on becoming a villain. Asked in an interview with the Michael Fairman Channel whether he would ever turn heel, Hendry left the possibility open. "Anything can happen in the WWE," he said, according to Fightful's transcription, adding that you never know and that he would never say never.
Hendry has worked as a babyface for the last several years across TNA, NXT and the WWE main roster, Fightful noted, though his act has leaned heel in the past because of his diss tracks and other elements of the character.
Built to be booed
The more surprising part of the interview was Hendry's admission that the persona fans love was never supposed to win them over. He said the character he created was designed to be hated by everyone, and that audiences simply ended up liking it anyway.
In his telling, that is how wrestling often works. A performer can build a character aiming for one reaction, but the crowd ultimately chooses whether to cheer or boo, and Hendry said the fans play a huge part in shaping the paths wrestlers take.
He was quick to credit that support for his rise. Hendry said fans are as big a part of the show as the performers, and that he owes his WrestleMania and Royal Rumble opportunities to their backing. He said he is always grateful to them for putting him in those positions, Ringside News reported.
Nothing announced
Hendry did not say a turn is coming, and WWE has not announced any change to his character. For now, his answer amounts to keeping options open while the crowd keeps singing.
Reporting sources: Ringside News, “Joe Hendry Addresses Idea of Possible WWE Heel Turn” · Fightful | WWE News, AEW News, Pro Wrestling Backstage News – Wrestling, “Joe Hendry Says 'Never Say Never' About A Potential Heel Turn For Him In WWE”.