Say His Name and He Appears! Joe Hendry has a Topps Now Card
WrestleMania 41 has come and gone and the biggest event on the WWE calendar had its fair share of big moments that were exciting, controversial, and surprising. However, the biggest surprise of the weekend was saved for night two. Originally, Randy Orton and Kevin Owens were set to settle their long feud on the second night of WrestleMania. Unfortunately, a few weeks before Mania, Kevin Owens revealed that he had to have neck surgery requiring him to miss the event. The match between the two heated rivals was scrapped and WWE announced that Randy Orton was issuing an open challenge to any opponent for a match at WrestleMania. As the time for the match approached, many were speculating on who that opponent would be. Much to the surprise of the entire crowd and everyone watching at home TNA Champion Joe Hendry answered the call. When his music hit, Hendry got the biggest and loudest reaction of the night with the entire crowd serenading him as they sang along to his entrance music. Now to celebrate his WrestleMania moment, Topps released a Topps Now card featuring Joe Hendry.
Related: John Cena Record-Setting WWE Championship Win Receives Topps Now Cards
The Topps Now card represents Hendry’s first ever Topps trading card and it feels like a long time coming. Although Hendry has made several appearances in WWE (mostly with NXT) all with the exception of the Royal Rumble happened before Topps and WWE announced their new partnership and licensing agreement. Many fans like myself were hopeful that Hendry would receive a Topps Now card after his Rumble appearance. Unfortunately, collectors had to wait a few months longer but the wait appears to be worth it. The moment captured on the card was when Hendry became another victim of the RKO from Randy Orton. Like other Topps Now releases, the set will include numbered parallels from fifty and below. Unfortunately, fans will have to wait a little longer for Hendry autographs as autograph cards are not part of the set.
Some reading that last part might be asking why I wrote that collectors would have to wait longer for Topps Hendry autograph cards. As many astute and observant fans may have noticed, Joe Hendry was wearing a WrestleMania patch on his ring gear. That patch card will eventually make its way onto another card that will be part of future sets. As Hendry’s popularity with fans continues to rise, collectors should expect that patch card to be a highly sought after collectible if it makes it to the market.
Although it can be cliche in WWE, Joe Hendry continues to make history in the world of professional wrestling and it continues to impress fans and collectors alike. He was the first non WWE contracted wrestler to headline an NXT PLE at No Mercy, he was the first Men’s TNA World Champion to appear in the Royal Rumble, and the first TNA World Champion to compete at WrestleMania. Now Joe Hendry is the first non WWE contracted wrestler to have a Topps Now Card. Hendry’s talent is undeniable, his accolades are earned, and his hard work continues to pay off. This is why fans and collectors continue to chant “We believe!” and won’t be stopping anytime soon.
