Real Reason For Joe Hendry WWE Raw Absence

WWE

An update has emerged on a project WWE star Joe Hendry is working on amid his absence from Monday Night Raw.

Joe Hendry has not wrestled since the August 3 post-SummerSlam edition of Raw. Instead, the Scottish star has been filming for a show set to air on a completely different platform.

Per Dave Meltzer in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Joe Hendry has been filming for a live-action micro drama project for mobile platforms.

This comes after a recent report from PWInsider indicated that Hendry has been working on the first project in WWE’s partnership with ReelShort, which was announced in July.

The Hollywood Reporter broke the news of this partnership, with WWE head of original content and development Ben Houser saying:

“By bringing WWE Superstars into the ReelShort cinematic world, we are creating a new storytelling experience for the WWE Universe, while reaching a fresh audience with premium content on ReelShort’s innovative platform.”

This article stated that the premiere date for the drama is slated for this fall, although no official date was given. It had highlighted Hendry, as well as Drew McIntyre and Jacob Fatu, as WWE stars who will be paired with “two well-known vertical actors” for future projects.

A “vertical” project means a project optimised to be watched on a mobile device while holding it upright, rather than on a device like a TV. Series and projects made to be watched on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok are “vertical” projects.

Joe Hendry last wrestled on August 3, losing to Bron Breakker in singles action. Austin Theory attacked Hendry after the match, before Akira Tozawa made the save.

Joe Hendry’s path to the WWE main roster was an unconventional one, with the former TNA World Champion making several big appearances as part of the two companies’ crossover, including facing Randy Orton at WrestleMania 41.

He officially joined WWE NXT in late 2025, going on to hold the NXT Championship for 60 days before joining the Raw roster in May.

Hendry has yet to win gold on the main roster, but has been a mainstay of the red brand since his arrival. He notably competed in the Intercontinental Championship #1 contender’s gauntlet match in July which saw Chad Gable victorious, ahead of Gable winning the IC Title from Penta at SummerSlam.

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• wwe
• RAW
• Joe Hendry
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