Joe Hendry took a shot at AJ Francis in a way nobody saw comingby turning Creeds classic hit Higher into a ruthless request for Francis to please get fired.
The now-infamous moment happened during a TNA iMPACT! concert in May 2024, just weeks after The Rock had performed his own concert in the lead-up to WrestleMania. While Hendry had doubts about pulling off a similar segment, TNA management convinced him he could make it workif he found a way to make it unique.
I did this concert, I remember TNA management came to me and said, We want you to do this concert. I said, Guys, The Rock just did one. He just did one. Hes The Rock,' Hendry told Ariel Helwani.
After some back and forth, they landed on an idea that would set the performance apartremixing Creeds lyrics to take a direct shot at Francis.
Instead of Can you take me higher, we would say, Can you please get fired, to AJ Francis. That was funny enough and different enough that we could do it, Hendry explained.
The performance was a massive hit. The audience inside the iconic Vegas music venue erupted with laughter, and the segment aired just as Hendrys theme song was climbing the charts. The combination of the viral moment and his growing popularity set the stage for his meteoric rise in TNA.
By 2025, Hendry had made it to the main event scene, capping off his incredible run by winning the TNA World Championship at TNA Genesis 2025.
Did Joe Hendrys Creed parody go too far, or was it the perfect way to make an impact? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
