- Joe Hendry made a surprise appearance at WrestleMania 41 as Randy Orton’s opponent, bringing his TNA World Championship to WWE’s biggest stage
- Despite the quick match ending with Orton’s RKO, Hendry views the experience as a positive career milestone that will boost TNA’s visibility
TNA World Heavyweight Champion Joe Hendry appeared as a guest on Busted Open Radio during WrestleMania 41 weekend in Las Vegas to discuss his surprise appearance and match against Randy Orton at WWE’s biggest event of the year.
The interview revealed Hendry’s mindset about the moment, his journey, and what it means for his future.
The Surprise Appearance and Match Experience
Hendry described the feeling of being revealed as Randy Orton’s mystery opponent at WrestleMania as “unfathomable.” Unlike his Royal Rumble appearance, where he simply walked out, this moment featured a special entrance with his signature spin as the doors opened.
“I was chill the entire time until we got close to the venue… I’m watching the video package and I’m going ‘Holy smokes,'” Hendry shared about his pre-match emotions. “The doors open, the music hits, spin around, I’m thinking ‘What is going on?’ That’s what I love about this business now, it’s just anything can happen.”
When discussing the match itself, which ended quickly with Orton delivering his signature RKO, Hendry pushed back on characterizations of it as a “squash match.”
“The offense was back and forth… My job as TNA champion and what defines this reign is getting as many eyeballs on TNA wrestling as possible,” Hendry explained. “You know who else lost quickly in WrestleMania in similar fashion? John Cena. Am I going to all of a sudden say I’m too good to do that? That was, to me, exactly how it should have gone.”
Confidence Boost and Future Outlook
Busted Open host Dave LaGreca noticed a change in Hendry’s demeanor during the interview, noting a new level of confidence. Hendry confirmed this transformation, attributing it to conversations with WWE legend John Cena.
“John Cena said it this morning. He was on Pat McAfee’s show and he said ‘I think Joe Hendry is going to be a major player,'” Hendry revealed. “John Cena and I had another conversation last night that reinforced that for me. When John Cena won the championship, I was walking through back to the little room that I had, and John Cena—the camera crew is filming him, he’s just won the championship—and he comes over to me.”
Reflecting on his remarkable rise over the past year, Hendry expressed amazement at how quickly his career has accelerated.
“I never thought it’d be possible at this speed. Last year, that’s when the song started to gain traction… I released the song on April 29th. We’re not even a calendar year forward, and all these things have happened—WrestleMania match with Randy Orton, main event No Mercy, TNA World Champion.”
Focus on TNA’s Future
Despite experiencing WWE’s grandest stage, Hendry emphasized his commitment to TNA Wrestling and leveraging his increased exposure to benefit the company.
“The challenge for me is not when can I get another moment, it’s about how can I take this and make money for TNA,” Hendry stated firmly. He also hinted at potential crossover appearances, mentioning that a “WWE mega star who has a tour bus” had expressed interest in appearing at TNA’s upcoming Rebellion pay-per-view.
Hendry’s WrestleMania moment represents not just a personal milestone, but potentially a new chapter in the relationship between WWE and TNA Wrestling, with the confident champion right at the center of it all.
