For Joe Hendry, a swift loss on wrestling’s grandest stage still represents a significant personal and professional victory. The TNA star recently reflected on his experience at WrestleMania 41, framing the opportunity as a career-defining moment despite the unfavorable result in the ring.
During the April 2025 event, Hendry stepped in as a replacement for an injured Kevin Owens to face Randy Orton. The match itself was brief, with Orton securing a decisive victory over the then-TNA World Champion.
Speaking on the WrestleBinge podcast, Hendry detailed his thoughts on the groundbreaking collaboration and what it meant to him personally.
“It was unbelievable to be involved in Randy Orton’s 20th WrestleMania, an absolute legend in the business, awesome to work with. And yea, I was very fortunate to be in that position, I was thankful to Randy, to TNA and WWE for all collaborating and allowing that to happen. And yeah, it wasn’t the result I wanted but we got the TNA World Championship in front of the crowd at WrestleMania which was an unprecendented situation.”
Hendry’s comments highlight his gratitude toward Orton and the rare cooperation between TNA and WWE that facilitated the moment. For him, the true success was not in the match’s outcome, but in the historic achievement of showcasing the TNA World Championship at WrestleMania.
