What TNA Really Thought Of Joe Hendry At WrestleMania

A new report has shared TNA’s reaction to Joe Hendry’s WrestleMania debut.

With Kevin Owens out of action and in desperate need of neck surgery, Randy Orton needed a WrestleMania opponent.

To ramp up the speculation, Orton’s match at the spectacular was changed to an open challenge, and naturally, several big names were touted by fans. In the end, the spot was taken by TNA World Champion Joe Hendry to the delight of the crowd.

When the bell rang, Orton dispatched Hendry in a little over three minutes with an RKO, before being hit by a second for good measure.

Randy Orton Played Key Role In Joe Hendry Appearance

As reported by Fightful Select, by the time Owens announced he wouldn’t be able to wrestle, wheels were in motion to draft in Hendry. However, many in TNA only found out about the appearance 24 hours before the match, and he wasn’t listed on internal WWE run sheets.

Despite the appearance, Hendry remains under contract with TNA, although that deal expires within the next 12 months. Unsurprisingly, WWE holds an interest in the star. Fightful reiterated that Hendry had been planned to face The Miz on Raw in Glasgow, but Ariel Shnerner shot the pitch down. Shnerner has since left the company, with the issue around Hendry being cited as a possible cause.

Despite some fans believing Hendry and TNA were short-changed, talent and staff had no concerns, with most feeling it was good exposure for the company.

In a further report from Cory Hays of Bodyslam.net, it was claimed that several names were put forward to face Orton before the decision to go with Hendry was taken. Interestingly, Orton is believed to have picked Hendry as he’s a fan of his work.

While reflecting on his WrestleMania outing, Joe Hendry has it back at criticism of the match, suggesting that it was everything it needed to be. The star noted it’s his job as World Champion to get as many eyeballs on TNA as possible, and that’s exactly what he did.

Hendry will be back in action at Rebellion on April 27 when he puts the TNA World Championship on the line against Frankie Kazarian and Ethan Page.