Las Vegas: Joe Hendry has defended his quick loss to Randy Orton at WWE WrestleMania 41, calling the moment “iconic” despite criticism from fans. The former TNA World Champion appeared surprised at the record-breaking event, facing 14-time world champion Orton.
Although RKO defeated Hendry in just over three minutes, he insists the match was a significant win for his career and TNA Wrestling. Speaking on the “Battleground Podcast,” Hendry emphasised the impact of the moment, which was later commemorated with a Topps trading card.
“Doing my spin into the RKO—everyone remembers that,” he said. Hendry added that the moment boosted TNA’s visibility, saying attendance and fan engagement surged at the next event.
TNA veteran Matt Hardy supported Hendry’s claims, noting longer meet-and-greet lines after the show and praising the exposure of TNA’s world title on WWE’s biggest stage. Hendry believes the spotlight on TNA during WrestleMania and Orton’s nod of respect makes the loss worthwhile. WrestleMania 41 also marked Orton’s 20th appearance at the iconic event, celebrated with another victory.
