WWE veteran discusses the real reason Joe Hendry was chosen as Randy Orton's WrestleMania opponent (Exclusive)

Modified Apr 21, 2025 13:25 GMT

Randy Orton and Joe Hendry after the match [Image: WWE.com] — Randy Orton and Joe Hendry after their match at WrestleMania 41! [Image: WWE.com]

Former WWE head writer Vince Russo recently shared his thoughts on Randy Orton's opponent at WrestleMania 41. The Viper was scheduled to face a mystery opponent at The Show of Shows.

There was a lot of chatter around Randy Orton's opponent at WrestleMania, with names like Rusev and Aleister Black being circulated. But when Randy came out to the ring, Joe Hendry answered the call, much to the excitement of fans. The two stars had a thrilling match, with The Viper getting the better of the TNA World Champion.

During the WrestleMania Night Two review, Russo explained that this was a way for WWE to shine a spotlight on TNA Wrestling. He rubbished any claims that the creative team was trying to bury the Nashville-based promotion. The veteran writer noted that this outing gave Hendry a lot of attention from WWE fans and would further help TNA get more viewers in the subsequent weeks.

"There are a lot of people carrying on about TNA being buried, this and that. No, bro, TNA gets the rub. It doesn't matter that Joe Hendry lost the match. They put him over as the TNA Champion. 'They're burying the TNA Champion!' No, bro. They're getting the rub. So it's good for TNA." [From 30:38 onwards]

After the match, Randy Orton showed respect for his defeated opponent, raising Hendry's hand in the ring. This moment did not last long, as The Apex Predator flattened Hendry with another RKO before striking his vintage pose for fans in attendance.

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About the author

Prityush is a WWE news writer for Sportskeeda Wrestling who started watching wrestling in the later part of The Attitude Era. Although he holds a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Prityush was a creative writer for his college, and his flair for creativity and love of pro wrestling eventually led him to the journalism field. After an initial stint in 2016-2017, he has been writing regularly for Sportskeeda since 2021.

As someone who loves and respects the business, he prides himself on factual, clean, and ethical reporting, free of plagiarism and AI usage. One of the ways he ensures this is by transcribing videos that he reports on.

Prityush had the privilege of interviewing superstar Matt Hardy in his career so far. Although, his favorite wrestler is CM Punk, as he relates to his Straight Edge philosophy.

When he is not reporting news, he loves reading and collecting WWE action figures. He currently owns over 500 wrestling figures and merchandise.

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Edited by Prityush Haldar