Joe Hendry disagrees WrestleMania loss was a squash, teases WWE ‘megastar’ at TNA Rebellion

Joe Hendry and Randy Orton

Image: WWE

While some fans felt it was wrong for TNA World Champion Joe Hendry to lose the way he did at WWE WrestleMania 41, he certainly doesn’t feel that way.

During an appearance on Busted Open Radio Monday, Hendry was asked about some of the online criticism for his defeat to Randy Orton after he answered Orton’s open challenge due to Kevin Owens’ untimely neck injury.

Hendry said “I disagree” with the negative notion, saying the offense was back and forth and to him, a squash would have been the bell ringing, him taking an RKO, and that being it.

“My job as TNA Champion and what defines this reign is business and getting as many eyeballs on TNA Wrestling as possible,” Hendry said, adding that John Cena once lost at WrestleMania in similar fashion.

“To me, that’s exactly as it should have gone,” Hendry said, noting that both John Cena and CM Punk said the same to him afterward and he felt going longer would have been detrimental.

“There’s no shame in taking the RKO and losing to a legend like Randy Orton,” Hendry said, noting earlier in the interview that he was “chill” the entire day until seeing the video package before the match.

Hendry declined to reveal when he got the call to be in the match, only saying it was difficult to keep it to himself. He later joked he didn’t eat much “for a week” and that he was in full disguise getting into Allegiant Stadium, given his unique t-shirt and WrestleMania 41 boot patch while hidden in a room.

WWE “megastar” appearing at TNA Rebellion?

While there is nothing new with WWE NXT wrestlers appearing on TNA TV and vice versa, a WWE main roster talent appearing in TNA as part of the partnership would be.

Hendry will defend the TNA title this Sunday at Rebellion against Frankie Kazarian and NXT’s Ethan Page in a triple threat — a pay-per-view that may also feature what Hendry says is a “WWE megastar.”

“We don’t need to reveal who it is, but I know (Tommy Dreamer) knows who I’m going to be speaking about here because this person told me that you guys had a conversation. You said you wonder who might show up at Rebellion. One of the WWE megastars, who has a tour bus, told me they wanted to show up to Rebellion with their tour bus,” said Hendry. “We’ve got WWE megastars who want to get involved.”