"That was my spot he took" - Randy Orton should have faced top WWE name instead of Joe Hendry at WrestleMania 41

Randy Orton experienced a difficult time in WWE heading into WrestleMania 41, as he had no opponent for the show after Kevin Owens got injured. A top name recently claimed he should've been in the spot instead of Joe Hendry. The talent in question is Trick Williams.

Trick Williams has been on a different path since his loss to Oba Femi. The rising star bounced back faster than anyone expected as he defeated Joe Hendry and won the TNA World Championship at WWE NXT Battleground in May 2025.

Speaking on Going Ringside, the current TNA World Champion claimed in character that Joe Hendry took his WrestleMania spot against Randy Orton. The 31-year-old WWE star thinks a match between him and The Viper would've been better, and a talent like Hendry is a believer but can't get the job done in high-profile situations.

"I mean, good for him [Joe Hendry], but I'm going to tell you what's real? That was my spot he took. Of course it was. Absolutely. Here's the thing: me and Randy [Orton] have a lot more in common. We're elite specimens, you know what I mean? We look good. We look like money. Joe Hendry is a believer. He's no doer; he just believes he can do it. There's a big difference between the two. So, when you're going to put Joe Hendry in a big moment like that against Randy Orton, that's what is going to happen," Williams said. (From 03:50 to 04:22)

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What did Randy Orton do in WWE following his match with Joe Hendry at WrestleMania 41?

WrestleMania 41 didn't go the way Randy Orton wanted, as he had plans to lock horns with Kevin Owens before The Prizefighter announced his injury. Instead, Joe Hendry, an upcoming star, got his moment under the bright lights against The Viper and lost in a matter of minutes.

After the event, Hendry became a staple on TNA Wrestling and NXT. Meanwhile, Orton crossed paths with John Cena and eventually got a title match against The Franchise Player in his hometown at WWE Backlash. Unfortunately, the champion outsmarted the challenger and left with the win over The Viper.

Randy Orton tried to get another title shot but lost to Cody Rhodes in the finals of the King of the Ring tournament at WWE Night of Champions. After the event, he had a feud with Drew McIntyre, which culminated in a match involving Logan Paul and Jelly Roll.

The third-generation star teamed up with Jelly Roll heading into The Biggest Party of the Summer in New Jersey against McIntyre and Paul. While Orton didn't take the pinfall in their tag team match, the two lost to The Scottish Warrior and The Maverick at the historic event.

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