4 Superstars who could’ve faced Randy Orton at WrestleMania 41 instead of Joe Hendry

Randy Orton competed at WWE WrestleMania 41, as he shared the ring with TNA’s Joe Hendry. While they had a quick yet memorable match, other names could have answered the open challenge as well.

Randy Orton was initially slated to battle Kevin Owens at WrestleMania 41. However, The Prizefighter announced earlier this month that he unfortunately suffered a neck injury that would require surgery. The Viper then issued an open challenge ahead of The Show of Shows. It was eventually answered by TNA World Champion Joe Hendry. Many enjoyed the rather quick but entertaining match, but there were other names fans thought would answer the call.

In this list, we will look at four superstars who could’ve faced Randy Orton at WrestleMania 41 instead of Joe Hendry:

#4. Sami Zayn would have been a good fit for Randy Orton

Before Kevin and Randy renewed their feud in March, Owens was feuding with Sami Zayn. The rivalry culminated in a stunning Unsanctioned Match at Elimination Chamber: Toronto. The former Intercontinental Champion hasn’t been seen on television since then, but he was present during ‘Mania week.

Due to Sami’s real-life friendship with Kevin, he could have answered Orton’s challenge and, in a way, dedicated that match to his friend. It could have also been Zayn’s way to avenge The Prizefighter in his absence despite their on-screen rivalry.

#3. Many thought Rusev would return at WrestleMania 41

A few names were released from AEW a few months ago, one of them being Miro, who is best known to the WWE Universe as Rusev. Ahead of WrestleMania, it was reported that he had re-signed with the company, further sparking speculations about a possible return during the event.

Rusev and Randy have feuded before in the Stamford-based promotion, and it could have continued after WrestleMania if the former had answered The Viper’s open challenge.

#2. Sheamus

Fans have not seen Sheamus for a while now on WWE television. Some thought that his absence was due to an injury, but reports say otherwise. Additionally, The Celtic Warrior competed at house shows during WWE’s recent European Tour.

When it first emerged that Randy was without an opponent for WrestleMania, The Celtic Warrior was the first person to express his interest in fighting the 14-time World Champion. Many fans were also in favor of this idea, but he didn’t show up. Both men have a shared history, and it’s a proven fact that irrespective of the stage, the absent star will always deliver a five-star performance. Hence, it was baffling to see the creative team not have the Irish star answer Randy’s open challenge.

#1. Jeff Hardy was rumored to answer Randy Orton’s open challenge at WrestleMania 41

Joe Hendry’s appearance at WrestleMania was enabled by the Stamford-based company’s partnership with TNA Wrestling. With this in mind, other names from the promotion could have answered the challenge.

As per reports, Jeff Hardy was one of the names suggested to face The Apex Predator. However, plans seemingly fell through, and the TNA World Champion answered the challenge instead.

About the author

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Hazel is a WWE features writer for Sportskeeda Wrestling. Currently a BS Psychology student in her third year, she ensures that multiple accurate and reliable sources back every piece of information in her articles. She phrases even mundane information in her own words, especially when using single sources like books or social media posts, to add a hint of personal touch.

Hazel has had a penchant for writing since high school. Apart from pursuing Humanities and Social Sciences for her senior year, she attended classes about creative and nonfiction writing. In 2019, Hazel started working as a ghostwriter, and three years later, she began working for Sportskeeda. In 2023, she became a published author under 8letters Books Publishing House. Even today, when she is not studying as a pre-med student or writing for Sportskeeda, she enjoys reading and writing novels.

Her favorite wrestlers are Edge and Randy Orton. She recalls watching John Cena vs Big Show vs Edge in WrestleMania 25 in her first wrestling match. Hazel enjoyed the entrances, and what got her hooked was how cool and ruthless Edge was and how John Cena never backed down from his challenges.

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