Say his name for he is the new TNA World Champion, Joe Hendry!
Defeating Nic Nemeth in the main event of the TNA Genesis Premium Live Event, Hendry finally won the World Championship to the delight of fans in attendance and believers all around the world in a victory that many believe to be long overdue.
At one point it appeared that Hendry would suffer the same heartbreak he did at Bound For Glory as Frankie Kazarian looked to capitalise on both men being down by cashing in his Call You Shot Gauntlet opportunity to be added into the match. However, thanks to another surprise appearance from JBL, Kazarian was taken out with a Clothesline From Hell.
The closing moments of the match saw Hendry hit the Standing Ovation onto Nemeth to win the match and the title for the first time in his career. While many thought that Hendry should have won the championship back at Bound For Glory, the Texas crowd still erupted when Hendry finally won the big one.
After the match, Hendry hugged his parents before celebrating in the crowd to close out the show.
Anything can happen when you believe. #TNAGenesis@joehendrypic.twitter.com/f8e52L3IsG
— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) January 20, 2025
The victory brings to an end Nemeth’s reign at 183 days. Nemeth won the title back at Slammiversary 2024 in a six-man elimination match that also featured Hendry.
Joe Hendry Thanks The Fans After TNA Genesis Goes Off Air
Addressing the crowd following the victory, Hendry thanked the fans for always believing in him and promised that this is only the beginning:
“You are the lifeblood of TNA wrestling. You’ve watched the growth of this company, and the awesome thing about it is we are all doing it together.
I want you all to know, I’m so proud to be a part of this locker room. It is the greatest honor and privilege to share a locker room with the individuals in the back, and you have no idea how many of them have gone out of their way to help me get to where I wanted to do, to selflessly give me the help, the advice, the guidance, the mentorship. None of this happens without the colleagues and staff in the back. Thank you so much to every single one of you.”
“We’re all here for the same reason, because we have a love and a passion for professional wrestling. The next order of business is for me to talk to Santino because my friends, we are just getting started. This title reign, I’m gonna give every ounce of being that I have to make sure every single one of you is still chanting ‘We believe.’
It’s because of you that we’re living our dreams in the back, but we have got so much to go. Are you ready to push TNA Wrestling to a new level in 2025? The thing I want most is for every single one person in Texas to chant at the top of their lungs, ‘T-N-A.’ Let the world hear you. T-N-A. T-N-A. Thank you. This has been an honor and a privilege, and we all can’t wait to see you soon,”
Recently it was reported that Nic Nemeth will not be appearing in the 2025 Royal Rumble.
Credit to Brian Zilem for the video.
H/t to Fightful for the use of transcription.