André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

The André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal is an annual namesake battle royal held at WrestleMania by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE.[1] The inaugural battle royal was held at WrestleMania XXX in 2014. The winner of the match received the André the Giant Memorial Trophy.

The André the Giant Memorial Trophy, awarded to the winner of the Battle Royal

The match was named in honor of André the Giant – a WWE Hall of Fame inductee wrestler who at over seven feet tall and weighing 500 pounds was known as "The King of the Battle Royal" due to winning a large majority of such matches he participated in.[2] In 2018, a female counterpart to this match was established, which debuted at WrestleMania 34 – the WrestleMania Women's Battle Royal.

Originally established as an annual battle royal at WrestleMania, the match did not occur at WrestleMania 36 due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.

History

On the March 10, 2014 episode of Raw, WrestleMania XXX host Hulk Hogan established the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal in honor of André's legacy that would take place at the event on April 6, with the winner receiving the André the Giant Memorial Trophy (made in the likeness of André).[2] Cesaro won the match after eliminating Big Show using a body slam just as Hogan did to André at WrestleMania III.[3]

At WrestleMania 31 on March 29, 2015, the second annual André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal took place at Levi's Stadium as part of the Kickoff pre-show, establishing the match as a yearly tradition. Big Show – a wrestler who had been often compared to André due to his similar size and stature and originally billed as André's (storyline) son when he debuted in World Championship Wrestling in 1995 – won the match by last eliminating Damien Mizdow.[4]

At WrestleMania 32 on April 3, 2016, the third annual André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal was held on the main card with Baron Corbin last eliminating Kane to win the match, which was also notable for former NBA player Shaquille O'Neal entering as a surprise participant.[5]

The fourth annual André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal was held at WrestleMania 33 on April 2, 2017 as part of the Kickoff pre-show. The match was won by Mojo Rawley, who was assisted by his friend, NFL player Rob Gronkowski, in last eliminating Jinder Mahal to win.

The fifth annual André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal took place at the venue where the original match occurred – the Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana – as part of WrestleMania 34's Kickoff pre-show on April 8, 2018. The match was won by Matt Hardy, who last eliminated Baron Corbin to win.

The sixth annual André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal was held at WrestleMania 35 during the Kickoff pre-show on April 7, 2019. Comedians Colin Jost and Michael Che of Saturday Night Live were confirmed as participants on the March 25, 2019 episode of Raw as part of a storyline involving Braun Strowman, who won the match by last eliminating Jost.[6]

Heath Slater is the only wrestler to have been in all six battles royal.

A seventh annual André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal would have occurred at WrestleMania 36 in April 2020, but due to concerns stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought many changes to WWE's programming during that time, the match was not scheduled to limit the number of wrestlers in the ring at the same time.[7]

Reception

Writing for PWInsider in 2017, Dave Scherer saw no reason for viewers to care about the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, given how winners have been booked and further said: "It's great that talent will get on the show for WrestleMania, but that match hasn't meant anything thus far."[8]

Winners

Winner Date Location WrestleMania Runner Up
Cesaro April 6, 2014 New Orleans, Louisiana XXX Big Show
Big Show March 29, 2015 Santa Clara, California 31 Damien Mizdow
Baron Corbin April 3, 2016 Arlington, Texas 32 Kane
Mojo Rawley April 2, 2017 Orlando, Florida 33 Jinder Mahal
Matt Hardy April 8, 2018 New Orleans, Louisiana 34 Baron Corbin
Braun Strowman April 7, 2019 East Rutherford, New Jersey 35 Colin Jost

Participants

Cesaro was the first ever winner of the battle royal at WrestleMania XXX.
Big Show was the 2015 winner at WrestleMania 31.
Baron Corbin was the winner of the 2016 André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 32.
Superstar XXX 31 32 33 34 35
Adam Rose
Aiden English
Alberto Del Rio
Alex Riley
Ali
Andrade
Apollo Crews
Baron CorbinWon
Big E
Big ShowWon
Bo Dallas
Bobby Roode
Brad Maddox
Braun StrowmanWon
Brodus Clay
CesaroWon
Chad Gable
Cody Rhodes
Colin Jost
Curt Hawkins
Curtis Axel
Damien Sandow
Darren Young
Dash Wilder
David Otunga
Diamond Dallas Page
Dolph Ziggler
Drew McIntyre
EC3
Epico Colón/Fernando
Erick Rowan
Fandango
Goldust
Gran Metalik
The Great Khali
Heath Slater
Hideo Itami
Jack Swagger
Jason Jordan
Jeff Hardy
Jey Uso
Jimmy Uso
Jinder Mahal
Justin Gabriel
Kalisto
Kane
Karl Anderson
Killian Dain
Kofi Kingston
Konnor
Lince Dorado
Luke Gallows
Luke Harper
Mark Henry
Matt HardyWon
Michael Che
Mike Kanellis
The Miz
Mojo RawleyWon
No Way Jose
Otis
Primo Colón/Diego
R-Truth
Rey Mysterio
Rhyno
Ryback
Sami Zayn
Santino Marella
Scott Dawson
Shaquille O'Neal
Sheamus
Shelton Benjamin
Simon Gotch
Sin Cara
Tatanka
Tian Bing
Titus O'Neil
Tucker
Tye Dillinger
Tyler Breeze
Tyson Kidd
Viktor
Xavier Woods
Yoshi Tatsu
Zack Ryder

References

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