5 Potential Andre The Giant Battle Royal 2019 Winners

The Andre The Giant Memorial battle royal isn’t usually the most memorable match, nor the most talked about one on the WrestleMania card, but nevertheless it makes for a fun bit of fantasy booking. Each year an individual is singled out to be awarded the Andre trophy, which typically loiters around ringside for a couple of weeks before disappearing, along with the winner’s momentum. Last year saw Woken Matt Hardy overcome the other 20 entrants with the help of Bray Wyatt, forming the Deleters of Worlds, who went on to capture the Raw Tag Championships soon after. Say what you will about previous winners, but it’s hard to deny that this was the most success seen by any former winner.

Perhaps this year’s victor might achieve similar success after having their name etched underneath Hardy, Corbin and Rawley. If so, here are five names that I believe deserve the short-lived rub this year.

 

1. Kofi Kingston

New Day member Kofi Kingston has been on the singles run of a lifetime as of late. Recently finding himself in the midst of a giant wave of momentum, following an impressive hour-long performance in the Smackdown gauntlet match, and being incredibly close to defeating Daniel Bryan in the Elimination Chamber. Kingston found himself being named the number one contender for Fast Lane, but has been ousted by a returning Kevin Owens.

It would be a shame to see Kofi’s hype go to waste. The Andre battle royal should be the part of the show that highlights the individual efforts of the past year. With Matt Hardy’s Woken gimmick being celebrated and showcased in last year’s match, maybe it’s time for Kingston’s veteran career and timeless moments to be given the nod of appreciation at Wrestlemania.

Maybe Kofi will go on to have a career-defining year after Mania season, but for now I think he’d make the ideal candidate to be holding up the Andre trophy serenaded by the love of the WrestleMania crowd.

 

2. Andrade

Andrade has been on the cusp of greatness on SmackDown Live, having an excellent series of matches with Rey Mysterio and occasionally flirting with the main event scene. The trigger has still yet to be fully pulled on him though, it’s almost as if Andrade needs to be given that one last reason to be considered a big deal for the casual fans.

Almas is in a very similar situation to that of Cesaro, the inaugural winner of the Andre battle royal. Someone that is destined to do fantastic things but couldn’t ever seem to find the time to showcase himself. Despite WWE never really making the most of Cesaro’s run post-victory, it was a noble gesture on their part, one that I think wouldn’t go amiss for Andrade.

I see big things ahead for the former NXT Champion this year, and I think having a WrestleMania win under his belt would go a long way in helping certify himself as a threat to the rest of the roster.

 

3. Drew McIntyre

I’m hoping that the Scotsman goes on to do slightly bigger things at Wrestlemania this year, but should worst come to worst and he finds himself without a designated feud then the battle royal is a great place for him to stand tall. Drew McIntyre seemed to be on the road to the main event a few months back, but as time has gone by, his status has dwindled slightly and he has fallen back into the role of an imposing mid-carder.

At this point, if Drew was to announce his entry into the battle royal then he’d be considered he favourite to win. He’s steamrolled through a lot of people that are probably going to be included in the match and with the backing he has, it would seem silly if he didn’t come out with the win.

McIntyre needs a reason to be thrust into the main event, perhaps the Andre trophy would go a long way at boosting his credibility on the Raw roster and force himself into a feud with the Universal or Intercontinental Champion after Wrestlemania’s all said and done.

 

4. EC3

The Top 1 percent came and went on Monday Night Raw. For a moment I totally forgot that EC3 had debuted on the main roster, despite him being one of the more hotly anticipated names to freshen up the card last month. Maybe they’ve got something big in store for the artist formerly known as Derrick Bateman? But I personally think he’s lined up for a shot at the Andre trophy.

EC3 is one of the many names from NXT that, to the casual fan, might go a little under the radar. It’s hard to make everyone from developmental seem like as big of a deal as they are, but they definitely shouldn’t let EC3’s natural charisma and presence go to waste. Winning the battle royal would go a long way to establishing EC3 as a key player on Monday Night Raw and kick him off to a good start to the next year.

Regardless of where EC3 ends up, it better happen sooner rather than later.

 

5. Samoa Joe

Like McIntyre, it would be a real shame to see Joe not included on this year’s WrestleMania card. Considering this would be his debut on the show, he’s a star worthy of being given a WrestleMania moment, even if that comes in the form of a giant, golden Andre. Joe’s another potential favourite for the battle royal this year, if you follow SmackDown then you’d know that despite never winning any big feuds, he’s still presented as a genuine threat to whoever he is in the ring with.

Samoa Joe has that smug personality that almost suits the role of winning the battle royal. Lauding the trophy about during his entrance would be rather fitting for the Samoan Submission Machine, but we will see.

Joe’s career hasn’t yet peaked, and I can still sense big things for his main roster career, maybe Wrestlemania 35 is going to be start of a new chapter for him.

The fun thing about the Andre battle royal is the sheer unpredictability of the match. I mean, one time WWE legend Tatanka showed up and nobody even noticed him. Another time Shaquille O’Neal had a cameo. Who knows who could make a comeback or a debut as part of the match this year, but if I had to pick anyone to be my winner, it would have to be one of those five guys.

Let us know in the comments if you had any winners in mind.