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WWE Friday Night SmackDown aired last night on FOX Network. This was a special edition of the blue brand, as it was part of WrestleMania weekend.
As has become a yearly routine, the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal was featured on the show. Over 20 stars were in action, including Ricochet, Ivar, Bronson Reed, JD McDonagh, Otis, Omos, Akira Tozawa, and Indus Sher.
After a grueling battle, Bronson Reed became the latest man to claim the Andre the Giant Memorial Trophy. He joins past winners such as Bobby Lashley, Jey Uso, Big Show, Braun Strowman, and Cesaro.
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While Reed's victory was impressive, some fans were disappointed by a few notable absences from the match. The company previously advertised a handful of competitors who weren't ultimately featured.
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Below are three WWE stars who didn't feature in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on SmackDown:
#3. Chad Gable was notably absent
Chad Gable is an incredible in-ring performer. The Alpha Academy member has managed to hold tag team gold on all three brands, but despite his fantastic ability, Gable has yet to win a singles title. He came close to dethroning Gunther last year but ultimately failed in his pursuit.
The Olympian has had an up-and-down time on WWE programming. Gable was a top contender for Gunther's Intercontinental Championship. However, he failed to win the Gauntlet Match last month on RAW to earn the right to challenge The Ring General at The Showcase of the Immortals. While he's frustrated, Gable is trying to push forward.
Chad being left out of the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal seems odd, at least on the surface.
Gable may have been left out of the battle royal, but he'll likely be involved during the IC Title match between Gunther and Sami Zayn on Night One. Chad has donned the role of mentor for Zayn ahead of the latter's showdown with the Austrian superstar at The Show of Shows. As a result, he'll likely appear alongside The Underdog From The Underground and be his cornerman.
#2. Andrade did something else on WWE SmackDown
Andrade is one of the best wrestlers in the world. The talented performer recently returned to WWE after a stint at All Elite Wrestling. In recent weeks, the Mexican superstar has been shown spending time with Dominik Mysterio. This week on SmackDown, the former champion appeared alongside Dirty Dom and Santos Escobar.
This was why Andrade likely missed the Andre the Giant Battle Royal. Andrade underwent a major character change this Friday as he surprisingly turned on Dominik and Santos. He aligned himself with Zelina Vega and Rey Mysterio after feeling disrespected by The Emperor of Lucha Libre and The Judgment Day star.
Additionally, this week, Rey Mysterio's tag team partner at WrestleMania XL, Dragon Lee, was mysteriously found injured backstage. With Lee getting ruled out of WrestleMania, El Idolo stepped up to the occasion and offered his participation alongside Rey in the tag team encounter with Dominik and Escobar.
Andrade was later officially confirmed as Rey Mysterio's partner for The Show of Shows.
#1. Shinsuke Nakamura didn't appear
Shinsuke Nakamura is a veteran of the wrestling industry. Since joining WWE, the Japanese sensation has won numerous titles, including the NXT Championship, the United States Championship, tag team gold, and even the prized Intercontinental Title.
The King of Strong Style hasn't done a lot in recent weeks. He briefly feuded with The Alpha Academy, which saw him pick up some big victories. However, Nakamura failed to win the Gauntlet Match on WWE RAW last month to punch his ticket to The Showcase of the Immortals. As a result, the former IC Champion does not feature on the WrestleMania XL match card.
Hence, fans expected the former IWGP Champion to feature in the Andre the Giant Battle Royal this week on SmackDown, which didn't happen.
It will be interesting to see if Nakamura makes a presence at The Show of Shows in some capacity this weekend.
