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WWE announced the return of the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal for next week's episode of SmackDown. The annual contest will join two title matches booked for the night before The Show of Shows.
Chelsea Green will defend the Women's United States title against Zelina Vega, while The Street Profits will put the WWE Tag titles up against the Motor City Machine Guns.
Many stars who aren't booked for WrestleMania 41 will compete. Some WWE officials may think re-debuting Aleister Black in the battle royal would be a good way to bring him back.
When he does re-emerge, it should be in a much more meaningful way, like attacking a big star or champion. The next six WWE stars, however, need to win this year's Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal.
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#6. Sheamus could add another accolade to his WWE resume
Sheamus hasn't been used on RAW for much of the last two months. He was on a never-ending quest to win the Intercontinental Championship since it's the one title he's never captured in his career.
He's healthy but wasn't factored into any plans for WrestleMania 41. The Celtic Warrior is a powerhouse and a fan favorite.
Winning the battle royal could be a springboard that leads to him eventually winning the title that has eluded him throughout his WWE career.
#5. Braun Strowman is on the outside looking in
Braun Strowman is no stranger when it comes to outlasting several stars to win a battle royal. He won the only Greatest Royal Rumble in WWE history but only received a random title belt as his prize.
After falling to Jacob Fatu in a Last Man Standing match, The Monster of All Monsters must regain credibility. He'll be a favorite in the annual match due to his size.
While that hasn't led to a win in a standard Royal Rumble, he could very well take home the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal trophy again. Strowman won the match in 2019.
#4. Nia Jax competed in the Men's Royal Rumble one year
Ever since losing the WWE Women's title, Nia Jax has essentially taken a backseat to Charlotte Flair. Jax was atop SmackDown for much of 2024, so it's only natural to feature some different names that weren't featured as much.
Since the women's battle royal hasn't been used over the last few years, there's no reason Jax can't enter the Andre The Giant Battle Royal. There aren't any restrictions keeping women out of the match.
Coming out as the last competitor before the match begins would shock fans. Winning the whole thing would also give her some bragging rights for a post-Mania spotlight.
#3. Solo Sikoa (if he doesn't face Randy Orton)
Few stars have seen their stock fall more in 2025 than Solo Sikoa. While his version of The Bloodline ran wild over WWE in 2024, he lost every huge singles match. Solo fell to Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns in big singles matches.
He also witnessed the meteoric rise of Jacob Fatu from the shadows. If he doesn't fill in as Kevin Owens' replacement against Randy Orton, Sikoa would at least get a little shine back by winning the battle royal.
The two had a confrontation to open SmackDown and battled each other through the crowd to close the show.
#2. Carmelo Hayes needs a renewed push
Carmelo Hayes joined SmackDown last year with a lot of hype. The problem may have been immediately pitting him against new Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes in one of his first contests as a member of the blue brand.
Triple H has given the tag team division a good spotlight over the last six months. Pigeonholing Hayes into the division with The Miz, however, is a misuse of his talents. Hayes is a former NXT and North American Champion.
He's a smaller performer, but outlasting a field of over 20 stars in the battle royal would help give the former NXT Champ a mild reset after WrestleMania.
#1. Karrion Kross could win the 2025 battle royal
Karrion Kross is one of the few WWE stars who does the most with what little screen time he's given on RAW each week.
His promos are among the best, yet he's struggled to get consistent time after the Wyatt Sicks were shipped to SmackDown. Kross resorted to tempting AJ Styles recently, and it's been a good use of both men.
They'll square off on the go-home edition of RAW, but The Phenomenal One is facing Logan Paul at The Show of Shows.
Kross competing in and winning the Andre The Giant Battle Royal will give him a significant win and hopefully lead to a sustained push following WrestleMania 41.
