5 best options to win the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 35

The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal match will happen again at WrestleMania for a sixth consecutive year. With almost thirty wrestlers confirmed so far, it is safe to confirm that this match is usually to fit in as many wrestlers on the main roster as possible at the Show of Shows, who find themselves without a match elsewhere on the card.

While this year’s edition will include Saturday Night Live’s Colin Jost and Michael Che, who seemingly have problems with Braun Strowman, it is safe to say the WWE Universe would not expect a non-wrestler to win this match.

The winner of the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal is usually considered a huge boost to someone’s career. Cesaro was the inaugural winner and ended up becoming Tag Team Champion several times, whilst Baron Corbin ended up becoming a United States Champion and a Money in the Bank winner after winning the match on his main roster debut at WrestleMania 32.

Unfortunately, not all wrestlers have managed to push on from this victory. Since Mojo Rawley won the match at WrestleMania 33, he has achieved very little since, failing to get on the main card of the pay-per-view in the following twelve months.

To make sure the WWE doesn’t make another mistake like this again, the WWE needs to take this match more seriously and in order for that to happen, they need to give it to a wrestler that can instantly push on from such a huge victory.

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#5 Andrade

Andrade needs a huge boost to his career

History has suggested that when wrestlers get called up from NXT onto the main rosters, it is a very hit-or-miss situation for the wrestlers. This is largely due to the WWE having a huge main roster that there can only be a small handful of spots that can be continuously in the spotlight.

Some successful examples in the past include all members of The Shield and more recently Drew McIntyre. However, there are other wrestlers that have not had as much success including the likes of The Ascension and Bo Dallas.

Among the more recent recruits, one wrestler that sticks out from the rest is none other than Andrade. Despite having memorable matches in NXT against the likes of Drew McIntyre and Johnny Gargano, he has failed to really be placed in anything relevant.

The past few months Andrade’s main feud has been with Rey Mysterio. Their feud eventually fused into R-Truth’s United States Championship but both ended up coming short both times.

At WrestleMania 35, Rey Mysterio will get another chance to win the title against the new United States Champion, Samoa Joe, whilst Andrade has been left out of the match altogether and placed in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. Anything but a victory would be a huge step backwards for Andrade.

#4 Kevin Owens

Owens is not yet confirmed for the match

When the WWE started showing vignettes of Kevin Owens returning at the end of last year, the WWE Universe had no idea what he would do on his return. A few months later and nothing has changed.

Since his return at the end of last month, Owens was introduced straightaway into the WWE Championship picture, blocking Kofi Kingston’s path to challenge for the coveted title. However, Owens unfortunately came up short in a triple threat match against Mustafa Ali and WWE Champion Daniel Bryan.

It is now just over a week away until WrestleMania and Owens has found himself without a match at WrestleMania. The reason behind this is largely due to Owens returning just over a month before WrestleMania when most of the storylines were already being built up for the pay-per-view.

Despite Owens never appearing in an Andre the Giant Memorial Battle royal match now, nor has he been confirmed to be in this years’ match either, a victory on the night would instantly throw him back into the spotlight for the WWE.

#3 Mustafa Ali

Ali is one of the few Cruiserweights who has made the successful jump to the main show

Despite the Cruiserweight Division having some of the best high-flyers in the world on their weekly show, very few wrestlers successfully make the transition onto the main shows. Mustafa Ali is one of the few exceptions to this rule.

When Ali made his debut on the weekly roster at the end of last year, he jumped straight to the top by getting key victories over Andrade "Cien" Almas and WWE Champion Daniel Bryan. He took this momentum into the New Year when he lasted the second longest in the Men’s Royal Rumble, only behind eventual winner Seth Rollins.

It is safe to say that the WWE was giving Ali a huge push, but an injury stopped him from competing for his first WWE Championship title shot at Elimination Chamber. Even though he eventually got one a month later at Fastlane, he fell short and was pinned by Daniel Bryan.

As the WWE has now confirmed Ali will be in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal match, a victory for himself will instantly propel him back into the picture and will make amends for his untimely injury.

#2 Curt Hawkins

Can Hawkins finally end his losing streak?

When people mention streaks in wrestling, it’s usually revolving around a winning streak. Some past examples have included The Undertaker’s WrestleMania streak or Asuka’s record-breaking undefeated streak. However, some wrestlers have streaks that they are desperate to break. For Curt Hawkins, this is the case.

Hawkins has made it no secret that he’s on a losing streak and has even tried forming tag teams to help him get the important win. This includes Ember Moon at Mixed Match Challenge, and Zack Ryder, his former tag team partner who held yjr WWE Tag Team Championships with Hawkins at one stage in his career.

A win for Hawkins at the Andre the Giant Memorial Royal will provide the WWE Universe a huge shock at WrestleMania but may not also be impossible. At the end of last year, Hawkins managed to get down to the final three in a battle royal match a few months ago for an opportunity at the Intercontinental Championship. A much needed victory for Hawkins will be a huge boost to his career after suffering hundreds of consecutive losses.

#1 Braun Strowman

Strowman has failed to win the Universal Championship on six separate occasions

When Braun Strowman announced himself as the first entrant for this year’s Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, it immediately reduced the chances of everyone other wrestler that will also be competing in this match.

Since Strowman was drafted to Raw on the 2016 WWE draft, Strowman has proved to the WWE Universe that he is one of the most destructive wrestlers in the company. From pushing dumpsters off the stage to lifting, Strowman simply has found no limits in to what he can do.

However, despite his physical prowess, it appears he has been underutilised in the WWE. Since his debut in August 2015, he has won the Raw Tag Team Championship once, a title he held for a day which he shared with a ten year old.

Despite having pursued the Universal Championship in the past eighteen months, he has failed to win on six separate occasions.

Winning the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal will give a much needed boost for the Monster among Men and can steer him once again back into the Universal Championship picture.