WWE WrestleMania 33: Jack Gallagher Should Win the Andre the Giant Battle Royal

The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal has been one of WrestleMania’s most forgettable matches but the right champion could get fans excited again.

Since its inception just before WrestleMania 30, the Andre the Giant Battle Royal has unfortunately become one giant (pun intended) exercise in futility during the Granddaddy of Them All. Ask yourself, what has winning the trophy actually done for anyone? Cesaro was already over when he won the inaugural bout in New Orleans several years ago. Big Show got absolutely no push when he won the next year because frankly, he didn’t need one. Baron Corbin didn’t see any results in the aftermath of his winning either. His feud with Ambrose leading into WrestleMania 33 only manifested itself recently so unless you want to tell each winner the payoff won’t come for about a year I don’t see much incentive to win.

My point is that winning this trophy doesn’t become synonymous with their identity in the same way as winning a title belt or Money in the Bank or even the Royal Rumble. There is no reward other than the trophy itself. This match has become a way for WWE to incorporate the lost souls of their company into the equivalent of a participation ribbon for the biggest show of the year. Sure it’s fun for them to say they technically competed at WrestleMania, but it’s almost no fun for us. There are no stakes and thus no emotional investment.

With less than two weeks to go, only four competitors have announced their participation in this match: Big Show, Apollo Crews, Mojo Rawley, and Curt Hawkins. If and when Braun Strowman makes his announcement he immediately becomes the odds-on favorite to win. Ever since his sacrifice upon the altar of Roman Reigns at Fastlane earlier this month, the WWE seems to be in limbo about what to do with Strowman, despite his ultimately meaningless revenge antics on RAW. With Reigns committed to a match against The Undertaker at WrestleMania 33, Strowman’s absence is already noticeable and the Andre the Giant Memorial seems like the only place for him.

While Strowman seems like the most likely choice as the winner (assuming he joins), I’d love to see Gentleman Jack Gallagher win this match. Hear me out. Yes, he seems like the last guy who could win a match named after one of the most physically imposing men the company has ever seen and that’s precisely why he should. The trophy itself is 5 feet tall and Gallagher stands at 5’8 so the image of those two standing next to each other would be comical in itself but add in Gallagher’s smugness coupled with his unique in-ring ability and you have a champion fans would be proud to cheer on. Not only that, but Gallagher would be tremendously amusing as he reminds the rest of the roster about his victory in the most polite way.

For those who knew him, Andre the Giant is remembered more for his big heart rather than his big body and this trophy has sought to embody that larger-than-life spirit, albeit with mixed results. Having a winner who is small in stature but clearly big on talent would be more in keeping with Andre’s legacy than simply giving it to another forgettable giant.