Wrestlemania XXX: Andre The Giant Memorial 30 Man Battle Royal

[enviousdominous]

It made me a little sick to my stomach when the commentators ran through their rehearsed dialogue regarding how excited they are to see who takes home the coveted Andre the Giant Memorial Trophy.

I think it would be better to just have the recognition rather than a trophy. Sure, it's of Andre the Giant. You don't get a giant statue of Arnold Palmer for winning the Masters. For me, a statue of Andre the Giant as a prize is childish. The winner obviously isn't going to clunk his opponents over the head with it, I really fucking hope they don't anyway. A statue of Andre the Giant belongs in a physical Hall of Fame, not on top of a trinket awarded to someone who doesn't flop out of the ring on accident.

I think the battle royal will be good filler for the show. I might act like I have high brow expectations, but I honestly like battle royals almost as much as I like Larry the Cable Guy. I just really hope that the participants are working out their spots so they'll look good for the show. If they manage to make this one special, I might take back some of my criticisms for validating it with an Andre the Giant trophy.

If I had to put money down on one person, I'd bet on Cesaro getting the win. I think he's their next prospect and I know the crowd will be happy to see him win.

I think they want it to be a mania tradition, I don't think it'll last. I don't know what their plan is exactly. Will they make the next trophy a Lou Thesz statue? It would get pretty stupid if in three years three guys are all carrying around Andre the Giant trophies. I think they jumped the shark with this one, but oh well. Long live WWE.

 

[MCMG]

I like the concept for some reasons. This is a big anniversary for Wrestlemania and Andre huge part of Wrestlemania but is no longer with us - this is a good way to remember his contribution.

There is also the fact that guys get an appearance at Wrestlemania. Last year Rhodes, Sandow and Cesaro all missed out. I'm glad they are moving to ensure all the mid-carders feature.

I don't think this is a match for the likes of JTG and Tatsu. They are barely on the roster and they don't deserve this match. I'd much rather see some wrestlers from years gone by whose purpose can be a little nostalgia. I'd rather see Steamboat, Piper, Foley, RVD even Jericho over JTG, Tatsu, Ryder etc.

The winner is difficult to predict. The Big Show is the obvious name and it would be a good choice. I personally thought Ted Dibiase jr (whatever he is doing) wouldn't be a bad choice if they want to focus a bit more on the Andre side. If it is purely a battle royal then Rusev, Big E, Cesaro are all good choices. If they can get him then Jericho would be a good moment as well.

 

[Eddie Menuek]

I think they want it to be a mania tradition, I don't think it'll last. I don't know what their plan is exactly. Will they make the next trophy a Lou Thesz statue? It would get pretty stupid if in three years three guys are all carrying around Andre the Giant trophies. I think they jumped the shark with this one, but oh well. Long live WWE.

I got the idea that it was going to be more like a sports trophy - something that is presented to the winner (with them, in theory, keeping it for a year) and maybe paraded on Raw the following evening but not something that's carried around for a month, let alone a year - and then reappears for the following year's battle royal (if it does, indeed, become an annual thing).

 

[NegativeFeedback]

Will they make the next trophy a Lou Thesz statue? It would get pretty stupid if in three years three guys are all carrying around Andre the Giant trophies.

I think the tradition will be the battle royal, not the trophy. They might make it for a championship in the future, or maybe for a "Mr. WrestleMania" title or something like that.

 

[HeenanGorilla]

Oh my God, these ideas are so bad. You guys really suck. Can't enjoy anything. If you guys want to guess who the winner will be--without knowing the participants (?)--then that is your right, as people who needlessly wonder about nonsense.

But, you guys who are pissing on this thing. Why?! Why does it have to be a homerun?? Everything doesn't have to be amazing, you dumb shits. I saw some of you saying WrestleMania is for the elite. Since when?!? You jerks say these things so much that you actually a) start to believe them yourselves and b) get these puppets to go along with it, because they go along with whatever is repeated and repeated and repeated on this forum.

If this is an annual event--which has not been mentioned, let alone confirmed, by WWE--then it can go any number of ways. It could be a Stanley Cup-type deal, where the same trophy is won year after year. (Arnold Palmer? What a stupid thing to say. What does one sporting event's trophy have to do with a wrestling match's trophy. Idiot...) They could put a little plaque on it for each winner. Or they could go another route.

I was a huge wrestling fan as a kid and still watch WrestleMania each year. I am glad to see WWE adding a way to get more superstars on the show. That is my stance as a wrestling fan.

My stance as a reader of nonstop bullshit is that you assholes will never be happy. You cry about one thing, then cry about the solution. I loved the idea of this battle royal when Hulk announced it and I love it even more that it is bringing so much unhappiness to you miserable losers. Bonus!

Also, why does everyone think Big Show winning makes so much sense? It makes no sense at all. This guy needs a battle royal win 20 years into his career to give him a push? Hahaha! You guys are truly morons.

I will look forward to this match, hope to see some legends, and enjoy the new addition to WMXXX. I'll leave the bitching to you babies who will never be happy--and not just regarding wrestling, but in life. Panties in a bunch over sports entertainment...so sad...

 

[kadroan]

It's a creative way to show respect to Andre The Giant as well as get more talent on the show without it being predictable.

For the longest, used to random multi man tag matches, not to knock The Shield's match last year, it's just atleast in this match you can't predict the winner.

 

[The Fabulous Rougeau's]

I think this will mark Rusev's return to the ring following the Rumble and all his promos. Not only that but I see him winning this battle royal. I think it makes sense as he seems to be a guy the company is behind and this is a good way of giving him a strong push while sheltering him in the battle royal environment. I can also see the last guy he eliminates being some big guy like Show, Henry or even Sheamus to set up his first story in the WWE.

 

[haydo 434]

I feel that this is a good idea.
It will be an opportunity for certain guys to get on to the card.
Could be an interesting way to bring up certain nxt talent.
The match itself will feel fresh and will excite the crowd.
The question is who will win it? I am hoping for ziggler to come in at number one and to win it out, lets face it the man deserves it and would be a nice wrestlemania moment for him. Another guy to watch out for could be titus, vince is pretty high on him which only means good things.
Anothet outcome could be a returning superstar or legend winning, which I would have no problem with either.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

According to wrestlinginc.com, WWE inserted segments into this past Monday's Raw that will be seen in Germany in which Cesaro states that he's entered the battle royal for WrestleMania.

I'm assuming this means that Jack Swagger will be in the battle royal as well, though nothing's been confirmed. I'm thinking that Cesaro could wind up winning the thing, leading to further frustrations or even the breaking point of his team with Swagger. He could also eliminate Swagger, which sends Swagger over the edge, or Cesaro is eliminated by Swagger before reinserting himself into the match to eliminate Swagger. At any rate, I think Cesaro will be one of the last guys left in the match itself.

 

[MINISTRYrising]

I think this is a great idea and with This set to be a anual thing, I can see this match being a platform for one of the Younger Superstars on the roster to Build some moment after Wrestlemania. I am also hoping WWE will add 1 or 2 Legends to the match and with both The Ultimate Warrior and Jake the Snake going into the Hall of Fame this year I think it would be cool to see them compete in this years match. I can also see WWE adding a couple of NXT stars to the match like Rusev, who is due to come up to the main roster and hopefully sami Zayne.

 

[HeymanHustler]

Does anybody know if this battle royal will be like a Royal Rumble (someone enters every couple minutes) or will it be all 30 men in the ring at the same time?

Anyway, I like the idea of it. I think it's a smart way to get all the relevant talent on the card without. Not the way I would've done it. I would've had a 10-12 man Money in the Bank or, but that's why I'm not a professional booker.
If I had to put in my two cents on a winner, I would love to see Alexander Rusev enter unannounced and win with Big Show being the last person he eliminates just because I think it would be a nice way to kick off the guy's career. Plus, I want some closure to these repetitive and annoying promos he does each show that isn't just "he debuts to squash local talent for a couple week" as most big men debut. Lana could translate for him the next night about the best giant of the future winning a match in honor of the best giant of the past Andre. Playing the role of gentle giant (like the role he played in his program with The Authority, minus the crying), Big Show comes and says Rusev didn't deserve that honor. He goes on about how Rusev doesn't respect Andrei's legacy and he's still wet behind the ears. Leading to a feud.

 

[HBKistheHOF]

What are your thoughts on the Battle Royal?

I too like the fact that this battle royal is being hyped more than other "throw away" matches at past Manias & seems to have some value with Andre's name being attached but there are a couple tricky factors involved when it comes to whether or not this match is a good idea & just how well it will actually turn out. For one the WWE needs to time this match perfectly. Too long of match & it eats away at much more important things going on at WM30 but not enough time to touch on feuds like Cesaro/Swagger, Big E/Real Americans, etc. could make the match feel rushed & pointless. Also who is involved in this battle royal matters GREATLY. Too many random, irrelevant jobbers & the match becomes a joke. & too many specialty entrants & the match becomes a novelty. There needs to be a good mix of upper-mid carders that could actually win the match, some solid mid-carders that are good workers to fill out some space, a very few select guys from NXT & MAYBE a Legend or two if they are booked well & it isn't the same old Sgt. Slaughter or someone like that.

Who will win?

It should be Cesaro. As simple as that. There are a few others like Damien Sandow or some upcoming superstars from NXT like Sami Zayn that I wouldn't mind winning the match. But the NXT superstars don't deserve a victory on the grandest stage of them all yet & any other mid-carder, last minute entry, veteran, etc. doesn't deserve to win it as much as Cesaro.

Is this going to become a mania tradition or a one time occurrence?

They might try it once or twice more if it goes well but any kind of "tradition" sticking in the WWE these days is very rare. Plans change constantly as we all know & the chances of the WWE continuing to take up space on the Mania card each year with a battle royal is HIGHLY unlikely.

 

[the green b@stard]

I choose to take the glass half full approach to this one.

Yes 30 guys get onto the card. But around 25 of them really aren't going to do anything. The ring will just be to crowded.

Hopefully for nostigals sake big show wins, leans one arm on the top rope and try to shake the cob webs alla andre.... dusting off his old singlet would be a nice touch too.

 

[spaldoni]

This is a great addition! I love it! A 30 man Battle Royal to honor Andre the Giant at WrestleMania 30, that is just awesome. I think it was great the way Hogan announced it. The way he paid tribute to Andre and acknowledged their epic match at Mania 3 was a class act. He had me pumped up. I think the way he promoted it really makes it feel special. I think the actually trophy of Andre is really cool. I also like how wrestlers are throwing their names into the battle royal. My first live wrestling event, I saw Andre win a battle royal. He was the king of battle royals so this is the best way to pay tribute to a true legend. It's going to be a great Mania moment for the winner. I can't wait to see him standing in the middle of the ring with the trophy.

 

[Giovanni Galvano]

I hope this match doesn't take away chances for Intercontinental title/ U.S. title bouts on the WM Card

Last year's mania the IC title was done on the pre show and the U.S. title wasn't even defended at all that night. It's a shame in my opinion

Also, how is this Battle Royal going to work? Are they going enter 1 by 1 like a Royal Rumble or are they all going to start off in the ring at once? 30 guys is huge amount

 

[TWJC: The Beginning]

I'm hoping it's a mix of current guys and old school guys too. I don't care who wins and neither will most other people. Winning a battle royal that is a token match doesn't get anyone over and losing doesn't hurt anyone either. Could be sentimental and give it to Big Show. Could attempt to use it to bring attention to a young guy (but like I said, who gives a shit if you win this?).

 

[Softcore Holly]

I hope this match doesn't take away chances for Intercontinental title/ U.S. title bouts on the WM Card

Last year's mania the IC title was done on the pre show and the U.S. title wasn't even defended at all that night. It's a shame in my opinion

Also, how is this Battle Royal going to work? Are they going enter 1 by 1 like a Royal Rumble or are they all going to start off in the ring at once? 30 guys is huge amount

Well since Big E and most likely both RA(the guys he's been sort of feuding with) are in this match, it's very unlikely we're getting a IC title match this WM. US is up in the air since we don't know what the Shield will be doing, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if we didn't get a US title match either.

As for the Royal probably all at once, with the most popular guy getting his music played while he walks down the ramp. I can't see them spending that much time on this for guys to be coming down one at a time, and within the first few minutes 30 will be cut in half so the people left will have more room to work with. (Which btw pretty much confirms 3MB's entry in this )

 

[Jack-Hammer]

According to Dave Meltzer, there's talk of the battle royal taking place as part of the WrestleMania pre-show rather than the main card itself. The reasons why this is, allegedly, being considered aren't given; however, if I had to guess, I'd say it'd have to do with time constraints. As I said though, that's just a guess. I don't see Cena vs. Wyatt, Bryan vs. Triple H, Taker vs. Lesnar and the title match getting less than 20 to 25 minutes each. Plus, there's still several places on the card left to be filled. For instance, there's talk of a Divas and Tag Team Championship match being added to the card.

If the match winds up being bumped to the kickoff show, I think there should be an additional prize for the winner. Personally, the notion of winning a trophy of Andre The Giant doesn't exactly wow me. Depending upon what the final line up for the battle royal is like, the winner could also receive a shot at either the IC or US titles as part of the main card. We already know that Big E is in the battle royal, though I've no idea whether any or all of The Shield will be or not. If Big E is in the match and wins, then he can still challenge Dean Ambrose in order to unify that IC & US titles whether or not he winds up in the battle royal. If Ambrose is in the match & wins, he challenges Big E. If all three members of The Shield are in the match and Reigns or Rollins picks up the win, they could challenge Ambrose to further drive a wedge between them. At any rate, there are still several potential possibilities that can give the battle royal some meaning if it's bumped to the preshow.

 

[LODemolition]

If they hold this on the pre-show, which it sounds like that's the way they're leaning, I will look on the bright side of it. To me, that means it's far more likely that we'll see an IC Title match. That was a concern of mine that there wouldn't be one when I saw Big E announce on Raw that he was entering. If they have it during the pre-show, I have to believe that he'll be on the card again later defending his title because not everyone sees the pre-show. People are still filing into the arena and people are ordering the ppv at home while the pre-show is happening.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

It's a pre-show standard match to be fair, even if it is stacked full of top talent. It could work as a cheap way of getting some guys onto the main card without having to build storylines for them all. Maybe to throw them into an IC Title match.

At the same time, if they can't be bothered to think up storylines for them, then they're not really main card material. The show can survive if Big Show, Del Rio, Big E & others aren't on it. Individually they're all expendable.

 

[Mustang Sally]

It could work as a cheap way of getting some guys onto the main card without having to build storylines for them all.

That's about it. The whole roster looks forward to getting some sort of Wrestlemania exposure in order to earn a share of the biggest PPV of the year, right? Well, the way things had been shaping up, it was looking as if a damn small percentage of the talent was going to appear on the show, which would have aggravated a lot of people.

So, in logical fashion, a battle royal is always a good way to get a bunch of people into the action without upsetting the storyline applecart. It doesn't matter who wins, but adding Andre's name is a nice touch.

Easy. Quick. Productive.

 

[KitsuneDreamer]

I was rather pleased when I heard the announcement for the Andre The Giant Battle Royal.
I have a problem with this, but not of the match itself. There are reports going around saying this may in fact become the Pre-Show for WMXXX. I believe this merits a slot on the card and could become a great tradition going forward. I hope they put some real good wrestlers in there, and don't fill it up with ham and eggers. I predict Cesaro or Sheamus to win. Could really put Cesaro up there, or revitalize the rather stale, and dehydrated Celtic Warrior.

 

[Sid Schmid]

The only thing I don't understand is why have Hogan open Raw to announce this match and show a video of the trophy if it's only going to be on the pre-show?

 

[Jack-Hammer]

The only thing I don't understand is why have Hogan open Raw to announce this match and show a video of the trophy if it's only going to be on the pre-show?

It MIGHT not be on the pre-show. There are reports stating that the battle royal MIGHT be moved to the pre-show, but these reports only came out after the battle royal was announced. I haven't read anything else since that initial report from 3 days ago concerning whether or not the battle royal will be on the main card.

If it isn't, I'm guessing that it'll have to do with time constraints. After all, it's only logical that the WWE World Heavyweight Championship match, Bryan vs. Triple H, Taker vs. Lesnar and Cena vs. Wyatt are given a lot of time. They're the top matches for this year's show and, personally, I'm guessing that they'll all be given at least 20 to 30 minutes.

According to WWE.com, 12 of the 30 names are listed:

Dolph Ziggler
Ryback
Big E
Curtis Axel
Fandango
Alberto Del Rio
Damien Sandow
Titus O'Neil
Christian
Sheamus
Big Show
Mark Henry

As expected from the beginning, the match will consist primarily of lower to mid-card guys with a handful of upper mid-card/main eventers to lend a little star power. Whether or not it's on the main card, the wrestlers will all be part of the WrestleMania payday and that's this match's real purpose.

 

[HeenanGorilla]

Could be sentimental and give it to Big Show.

Do this many people really believe Big Show is Andre's son? If not, what is sentimental about this?

And why are people saying things like "mid-card" battle royal? How many battle royals in history had all of the main event guys in it? This isn't the Royal Rumble.

I just can't believe how many people--the same ones who bitch that the full-time guys should have a spot on the PPV, not the ones that come back part-time--have such a problem with this great way to get all of them on the show.