But, none were as surprising as seeing Mojo Rawley emerge as the winner of the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. Rawley has been one of the most overlooked and poorly booked superstars over the past year, but for some inexplicable reason, he was given this victory.
There are a number of more deserving candidates who could’ve benefitted from winning the Battle Royal, but they were all eliminated early leaving Rawley and Jinder Mahal as the last two competitors.
So, without any further ado, here are 5 superstars who could’ve won the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal instead of Mojo Rawley:
#5 Apollo Crews
Apollo Crews enjoyed a highly successful run during his time at NXT where he got over with the crowd because of his combination of speed, strength, and athleticism. But, things have been very different since he made the jump over to the main roster after WrestleMania 32.
Even though he was expected to be a breakout star after his move to SmackDown, he has endured a less than stellar year.
The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal presented the perfect opportunity to establish Crews as a credible member of the Smackdown roster. Was he the best choice to win the event? No. That’s why he’s number 5 on this list. But, he was definitely a better option that Mojo Rawley.
They could have used Crews winning the Battle Royal as the springboard to bigger and better things.
#4 Killian Dain
A late inclusion for the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, SAnitY dynamo Killian Dain made quite a name for himself on the WrestleMania 33 preshow as he eliminated both members of American Alpha – Jason Jordan and Chad Gable – from the match.
The man formerly known as Big Damo has a bright future ahead of him in the WWE, and this would have been the perfect opportunity to introduce him to the WWE Universe as a monster.
Much like how Baron Corbin exploded onto the main roster with the momentum of winning the Battle Royal as a member of NXT, they could have done the same for Dain. He might not be ready for the big stage of the WWE yet, but the creative team won’t get another opportunity to make the same kind of impact.
The former WCPW star would have benefitted from this victory a helluva lot more than Mojo Rawley..
#3 The Big Show
Okay, I know that the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal is a stage for younger superstars to make an impact, but I think an exception should be made for The Big Show considering the circumstances.
The man has been a faithful servant to the WWE ever since he made the move over from WCW during the Monday Night Wars. Always willing to do what the company requires, Show has recently made a real effort to improve his physique at this stage of his career.
Also read: The Undertaker wanted to face John Cena at WrestleMania 33
With his contract running out, Show announced that WrestleMania 33 will be his last appearance on The Grandest Stage of Them All. He might’ve escaped the embarrassment of having to put over Shaquille O’Neil, but he surely deserved a better send off than an early elimination at the Battle Royal.
A retirement gift for The Big Show would have been far more memorable than Rawley’s hollow victory.
#2 Sami Zayn
If there is one person, who has not been utilised to his full potential since his call-up to the main roster from NXT it is Sami Zayn. The former NXT Champion is one of the most talented competitors on the entire roster, but for some reason, he just does not get the push he deserves.
He is the second on this list because there is literally only one other man who should have won the Andre the Giant Battle Royal ahead of Sami Zayn. Instead of wasting the prestige of winning the tournament on an unskilled underdog in the form of Mojo Rawley, they could have used it on a highly skilled underdog in the form of Zayn.
Overcoming the odds is what The Underdog from the Underground is all about and what better way to showcase that than to have him win the Battle Royal? A truly wasted opportunity to make Sami a star.
#1 Braun Strowman
The man who everyone predicted to win the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal in the build up to Wrestlemania is number one on this list, and that man’s name is Braun Strowman. There is absolutely no doubt that he deserved this one more than anyone else due to the incredible 2016 the big man has had.
It’s incredible that he didn’t win it, especially given the fact that he had no feud to boost his reputation during the main show. It is a sad world we live in where Mojo Rawley wins the Battle Royal over Braun Strowman.
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