Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal Winners List After Carmelo Hayes Wins 11th Edition Before WrestleMania 41

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Carmelo Hayes overcame 23 other Superstars to win the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal on Friday Night SmackDown before WrestleMania 41, becoming the 11th winner of the prestigious trophy at the T-Mobile Arena on Friday (April 18) night.

The Battle Royal began with unexpected comedy as Carlito and R-Truth's battle over an apple led to their immediate eliminations, unleashing a wave of unpredictability in the matchup.

The WWE luchadors then banded together to eliminate the boastful Chad Gable, setting the stage for a tense final stretch. Carmelo Hayes, Shinsuke Nakamura, Andrade, and Rey Fenix remained, engaging in a dramatic four-way clash for the coveted prize.

Andrade managed to eliminate Nakamura, but El Grande Americano's sudden intervention took out Fenix, leaving Andrade and Hayes to settle their long-standing rivalry. In a climactic moment, Hayes found the strength to eliminate Andrade, securing a historic win. Here is a look at the elimination order and previous winners:

2025 Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal Elimination Order

1. Carlito - Eliminated by R-Truth
2. R-Truth - Eliminated by The Miz
3. Humberto - Eliminated by Rey Fenix
4. Angel Garza - Eliminated by Rey Fenix
5. Pretty Deadly - Eliminated by A-Town Down Under
6. Tyler Bate - Eliminated by Ludwig Kaiser
7. Santos Escobar - Eliminated by Rey Fenix
8. Akira Tozawa - Eliminated by Brutus Creed
9. The Creed Brothers - Eliminated by Otis
10. Otis - Eliminated himself
11. Grayson Waller - Eliminated by Andrade
12. Austin Theory - Eliminated by Andrade
13. Chad Gable - Eliminated by Rey Fenix
14. Cruz Del Toro - Eliminated by Shinsuke Nakamura
15. Joaquin Wilde - Eliminated by Karrion Kross
16. Karrion Kross - Eliminated by Dragon Lee
17. Dragon Lee - Eliminated by Shinsuke Nakamura
18. Ludwig Kaiser - Eliminated by Pete Dunne
19. The Miz - Eliminated by Pete Dunne
20. Pete Dunne - Eliminated by Carmelo Hayes
21. Shinsuke Nakamura - Eliminated by Andrade
22. Rey Fenix - Eliminated by El Grande Americano
23. Andrade - Eliminated by Carmelo Hayes
24. Carmelo Hayes - The 2025 winner

History of the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal

The concept of the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal was officially unveiled by WWE Hall of Famer and WrestleMania 30 host Hulk Hogan on the March 10, 2014, episode of Monday Night Raw.

The announcement positioned the match as a special attraction for WrestleMania XXX, designed specifically to pay homage to Andre the Giant, who was dubbed "The Eighth Wonder of the World" due to his immense size resulting from gigantism.

Andre was not only a globally recognized figure but also a dominant force in battle royals during his era. His victory in a 20-man WWE vs. NFL battle royal at WrestleMania 2 cemented this reputation.

Hogan, who famously faced Andre at WrestleMania III, presented the match as a fitting tribute on WWE's grandest stage. Andre's status as the inaugural inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1993 further underscored the significance of honoring his memory with this annual event.

The match was intended to provide a platform for numerous Superstars to achieve a significant WrestleMania moment and potentially elevate their careers. The victor of the annual battle royal is awarded the Andre the Giant Memorial Trophy.

This prize is a large, distinct statue crafted in the likeness of Andre the Giant himself. Standing approximately five feet tall, the trophy serves as a tangible symbol of the achievement and a direct visual link to the legendary figure it honors.

Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal Rules

The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal adheres to the standard rules governing traditional battle royal matches in professional wrestling. The contest begins with all participants simultaneously present in the squared circle.

Elimination occurs when a competitor is thrown over the top rope and both of their feet touch the arena floor. The match continues in this chaotic fashion, with wrestlers vying to eliminate others while avoiding their own elimination, until only one participant remains in the ring.

That final competitor is declared the winner and the recipient of the Andre the Giant Memorial Trophy. The number of participants has varied over the years, ranging from 20 at WrestleMania 32 to 33 at WrestleMania 33, though typically featuring around 20-30 competitors.

Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal Winners List From 2014-2025

The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal initially held a place on the WrestleMania card itself or, more commonly in later years, on the event's Kickoff pre-show. From 2014 (WrestleMania XXX) through 2019 (WrestleMania 35), it was a fixture of the main WrestleMania event programming.

However, the annual tradition experienced a disruption in 2020. The battle royal did not take place during WrestleMania 36 weekend. This omission was a direct consequence of the burgeoning COVID-19 pandemic.

WWE cited concerns over the health risks associated with having a large number of competitors in the ring simultaneously, particularly during a period when events were being held without live audiences at the WWE Performance Center.

The match returned in 2021, but its placement underwent a significant change. Instead of occurring during the two-night WrestleMania 37 event, the seventh Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal was contested on a special "WrestleMania Edition" of Friday Night SmackDown broadcast the night before WrestleMania began. This shift established a new precedent.