On the Friday Night SmackDown ahead of WrestleMania 42, WWE will hold the 2026 WWE Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal.
Featuring talent not part of the WrestleMania card, this will showcase other stars who will be looking to win the prestigious trophy.
With several names already expected to not be part of Mania, there could be some noteworthy stars who could potentially win the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal this year.
Here are eight potential 2026 WWE Andre The Giant Battle Royal winners.
8. Ilja Dragunov
Since returning to WWE in October 2025, Ilja Dragunov has been a consistent highlight on Friday Night SmackDown.
First with his United States Championship Open Challenge, Dragunov once again showcased why he is one of the most intense in-ring performers on the WWE roster today.
Through battles with Sami Zayn, Nathan Frazer, JD McDonagh, Tommaso Ciampa and Carmelo Hayes, ‘The Mad Dragon’ proved why he just might be among the best in the business right now.
Despite all of his success, Dragunov does not have an established path to WrestleMania 42, which might make him an ideal winner of the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal on the WrestleMania SmackDown show.
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7. Talla Tonga
Since signing with WWE in 2024, it felt like Talla Tonga would become a big star for the company.
Due to his size, look and lineage as a son of Haku, Tonga has come into the company and immediately been established as force to be reckoned with as part of The MFTs stable.
Becoming the enforcer to Solo Sikoa, Tonga is currently undefeated in singles competition since arriving on SmackDown.
Wanting to elevate him as the newest monster heel in WWE, the company could have the former Hikuleo win this year’s Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal.
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6. Tama Tonga
Speaking of The MFTs, Tama Tonga is someone who has recently been receiving the biggest push of anyone in the faction.
In recent weeks, fans have seen Tama pick up pinfall victories over Shinsuke Nakamura, Carmelo Hayes and Ilja Dragunov.
Getting himself into contention for the United States Championship, Tonga has proven himself as someone who is more than capable in singles competition.
While he could become US Champion before WrestleMania 42, Tama might be better suited to win the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal ahead of ‘The Show of Shows.’
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5. Je’Von Evans
Since being called up to the WWE main roster, Je’Von Evans has cemented himself as a rising star on Monday Night Raw.
‘The Young OG’ recently defeated Dominik Mysterio and GUNTHER to qualify for the men’s Elimination Chamber at the titular premium live event on February 28.
While he has the chance to punch his ticket for WrestleMania 42, it doesn’t feel like he will be winning the Chamber.
Once the Chamber is out of the way, Evans might be able to continue his momentum by overcoming all other competitors from Raw and SmackDown to win the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal.
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4. Damian Priest
Back in 2024, Damian Priest reached the mountaintop when he cashed in the Money In The Bank contract to defeat Drew McIntyre to become the new World Heavyweight Champion at WrestleMania 40.
While Priest has maintained a consistent presence on WWE TV, it does not feel like he has a ton of momentum heading into this year’s WrestleMania 42 show.
The former World Heavyweight Champion might find himself on the outside looking in for ‘The Showcase of the Immortals’ this April.
Priest entering the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal and potentially winning might be the best way to showcase him in Las Vegas if he is left off the Mania card.
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3. Royce Keys
At WWE Royal Rumble 2026, former AEW star Powerhouse Hobbs made his debut with the company as Royce Keys in the men’s Royal Rumble match.
After a solid showing during the bout, fans have not seen Keys back on WWE television over the past month.
With WrestleMania 42 fast approaching, there might not be enough time for Keys to factor into the plans for ‘The Grandest Stage of Them All.’
Keys making his formal debut on WWE weekly TV during the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal might be a great way to present him as a significant star to spotlight following WrestleMania 42.
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2. Penta
Penta is set to challenge Dominik Mysterio for the Intercontinental Championship on the March 2 episode of WWE Raw.
The masked luchador has been taking WWE by storm since making his debut in January 2025 and looks destined to become a champion at some point.
While this might be his last shot at the IC Title for a while, it doesn’t feel like it will prove to be the big win that Penta has been searching for.
Penta losing might lead to him being left off the WrestleMania 42 card and cause him to enter as well as potentially win the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal ahead of the premium live event.
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1. Oba Femi
Oba Femi showcased his dominant presence with a powerful performance in his official WWE main roster debut at Royal Rumble 2026.
Eliminating five competitors from the men’s Royal Rumble, ‘The Ruler’ displayed the power, strength and intensity that made him the top star on the NXT brand over the past two years.
While he is a free agent and being pursued by both Monday Night Raw and Friday Night SmackDown, Femi has already earned himself a few enemies in the form of Kit Wilson, The Miz and Rusev in recent weeks.
Despite the company having big plans in the future for him, Femi might find himself not slotted into a spot on the WrestleMania 42 lineup and might be better suited winning the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal to start his ascent up the card.
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