It Is Official! WWE Announces Blockbuster Return Just Ahead Of WrestleMania 42
WWE has officially announced the return of a blockbuster match ahead of WrestleMania 42.
As it has been the tradition over the last several years, the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal will take place on the go-home show next week at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. It will be followed by WrestleMania on April 18 & 19.
Until now, no participant has been officially announced for the battle royal. However, judging by its previous editions, it will include many of the superstars from either brand who are not scheduled to appear at the Show of Shows or are not injured.
Some of these wrestlers include the current WWE Tag Team Champions R-Truth & Damian Priest, Ilja Dragunov, Aleister Black, El Grande Americano, and more.
The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal match has been part of WrestleMania weekend since its debut in 2014 and was on the main card until 2019. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was excluded from ‘Mania 36 in 2020.
Since 2021, it has been held on the final SmackDown episode before the Showcase of the Immortals, as will be the case next week.
Next week’s SmackDown episode will be followed by the WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony.
Another High-Stakes Match Announced For April 17 WWE SmackDown
In addition to the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, the commentators officially revealed another match that has been finalized for SmackDown.
For fans who thought that the rivalry between the MFTs and The Wyatt Sicks ended last week, it does not seem to be the case.
Over the last several weeks, both stables have been fighting over the late Bray Wyatt’s lantern that was stolen by Solo Sikoa. After his match against Uncle Howdy last week, Tama Tonga gave the lantern back to the leader of The Sicks despite reluctance from Sikoa.
On April 17, both teams will compete in an 8-Man Street Fight match. Competed under no disqualification rules, there is no question that it will be a chaotic affair, and fans can expect interference from non-competing members of the groups.
The April 10 taping of WWE SmackDown saw a backstage confrontation between the MFTs and former Bloodline member Jacob Fatu.
Owing to his recent friction with Tama Tonga, Sikoa pitched him as Fatu’s opponent. While both men exhibited their strengths, it was ultimately Fatu who secured the win.
After the match, Fatu’s WrestleMania opponent, Drew McIntyre, launched a vicious attack on him. He also brought a pair of handcuffs with him, which he used to bust open The Samoan Werewolf.
McIntyre also hung Fatu on the ring turnbuckle as he continued with his assault. Drew and Jacob’s feud is a long-standing one, dating back to October 2025. They will compete in an unsanctioned match, where everything is legal.
Also on the show, Danhausen and Royce Keys made their in-ring debuts, facing Kit Wison and Berto, respectively. The babyfaces secured victories, gaining huge momentum ahead of WrestleMania 42.
In the main event, Iyo Sky faced Jade Cargill in a singles match to get revenge after last week’s attack on her. Unfortunately, the WWE Women’s Champion came out on top.