SmackDown goes live with a Great American Bash celebration this Tuesday featuring the first-ever Great American Bash Battle Royal.
15 Battle Royals that Laid the SmackDown!
May 21, 2012
In what is sure to be one of the highlights of tonight's explosive SuperSmackDown LIVE: The Great American Bash at 8/7 CT on Syfy, 20 elite Superstars will compete in a main event Battle Royal. This is incredibly fitting considering the fact that this chaotic specialty match has always been interwoven with SmackDown itself.
Now, WWE.com takes a look at the longstanding connection that these explosive free-for-alls share with the blue brand, showcasing 15 of the most memorable melees in SmackDown's history.
Jan. 13, 2006: Kurt Angle is crowned World Heavyweight Champion
On a night that saw the reemergence of "Rowdy" Roddy Piper’s beloved "Piper’s Pit" in 2006, the WWE Universe was also witness to a sad, yet historical ending.
Beleaguered World Heavyweight Champion Batista kicked off the show in Philadelphia by telling the faithful that he suffered a severe injury in a match against Mark Henry and would require major surgery that would sideline the champion indefinitely. Electing to do the right thing for the title and for the company, Batista said that he had no choice but to surrender his title. The emotional Animal said his farewells, but as it must, time marched on. While the now-former champion vowed to one day come back for the title, the new titleholder was to be decided that very night on SmackDown in a Battle Royal.
In a night full of surprises, the biggest shock came when Kurt Angle’s music blared through the sound system and the Raw Superstar came to SmackDown to compete in the Battle Royal! Angle’s impact was immediate, eliminating JBL the moment he entered the ring. Then in the middle of the action, Angle and Mark Henry left the fray to battle at ringside, where Henry press-slammed Angle through the announce table! With Angle still lying prone amid the ruins of the table, it came down to Rey Mysterio and Henry back inside the ring. When The World’s Strongest Man eliminated Mysterio, he thought he’d won the title, but Henry had forgotten about Angle.
The Olympic Hero rushed back into the ring and the two went at it! Though at a size disadvantage, Angle hung tough and when Henry tried throwing him over the top, Angle dragged The World’s Strongest Man with him and let gravity do the rest — Henry’s feet hit before Angle’s, and a new World Heavyweight Champion was crowned!
Oct. 25, 2001: Alliance Battle Royal
It was late 2001, and WWE was in the throes of an Invasion.
The McMahon family’s high stakes "game of thrones" was reaching a fever pitch as The Alliance, consisting of WCW and ECW competitors, threatened WWE’s Superstars for squared circle supremacy.
When WWE Champion and leader of The Alliance "Stone Cold" Steve Austin arrived on the Oct. 25, 2011, episode of SmackDown, he was more than ready to "raise hell." That was because his faction had recently dropped four titles to WWE’s Superstars. Throwing every Alliance member from the ring – save Shane and Stephanie McMahon – Austin drew the proverbial line in the sand, demanding that someone step forward to challenge Chris Jericho for his WCW Title. To determine who was best suited to face Y2J, The Texas Rattlesnake ordered Commissioner William Regal to make an official Over-the-Top Rope Battle Royal Match between the Alliance members.
With a volatile and dangerous mix of WCW and ECW grapplers in the ring all at the same time, the Alliance Battle Royal had its share of memorable moments, including a massive powerbomb by Mike Awesome that sent Tommy Dreamer soaring over the ropes and crashing through a table at ringside! In the end, it would be Booker T that would emerge from the melee victorious, set to challenge Jericho later that night.
Oct. 14, 2011: 41-Man Battle Royal
There were only two questions on the minds of WWE Universe members on Oct. 14, 2011 — first, who would win the historic 41-Man Battle Royal, and second, would the ring be able to hold all those Superstars?
With all of WWE’s Superstars under one roof, the match was open to both Raw and SmackDown’s finest, leading to the largest such match in WWE’s history. Added to all that, the winner of the melee would receive a title match against the champion of his choosing that same night!
What a sight it was inside the ring — a sea of bodies ebbed and flowed as the ring seemingly bent underneath the combined weight of the 41 grapplers. Like a scene out of the movie Gladiator, there were combatants in every direction and the crowd just didn’t know where to look as there was literally action in every corner.
When Randy Orton eliminated Jinder Mahal, The Viper thought he’d won the match, but The Miz, who had not yet been eliminated, climbed back inside and a fight ensued between the two. Orton, who’d just eliminated Wade Barrett, Jack Swagger and Jinder Mahal in lightning-fast succession, still had plenty of fight left for The Awesome One. With both men teetering on the apron, Orton delivered a heart-stopping RKO that sent both men crashing to the floor. Miz’s feet touched down first, however, and WWE’s Apex Predator earned a World Championship Match later in the night.
June 6, 2002: Deadman waiting
The June 6, 2002, episode of SmackDown opened on a strange scene — a ring full of Superstars just standing around. That was until Mr. McMahon’s music blared through the sound system. The WWE head honcho entered with a wicked smile on his face as he announced the 20 Superstars in the ring were there to compete in an old-fashioned Over-the-Top Rope challenge.
Strutting back and forth on the ramp, Mr. McMahon went on to explain that the winner of the Battle Royal would face The Undertaker as the No. 1 Contender to The Deadman’s Undisputed WWE Championship at King of the Ring. With the likes of Hulk Hogan, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho and Triple H vying for the chance to challenge The Phenom, the 20-Man Battle Royal was one of the highest profile matches in SmackDown history.
It was chaos from the wordgo, as mayhem was the order of the night. Kurt Angle was a machine, throwing bodies over the ropes left and right and even managing to eliminate The World’s Stongest Man Mark Henry! Hulk Hogan was the sentimental favorite for sure, and when The Hulkster "Hulked Up" with just three other Superstars left in the ring, the Oklahoma crowd couldn't help feeling nostalgic.
After Hogan tossed Jericho over the ropes, the legend found himself face to face with The Game.
When Triple H emphatically told Hogan to bring it on, Hogan responded in kind, and the two competitors traded blows in the center of the ring. In the midst of the brawl that ensured, a clothesline from The King of Kings took both Superstars over the top rope, bringing their feet to the ringside floor at exactly the same time. The referees were just as confused as the WWE Universe that night, as one official declared Hogan the winner and another awarded the contest to The Cerebral Assassin.
Feb. 17, 2012: "Wild Card" Battle Royal
Back in February, Santino Marella’s biggest responsibility was to assist SmackDown GM Teddy Long in his day-to-day duties. But after Long announced an impromptu Elimination Chamber "Wild Card" Battle Royal to replace the injured Randy Orton’s spot in the upcoming pay-per-view, The Italian Stallion was about to have a whole lot of things added to his to-do list.
The GM’s SmackDown invitational was open to competitors from Raw, SmackDown and WWE NXT, but after the bodies had flown over the ropes, it all came down to Ezekiel Jackson, Drew McIntyre, David Otunga and, the unlikely, Marella.
Santino — the crowd’s clear favorite — beat all the odds that night and eliminated both McIntyre and Jackson. Then, when Santino came face to face with Otunga, The Milan Miracle lived up to his moniker, eliminating John Laurinaitis’ legal counsel to earn a spot in the Elimination Chamber.
Jan. 29, 2004: Eddie Outlasts Angle
It may have been a cold, snowy night in Washington, DC, but it was red hot inside the SmackDown arena on Jan. 29, 2004. On the heels of the 2004 Royal Rumble, then-General Manager Paul Heyman kicked off SmackDown with a major announcement: For the first-time ever on network television, the blue brand would present a 15-Man Royal Rumble Match where the winner would get to face Brock Lesnar for the WWE Title at No Way Out!
When it came time for the main event, Kurt Angle – who lasted more than 30 minutes at the Royal Rumble the Sunday previous – entered the bout first! From there, it was all 100 miles per hour to the finish as the capital city crowd was on their feet throughout the action.
The match proved to be a who’s who of Superstars, with the likes of Bradshaw, Tajiri, Rikishi, an injured John Cena and a returning Billy Gunn all doing what they could to earn a chance at the WWE Title. When Big Show’s music played, everyone in the ring jumped on The World’s Largest Athlete at once. However, their strategy failed miserably as the giant decimated the pack, eliminating Tajiri and Bradshaw immediately.
To the surprise of the SmackDown faithful, Eddie Guerrero, who was taken to a local medical facility earlier in the night, bravely came back to compete in the Rumble, finding his groove immediately in the melee.
The final three competitors were Angle, Rikishi and Eddie. Angle and Eddie teamed up on their gigantic opponent, eventually dumping Rikishi over the top. This left just the two of them to fight it out, as Brock Lesnar waited in the shadows.
An epic one-on-one bout commenced and Angle worked to wear the injured Eddie down. Eddie, though, somehow found the strength to dump Angle over the top rope with a brilliant counter.
The emotions poured out of the exhausted and wounded victor, and the SmackDown crowd knew they’d just witnessed greatness.
Oct. 14, 2004: United States Championship No. 1 Contender Battle Royal
With SmackDown traveling overseas, the blue brand took to Manchester, England, with a thrilling international Battle Royal on the card. This time, the winner of the 18-Man Battle Royal would get a United States Championship opportunity.
From the opening bell, bodies flew in every direction as the competitors created instant bedlam, with a clashing of styles that included some hardcore magic from the likes of Rob Van Dam and The Dudley Boys. Through it all, Rey Mysterio proved why he was The Ultimate Underdog, barely escaping a number of near falls.
Once the dust settled in what was a chaotic scene, The Master of the 619 and Kurt Angle were the final two left and what ensued was an instant classic. This showdown included a miraculous moment when Rey – caught in the Angle Lock while perched precariously on the top rope – heroically broke free.
The Manchester crowd was amped up as the match reached its crescendo and Rey dangled just inches above the ringside floor in yet another near fall. Then, with Angle seemingly on the brink of putting him away, Mysterio countered and delivered a 619 to Angle’s back, dumping the Olympic Champion to the floor.
Aug. 19, 2011: World's Strongest Battle Royal
Randy Orton returned to SmackDown on Aug. 19, 2011, following his SummerSlam defeat of Christian to become the new World Heavyweight Champion. After Orton told Teddy Long he was ready to start anew, SmackDown’s General Manager announced a 20-Man Battle Royal to determine the No. 1 Contender for The Viper’s title.
With the likes of Sheamus, Mark Henry, The Great Khali, Zack Ryder, Cody Rhodes and Wade Barrett all vying for a chance to challenge Orton, the Battle Royal that ensued was fast, furious and full of memorable moments.
When the bell rang, everyone in the ring targeted Henry, sensing that he was perhaps the biggest threat in the bout. But The World’s Strongest Man was a force of destruction throughout the skirmish, and there was no one who would get in his way with a chance at the title on the line.
When Sheamus eliminated Barrett, Henry quickly disposed of The Celtic Warrior, scooping him up and dumping him over the ropes, leaving just The World’s Strongest Man and Sin Cara inside the ring. Sin Cara was no match for Henry, though, and the gigantic grappler picked him up over his head and vaulted him over the top.
In the end, it was Henry who would have the opportunity to take on WWE’s Apex Predator for the World Heavyweight Championship.
April 3, 2005: SmackDown on The Grandest Stage of Them All
The Showcase of the Immortals has its own rich history with the Battle Royal, including one that threw NFL football players into the mix at WrestleMania 2 and the Gimmick Battle Royal at WrestleMania X-Seven – won by WWE Hall of Famer The Iron Sheik.
When WrestleMania 21 went Hollywood, SmackDown would officially join this glorious tradition, its Superstars donning the blue shirts in a united effort against the red shirted Team Raw.
Pride ran deep in both locker rooms and bragging rights were most certainly on the line during the Show of Shows showdown.
Team Raw would gain the early advantage, eliminating four SmackDown Superstars in mere moments. And as the action rolled on, the WWE Universe began to see less and less blue in a sea of red, making it clear that the numbers game certainly didn’t play into SmackDown’s favor.
But in spite of the odds, Booker T was determined to lead SmackDown's rally – withstanding enormous punishment in what became an all-out assault by Raw’s representatives Chris Masters and Viscera.
Displaying incredible intestinal fortitude, the former World Champion would heroically rise above both his adversaries in the climactic finish, giving Team SmackDown a monumental victory on The Grandest Stage of Them All.
July 20, 2007: The Great Khali is the new champion
Edge faced countless challenging moments over the course of his illustrious career, but on July 20, 2007, the eventual WWE Hall of Famer came to SmackDown with a difficult decision ahead: The Rated-R Superstar would have no choice but to surrender the World Heavyweight Championship due to a torn pectoral muscle.
Per General Manager Teddy Long, a 20-Man Battle Royal between SmackDown’s finest would determine the new champion that very night. When the dust settled on the explosive match, it came down to Batista, Khali and Kane – an Animal, a giant and a monster – left to determine one of the biggest titles in squared circle history.
As Batista struggled to dump Kane over the ropes, Khali would ultimately seize his golden opportunity. Lumbering up from behind to wrap his enormous arms around both of his opponents, the massive warrior hurled them over the top rope to their defeat.
The Punjabi Nightmare was the last man standing, and he celebrated his victory with translator and brother Ranjin Singh. "Welcome to Jurassic Park," JBL said on commentary, as a new reign began and SmackDown went off the air.
June 8, 2000: Divas Battle Royal
On the June 8, 2000, episode of SmackDown, then-Women’s Champion Stephanie McMahon – who had been in no great rush to defend her title since she captured it months earlier – stood at the height of her power, living the high life in the glory days of the McMahon-Helmsley Era. Convinced she found a way to keep the illustrious championship gold in her grasp, Stephanie burst into the Divas locker room with a WWE camera crew, raising the ire of her would-be opponents as high as their faces were flushed.
With a Women’s Title opportunity on the line, five Divas would compete in a Battle Royal to determine who among them would challenge The Billion Dollar Princess later that night. To ensure that things ran to her liking, the lovely McMahon assigned the duty of special guest referee for the Battle Royal to Tori, the blonde bombshell who was comfortably in the champion’s pocket.
The five Divas battled in a fast and furious affair that left Ivory and Lita as the last remaining combatants. Lita sealed the victory when she hit a stunning moonsault off the top rope and covered Ivory for the pin.
After the bell rang, however, Tori suddenly attacked the new No. 1 Contender. This allowed Stephanie time to call for a referee and ring the bell, covering the laid-out Lita to retain the Women’s Title in her first successful "title defense."
June 23, 2008: Edge wins The Game
As part of the monumental 2008 WWE Draft, a 15-Man Tri-Brand Battle Royal took place on the June 23, 2008, episode of Monday Night Raw. Pitting 15 of WWE’s top Superstars — five each from Raw, ECW and SmackDown, respectively — the stakes were two crucial draft picks.
In a star-studded affair, Raw was represented by John Cena, Batista, Kane, CM Punk and Triple H; ECW by Matt Hardy, Chavo Guerrero, Shelton Benjamin, The Miz and John Morrison; and SmackDown by Edge, Big Show, The Great Khali, MVP and Jeff Hardy.
As Jim Ross said on commentary, each Superstar needed eyes in the back of his head as the fight came fast and steady from every direction. To prove the absolute unpredictability of a Battle Royal, Jeff Hardy eliminated his own brother, Matt, in a surprising turn of events. In another memorable moment, Edge and Batista both attempted spears, but ended up ramming heads with a sickening thud.
When Triple H eliminated Jeff Hardy, it was down to four Raw members against Edge and Big Show for SmackDown. After Show eliminated Batista and Kane to even the odds, Cena and Triple H worked together to take out The World’s Largest Athlete. But before the Raw stars could catch their breath, Edge pushed Cena into Triple H, eliminating The Game before tossing Cena to ringside to win the Battle Royal — and the two draft picks — for SmackDown.
One of those two picks? Triple H himself! Still wearing his Team Raw shirt, the WWE Champion was headed to Friday Night SmackDown!
June 4, 2010: Rey Mysterio takes The Phenom's place
One week after accidently injuring The Undertaker, Rey Mysterio was joined by every Superstar on the SmackDown roster to compete in a Battle Royal for an opportunity to take The Deadman’s spot in the forthcoming World Heavyweight Championship Match at the Fatal 4-Way pay-per-view.
With the likes of Christian, Kofi Kingston, Kane and Dolph Ziggler all in the ring at the same time, it was literally a guessing game as to who might emerge victorious and earn the chance to face off against Jack Swagger, CM Punk and Big Show for the World Title.
In the end, Rey would take on two fierce foes — Kane and Luke Gallows. When Kane dumped Gallows over the top rope, it was Rey against The Big Red Monster – David vs. Goliath come to SmackDown. It was certainly fitting that they were the final two as Kane wanted nothing more than to honor his brother’s legacy by filling his shoes at Fatal 4-Way and delivering vengeance for The Phenom’s injury.
But Rey, no stranger to being the underdog, fought with everything he had, and when he turned a chokeslam into a hurricanrana to dump Kane over the top, any questions as to how the smaller Mysterio might dispose of the 7-footer were laid to rest.
Nov. 29, 2011: All I want for Christmas
Nothing says Christmas quite like Mick Foley dressed up as “Jolly Old St. Mick.”
Kicking off the Nov. 29, 2011, episode of SmackDown, The Hardcore Legend donned the big red suit and led an enchanted night of WWE action as he announced an "All I Want for Christmas" Battle Royal where the winner would get their special wish granted by Santa Claus.
While Hornswoggle busied himself throughout the match by sliding in and out of the ring and then hiding beneath it, Sheamus simply cleaned house. In the end, it all came down to The Celtic Warrior and 'Swoggle in the unlikeliest final two of any WWE Battle Royal.
Hornswoggle looked ready to fight, and when Sheamus directed his tiny opponent to eliminate himself, 'Swoggle refused, kicking at Sheamus’ shins. When The Great White tried to unceremoniously dump SmackDown’s smallest Superstar over the ropes, 'Swoggle hung on for dear life before finally tricking Sheamus into losing the bout.
Not only did 'Swoggle win the Battle Royal, but he was also granted the ability to speak by Santa Claus!
April 15, 2011: 20-Man Battle Royal gets 'Extreme'
April 15, 2011, would prove to be one of the most emotional nights in WWE history.
Just days after Edge came in front of the WWE Universe to say he would have to retire from the ring due to serious injuries, he came to SmackDown to say his final goodbyes and to surrender his World Heavyweight Championship. Alberto Del Rio, who became the No. 1 Contender for the title the previous week on SmackDown, made the case that Edge should simply hand him the championship.
That, of course, didn’t happen.
Instead, SmackDown General Manager Teddy Long told The Mexican Aristocrat that, while he earned the right to compete for the title in a Ladder Match at WWE Extreme Rules, he would have to do so against the winner of a 20-Man Over-the-Top Rope Battle Royal, that very night on SmackDown!
Though Big Show was a favorite heading into the match, the giant essentially eliminated himself thanks to the monster clothesline he delivered to Ezekiel Jackson that sent both big Superstars toppling to ringside.
When Jack Swagger eliminated Rey Mysterio, it came down to The All-American American and Christian. Del Rio jumped in and tried to pull Christian off the apron, but the night’s sentimental favorite overcame the interference and won the Battle Royal.
It was only fitting Christian should challenge for his best friend’s vacated title at Extreme Rules.
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