WrestleMania 30: Under-the-Radar Battle Royal Contenders to Watch

When Hulk Hogan announced the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on the March 10 episode of Monday Night Raw, a locker room of WWE Superstars sighed in relief. No longer would they have to worry about whether or not they would appear on the WrestleMania XXX card and receive the reward for their hard work and dedication, the invaluable exposure that the biggest stage in the sport brings with it or the hefty payday that comes with making an appearance at the Showcase of the Immortals.

In the weeks since the match was made official, Superstars have announced their entry into the match on Raw, SmackDown and Main Event. Big Show and Sheamus have been positioned as favorites to win the seven-foot trophy awarded to the winner of the match, while Mark Henry, Christian, Dolph Ziggler and Alberto Del Rio all could parlay their championship resumes into victory.

There are other Superstars, however, that may not actually win the match but could very well steal it out from underneath their counterparts. These are the Superstars looking to rebound from disappointing years to stand out and get noticed in hopes of a much more fruitful 2014.

Who are these stars, and why exactly should fans bother to pay attention to their antics come WrestleMania XXX?

Let's take a look.

Drew McIntyre

Credit: WWE.com

The man once referred to as Vince McMahon's hand-picked "chosen one," Drew McIntyre has wallowed in mediocrity over the last two years, most of which he spent as a member of the jobber trio 3MB. He has been beaten and humbled since personal issues with former wife Taryn Terrell earned him heat with management. Now one of the most talented individuals to enter the business in the last decade finds himself lucky just to have a match on the biggest show of the year.

The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal could very well be the moment McIntyre has waited for to rejuvenate his career.

Recently, McIntyre reverted back to his classic tights and appears to have dropped the rock and roll elements from his look. His work in the ring has been crisper, and he has shown more motivation as of late than in months past. While it could all be coincidence, McIntyre is still young enough and talented enough to climb out of the deep, dark abyss that is the jobber section of the WWE roster in order to regain relevance in the wrestling world.

All he needs is an opportunity.

Every Battle Royal has that one star that seemingly comes from out of nowhere to impress, and on April 6, that Superstar could be McIntyre.

He has done his penance and deserves another shot at a push, even if it is a small one. What better way to instigate a rise back up the ranks in WWE than by shining under the brightest lights professional wrestling has to offer?

The Miz

Credit: WWE.com

In 2011, The Miz entered WrestleMania 27 as the WWE champion and defended his title against John Cena in the main event.

Fast-forward three years, and the self-proclaimed "most must-see champion in WWE history" cannot decide if he is a babyface or heel, let alone get anywhere near the top of the most important card of the year.

It has been a humbling three years for a man who looked to be on the fast track to greatness as one of WWE's top heels. Since losing the title to Cena, he has plummeted down the totem pole and found himself stuck in the midcard jumble. He was a heel, then made what was an ill-advised babyface turn in late 2012 and has done very little of note over the last year, outside of winning the Intercontinental Championship and serving as Randy Orton's punching bag in front of his own hometown fans and parents in Cleveland. 

On the March 21 episode of SmackDown, Miz rediscovered some of his heelish tendencies, including poking fun at Big Show's WrestleMania win-loss record. This may indicate a change of direction for the former Real World star in the weeks and months following the Showcase of the Immortals.

A phenomenal public relations asset for WWE, Miz will always have a place in the company. But with his recent shift in attitude and a match that lends itself to a sneaky, cunning heel, the Andre the Giant Battle Royal may be the match Miz uses to break out and return himself to prominence in WWE.

Damien Sandow

Credit: WWE.com

The Intellectual Savior of the Masses has had a miserable start to 2014, thanks in large part to an awful losing streak that has seen him drop nearly every match he has competed in. Even worse is the fact that during the Occupy Raw segment a few weeks back, he cowardly walked away from ringside rather than confronting the fans inside the squared circle.

That act earned him the scorn of COO Triple H, who punished him with a match against The Shield's Seth Rollins. After once again tasting the bitterness of defeat, Sandow fell victim to a triple powerbomb courtesy of the Hounds of Justice.

Losses in eight-man tag action and to Dolph Ziggler have done nothing to brighten Sandow's year.

The silver lining for the former Money in the Bank winner is that commentators are openly discussing Sandow's long string of losses, and typically, that means there is some sort of predetermined endgame in sight.

While it is unlikely that Sandow will actually win the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, his performance bares watching. What he does in the match and the length that he survives elimination could determine what Creative has in store for him post-WrestleMania.

Kofi Kingston

Credit: WWE.com

While Kofi Kingston has settled into the realm of Koko B. Ware and Tito Santana as a popular jobber, anyone who has ever watched a Royal Rumble he has competed in knows that Kingston is the most must-see wrestler in the upcoming Battle Royal.

Kingston's acrobatics and unique ways of staving of elimination—be it via desk chair or guard rail—are some of the most satisfying moments of any over-the-top rope bout.

Since the match is taking place at WrestleMania, the biggest show of the year, there is reason to believe that Kingston will pull out all the stops and deliver a show that fans will remember more than anything else that goes on during the contest.

Outside of that one crowd-popping spot, there is little else to watch in regard to Kingston. No matter how talented a worker he is or how popular he remains, he will be a utility player come April 6. Do not be surprised to see him make a leap of faith early, steal the match with a creative spot and then be dumped over the top rope by someone such as Big Show, Mark Henry or Alberto Del Rio, all of whom are much more likely to leave New Orleans with their hands raised in victory.

Fandango

Credit: WWE.com

A year ago, Fandango made his grand WrestleMania debut in a singles match with Chris Jericho. That match, the ballroom dancer's first in-ring bout, established him as a potential breakout star. The fans received him well, and "Fandangoing" became a worldwide Internet sensation. He appeared well on his way to big things in WWE until a concussion sidelined and killed any momentum he had managed to build for himself.

Since then, he has won some matches, lost more and has really only been involved in a single defined rivalry, and that was the one with Santino Marella that introduced the WWE Universe to Emma.

So why does Fandango, a glorified midcard jobber at this point, deserve to win the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on April 6? Because his recent media tour of the United Kingdom and his appearances on WWE's hit reality show Total Divas indicate that the company still sees something valuable in both the performer and the character and thus, one can never truly count him out of a match.

Like Sandow, Fandango has suffered more losses than he probably should have, and the chances of him winning are slimmer than Summer Rae, but he has the potential (and the backing of Creative) to deliver an impressive performance that sees him last to the final four or six competitors before having his night ended by the eventual winner.