Carmelo Hayes has added a major accolade to his WWE résumé just in time for WrestleMania.

On the final episode of SmackDown before the big event, Hayes claimed victory in the prestigious Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. The win came after he eliminated Andrade to stand tall among a field of top-tier talent and secure the iconic trophy modeled after the WWE Hall of Famer.

The final four competitors in the bout were Hayes, Shinsuke Nakamura, Rey Fenix, and Andrade. Nakamura was taken out by Fenix, who looked poised for victory until a surprise elimination by El Grande Americano. The masked competitor tossed Fenix over the top rope, making a strong statement ahead of his scheduled match against Rey Mysterio on WrestleMania Saturday. In the closing moments, Hayes managed to eliminate Andrade by dumping him over the ropes as Andrade attempted to recover on the bottom rope, securing the win.

Following the match, Hayes took a moment to pose proudly beside the Andre the Giant trophy. The Miz entered the ring to congratulate him, offering a handshake that Hayes accepted. The Miz has been advocating for the two to join forces as a tag team, though Hayes has not fully embraced the idea just yet.

The match featured an array of WWE Superstars, including R-Truth, Carlito, Angel Garza and Humberto Carrillo of Los Garza, Santos Escobar, Pretty Deadly, Karrion Kross, The Miz, Grayson Waller, Austin Theory, Ludwig Kaiser, Otis, Akira Tozawa, The Creed Brothers, and Pete Dunne.

CONGRATS CARMELO!!!@Carmelo_WWE is the 2025 Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal Winner! 🏆#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/fCf7zPYXEI

, WWE (@WWE) April 19, 2025