Miss Universe 2015 will be crowned on December 20th in the city that I currently live in, Las Vegas, Nevada at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. I am extremely excited for this years pageant as I get to attend it live, the batch is really strong and there are new owners so literally, anything could happen. In my opinion, the theme of this years Miss Universe pageant is quality over quantity. The number of delegates is significantly low this year due to some unfortunate instances that happened and the fact that this year is kind of like an experimental year in Miss Universe as it’s unclear what the new owners are looking for. However, the quality of the delegates is amazing (the best since 2012) and that’s what’s most important in my eyes. Ever since it was announced that the MUO is now owned by WME/IMG the quality of contestants increased extremely as stunners were consistently crowned and the contestants who were crowned already began to make drastic improvements. I hope that once all the girls arrive here in Vegas and I get to meet them in person, it will be easier to choose a Top 15, but it was almost impossible to come up with a pre-arrival list. Each contestant needs to work 5 times as hard now if she wants to make the cut because the quality is amazing. I chose my Top 15 based mostly on what I think will happen (even though it’s hard to predict), who I think the new owners will like and who I think are the most complete girls this year because they are able to survive under any owner. So without further a due, here are my pre-arrival hot picks for Miss Universe 2015.
Top 15
All 5 of these girls are strong and a few of them have potential to make it all the way to the Top 5 and even win the entire pageant. Like I’ve already stressed this year is very competitive and these girls have what it takes to do very well as they’ve made my Top 15. Making the Top 15 will be a challenge for all the girls this year, some more than others in this group, but they need to make sure they showcase all their strengths and hide all their weaknesses if they want to progress further in the competition. If they show up in Vegas and flop, they could fall out of my Top 15 but if they shine, they could easily progress further.
15
Puerto Rico - Catalina Morales
Without even looking at any other information about her besides her headshot, I picked Catalina to win Miss Universe Puerto Rico last year. The more I discovered about her, the more I was impressed with her and is a contender in my opinion. She has transformed amazingly and is someone who could’ve potentially been a sure winner during the Trump era. She is absolutely worthy of a spot in the Top 15 and could go much further depending on her performance.
14
Kosovo - Mirjeta Shala
I am thrilled that Mirjeta is finally getting the opportunity to compete at Miss Universe after Russia denying her entry in 2013. My only concern about her is that Albanian and Kosovar representatives have tended to be much more photogenic than telegenic in recent years and that her look is too unconventional for a beauty queen now. However, her look is something that I expect IMG to be drawn too and may take her all the way to the Top 5.
13
Italy - Giada Pezzaioli
Giada was just crowned a few days ago and I wasn’t expecting someone so strong from Italy, so I had to change my top to allow her in. She was one of my favorites at Miss World in 2010 and her inclusion in the batch means there is going to be even more of a bloodbath. She is gorgeous, experienced and prepared. The only things she needs to do are get rid of her nose ring and get back into the beauty queen look.
12
Vietnam - Huong Pham
Vietnamese representatives at Miss Universe are often hyped prior to the arrivals, but yet fade in the background once they arrive on location of the pageant due to poor preparation. Due to this, the only representative from this country who has been able to place was Thuy Lam in 2008 when the pageants was held in Vietnam. However, there is a very great chance that Huong will break this pattern as she is labelled as one of the top frontrunners right now due to her stunning beauty and strong her performance at her national pageant. If she shows up Vegas prepared, there’s no reason she shouldn’t be able to make it all the way to the Top 5 or even win.
11
Peru - Laura Spoya
Laura is the perfect candidate for Miss Universe under the ownership of WME/IMG. Her face is unique yet harmonious, she has a fantastic body, AMAZING speaking skills and has a career in the industry in Peru that could be branched out internationally if she wins the entire pageant. I have watched her grow ever since Miss International and she has really transformed into a beautiful woman and is the best representative from this country that I have seen in a long time.
Top 10
All Five of these girls are solid competitors and very safe choices to enter the Top 15 and advance further for various reasons. A few of these girls even have potential to win the crown. But each of them have something blocking them from advancing to my Top 5. Whether it be my personal taste, what I think will happen, sash factor or something as simple as the likelihood of a poor evening gown. If they overcome these roadblocks, they can easily sail into my Top 5 and even win the entire pageant. I think all of them are very safe but like any of the girls this year, if they show up in Vegas and make a complete fool of themselves, they’ll also be able to easily leave my Top 15.
10
Australia - Monika Radulovic
Australia sends gorgeous girls year after year and Monika is no exception. She’s had a good chunk of time to prepare and I’m expecting her to stand out in Vegas and hopefully be more beautiful in person because she has to make sure she doesn’t rely on her sash and stands out from the other contestants (in a good way of course) if she wants to place. I cannot see a Top 15 without her in it, but I can see a Top 10 without her in it and she could make the Top 5 or even win the whole thing if she works to her fullest potential and really shines.
9
USA - Olivia Jordan
One thing that bothers me about Miss USA’s in the past few years is that they are very strong when they get elected. However, as their reign progresses, they become boring and they start to fade, become less beautiful and competitive and in some cases become obnoxious and Olivia is no exception to that. I really liked her when she won Miss USA and was at Miss World, but now that she’s been Miss USA for a while, she’s faded and comes across as pageant patty, rehearsed and insincere when she talks. I’m expecting her to be in the Top 5 even though there are several girls who deserve it much more than her. I will be really disappointed and annoyed if she wins as I do not want to hear her annoying Valley Girl voice for another 12 months. There are also many other girls this year stronger than her facially.
8
Poland - Weronika Szmajdzińska
Weronika was robbed at Miss World and is at Miss Universe for justice. She has the best face of the pageant BY FAR, came in second place at Miss World Top Model out of over 100 contestants and has a great body. I will be surprised if she is left out of the Top 15 knowing who the knew owners are and if she gets really lucky, she may be able to pull a Jennifer Hawkins type win and become the first Miss Universe from Poland. I hope the organizers don’t blaspheme her with an awful gown because Poland has a reputation of doing that.
7
Dominican Republic - Clarissa Molina
I was a fan of Clarissa in Nuestra Belleza Latina as she has a beautiful face, great catwalk and body. She is a unique combination of Rolene Strauss and Zuleyka Rivera and possesses the best qualities that they each have. She’s one of the most consistent delegates this year and one of the safest choices so she should easily make Top 5, however, she tends to look a bit processed at times which is not what IMG has looked for in models in the past. The girls who I placed above her are natural beauties, but if she can outshine them and look fresh, she can make Top 5 and win the whole thing as well.
6
India - Urvashi Rautela
I really appreciate how dedicated Urvashi is to Miss Universe despite already being super famous. She has a gorgeous face and her modeling experience and charity work will help her advance in the competition. India is due for a Top 5 placement after sending the stunners Manasi and Noyonita the past two years and I think this may finally be the year India cracks the Top 5. She needs to make sure her body and styling are on point to stand out and she gets a good gown and can carry it well, otherwise, she should easily sail to the Top 5 and if she makes it, she will have a good chance at winning the whole thing since she’s very articulate.
Top 5
Choosing a winner this year was so incredibly difficult and if I could choose all five of them as a winner, I would, but in the end, there is only one winner, so I can’t. All five of these girls are forces to be reckoned with and all of them belong on the Miss Universe stage. They have worked hard, improved and are at their fullest potential to compete in the pageant. I will be beyond shocked if any of these girls miss the cut and if they keep up their consistency, one of them should be crowned Miss Universe 2015. They still have to fight for the crown and a high position, but they have all the materials to do so and I think any of them would make a great Miss Universe.
4th Runner Up
Colombia - Ariadna Gutierrez-Arévalo
Ariadna is one of the most driven representatives we’ve ever sent to Miss Universe. She’s one of the most talked about girls this year which will help her a lot. The only things stopping her from placing higher are that although I love her facially, from what I have read a lot on this board, she isn’t everyones cup of tea facially but that will depend on who the judges are. The second thing is that Paulina won Miss Universe last year and I don’t think the organization is ready for a back to back just yet. I don’t see any reason right now why she shouldn’t be in the Top 5 as the reasons the past contestants from the country were the reigning queen was from failed to make it to the Top 5 were primarily because they were either too weak or let the pressure of a back to back win get the best of them.
3rd Runner Up
Philippines - Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach
Pia is the best Miss Philippines since Miriam Quimbao. I have been a fan of hers since 2013 and she’s looking better than ever before and ready to take the crown. It would be an amazing cinderella story if she wins. Philippines is always one of the most talked about candidates each year and that will work to her advantage in the pageant. She can easily switch between model/actress and beauty queen which is a perfect deal for Paula and WME/IMG. Philippines is due for a Miss Universe very soon (it could be her) and I expect to see her in the Top 5 very easily.
2nd Runner Up
France - Flora Coquerel
Flora is the best representative France has ever sent to Miss Universe since Christiane Martel. She is a gorgeous Ebony beauty who can be a mix of a model actress and beauty queen very easily. She was completely robbed at Miss World after she came in first in the interview and deserved to place in many of the challenge events, she’s coming to Miss Universe for redemption. She has been working very hard and has been looking great since her styling hurt her in Miss World. My suggestion is that she wears her hair down in Miss Universe as it really compliments her face. Besides that, she has everything she needs to become the second French woman to make the Top 5 at Miss Universe and could even win the entire competition. Plus, with the terrorist attacks that happened recently in Paris, its a perfect time for France to win Miss Universe like Olivia Culpo did in 2012 when the school shootings took place in the USA.
1st Runner Up
Mexico - Wendy Esparza
I think Wendy has a great chance at winning the crown but there is one thing that kicked her off of my top spot. Despite the fact that the organization is no longer under Trumps ownership, Fox will be broadcasting the pageant and many people there share similar views to Donald Trump as they are Republicans. Besides those politics, she is a perfect choice for the Miss Universe crown as she’s one of the most talked about girls this year, the pageant is going to be held here in Vegas, people love her Pocahontas like look and could easily be both a model and a beauty queen. She’s super articulate, speaks very naturally and has a great command of the English language. I cannot see a Top 5 without her in it and once she makes it that far, she will be extremely hard to beat. However, there is one girl who I think may be able to and she is who I put as my winner.
Miss Universe 2015
Brazil - Marthina Brandt
Brazilians are considered to be the most beautiful people in the World and although their past representatives have been strong, they are not Brazil’s best. Marthina is completely different from past Miss Brazil’s so I wasn’t sure if she would win. However, I am thrilled that she did as she was the most beautiful and most prepared in the batch. Despite having only 10 days to prepare, she’s still competitive and has no clear weakness which is vital during a transition year. Her catwalk is simple, yet impressive and we’re are in need of a blonde Miss Universe winner as the last 10 Miss Universes are brunettes. She’ll be a huge moneymaker for Miss Universe and will easily help ignite a new era of Miss Universe and bring back the prestige that the pageant lost due to Donald Trump’s racist remarks.
Thanks for reading, please comment and feel free to agree or disagree!