411's PPV Roundtable Preview: WWE WrestleMania 24 (Part II)

Posted by Stephen Randle on 03.29.2008

Part 2 of the WrestleMania 24 Extravaganza!



WELCOME TO PART II!


Finlay vs. JBL - Belfast Brawl

Stephen Randle: Seriously, why won't people learn? DON'T TOUCH FINLAY'S LEPRECHAUN, or he will hit you with a shillelagh. Repeatedly.

Winner: Finlay

Andy Clark: This feud had so much promise and JBL has been wonderful in his role, but for some reason I'm just not that interested. Hopefully this can be a good brawl and hopefully we see some involvement from both Mr. McMahon and a returning Hornswoggle. Finlay wins after a Tadpole Splash.

Winner: Finlay

Nick Wallander: This match really shouldn't be happening. It is a ridiculous substitute for what should have been Hornswaggle and Vince. Not that I wanted to see that match, but that doesn't dispute the fact that this match was thrown together for no good reason. This match is only going to be interesting if one thing happens, which it probably will. Hornswaggle, blinded by the bling, is going to turn on Finlay.

Winner: JBL

Ari Berenstein: I would have rather seen JBL vs. Y2J to finish up their feud and Finlay vs. McMahon in a brawl style match to resolve their Hornswoggle issues. That said, this is a good second prize because both men do very well in "street fight" situations. The emotional issue, no matter how over the top they got there, should work well to motivate Finlay and get the fans into wanting to see him beat JBL up badly. Let's hope there's a car somewhere so that Finlay can piledrive JBL through it (old school WCW reference!)

Winner: Finlay with help from Hornswoggle

J.D. Dunn: I really hope they go all out and just stiff the hell out of one another here. With Vince ever present in this feud, I look for Finlay to get screwed (probably by a heel-turned Hornswoggle).

Winner: JBL

Chris Lansdell: "Belfast Brawl" my multinational ass. It's a street fight, and quite frankly it's the only way we can have this match and make it watchable. The stipulation makes sense in the context of the story, deal with Vince aside, and both men have a tough, brawling style that will make this match even more physical than the preceding one. We'll get plenty of color in this match, more than likely a Vince run-in, some Hornswaggle shenanigans, and possible a surprise or two. Finlay almost has to win, whatever happens.

Winner: Finlay

Jerome Cusson: If I see one wrestling hold, I'm not going to be a happy panda. These two guys should have all kinds of weapons ready to fire away. I expect a good stiff brawl with blood and insanity. Oh, and Hornswaggle makes his return to give daddy a victory.

Winner: Finlay

Dan Torkel: Vince interference canceled by return of Hornswoggle and Finlay gets the win leading to a tag match at Backlash...am I building that one early.

Winner: Finlay

Scotty Flamingo: Ugh. I am so tired of the Hornswoggle crap. It is a shame that that is all I think about when I see this match, because it could be an excellent brawl. You've got two of the stiffest workers in the company, and neither gives a crap about working stiff or getting stiffed. I think the match is also going to have a lot of Sports Entertainment Wackiness with Vince and the midget that may or may not click.

Winner: Finlay

JT: I have not been a big fan of sad, depressed, crybaby Father Finlay. Fortunately, I don't believe that's the Finlay coming to Orlando. There is nothing quite like two guys who you KNOW love to work stiff (and are seasoned enough to do it safely) going at it in an environment like this. No-DQ stipulation, biggest show of the year, legitimate brawlers? Oh yes, color me pumped. I think this match is going to surprise a LOT of people with just how enjoyable it is going to end up being (sans what may be a stupidly booked finish).

Winner: Finlay

Jarrod Westerfeld: This is Wrestlemania and a storyline like this should result in a happy ending with vengeance being exacted upon the evildoer. It's fine to have Finlay win here and still continue this feud between the two over the matter, though I'm sure that won't end up being the case considering the WWE never did resolve JBL and Jericho but there's always hope.

Winner: Finlay

Mathew Sforcina: So is JBL Vince's kid or not? I mean, I read the column on wwe.com, so unlike the majority of people who just watch the show I understand the whole issue, but is JBL Vince's kid or not? It would really add to the match if he was. But still, this should be a pretty good hardcore brawl, with Finlay being Finlay and JBL being a punching bag. JBL gets the advantage, Hornswoggle comes out to a massive pop, gets taken out, and then there is about a 5 minute or so block of time given over to "Finlay beating JBL into a fine paste" with his stick, before he eventually remembers to pin him. And there will be much rejoicing.

Winner: Finlay (5 minutes of Shillelagh shots, a Tadpole Splash and a cover)

T.G. Corke: I never could have imagined that a comedy storyline about Mr. McMahon's illegitimate leprechaun son - which has seen a bicycle chase, a TNT explosion under the ring, and an appearing/disappearing door act - could result in what is actually a very effective blood feud between Bradshaw and Finlay. In fact, I'd have put good money on such a thing NOT happening. And yet, here we are. With the Playboy shit, Flair's likely defeat and the possible Umaga/Batista schmozz deflating the crowd somewhat (regardless of match order), a good face win is needed to readdress the balance. Since it's no DQ, I imagine both will take a lot of punishment and the returning Hornswoggle will be featured in the finish. Just please don't try to turn him heel.

Winner: Finlay

Michael Weyer: JBL has come back better than I expected and Finlay can always bring a good brawl so expect a nice battle. It's Finlay's match and as an Irishman, I have to expect him to pull it off, perhaps with help from the returning Hornswoggle.

WINNER: Finlay

Jeff Small: Thank God for the No DQ stipulation which will really boost this match. The match should be hard-hitting and hopefully bloody. Expect Hornswoggle to have an impact on the finish. Perhaps a heel turn with JBL.

Winner: JBL

Ryan Merholz: It's kind of a shame that I'm not more excited for this match. The feud started out VERY strong with the JBL beat down inside the cage, but the follow up was pretty much totally sub-par. Finlay's most recent promo was the sole moment since the feud began that I was into it again. That said, I think the match itself will deliver. Finlay is awesome and Bradshaw does best in these kinds of matches where he can just brawl. Finlay wins.

Winner: Finlay

Robert S. Leighty Jr: I am just thrilled Finlay has a spot on the card, and I expect good things from these two. Watching these 2 stiff the hell out of each other should be great, and I will be disappointed if someone doesn't get busted hard way. Expect McMahon shenanigans, and a special reunion between Irishman and Leprechaun. I'll give the nod to JBL just because they seem like they have more direction for him at this point.

Winner: JBL

Meehan:With HBK/Flair almost assuredly going on later in the evening than this contest, I wouldn't expect to see *too* too much in the way of ultra violence and bloodshed in this contest -- as it would kind of detract from the dramatic effect of the "crimson mask" or two that we're almost certain to be in store for later in the night. That said, there's more to a brawl than a blade job -- and with these two rough-and-tumble combatants boasting similar styles and a penchant for plunder, it's probably a safe bet that we'll be seeing a few "oohs" and "ahhs!" as the action spills outside of the ring and well onto the outdoor stadium floor (think Randy Savage vs. Crush at WrestleMania X). As for the outcome? I'm thinking Finlay picks up the win here with the help of some wee little shenanigans.

Winner: Finlay

Peter Bielik: I'm not particularly interested in this match or this storyline. The card is pretty stacked and I doubt they'll get more time than to deliver a decent enough filler. And that's exactly what this is. Anyway, I think Finlay will get his payback, but I hope they find something better for him to do after WM. Nobody's buying him as a face.

Winner: Finlay

Jeremy Thomas: I want to care SO much, but I just can't. They're wrestling over the paternity of a leprechaun, for Christ's sake. Anyway, it'll be a hell of a brawl, Vince will pull some shenanigans, and JBL will get the win, with Hornswaggle coming back after the match and attacking Vince to set up some horror of a match at Backlash.

Winner: JBL (Vince interference)

Bayani Domingo: Why isn't this a "Wallstreet Brawl"? They could have a guy named Bull Stearns come in and cost JBL the win. That would be suh-weet.

Winner: Finlay, via bastard child leprechaun-ference

Derek Robbins - Vince's bastard son angle. Pretty much sucked, hasn't it? Luckily, over the past several weeks a twist was introduced to save it. Finlay is the actual father! This means a wrestler is actually going to get a push out of this! That's really awesome. The interesting thing here is you've got Finlay who used to be a jobber to the stars and JBL, a guy I figured was brought to RAW to push face talent with his excellent heel promo work. Perhaps Finlay's jobber to the stars status has been changed though? Well, first things first…he has to win this match. To be honest, I don't see any way that JBL wins. As great as he has been since returning to RAW, putting him over Finlay really makes no sense. Thanks to JBL's promo skills, he'll always be on the upper-card. Finlay will win after Hornswaggle distracts JBL. This will lead to a shillelagh to the back of the head for a win.

Winner: Finlay

Michael Bauer: Thank you for finally ending this bullshit with a pier six-er. This will be a hell of a fight, which Finlay loves and JBL thrives in. And while I hate the storyline, I think they have done a great job of building it up. I think JBL needs this win more, especially with the rumored post-WM house show cards.

Winner: JBL

Leonard Hayhurst: This should be Finlay vs. Vince McMahon with Hornswoggle as the special guest referee. I'm feeling a Hornswoggle turn based on Finlay lying to him about being his father. This would lead to some great promo work from Finlay. On the downside, Hornswoggle will probably start dressing like JBL and they will look like Big and Little Enos from Smokey and the Bandit. If this is the blow off to the long storyline, then Finlay wins. If this is just the turn into act three, which it probably is, then JBL takes it.

Winner: JBL

Andrew Clark: Oh, this match frustrates me more than the SD vs. Raw match. I would have preferred to see Vince vs. Finlay. I don't really get why or how JBL knew about the whole thing. I don't really get his character. His most memorable acts since coming out of retirement have been yelling at Chris Jericho's kids and beating up Finlay's kid. I bet it's terrifying for the John Cena fans out there -- all those ten-year-old boys are probably checking under their beds for JBL every night! He didn't resume his old gimmick when he came back, he resume the Boogeyman's old gimmick. I suspect Vince and Hornswoggle will appear. Joy. Expect a "Wrestlemania Moment" when the Irishman wins and celebrates in the ring with his boy.

Winner: Finlay. Are we ever going to figure out who the real son is? Was there never a son to begin with? I'm still just really lost on what the hell is going on with that.

David Nik Every fiber of my being hopes that this is the blow-off to the hastily thrown-together Hornswoggle debacle that's been dominating Raw since the Vince Mystery Angle got rebooted. And, as with any good blow-off match, the face has to go over. Horny's going to be able to exact some revenge on JBL during the match that should add some chuckle worthy comic relief, but I'm hoping for a short, succinct closer to this angle that just has to die.

WINNER: Finlay

Matt Short: This should be pretty damn awesome. I cannot wait to watch these two beat the ever-living snot out of each other. I'd presume that this feud is going to continue no matter what the outcome (Texas Bullrope match???) but the Irishman will get the win here. Look for this one to be a potential show stealer.

Winner: Finlay

Mike Minotti: It'll be interesting to see just how far they let the violence in this match go. I'm not really sure what to expect from this match, let alone who the winner will be. I'm sure we'll see crazy interference from Hornswoggle. Let's go ahead and say that he'll help Finlay get the win.

Winner: Finlay

Steve Sullivan While I'd like to think that Hornswaggle will turn on Finlay and go back to the biting little bastard he used to be, I can't help but to think that cartoon antics will prevail and JBL will be jobbed out at Wrestlemania once again.

Winner: Finlay



Chris Jericho vs. MVP vs. CM Punk vs. Carlito vs. John Morrison vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Mr. Kennedy - Money in the Bank Ladder Match

Stephen Randle: Geez, how easy was this match to predict, and how hard has it gotten since then? Not that I mind. Realistically, everyone except Carlito and Shelton has a legitimate claim to winning the shot, but I'm going to go with my personal hope, tied in with the fact that it seems that Punk is inheriting Jeff Hardy's spot in the Chris Jericho feud.

Winner: CM Punk

Andy Clark: This match should be great. This is a great group of guys to work this kind of match and it's sad to see that Jeff Hardy can't work this match because he would have fit right in. I know a lot of people are going to jump on the Chris Jericho bandwagon, but I'm going with the man that I thought would be a great Mr. Money in the Bank since before they started announcing participants: MVP.

Winner and NEW Mr. Money in the Bank: MVP

Nick Wallander: This match is the annual clusterf*ck that will most likely entertain the crap out of us anyways. There are only a few contenders in this one, even if there are four participants. MVP has a title and a feud to finish after Mania, so he is out. Jericho just won the IC title, so he and his lack of heat will probably not win it as well. Carlito is only in the match to take a half dozen high spots. Shelton will be the guy who executes most of those big spots and will probably injure himself in the process. That leaves Punk, Morrison, and Kennedy. All three of them could benefit greatly from winning the title shot. Punk has been in virtual purgatory for two years now and this might be what gets him to that next level. Kennedy has a chip on his shoulder and they need to make up ground they lost when he got injured last year. Then there is Morrison, the man in this match who most realistically has it in him to be the next special champion. He is who I would like to see feud with Cena at some point in the near future. That is my rationale for picking him.

Winner: John Morrison

Ari Berenstein: I have lots of faces going over at Mania, as it should be really. but that means the door is open for a major heel win. I could have seen Jericho win this one but he already has the IC title so there is plenty to do with him for angles in the near future. CM Punk, in a way I wish was in the ECW battle royal so he could take on Chavo. Here he is sort of in the same place he was last year. He'll do a great job and get some big moves in but he is in the middle of the list here for those who would win. Mr. Kennedy winning would be repetitive and stupid. Morrison and Benjamin are in the match to do some crazy shit and wow the crowd. Carlito hasn't been a serious contender in years. So that leaves my choice, MVP, who has come around a great deal over the last year and could use the storyline of a "banked" title shot to shoot him up to the main event scene by Fall.

Winner: MVP

J.D. Dunn: The Money in the Bank concept is always popular, but it begs the question: why don't they just use the U.S. Title for the same purpose since that's what it was for to begin with? At least that title would have meaning again. But enough about that. Mr. Kennedy kind of got screwed over by injury last year, but now the bloom is off the rose... rose. With Jericho and MVP setting up a feud (one that I look forward to), I would be surprised to see some kind of shenanigans leading to a disputed Money in the Bank carrier. I'll go with Jericho, but this is just a jumping-off point for a bigger feud over the case.

Winner: Chris Jericho

Chris Lansdell: Granted, the match lost something when it lost Jeff Hardy (grrrrrrrr), but I think the most important thing it lost was inevitability. I would have put a large amount of money on Jeff winning the match, but now the result is up in the air. Jericho? Punk? MVP? Kennedy? I think it's a pretty safe bet that the winner will be one of those three. We have some great spot guys in the bout, plenty of charisma, and a successful premise. Look out for Carlito in this one, he has the ability to steal the show in this match and I wouldn't be surprised if he does something insane. Picking a winner, though, is a tough proposition.

Winner, and Mr Money in the Bank: CM Punk

Jerome Cusson: If WWE wants to make my night and make this show an automatic thumbs up for me, C.M. Punk wins this match. But I'm realistic. Punk doesn't have a snowballs chance in hell. With no Jeff Hardy, I think this match is wide open as to who's going to win. I almost wish Matt Hardy was replacing his brother because then it would be less obvious he's going to interfere and cost MVP his opportunity. I say Jericho because he's the closest thing to a main eventer and worthy of a title shot. But boy, Punk winning would be nice.

Winner: Chris Jericho

Dan Torkel: Well there are 3 champions in this so they cannot win. Carlito is a glorified jobber so no dice. Shelton will shine in the loss as usual and that leaves Punk or Kennedy. I think they give Kennedy a chance not to screw up and to rebuild after 2 months of jobbing.

Winner: Mr. Kennedy......Kennedy

Scotty Flamingo: Why do they continue to put 800 guys in the MITB. Last year's was fun but not nearly as good as previous editions and the number of competitors was the main reason why. Still, you've got the talent there for it to be MOTN or even a MOTY. This match has the most unclear ending on the card. I think MVP, Punk, or Morrison would all be good winners that could use it for the next step in their careers. Any of those three are fine with me, but I'll go with Punk.

Winner: CM Punk

JT: This should be a doozy as well. Firstly, let me throw Benjamin, Kennedy, Punk and Carlito out the window. No shot in Hell. I originally picked Jericho, but he has promised to do something "never seen before", leading me to think they're giving him the biggest spot of the match because he's NOT winning (although he'd be my choice). They're clearly high on Morrison, but I don't think they're quite high enough on him just yet to give him a serious push for a major title not named ECW Championship. This leaves MVP, which actually makes sense. All he has done since debuting is tell people what he was going to do, and then doing it. Beat some former world champions, check. Captured the U.S. Title, check. Take Matt Hardy out, check (kayfabe!). It would really fit to his character to have him run his mouth about winning this match, and then actually doing it, regardless of how heel-tactic-ish-ly it's done.

Winner: MVP

Jarrod Westerfeld: Here's the toss up – who gets the big win here and what do they do with the Money in the Bank winner? I've speculated on this match in my column before and I think the only out here is Mr. Kennedy taking this, cashing it in to be involved in the Triple Threat, and really giving himself enough of a rub to get a run as a serious main eventer come next year. But I'd love to see the WWE play around with this by giving it to Punk to run him up against Edge, though that's probably just wishful thinking on my part.

Winner: Mr. Kennedy … KENNEDY!

Mathew Sforcina: OK, so really this comes down to Jericho and Punk. Everyone else is either too unreliable or too lazy or will get taken out by Matt Hardy. So you're left with the workhorse and the darling. The guy with no major drug problems vs. the drug free superstar. Old vs. new. Established vs. risky. The guy HHH hates vs. The guy HHH hates... But then only one of them he can beat, so...

Winner and NEW MITB holder: Chris Jericho (Matt Hardy removes MVP, nails Punk with Code breaker on ladder, grabs case)

T.G. Corke: This was always Jeff Hardy's match to win or lose, and unfortunately he chose the latter. He got suspended for sixty days, and now has to make do with the highly anticipated Dead Dog on a Pole match at TNA Lockdown. Sorry Jeff, I really do hope you pull through and can get your career and life back on track. But anyway, from such tragedies do new beads of happiness surface, in this case being that the $ITB match is really up in the air now. Will Jericho win? Will MVP win via stealing the briefcase from Jericho while the referee isn't looking (ala Chris Daniels at Ultimate X)? Will CM Punk win to really stick it to Jeff? Or will Kennedy win to make up for his aborted reign with the briefcase last year? I honestly don't know, other than that I'm not really expecting any of the other three to pull off the upset. I'd love to see Jericho get it, but logic tells me they'll try to right a wrong here, which I can't really disagree with in all honesty.

Winner: Mr. Kennedy

Michael Weyer: Ah, you can't go wrong with MITB. Like most everyone, I expect Matt to make a surprise return but not win it in his first big one back. Would have been better with Jeff but he screwed it up, his own fault. MVP and Jericho had belts and pushes, don't expect them, Morrison has the tag belts and while he always works magic in these, Benjamin keeps getting ignored. Kennedy is likely because of the aborted run last year. But with word of him getting a big push post-Mania, I think it's going to the guy who can use the contract for said push….

WINNER: CM PUNK BABY!!!

Jeff Small: With Jeff Hardy's suspension, this match has become totally unpredictable. Well, we know that Carlito won't win but he'll provide some good spots. My money's on CM Punk by process of elimination. MVP will be detained with Matt Hardy, Morrison is already a tag champ, Jericho won't save himself from the glass ceiling, Kennedy ain't winning, and lastly, Shelton Benjamin... well, we know why he ain't winning. I just hope Punk won't use his MITB shot for an ECW Title shot.

Winner: CM Punk

Ryan Merholz: First you gotta consider the guys in this match that actually have a chance in hell of winning, and their names aren't Carlito, Morrison, or Benjamin. I doubt it will be Jericho cuz he doesn't really need the rub at this point. MVP would be a great choice, but I'm hoping to God that we see the return of Matt Hardy during this match (why they didn't restart that feud prior to Wrestlemania, I'll never know). That leaves Kennedy and CM Punk. Between the two, and given that we've recently seen Kennedy in a feud with HBK and having a pretty nice match with Cena, they've got enough confidence in the guy to give him the win again this year and see if he can't stay healthy and pull it off this time.

Winner and NEW Mr. Money in the Bank: Mr. Kennedy

Robert S. Leighty Jr: Hardy's suspension leaves a lot of options with this match, and that is a good thing. I look for Benjamin to try all he can to steal the show, and for Morrison to try all he can to top Benjamin. Jericho will be the one to keep things running smoothly in this match with all the kids in there, and his reward will be getting the briefcase.

Winner: Chris Jericho

Meehan:Longest odds are certainly on Carlito and Shelton Benjamin, neither of whom seem to be working their way any closer to "credible title threat" status no matter what high-risk stunts they'll be willing to bust out in this particular contest. Jericho seems like another semi-longshot, as the guy is holding IC gold and has already faced off against (and lost to) each of the three major title threats on RAW. Elsewhere, John Morrison went from ECW Champ to tag-ranks mainstay, and I really can't see them revisiting a main-event run for the guy so long as he and the Miz continue to don tag team gold. And Kennedy broke Bad Guy Rule #1 by revealing his plans on how he'd use the title shot (before he'd even won it), so James Bond Villain-logic 101 sez he's pretty much a lost cause. That leaves us with CM Punk and MVP. Word on the street is that Punk is in line for a HUGE push just after WrestleMania (thanks to his drug-free, "kid-friendly" appeal and the launch of WWE's new Kids magazine and promotional campaign), but then again MVP is probably the biggest heel in this entire affair, and two out of three past Money in the Bank victories (and the similarly heelish "guaranteed title shot" clause) have gone to rule breakers in years past.

Winner: Coin flip says CM Punk... but this one can go either way, and I'd be thrilled to be proven wrong

Peter Bielik: Jeff Hardy is a moron. I know this has been beaten to death, but I just had to state that at the beginning. In the middle of the biggest push of his career and he flushes right down the toilet. With him out however, the outcome is more intriguing, as I can see Jericho, MVP or CM Punk all winning this thing. I'm picking Jericho, since his comeback has so far definitely been a letdown and this would give him a nice boost. Plus, I think he'll make good use of the briefcase, entertainment-wise.

Winner: Chris Jericho

Jeremy Thomas: This is going to be the second-best match of the night, behind Flair/Michaels. Morrison will be our obligatory bump machine, fulfilling the Jeff Hardy role. Shelton will do something insane as usual. Carlito will be the sagging part of the match. Really, this comes down to Jericho, Kennedy, Punk, or MVP, though. And as much as I'd like to see Punk win it, it's not going to happen. Kennedy's still not out of the doghouse yet...and frankly, if he does win, then he'll look like a bitch for not trying to win the belt to close the show. We all know Kennedy won't get a match after Cena/HHH/Orton's. I really think the company has more invested in Jericho then MVP, and so I have to give it to Y2J.

Winner: Chris Jericho (Briefcase Retrieval)

Bayani Domingo: Morrison ain't winning, neither is Carlito or Shelton. Let's just get that out of the way. Kennedy isn't going over again and I can't imagine MVP will take the belt since he's been by and large in limbo since his program with Hardy has been suspended. That leaves Punk and Jericho. Which leaves Jericho.

Winner: Jericho

Derek Robbins - Here's what I think is interesting about this match: Ever since Jeff Hardy was taken out, the winner has been up in the air. With the exception of Carlito, you could make a case for any one of these men winning it, which is quite the breath of fresh air. Last year, I never doubted for a second that Kennedy would win, but this year…it could go a number of ways. Due to a number of un-certainties, I'm going to go with a scenario I've picked to happen since November. I figure Mr. Kennedy will win his second straight money in the back title and do good on his promise to become a world champion by the end of the night. Which title will that be? Well that will be revealed later. They've been talking about it so much on TV that I'm thinking it probably won't happen, but I won't waver from my pick. Mr. Kennedy: The first back-to-back Mr. Money in the Bank.

Winner: Mr. Kennedy

Michael Bauer: You could go so many different ways in this match that I lose track half the time. But with everything I think about, I first eliminate MVP, Morrison, and Shelton from the hunt just because. Shelton treads water for so long, Morrison does the same but with a Tag team Title, and MVP doesn't need a briefcase to go with his US Title that never gets defended. Carlito is a wild card, but with his past for being lazy, I can't see him winning. Jericho would make sense if he truly turns heel with the briefcase in hand. But with him also being IC Champ, I don't buy into as much. That leaves Punk and Kennedy, who should be the odds on favorite. Punk looked real good last year in this match, as did Kennedy, who won it. I think this would be the perfect time to give Kennedy back his much needed shot that he had before, but how can you deny Punk? He needs to get off ECW and there has never been a better chance of that than here. The only reason I go against Punk is that he isn't as credible as Kennedy to be champion… yet.

Winner: Mr. Kennedy…… Kennedy

Leonard Hayhurst: There are only seven men in this match? Look for Matt Hardy to make his big return here. He'll take out MVP to rekindle their feud. Kennedy won last year and then got screwed. Carlito and Morrison are just there to fill space. Benjamin is an interesting dark horse. Jericho is the biggest name, but he's the IC champ and I think they might let him run with that. That leaves CM Punk. The money of the bank usually goes to the guy on the cusp of breaking out as a legit main event name. That would seem to be Punk this year. It would also serve as a way to get him off of ECW. Of course, if he uses the bank briefcase to get the ECW title back it could result in a nice bump of its prestige.

WINNER: CM Punk

Andrew Clark: A lot of people have broken this down in terms of process of elimination. Mr. Kennedy is out because I hate repeat winners. Carlito, Morrison, and Benjamin aren't quite ready for prime time, but Benjamin will do a triple back flip off of a ladder and knock everyone down at some point during the match. MVP will get close to retrieving the briefcase while everyone else is preoccupied, but Matt Hardy will run down to the ring to shove MVP off the ladder and remove him from the competition (a la Edge in last year's match). CM Punk and Y2J will be the last two men battling for the briefcase. Jericho will win the match and return to the main event scene this fall. He will have a world title before the one-year anniversary of his return.

Winner: Chris Jericho

David Nik This sucks, because I thought Hardy was a lock to win this. Without him, the next most likely candidate seems to me to be Kennedy, since Vince is still so high on him and each of the other guys has something else to give them some heat. Plan on seeing Kennedy cash in his chance on Smackdown.

WINNER: Kennedy

Matt Short: Not a bad line-up for this year. Of course this match is not without controversy with the Jeff Hardy suspension, but in truth this match works better when there are fewer guys in it. The eight from last year felt like overkill, though they found a way to eliminate two almost right off the bat. It's a wide-open field now that Hardy is out of it too. There's so many directions that this can end up going. With the fact that whenever someone has challenged with the Money in the Bank has won the title that makes it even bigger. Some people are calling for Punk and then him using it to recapture the ECW. That's likely, but I've felt that MitB was for bigger and better titles which the ECW Title... isn't. If there's a screwy finish to the ECW battle royal then you can fully expect Punk to win and challenge for the title. Otherwise...

Winner: Chris Jericho

Mike Minotti: I'm going to go ahead and say that Morrison, Benjamin, and Carlito (especially Carlito) don't have a chance. It would be interesting to see Mr. Kennedy given another chance. I know some people say he doesn't deserve another shot, but considering he's only had one suspension, I don't think the WWE is as down on him as some people think. Orton's seen his fair share of suspensions and he's WWE Champion. Jericho would be a fun pick for the winner, and would help reinsert him back in the main event. Still, I think that the WWE is ready to give Punk a big push, and this looks like a good place to get that going.

Winner: CM Punk

Steve Sullivan As reported in my Happy-Go-Sucky Wrestling report *Cheap Pop*, The WWE is preparing to make a huge marketing campaign toward children that they want to revolve around C.M. Punk. So why not use the Money In The Bank to build Punk up as the next big champ and get kids behind him like they do with John Cena. None of the other guys seem really likely to get a large push other than Kennedy, and he's still being punished it seems.

Winner: C.M. Punk



Chavo Guerrero © vs. Winner of 24-Man Battle Royal - ECW Championship

Stephen Randle: There are literally no good contenders to be found in the announced battle royal lineup. My hopes of Colin Delaney winning and shocking the world have been quashed, so I guess we'll go with his tag partner and ECW Original.

Winner: Tommy Dreamer

Andy Clark: There are a few choices as to who can win the Battle Royal. There's Kane, who could have been a good option in just a one-on-one match up. There's Tommy Dreamer, but he hasn't really been pushed enough. There's Kofi Kingston, but it's probably too soon. I like the idea of Cody Rhodes getting the shot, especially being in Florida, but I doubt they'd go that way. It could be a surprise entrant like Matt Hardy or Mick Foley, both of whom would work wonders. But I'm going to have to go with the idea I had as far back as the Royal Rumble. The final three men in the Battle Royal will be Khali, Big Daddy V, and Colin Delaney. Khali and BDV will muscle each other out with Delaney just laying there, scared. Chavo will be ecstatic that he's facing Colin, and go for the cocky, sprawled out pin. Colin will hook his shoulders and three seconds later will be the new champion. Can you imagine Joey Styles on commentary? "He doesn't even have entrance music!" A true WrestleMania moment.

Winner and NEW ECW Champion: Colin Delaney

Nick Wallander: This is going to be kind of old school. I hope we get a couple of legends thrown in there. Doink or the Brawler could be fun. This is essentially going to be a set up for someone to go at Chavo and win the title from him. They will most likely stick with someone from the ECW brand, which is the one I catch every once in a while. What I have noticed is the recent emergence of a man who traditionally has jobbed week in and week out. I honestly don't care.

Winner: Battle Royal and ECW championship, Tommy Dreamer

Ari Berenstein: No Colin Delaney makes me a very sad Ari Berenstein Bear. Okay then, to me it now boils down to three major picks: Tommy Dreamer, Kofi Kingston or Kane. Dreamer would be original ECW fan's pick, and it would be quite something to see him go into Wrestlemania and come out an unlikely winner. However, he just took a clean loss to Chavo and doesn't seem a likely candidate unless Colin is involved somehow in getting him there or getting him the win. Kofi is on a win streak but hasn't been built up against stronger competition. A win in the battle royal and a good showing against Chavo could work well to boost his rep, but I don't see him winning the title and that means an end to his losing streak. Finally, Kane has been a constant presence on ECW and remains the biggest "name" value face on the list of participants who could give a good Wrestlemania quality match against Chavo. So, we'll go with Kane to win the battle royal AND to win the ECW Title as well, what the hell.

Winner: Kane to win the ECW Championship

J.D. Dunn: Because Chavito is a heel, it only makes sense that the winner of the Battle Royal would be a babyface. Since CM Punk, the only face with credibility on ECW, is busy, I think they will either A) bring someone back (Rob Van Dam?) or B) just throw someone out there for the hell of it. I'm going unconventional here, and picking Colin Delaney. If it's Option B, Chavo retains.

Winner: Chavo Guerrero

Chris Lansdell: Hmmm. All along my gut feeling has been Matt Hardy, but I question that now. He has no beef with Chavo, so he's more likely to cost MVP the Money in the Bank for his return. I'd say Rey comes back Cena-style, but I think that's too far-fetched. It almost has to be a face that wins, because they never do Heel-Heel matches at Mania any more. I'm going to go with Jamie Noble to win the Battle Royal, and the resulting title match will be a hell of a tilt, with the ...

Winner, and NEW ECW Champion: Jamie Noble

Jerome Cusson: Kane's career is coming to an end. I think he gets this title as a reward for his years of service and because it's time for the belt to come off Chavo.

Winner: Kane

Dan Torkel: Here is my WM swerve as the Battle Royal is won by the returning Rob Van Dam!!! He then proceeds to defeat Chavo and deliver some cred to the ECW Title.

Winner: RVD

Scotty Flamingo: The Annual "Get everyone on the card so they don't feel left out" match. Is CM Punk in this? Because he's the only credible face on ECW to go up against Chavo. The mark in me wishes that the final entrant in the Battle Royal will be Colt Cabana coming out to Copa Cabana and winning it all, setting up a heel turn from a jealous Punk and a year long feud. Won't happen.

Winner: Chavo

JT: I think we are looking at the first WM in quite a few years where every title being defended will switch hands, as there is no way I see Chavo walking out of WrestleMania as the ECW champion. Kane looks to be the frontrunner, but there are only a few legitimate possibilities so I'm going to go with a completely unrealistic but I feel like being a mark pick.

Winner: And NEW ECW Champion, BOBCORE F'N HOLLY!

Jarrod Westerfeld: After seeing what occurred at ECW this week, I think my money rides high on the WWE giving us something really ridiculous, such as Fatty Dreamer winning the Battle Royal, putting up a strong effort for the ECW Championship and winning the bout, potentially leading to a confrontation with Colin and Dreamer.

Winner: Tommy Dreamer (of the 24 Man Battle Royal & NEW ECW Champion)

Mathew Sforcina: Excuse me for a moment.

*walks outside*

SCREW YOU VINCE! STEVIE WINNING NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU? HE DOESN'T DESERVE A WIN? A TITLE? A WM MOMENT? GEEZ, STEVIE FIGHTS THE ODDS, ELIMINATES SOME GIANTS THEN WINS THE BELT AND VICTORIA'S HEART, YOU GET EVERYTHING WM IS SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT, BUT NOOOOOOOOOOOO, YOU CAN'T DO THAT! THAT'S SILLY! SCREW YOU VINCE, SCREW YOU!

*comes back in*

Thank you. As I was about to say, logic and common sense say that you put Kane over here, since he'll have an OK match with heat, then you have Chavo and the Rated Army cheat to keep the belt on Chavo, and thus give you a couple of hours of "Maybe it's an omen, Taker might lose tonight, given his brother did...". You then put Kane over at Backlash for the belt so the Brothers can be dual World Champs and team up every second week on Smackdown. It's fairly obvious.

Winner, and STILL ECW Champion: Chavo Guerrero (Kane tosses Khali to win Battle Royal, then Vickie belt shot to Kane into roll up.)

T.G. Corke: Without wanting to sound overly negative or sensationalistic, this battle royal is currently destined to be the biggest black eye in the long history of professional wrestling. No amount of filicide or marital rape can ever override the fact that this match will suck AIDS-infested condoms through a straw. Well, that might be a little harsh, especially with the Bunnymania stinking up the joint on the same show. But seriously, the only ones who you'd normally give any chance of winning (Khali, Mark Henry, The Miz perhaps and maybe Elijah Burke) are all heels looking to face a heel champion on the biggest show of the year, and the only faces (Stevie Richards, Val Venis, Brian Kendrick - where's Paul London, by the way? That's hardly fair) are either jobbers or, in Kofi Kingston's case, probably too inexperienced. It's a bit sad when you're hoping for either Khali or Kofi Kingston to win. I'd give Kofi a chance, and I'm still holding out false hope that Matt will return and win it. But, in reality, the list only throws one possible challenger at me with any immediacy.

Winner: KANE wins the battle royal but Chavo retains the title

Michael Weyer: Half tempted to say Punk uses the MITB contract immediately to get into the battle royal, win and beat Chavo but that's a bit much. So I pick Kane to win the battle royal but come up short against Chavo to keep him champion for a while.

WINNER and STILL ECW Champion: Chavo Guerrero

Jeff Small: Oh great, it's Kane.

Winner: Kane

Ryan Merholz: It would have been cool to see Colin Delaney in this match just running from his life from 23 guys, but sadly he doesn't appear on the list. Given the fact that they've mainly promoted the big guys, I'd imagine it will be one of them who picks up the win. That gives you Kane facing Chavo for the title, seeing as he's the only face of the bunch. Lots of people hate on Kane, but I've always liked the guy and he's been featured on ECW a lot since the "talent exchange" began. On top of that, of all the guys in the match (not counting thrown-in tag teams and under-pushed jobber type guys), Kane is probably the best choice to have a decent title match with Chavo on the biggest stage of them all.

Winner and NEW ECW Champion: Kane

Robert S. Leighty Jr: In keeping with the emotional theme for the night, I'll take a shot and go with Tommy Dreamer to win the Battle Royal and the ECW Title. I wish they had keep some spots open for surprise entrants, because that is one sorry list.

Winner and New ECW Champion: Tommy Dreamer

Meehan: Since the battle royal is taking place pre-show, I'm doubtful we'll be seeing it play host to a Matt Hardy return. So that leaves us with Tommy Dreamer -- the one remaining ECW Original left to carry the flag (sure there's Stevie... but is Balls Mahoney even employed anymore?) long after his higher-profile ex-comrades have made their exit from this new (and perhaps not so improved) "land of extreme." For Dreamer at age 37, this year's WrestleMania is probably as good a shot as he's ever likely to find of receiving a chance to compete for gold on "the grandest stage of them all." And on the fluke chance that he *is* able to pull off the win in the 24-man pre-show Battle Royal, you simply can't help but think that just about everybody in the Citrus Bowl will find themselves rooting for the guy if he ends up going toe-to-toe with Chavo Guerrero by night's end. Great match? Not likely. But great storytelling all the same? I see no reason why not.

Winner: Tommy Dreamer. And REGARDLESS, I'll say whoever wins the battle royal beats Chavo

Peter Bielik: I don't watch ECW, so I don't care. I say Holly wins the battle royal and Chavo retains.

Winner: Chavo Guerrero

Jeremy Thomas: I'm going with the idea that Kane will probably win the Battle Royal. Why he hasn't been moved to ECW yet, I'm not sure...he's certainly horror enough for it. Besides, it makes no sense for a heel to face Chavo, and the only other people who would make ANY sense would be Burke, Henry, or Khali. Noble & Dreamer would be dark horse picks, but does anyone REALLY think that Jamie Noble's going to win in a match with Kane & Khali? And Dreamer, much as I'd love to see him get a shot, isn't going to.

In the end, I see Kane winning, and winning by DQ, allowing Chavo to retain. Someone has to retain their title, and he's got the best shot. This should set up a midsummer feud, since they have nothing for Kane to do, maybe as a three-way feud with Punk.

Winner: Kane over Chavo (Disqualification)

Bayani Domingo: How sad will it be when Colin Delaney runs in for the win? Just kidding. I'd love to see a Brian Kendrick or Deuce title reign just because it would be an utter mind f*ck to all ECW fans everywhere. But I think the only real "face" with a shot here has to be…KANE. Too bad Kane doesn't bring in the "mental scared on the inside, but not outside" demographic that the "e" has been looking for since Eddie passed.

Winner: Oooh, Chavo

Derek Robbins - I think they've went out of their way to make Tommy Dreamer not look like a threat to the title. Seems kind of suspicious for him to take TWO pinfalls on ECW, doesn't it? So I think WWE will surprise us by having Dreamer win in the battle royal through some sort of fluke. Chavo will take him lightly and Dreamer will score a surprise win in that fashion. I highly suspect that it'll look as fluke like as possible, probably with a roll-up pin, and so Tommy will have one of the biggest wins of his career. Honestly, no matter who wins the battle royal, I suspect Chavo to drop the title. He's been an alright champion, but it's time to move on.

Winner of the battle royal and NEW ECW champion: Tommy Dreamer

Michael Bauer: I'll go with Tommy Dreamer to win the Battle Royal, just because I can. Chances are Dreamer can sneak out a win via DQ here, setting up more of Chavo's run ins with Colin.

Winner: Tommy Dreamer by DQ

Leonard Hayhurst: As far as the battle royal goes, Kane looks to be the odds on favorite. The best use of him right now would be a permanent shift to ECW. He also would make a good champion for the brand, but he doesn't match up well with Chavo. Cody Rhodes, Kofi Kingston, Tommy Dreamer and Jamie Noble are nice dark horse candidates. How awesome would be if Duggan won and then took the belt? Also don't be surprised if one of the known names is replaced by a surprise entrant such as Matt Hardy, Ron Killings or Chris Harris. No matter who, Chavo looks destined to lose.

Winner: Kane

Andrew Clark: I have a theory about the ECW Championship. They are trying to book every title change in some kind of completely unpredictable, unconventional manner. Because there's nothing EXTREME about logical booking and feuds with struggles and payoffs! So far the ECW title has changed hands under these EXTREME circumstances: suspension (drug bust), shocking brand switch produces random challenger who wins belt, McMahon ego trip, champion drafted to another show, shocking murder mystery produces random challenger who wins belt, another suspension (steroids), and now... Chavo Guerrero is a world champion. I'm going with Brian Kendrick to win the battle royal and come into this match like a ball of fire.

Winner: I have a theory. I'm going with Brian Kendrick. They'll never see it coming!

David Nik I'm going way out on a limb here -- I want to see Snitsky take this. He's the kind of twisted heel that could go over really well in ECW if they do it properly, and it'll give some "freshness" to the brand. It's supposed to be the ugly underbelly of wrestling, right? So give a rub to a guy who's been trying to make that gimmick work forever now.

WINNER: Snitsky

Matt Short: So many choices for a challenger, yet so little to get excited about. Anyone who I can see potentially winning the match probably would win the title from Chavo later on. I already said my piece on Punk winning. I don't want Kane to win. Because fuck 'em, that's why. Tommy Dreamer, we're looking to you.

Winner: Tommy Dreamer

Mike Minotti: I think Kane is the best choice to have win the Battle Royal. He's the most over man in the royal, and while Kane may not be the performer he used to be, I think it would be a shame to not see him in WrestleMania. However, I don't think Kane will beat Chavo. We'll see the beginnings of a feud between the two, however.

Winner: Chavo Guerrero

Steve Sullivan I predicted prior to this week's ECW that this match would feature Chavo vs. Tommy Dreamer. I think it's only fair that someone who hasn't had a good shining moment at Wrestlemania deserves a chance, and Tommy Dreamer winning the ECW Title at Wrestlemania would be a huge mark out moment for veteran wrestling fans.

Winner and NEW ECW Champ: Tommy Dreamer
Won't Be Winner- Robbie "TNA! TNA!" McCallister

Go check out PART III!