A retribution-seeking Chavo Guerrero teamed up with a vengeful Shelton Benjamin in tag team action against Kane & CM Punk. The new ECW Champion and Mr. Money in the Bank proved why they were victorious on Sunday at WrestleMania, picking up the win on ECW.

General Manager Armando Estrada said he was ready to offer Colin Delaney a contract to be a WWE Superstar. Too bad for Delaney it was April Fools Day, and instead of a contract, Estrada presented Delaney with a giant challenge: Big Show. Delaney would earn his coveted contract if he could beat the 7-footer, but the youngster didn’t stand a chance. In mere minutes, Big Show picked up an easy victory, then offered a warning to The Great Khali.

On ECW, the rivalry between Mike Knox and Stevie Richards came to a head when they met in one-on-one action for the first time. For the last few weeks, these two ECW Superstars have been attacking each other in the locker room. When they met in tag action last week, Knox & Layla were victorious over Richards & Kelly Kelly.

     

The WWE celebrated the 24th Annual WrestleMania, live from the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida.

Before some 70,000 stunned fans who were convinced that either John Cena or Triple H would walk away with the gold, Randy Orton proved tonight that reports of his demise as WWE Champion at WrestleMania XXIV were premature. The Triple Threat Match was a war where the tide shifted several times between Cena, Orton and Triple H. However, in the end, brains turned out to be the deciding factor over brawn. After watching The Game crush Cena with a Pedigree, Orton disposed of an unsuspecting Triple H with a punt to the skull and covered John Cena for the stunning three-count.

Now an astounding 16-0 at WrestleMania, Undertaker successfully reaped the soul of the Rated-R Superstar, and more importantly, cinched the highly coveted symbol of in-ring supremacy in the World Heavyweight Championship. After Edge kicked out of the Tombstone and the Last Ride, the Deadman managed to lay waste to Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder. But, two spears weren’t enough to put away The Phenom and suddenly, the Undertaker locked in his mysterious submission hold. The Rated-R Superstar could only fight so much before tapping out with his last few breaths.

At WrestleMania XXIV, Floyd Mayweather put his “money” where his mouth was, running his professional record to 40-0 with a shocking knockout of the 7-foot, 441-pound Big Show. Big Show dominated while "Money" tried to dodge the giant, while Mayweather's entourage unsuccessfully tried to interfere. After a vicious chairshot, Mayweather slid on a pair of brass knuckles and slugged Big Show straight in the jaw. The WWE Superstar dropped and the counted to 10, as the WBC Welterweight Champion celebrated career knockout No. 26.

As a tearful Ric Flair said farewell to the millions of fans he entertained for more than 35 years, Flair didn’t feel any agony in defeat to Shawn Michaels tonight at WrestleMania XXIV. After all, how fitting it is that the greatest wrestler of all time ends his career on The Grandest Stage of Them All. At first, HBK couldn't bring himself to unleash Sweet Chin Music on the Nature Boy, and it nearly cost him the match. But he realized during his second and third opportunity that he had to pull the trigger. With tears in his eyes, Flair implored HBK. And with a whisper of "I'm sorry ... I love you," Michaels turned out the lights on the Hall of Famer's legendary career.

CM Punk fended off Chris Jericho on top of a 15-foot-high ladder to claim the Money in the Bank briefcase at WrestleMania XXIV. The victory over Jericho, MVP, Shelton Banjamin, Carlito, John Morrison and Mr. Kennedy, gives Punk the opportunity to immediately challenge for any of WWE’s three major championships – anytime, anyplace. But what was more shocking than Punk’s victory was the return of MVP’s most persistent rival, Matt Hardy. Fully recovered from a ruptured appendix suffered late last year, Hardy rushed to ringside to thwart the United States Champion’s chance to claim the briefcase, knocking him down with a Twist of Fate off the ladder.

In a stunning battle for brand bragging rights between two of WWE’s most ferocious Superstars, Batista dropped Umaga with a devastating Batista Bomb before 70,000 screaming fans at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando. The Batista Bomb on Umaga stunned onlookers, who had never seen the Samoan monster manhandled like that in his two years in WWE. The Animal’s impressive victory gave bragging rights to SmackDown’s fans and Superstars, long annoyed by Raw’s flagship status within WWE.

Maria and Ashley looked as if they would be able to beat the odds. While Ashley propelled herself into Melina outside the ring, Maria had the champion pinned. However, thanks to Santino Marella’s interference and a fisherman’s suplex, The Glamazon was able to sneak out the win.  But the real show came after the bell. After Snoop Dogg delivered a much-deserved shot to Santino, Maria returned the favor with a kiss.

ECW Champion Chavo Guerrero didn’t have much time to prepare for his match against Kane, who earned an opportunity at the championship earlier in the evening by defeating 23 other Superstars in a hard-fought Battle Royal. After entering the ring, Guerrero was greeted by the fiery blaze of Kane’s pyro. But instead of making his usual entrance through hellfire and brimstone, the Big Red Machine appeared from under the ring and took the ECW Champion completely by surprise. Before Guerrero even had a chance to react to the 7-foot monster, he was hit with a thunderous chokeslam and pinned. Guerrero never saw it coming. In a matter of seconds, Kane was declared the winner, adding a new championship to his collection. 

The Citrus Bowl crowd of more than 70,000 fans buzzed with electricity and excitement as the Granddaddy of Them All kicked off – and pummeled, and hammered away at – with a Belfast Brawl, a match where anything and everything goes. And although Sunday’s worldwide audience seemed firmly behind Finlay and his returning son, Hornswoggle, it wasn’t enough to withstand a kendo stick Clothesline from Hell from JBL.

     

As World Heavyweight Champion Edge showed last week with his vicious Con-Chair-To, he is out to destroy Undertaker’s legacy at WrestleMania. On SmackDown, the Rated-R Superstar was joined by his fiancée, General Manager Vickie Guerrero, Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder for a Burial of Undertaker’s WrestleMania Undefeated Streak. The ceremony was cut short when Edge’s WrestleMania opponent appeared and tried to send one last message before their showdown on Sunday.

Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho’s first match on SmackDown since returning to WWE saw Y2J face United States Champion MVP in a non-title Champion vs. Champion encounter. In their final match before the Citrus Bowl, Jericho picked up a disqualification victory. The Ballin’ Superstar wasn’t finished, however, and he tried to make one last statement before the career changing Ladder Match. He attacked with his gold in hand, but Y2J ducked and delivered a Codebreaker to the cocky U.S. Champion. Jericho then made his own bold move, smashing MVP in the face with a ladder.

Just two days before he represents SmackDown in the war for brand supremacy against Raw’s Umaga, Batista faced the challenge of another Raw Superstar – Snitsky. The Animal wasted no time decimating Raw General Manager William Regal’s hand-picked challenger with ease. When the bell rang, Batista speared Snitsky, delivered a spinebuster and then sealed the impressive victory with a Batista Bomb.

On SmackDown, four Superstars who will take part in the 24-Man Battle Royal at WrestleMania competed in an Over-the-Top-Rope Challenge. Kane, The Great Khali, Mark Henry and Chuck Palumbo all were in Fayetteville to improve their stock for WrestleMania, with ECW Champion Chavo Guerrero looking on from ringside. The World’s Strongest Man displayed the intensity and strength that has always made him one of WWE’s most feared competitors, eliminating Khali and Kane to win the challenge. The “Mexican Warrior” then attempted to weaken Henry with a post match assault, but the World’s Strongest Man demolished the ECW Champion with a World’s Strongest Slam.

     

General Manager William Regal ordered eight of WWE’s top Superstars battling this Sunday to face off in the night’s main event. In the no-disqualification “WrestleMania Showcase” Eight-Man Tag-Team Match, John Cena, Triple H, Ric Flair & Shawn Michaels competed against Big Show, Umaga, John “Bradshaw” Layfield & WWE Champion Randy Orton. But few of the combatants stayed in the ring for long, with Finlay fighting off JBL, Batista fighting off Umaga, and the Big Show leveling partner Randy Orton with a chokeslam. With only HBK and Flair left to face Orton, the Nature Boy went for his patented Figure-Four Leglock, but HBK broke up the attempt. Still seething from Michaels’ promise earlier in the evening that he’d end Flair’s “misery” at WrestleMania, the Dirtiest Player in the Game low-blowed his friend, then slapped the Figure-Four on Orton until the WWE Champion tapped out.

At home in “Flair Country,” Ric Flair told the Colonial Center crowd that he had lost respect for his friend and WrestleMania opponent, Shawn Michaels – who made a crucial save in Flair’s match against Mr. McMahon last week. Flair blasted HBK for having no confidence in him against the Chairman. The Showstopper came to the ring, and swore he was doing what he thought Flair would have done in the same circumstance. He again promised to leave everything in the ring against the “Nature Boy,” and Flair reiterated that he expected nothing less from “Mr. WrestleMania.” He showed HBK his NWA World Championship Title that he won in 1981, and said he wanted Michaels to bring out the best in him for one more night. As HBK turned to leave, he reminded Flair of the story of “Old Yeller” and how a family had to put their cherished dog out of its misery when it was sick. HBK promised to dispatch the “Nature Boy’s” career in a similar manner, which enraged Flair enough to slap The Showstopper twice in the face. Michaels left the angry “Nature Boy” fuming in the ring.

United States Champion Montel Vontavious Porter and Carlito worked like a well-oiled machine, defeating Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho & former ECW Champion CM Punk in a Money in the Bank preview on Raw. In the end, it was a mistake by Y2J that cost his team the match. As Punk and MVP fought, the U.S. Champ ducked Jericho’s enzuiguri attempt and it caught Punk’s chin, stunning the Straightedge Superstar. Carlito pulled the Intercontinental Champ from the ring, allowing the SmackDown Superstar to roll up Punk for the pinfall.

A one-on-one Divas contest between Maria and Melina became an Intergender Tag Team Match as Ashley, Beth Phoenix, Santino Marella and Jerry “The King” Lawler got involved in the proceedings. With intergender rules allowing men to wrestle women, Marella frequently found himself grappling in the ring with his former girlfriend and current Playboy cover girl. But as Maria sent Santino to the outside, Melina and The Glamazon swept out Maria’s legs with a crushing chop block from behind. Santino rolled back into the ring and covered his former love interest for the 1-2-3. After the match, it was learned that Ashley will replace the injured Candice Michelle in the BunnyMania Match at WrestleMania, as she and Maria will face Beth Phoenix and Melina.

The ECW Champion took pleasure in defeating Colin Delaney in what Guerrero called a preview of what’s to come at WrestleMania. Delaney was denied an ECW contract in the loss and Guerrero was able to make a very loud statement, warning all other competitors in contention to challenge him in a title match later that evening at WrestleMania.

Three of the Superstars who will be competing in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania XXIV faced off in the midst of a Six-Man Tag Team Match, hoping to gain an early advantage. CM Punk teamed with Jesse & Festus and overpowered The Miz and two other Money in the Bank contestants, John Morrison & Shelton Benjamin.

Earlier, the evening kicked off on fire – literally. Kane exploded into the ring where he extinguished Elijah Burke. The Big Red Machine will no doubt be one of the favorites to win the brand-wide 24-Man Battle Royal at ‘Mania.

Kofi Kingston cruised to another victory on ECW on Sci Fi. The first-ever Jamaican Superstar has yet to be defeated since joining the extreme brand. Tuesday was just another part of the chapter as his unique style and attitude helped him to pin James Curtis.

     

SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero stacked the deck even more in favor of her lover, World Heavyweight Champion Edge, by changing the scheduled 3-on-2 Handicap Steel Cage Match to a 4-on-2 brawl by announcing ECW Champion Chavo Guerrero would join the Ultimate Opportunist’s team. Along with Guerrero & Edge, Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder helped relentlessly punish Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels. After the Rated-R Superstar’s team wore down HBK and beat Flair to a bloody pulp, Undertaker emerged within the steel cage to shift the balance of power, but Edge still managed to find the ultimate opportunity.

After finally beating The Animal by count-out one week earlier, United States Champion Montel Vontavious Porter battled Batista in a No Holds Barred Title Match. The back-and-forth struggle for dominance included steel chairs, a chokehold with a neckchain, and a slam to the exposed concrete arena floor. But, the odds quickly shifted when Raw’s Umaga inserted himself into the match and delivered a vicious Samoan Spike to The Animal. His sneak attack left the door open for MVP to capitalize on the fallen Batista and get the pinfall.

The opportunity for the last spot in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania was enough to turn friend into foe as WWE Tag Team Champions John Morrison and The Miz battled each other on SmackDown. A swinging neckbreaker from Morrison allowed him to pin his teammate, The Miz. With Morrison earning the final spot in Money in the Bank, the stage is now set for one of WWE's most coveted opportunities on The Grandest Stage of Them All.

Big Show has continued to demolish any opponent who has dared get in the ring with the 7-foot, 430-pound giant. Friday was no different in a match against two Superstars, as the “World’s Largest Athlete” dispatched Shannon Moore with a direct punch to the head, followed by an effortless pin using his size-22 boot. Next, in what is becoming a common occurrence, the goliath pressed Jimmy Wang Yang overhead and tossed him to the arena floor to cap off his exhibition of force.

     

At the Big Show-Floyd Mayweather weigh-in, The World’s Largest Athlete outweighed The Greatest Fighter in the World by a daunting 300 pounds. While Show reveled in the disparity, Mayweather made it clear that he would not be intimidated. That’s when a fuming Big Show scooped up the WBC welterweight champion and hurled him into a crowd of fellow Superstars. Show then lumbered out of the ring as trainers attended to Mayweather.

Taking advantage of his Triple Threat Takeover, Randy Orton threw John Cena in a match against his WrestleMania 23 opponent, Shawn Michaels. Things didn’t turn out exactly as the Legend Killer had hoped. In an attempt at throwing the victory to HBK, Orton attacked The Showstopper and then went to RKO “The Champ.” But then Cena turned the tables and leveled Orton with an FU. Next week's Raw will be taken over by Triple H, who informed Cena & Orton that they would be taking on the entire Raw roster.

In a title match at the Bradley Center, Jeff Hardy found himself dragged back down to earth by the resolute hands of Chris Jericho. While Hardy had been on an enviable winning streak for months, his lion-hearted rival would not be rebuffed. The pair swapped blows, ascending the ropes and taking to the air throughout the match. In the end, however, the determination fixed on Y2J’s face proved too overwhelming to surmount.

Stars from SmackDown & ECW competed in special "WrestleMania Rewind" competitions. Umaga and Batista came to blows before their battle for brand supremacy in Orlando. The Undertaker defeated Mark Henry in a Casket Match. Edge defeated CM Punk, Finlay defeated Mr. Kennedy, and Triple H defeated Kane. Also, a potential WrestleMania I rematch between The Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff and the U.S. Express, Mike Rotunda & Barry Windham was interrupted by Jillian Hall, whose awful singing was silenced by an airplane spin from Rotunda.

ECW Champion Chavo Guerrero enjoyed proving himself once again in the main event when he successfully defended his title against CM Punk. The Straightedge Superstar doesn’t plan to stop trying, though, until that gold is secure on his body.

In the evening’s first contest, WWE Tag Team Champions John Morrison & The Miz put their titles on the line in a rematch, still reeling from their loss to Tommy Dreamer & Colin Delaney the previous week. Vowing not to fall to the ECW Original and the young athlete again, Morrison & The Miz followed through on their promise and left the arena the same way they went in: As champions

Stevie Richards' streak came to a halt when he faced the self-proclaimed “Gold Standard” of ECW, Shelton Benjamin. Still, if Richards can endure serious surgery, he surely can endure a tough loss. As for Benjamin, he has enjoyed a great deal of success since joining the Land of the Extreme, and nobody has been able to slow him down, let alone stop him. The night marked one week closer that Benjamin is to the Money in the Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania.

In other action, Kane defeated James Curtis, but did so with an extra spectator in the audience. Chuck Palumbo circled the ring, stalking the Big Red Machine during the contest. After reeking plenty of havoc on his former friend Michelle McCool and Jamie Noble on SmackDown, what could be Palumbo’s intentions?

     

Letting nothing stand in his way of getting to World Heavyweight Champion Edge, The Undertaker decimated Big Daddy V and Balls Mahoney, and then demanded an immediate start to his match with Zack Ryder. With Edge and Curt Hawkins at ringside, The Deadman destroyed Ryder, and bloodied Edge’s “minions” with his dangerous submission maneuver while the Ultimate Opportunist fled.

Moments before Batista and tag team partner Kane defeated United States Champion MVP and The Great Khali, The Animal requested to represent SmackDown against Raw’s Umaga at WrestleMania XXIV. SmackDown Diva Maryse had been in the GM’s office currying the favor of Vickie and encouraged Guerrero, who then granted Batista his wish.

Competing for the first time in more than a year, Big Show wasted little time in sending a loud message to all the Superstars of WWE and, more importantly, his WrestleMania XXIV opponent Floyd Mayweather. Big Show decimated two challengers in a Handicap Match with a barrage of left and right hooks and other boxing moves for the impressive victory, and then had some choice words for Mayweather.

With Michelle McCool by his side, Jamie Noble headed to the ring to take on Chuck Palumbo, hopeful to gain retribution for the injury he sustained at the hands of Palumbo weeks ago on SmackDown. With his new attitude feeding his rage, revved-up Superstar Palumbo once again took his aggression out on Noble, leaving him punished in the center of the ring after a devastating Full Throttle.

     

In the night’s main event, the unlikely team of John Cena & Triple H defeated WWE Champion Randy Orton & Mr. Kennedy in a tag team brawl. Cena picked up the victory after trapping Mr. Kennedy in the STFU, but Kennedy made the former champ pay. As Cena and The Game stared each other down, the Green Bay gladiator snuck up on Cena and leveled him with the Mic Check, as The Game did nothing to intervene.

After Shawn Michaels defeated Lance Cade by disqualification, Class of 2008 Hall of Fame inductee Ric Flair came to ringside to thank HBK for making the announcement last week. He then asked Michaels to wrestle him at WrestleMania XXIV in Orlando, Fla. At first, he declined due to Mr. McMahon’s retirement stipulation placed on the Nature Boy’s matches. But he eventually relented, proudly accepting the challenge to face Flair on the Grandest Stage in sports-entertainment.

Raw General Manager William Regal made the road to WrestleMania XXIV a rough one for Chris Jericho. Y2J wanted entry into the Money in the Bank Ladder Match, but needed to defeat the red-hot Jeff Hardy to earn it in a qualifying match. In a bout full of counters and near falls from both men, Y2J defeated the Intercontinental Champion to earn his second Money in the Bank berth.

Mr. McMahon demanded that JBL apologize for decimating Hornswoggle last week on Raw. JBL responded by claiming that Hornswoggle is not his son, and his protector, Finlay, knew all along that the leprechaun was his own offspring. The Chairman was stunned, but told JBL he’d face a worse beating if he’s lying about Hornswoggle. The brash millionaire promised to produce documentation that would back up his claims.