I live blogged this thing. So read in reverse, natch.

***

I think that’s finally it. Fingers crossed. It is. Phew.

RAW get Kofi Kingston
Rey Mysterio gets a high flyer to fight. I’m ecstatic about this swap. Turns out someone has been watching Kofi’s impressive ECW performances these last few weeks.

RAW get Layla
This supplemental draft is longer than the NFL draft. Had I known I would have split this into two posts.

Image details: Performance-Enhancing Supplements Make For Big Business served by picapp.com

SmackDown get Carlito
Please let this mean that Santino Marella is shifting brands as well. It doesn’t.

ECW get Finlay
The writing should have been on the wall after the Hornswaggle switch. Finlay’s a step above the ECW and I’m guessing he’s going to be holding the ECW championship within the year. He’s also been featured on ECW nearly every week for the past few months so this isn’t much of a surprise.

SmackDown get Shelton Benjamin
This is a big one. Shelton is one of my favorite wrestlers and he deserves a step up from ECW. He should do well at SmackDown and I think he could even challenge for a title. Really. By the end of the supplemental draft will ECW have anyone worth watching left?

Read more

Friday Night SmackDown, May 30, 2008

The Setup
Batista sure cleans up well. He’s decked out in a pitch black pinstripe suit with a black tie and sun glasses that seem to have a gargoyle on their sides. Versaces, of course. He wants forgiveness from the people because he wants to “hurt Shawn Michaels“. It’s OK Animal, we understand.

Vickie Guerrero, however, doesn’t understand. She’s being wheeled out by the interchangeable Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins and she warns Batista not to look past Michaels and to the Heavyweight championship because he might not even be inSmackDown (in the future). The 2008 Draft and all. Vickie, who is showing a great deal of cleavage, is being rained on by a chorus of “You Suck” catcalls. She is not loved in Colorado Springs.

Read more

• Triple Threat match for the WWE Championship: Randy Orton (c) vs. Triple H vs. John Cena
• World Heavyweight Championship: Edge (c) vs. The Undertaker
• Money in the Bank ladder match: Mr. Kennedy vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Chris Jericho vs. Carlito vs. MVP vs. CM Punk vs. John Morrison
• No Disqualification match: Floyd “Money” Mayweather vs. The Big Show
• Umaga vs. Batista
• Career threatening match: Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels
• Playboy BunnyMania Lumberjack match: Maria and Ashley vs. Beth Phoenix and Melina[43]
• Belfast Brawl: Finlay vs. John “Bradshaw” Layfield
• ECW Championship: Chavo Guerrero (c) vs. TBD
• Pre-show: 24-man Interpromotional Battle Royal (Elijah Burke, Lance Cade, Deuce, Domino, Tommy Dreamer, Jim Duggan, Festus, The Great Khali, Mark Henry, Hardcore Holly, Jesse, Kane, Brian Kendrick, Kofi Kingston, The Miz, Shannon Moore, Trevor Murdoch, Jamie Noble, Chuck Palumbo, Cody Rhodes, Snitsky, Stevie Richards, Val Venis and Jimmy Wang Yang)

The WWE has announced a pre-Wrestlemania 24 man battle royal. The winner of the match, which will air exclusively on WWE.com immediately before the pay-per-view, will then face Chavo Guerrero for the ECW title later in the show.

Here is a complete list of wrestlers participating in the tri-branded match:

Elijah Burke, Lance Cade, Deuce, Domino, Tommy Dreamer, Jim Duggan, Festus, The Great Khali, Mark Henry, Hardcore Holly, Jesse, Kane, Brian Kendrick, Kofi Kingston, The Miz, Shannon Moore, Trevor Murdoch, Jamie Noble, Chuck Palumbo, Cody Rhodes, Snitsky, Matt Striker, Val Venis and Jimmy Wang Yang.