No Way Out (2007) - Background

Background

The event featured eight professional wrestling matches with outcomes predetermined by WWE script writers. The matches featured wrestlers portraying their characters in planned storylines that took place before, during and after the event.

The main feud heading into No Way Out was between SmackDown!'s World Heavyweight Champion Batista and his partner, The Undertaker, and Raw's WWE Champion John Cena and Shawn Michaels. This feud began after Undertaker won the 2007 Royal Rumble match. The following week on an episode of SmackDown!, the two world champions demanded an answer from Undertaker as to who he would face at WrestleMania, but Michaels interfered, as he also wanted an answer from Undertaker. As they awaited for Undertaker's answer, Vince McMahon, the WWE Chairman, made an appearance and announced an interpromotional tag team match between the two pairs of brand representatives. On the February 5, 2007 episode of Raw, Undertaker made his decision to face World Heavyweight Champion Batista at WrestleMania 23, sending a message through a chokeslam. Michaels then became Cena's challenger at WrestleMania 23 after winning a Triple Threat match against Randy Orton and Edge. On the February 15, 2007 episode of Raw, the brand representatives were pitted in an eight-man tag-team match against Rated-RKO (Orton and Edge), Mr. Kennedy, and Montel Vontavious Porter in which the brand representatives were victorious. The Raw representatives went on to win the World Tag Team Championship, although Michaels made many attempts to superkick Cena during the road to No Way Out. On the February 16, 2007 episode of SmackDown!, Undertaker and Batista again teamed up to face Rated-RKO and were victorious via pinfall.

The secondary feud heading into No Way Out was between Chris Benoit and The Hardys against MNM and Montel Vontavious Porter (MVP). This feud began shortly after MNM reformed, when they challenged the reunited Hardys at December to Dismember in a losing effort. They then continued to wrestle on episodes of Raw, ECW, and SmackDown! until Armageddon, when Mercury suffered a legitimate severe facial injury. On the February 16 episode of SmackDown!, SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long announced a ladder match between Paul London and Brian Kendrick, Dave Taylor and William Regal, MNM, and The Hardys for the WWE Tag Team Championship, but WWE's official website announced the match had changed to pit The Hardys and Chris Benoit against MNM and MVP, while Brian Kendrick and Paul London faced Deuce 'n Domino in a separate match. Benoit and MVP were added to the match on short notice, as they were not feuding at the time.

The third feud heading into No Way Out was between Kane and King Booker. This feud began during the 2007 Royal Rumble match when Kane eliminated King Booker from the match, but Booker returned unofficially to eliminate Kane. The feud continued on the February 2, 2007 episode of SmackDown! during King Booker's Key to the City ceremony in Houston, Texas, when Kane interrupted the ceremony and attacked King Booker. After they continued to feud during the weeks leading up to No Way Out, Theodore Long booked a match between the two at No Way Out. On the February 16, 2007 episode of SmackDown!, King Booker mocked Kane by dishonestly reviewing Kane's See No Evil movie, but Booker ran out when Kane came in to attack him.

The fourth feud heading into No Way Out was between Bobby Lashley and Mr. Kennedy. This feud began on the February 23 episode of SmackDown! when Lashley made a guest appearance to visit Theodore Long. Mr. Kennedy voiced his opinion to Lashley, reminding Lashley that he had beaten him before and claiming that he could to it again. Long then scheduled a match between the two for the ECW World Championship at No Way Out after contacting ECW officials.