Cyber Sunday (2007) - Background

Background

The main feud heading into Cyber Sunday on the Raw brand was between Randy Orton and Shawn Michaels, with the two battling over the WWE Championship. This feud began in May when Michaels faced Edge in Edge's last match on Raw. Michaels won the match by pinfall after Sweet Chin Music. After the match, when Michaels was celebrating, Orton come out and attacked Michaels, which was preceded by a punt to the head. At Judgment Day, Orton attacked Michaels, putting him out of action for several months. Their feud restarted on the October 8, 2007 edition of Raw, the night after Orton won the WWE Championship. Michaels returned during Orton's appreciation ceremony and hit him with Sweet Chin Music, when Orton was going to hit Michaels with the WWE Championship belt. Afterwards, a match was made for Cyber Sunday where Orton would defend the WWE Championship against the fans' choice of either Michaels, Jeff Hardy, or Mr. Kennedy. The next week on Raw, Orton faced his three possible opponents in individual matches. Kennedy interfered and attacked Hardy in his match with Orton. Hardy attacked Kennedy in his match, and Kennedy assaulted Michaels in his match, leading to Hardy making the save. Despite this, Michaels hit Orton with Sweet Chin Music to end the show. On the October 22 edition of Raw, Orton teamed with Kennedy against Michaels and Hardy. Hardy scored the pinfall on Kennedy after a Swanton Bomb. After the match, Michaels hit Orton with Sweet Chin Music for the third week in a row, when Hardy pushed Orton into Michaels when Orton went to deliver Hardy an RKO.

The main feud on the SmackDown! brand was between Batista and The Undertaker, with the two feuding over the World Heavyweight Championship. Their feud began at WrestleMania 23 when The Undertaker won the title from Batista. It ended when The Undertaker faced Batista in a Steel Cage match. The match became a draw, when both Undertaker and Batista's feet both hit the ground at the same time. After the match, the returning Mark Henry came out and attacked The Undertaker. Edge then came out and cashed in his Money in the Bank contract that he won from Mr. Kennedy the same week on Raw. Edge then speared and pinned the Undertaker to win the World Heavyweight Championship, which then ended the feud between The Undertaker and Batista. Undertaker was sidelined due to the injury, but was booked to return at Unforgiven. Soon after returning at Unforgiven in September, their feud restarted. A match between the two was made for Cyber Sunday with a Special Guest Referee selected by the fans between Stone Cold Steve Austin, John "Bradshaw" Layfield, and Mick Foley. Neither Foley or Austin appeared before Cyber Sunday, while Layfield began campaigning with banners, T-shirts, and buttons.

The main feud on the ECW brand involved CM Punk and his ECW Championship. Punk had just retained his title against Big Daddy V at No Mercy, the previous pay-per-view. John Morrison, whom Punk defeated for the title, returned on the October 9 edition of ECW, after a brief absence, and defeated Punk in a non-title match. The Cyber Sunday match was then made to be CM Punk defending the ECW Championship against the fans' choice between Big Daddy V, Morrison, and The Miz. The next week on ECW, Punk, along with Kane, defeated his three possible opponents in a 3-on-2 Handicap match. Morrison and The Miz (who were a tag team) turned on each other, and they faced each other in a match later in the show, which was interrupted by Big Daddy V. On the October 23 edition of ECW, Big Daddy V faced Kane, and Punk teamed with Balls Mahoney to face The Miz and Morrison in a tag team match. Punk and Mahoney won due to a miscommunication between The Miz and Morrison.

The feuds between Triple H and Umaga, Rey Mysterio and Finlay, and Matt Hardy and Montel Vontavious Porter also continued, resulting in their matches at Cyber Sunday. Fans could vote for the match type of these three matches. Hardy, however, suffered a head injury on the October 26 edition of SmackDown!.