In this year's annual "we need to get everybody onto the card so that they can get their Wrestlemania bonuses" match (that isn't a Money in the Bank match because that has its own pay-per-view now), we have ourselves an elimination tag team match that actually has some storyline behind it.
For a few months now, John Laurinaitis has serving in a dual capacity as WWE's Executive Vice President of Talent Relations and the Interim General Manager of Monday Night Raw™. (The font on his business cards is really, really small.) At the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view in February, Laurinaitis made it known that he wanted to be in charge of not only Raw, but of Friday Night Smackdown as well. Naturally, the man currently in charge of Smackdown, that being Theodore R. "Teddy" Long, took umbrage to such a suggestion, and also expressed his desire to be in charge of both shows as well.
As a result, the mythical WWE Board of Directors issued an edict that Wrestlemania would be the stage where the future of both shows would be set. Each GM would put together a team of six WWE Superstars, and an elimination-style tag team match would take place, with the winning General Manager being placed in charge of both of the WWE's shows.
Team Johnny is captained by former Nexus member David "Jennifer Hudson's Fiancee" Otunga, who has served as Laurinaitis' assistant over the past few months. He is joined by Mark Henry, Dolph Ziggler, Jack Swagger, The Miz, and Drew McIntyre. Christian was originally slated to be a part of Team Johnny as well, but was injured by C.M. Punk on Monday night's edition of Raw, and McIntyre was announced as his replacement towards the end of the program.
Team Teddy is captained by current United States Champion Santino Marella. The other members of the team are The Great Khali, Kofi Kingston, R-Truth, Zack Ryder, and. . .in a surprise from Monday night. . .Booker T, who saved Long from a beatdown at the hands of Mark Henry.
I think that Team Johnny is going to end up pulling this one out when it's all said and done. Long is getting up there in years, and the rumors are that he could be in line for a reduced role with the company. Laurinaitis, on the other hand, is one of the WWE's bigger heels at this point, and could not get the opportunity to botch his lines and annoy the heck out of fans on two shows instead of one. The only issue is who is going to end up surviving for Team Johnny, in my opinion.
SB Nation Minnesota prediction - Team Johnny wins, with Dolph Ziggler taking down Santino to secure the victory