Wrestlemania 24 - BunnyMania

With Maria Kanellis doing her first Playboy spread, WWE needed to come up with a match for her to be highlighted at Wrestlemania 24.

They came up with a tag team match. Maria Kanellis will be teaming with Ashley Massaro (who replaces an injured Candice Michelle) to battle WWE Women's Champion Beth Phoenix and Melina Perez. There's also an underlying storyline where Beth Phoenix and Melina Perez (who actually had an offer to do Playboy) are jealous of the two Playboy Playmates.

Also, in order to have as many WWE Divas on TV as possible, the writers have added a stipulation where the other divas will be lumberjacks for the match.

Maria Kanellis is in this spot because she was willing to pose nude in Playboy. Candice Michelle was supposed to be her tag team partner because she posed nude in the past as well.

With Candice Michelle injured, WWE had to find another diva that has pose nude before. That's how Ashley Massaro got into the match.

We all know this match is to showcase Maria Kanellis. She's going to get the pin.

Beth Phoenix is in this match because she's the WWE Heavyweight Champion. She doesn't really have much of a beef with either Maria Kanellis or Ashley Massaro aside from what the writers have tried to throw at us in the last few weeks.

She needed a heel tag team partner, so they turned to Melina Perez. We like her as a performer, so we won't complain too much about that.

If Candice Michelle was in this match, we can see her pinning Beth Phoenix to set up a match at Backlash. Since she's not, though, we see Maria Kanellis pinning Melina Perez.

• January 21, 2008 - Ashley Massaro talks to Maria Kanellis about doing Playboy.
• January 27, 2008 - Ashley Massaro informs Maria Kanellis that Hugh Hefner himself wanted her to pose.
• January 28, 2008 - Maria Kanellis defeated Melina Perez.
• February 11, 2008 - Melina Perez beat Maria Kanellis.
• February 17, 2008 - Ashley Massaro and Maria Kanellis attend a party at the Playboy Mansion.
• February 18, 2008 - Candice Michelle makes her return to help Maria Kanellis defeat Beth Phoenix.
• March 3, 2008 - Maria Kanellis unveils her Playboy cover.
• March 10, 2008 - Beth Phoenix & Melina Perez beat Candice Michelle & Maria Kanellis.
• March 17, 2008 - Candice Michelle & Maria Kanellis beat Victoria & Jillian Hall.
• March 24, 2008 - Santino Marella, Beth Phoenix & Melina Perez defeated Jerry Lawler, Ashley Massaro & Maria Kanellis.