The main feud for the ECW brand was between the ECW Champion, CM Punk, and Big Daddy V. The buildup began when General Manager Armando Estrada announced an "Elimination Chase to No Mercy", involving Elijah Burke, Tommy Dreamer, Kevin Thorn, and Stevie Richards. All four competitors competed in a match together, with the one losing the fall being eliminated from the chase. The rest of the wrestlers then competed again, and the process continued until one superstar was left, with the winner challenging Punk for the title at No Mercy. Over a three-week period, Richards, Thorn, and Burke were eliminated, with Dreamer winning the number one contendership, until Estrada announced that there was one more contender in the chase, Big Daddy V. V quickly won against Dreamer, winning the number one contendership.