Michael Hickenbottom Online —— a fansite established since 2007

(PHOTOS X23|RESULTS|DISCUSS)

Randy Orton and Chris Jericho entered in the Royal Rumble Match, but not Shawn Michaels; World Heavyweight Champion John Cena & HBK to face Orton & Jericho later in the night

Randy Orton and Chris Jericho kicked off Monday Night Raw by contesting JBL’s No. 1 contendership for the World Heavyweight Championship. Though Stephanie McMahon denied their request to face one another for the honor, she did officially enter both of the Superstars in the Royal Rumble Match. The Executive Vice President neglected to enter Shawn Michaels, however, at the request of his employer, JBL, who wanted HBK to focus on assisting him in his Royal Rumble title match. McMahon then set the night’s main event as a tag team bout pitting the team of Orton & Jericho against Shawn Michaels & World Heavyweight Champion John Cena, the Superstar HBK’s boss JBL will face at Royal Rumble.

JBL encouraged Shawn Michaels to turn on World Heavyweight Champion John Cena

The earlier news of a match between World Heavyweight Champion John Cena & Shawn Michaels and Randy Orton & Chris Jericho immediately set JBL’s mind spinning. In the locker room area, the Longhorn Loudmouth cornered his employee Shawn Michaels, urging him to turn on his tag team partner and possibly even render The Champ unable to defend his title at Royal Rumble.

World Heavyweight Champion John Cena & Shawn Michaels def. Randy Orton & Chris Jericho; John Cena to face Shawn Michaels the following week

As his employer, JBL looked on silently, Shawn Michaels teamed up with the self-proclaimed “wrestling god’s” Royal Rumble opponent World Heavyweight Champion John Cena to take on the vicious team of Randy Orton & Chris Jericho. Earlier in the night, HBK had been encouraged by his boss to turn on The Champ, in an attempt to increase JBL’s chances of winning the World Heavyweight Title at Royal Rumble. Throughout the match, Shawn Michaels appeared conflicted, but in the end, it was his Sweet Chin Music that dropped both his opponents, allowing HBK to pin Jericho for the win.

As Cena & Michaels celebrated in the ring, HBK’s employer revealed in the locker room area that the two Superstars would be facing one another on the next Raw, with JBL installed in Shawn Michaels’ corner.

(PHOTOS X23/CLICK TO VIEW FULL SIZE)