- A tribute to Martin Luther King is shown before the show begins.
- Tonight, RAW is presented in HD for the first time, complete with a new entrance ramp set.
- Shawn Michaels def. Mr. Kennedy
- Backstage, Randy Orton, looking a bit sore, wants to know if Mr. McMahon is serious about Orton having to go out and shake Jeff Hardy’s hand tonight. Orton reiterates how Jeff Hardy tossed him off the ramp then did a 30-foot Swanton Bomb onto his unconcious body - and says there is no way he’s going to shake Hardy’s hand. Vince says that while Orton is a fiercely competitive scoundrel, but he’ll give the performance of a gentleman. Vince goes on to say that Jeff Hardy said he would end Orton’s career last week - and he didn’t, so when Orton goes out and looks Hardy in the eye and shakes his hand, it’ll cause Hardy to wonder what he can do to beat Orton. Vince goes on to say that will cause Hardy to realize something - Hardy can’t beat Orton.
- Beth Phoenix def. Mickie James
- Backstage, Todd Grisham asks Triple H if he knows who is opponent is going to be for his Royal Rumble Qualifying Match tonight. Triple H says he doesn’t - Mr. McMahon hasn’t told him because he’s been locked up for 8 hours hiding his liver spots and age lines for the new HD presentation of RAW. Triple H says that the last 7 Royal Rumble matches have gone on to win Championship titles at Wrestlemania, so it doesn’t matter who Regal or Vince put in his way - he will go on to the Royal Rumble.
- Backstage, Brian Kendrick congratulates Cody Rhodes on qualifying for the Royal Rumble Match, and says he has an opportunity to qualify later on tonight. Hardcore Holly shows up and asks Cody if he’s going to be in Hardcore’s corner when he faces Carlito in his Qualifying Match. Cody says of course, then tells Hardcore it’s a good thing he doesn’t have to dress like Carlito again. Cody goes on to say he put up a picture of Hardcore on his MySpace.com page. Hardcore says he has no idea what that is, but if anyone gets in his space at the Royal Rumble - including Cody - he’s throwing them out.
- A long promo for Randy Orton airs
- Hornswoggle & Finlay def. The Highlanders in a Tag Team Match
- Chris Jericho comes to the ring for the first time since he was attacked by JBL on RAW 01.07.08. Jericho says he could have come out and said he didn’t want to wait until Sunday, he wanted his match with JBL tonight - but he isn’t going to…and the main reason for that is that JBL left as soon as he found out Jericho was going to be there. Jericho remarks that is “kind of ironic,” since JBL spent most of RAW 01.14.08 calling Jericho a coward. Jericho says a coward is a man who attacks from behind - and one who attacks a man’s children. Jericho says his 4-year-old asked if he was a coward last week…and that makes this personal. Jericho says JBL made a mistake by not finishing what he started, so Jericho is “still here”…and at Royal Rumble, it won’t be a “show”, it’ll be a fight.
- Backstage, Vince McMahon tells Jeff Hardy he doesn’t want him ever endangering the life of wresters again - himself included. Vince says when Hardy shakes Orton’s hand, it’ll make everyone wonder what else Hardy will do to win the WWE Championship. Hardy tells Vince not to worry, he’ll be out there, and he’ll make sure he gives everyone something to talk about.
- Before Brian Kendrick’s Royal Rumble Qualifying Match begins, Regal appears on the screen, and says Kendrick must defeat someone who has already qualified - Umaga.
- Umaga def. Brian Kendrick in a Royal Rumble Qualifying Match
- Backstage, Maria runs into a crying Mickie James, who says no matter what she does, she can’t beat Beth Phoenix. When Ashley shows up, Mickie James leaves. Ashley says she was at a party at the Playboy Mansion, and “Hef” had a great idea…Before she can finish, Santino Marella shows up and says “thank you, but no thank you” - Maria does not need to give him a free subscription to “Hef”’s magazine, then pulls Maria away.
- A sneak peek of this Thursday’s “Celebrity Apprentice” is shown, with special guest Vince McMahon.
- A long promo for Jeff Hardy airs.
- JR announces that both Carlito and Hardcore Holly have qualified for the Royal Rumble Match, as have Santino Marella and Cody Rhodes.
- Carlito def. Hardcore Holly thanks to a distraction from Santino Marella.
- A recap of Triple H winning the Royal Rumble 2002
- William Regal comes out and says that if Triple H wants to qualify for the Royal Rumble Match, he must defeat 3 opponents in an OVer-The-Top-Rope Gauntlet Match
- Triple H def. Snitsky in an Over-The-Top-Rope Match (Gauntlet #1)
- Triple H def. SMACKDOWN’s Mark Henry in an Over-The-Top-Rope Match (Gauntlet #2)
- Triple H def. William Regal in an Over-The-Top-Rope Match (Gauntlet #3) to qualify for the Royal Rumble Match after William Regal waves off the last opponent before they can come out and takes their place himself.
- Mr. McMahon makes his way to the ring. He introduces the “current” WWE Champion, Randy Orton and the challenger - who, if he wins, will be only the 3rd person in WWE history to hold both the WWE Championship and the Intercontinental Championship at the same time - Jeff Hardy. Vince says he would usually hype the match - but this one has already gotten all the hype it needs. Vince says that the two of them are “athletes in their prime” this Sunday, with one person walking away the WWE Champion. Before they shake hands, Vince asks if either of them have any comments.
- Randy grabs the mic, and says he’s going to be honest with Jeff - when he found out Jeff was going to be his opponent, he was relieved. However, Orton says he has underestimated Hardy - and everytime he closes his eyes, he sees Hardy “crashing down on him from 30 feet in the air”. While Hardy won’t be winning the title, Orton says, Jeff has earned something almost as important - his respect.
- Jeff says he doesn’t care about Orton’s respect. Jeff says he didn’t do a 30-foot Swanton Bomb to impress Orton - he did it for his brother Matt, he did it because he’s waited a long time for a chance at the title, and he did it to show Orton he will do anything to become WWE Champion - and if he was going to shake hands with people he respects, Hardy continues, Orton would be way at the back, because Hardy respects a lot of people here more than Orton. Hardy gets out of the ring, and starts shaking hands - JR, Jerry “The King” Lawler and Lillian Garcia - then climbs into the crowd and starts shaking people’s hands, calling out their names as he shakes their hands. Hardy gets back in the ring and stares Orton down. Orton sticks out his hand…and Hardy gives him a Twist of Fate.
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