Orton retained the championship, as a result, due to titles not changing hands on disqualifications. Orton retained the title at Armageddon against the returning Chris Jericho after being disqualified, when the then- SmackDown! broadcaster John "Bradshaw" Layfield ran-in, and booted Jericho in the head. The main feud on the Raw brand was between the Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy and Randy Orton, with the two feuding over the WWE Championship, which was held by Orton. The event featured wrestlers from WWE's Raw, SmackDown, and ECW brands – a storyline division in which WWE employees were assigned to a television program of the same name.
WWE ROYAL RUMBLE 2008 SERIES
Wrestlers portrayed a villain or a hero as they followed a series of events that built tension, and culminated into a wrestling match or series of matches.
WWE ROYAL RUMBLE 2008 PROFESSIONAL
Royal Rumble featured professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds, plots, and storylines that were played out on Raw, Friday Night SmackDown, and ECW on Sci Fi – World Wrestling Entertainment's (WWE) primary television programs. The featured matches on the undercard were Montel Vontavious Porter versus Ric Flair in a Career Threatening match and John "Bradshaw" Layfield versus Chris Jericho. The primary match on the SmackDown brand was Edge versus Rey Mysterio for the World Heavyweight Championship, which Edge won by pinfall after spearing Mysterio in mid-air.
The predominant match on the Raw brand was Randy Orton versus Jeff Hardy for the WWE Championship, which Orton won by pinfall after performing an RKO.
John Cena, the thirtieth entrant, won the match by last eliminating Triple H, the twenty-ninth entrant. The main event was the annual 30-man Royal Rumble match, which featured wrestlers from all three brands.
As has been customary since 1993, the Royal Rumble match winner received a match at that year's WrestleMania, (in this instance: WrestleMania XXIV) for his choice at either the WWE Championship, the World Heavyweight Championship, or the ECW World Championship.įive professional wrestling matches were featured on the event's supercard, a scheduling of more than one main event. The event was also the first WWE pay-per-view broadcast in high definition. It took place on Januat Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York and featured talent from the Raw, SmackDown and ECW brands. No Way Out Royal Rumble 2008 was the twenty-first annual Royal Rumble professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).