The primary main event from the Raw brand saw Triple H versus Scott Steiner for the World Heavyweight Championship, which Steiner won by disqualification resulting in Triple H retaining the championship, as titles do not change hands by disqualification unless stipulated.

The Royal Rumble is an annual gimmick pay-per-view (PPV) produced every January by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) since 1988.

It was the first Royal Rumble to occur under the first brand extension introduced in March 2002, which split the roster between the Raw and SmackDown!

This was subsequently also the first time in which two world championships were eligible to be challenged for by the winner of the titular match.

[11] The buildup continued on the January 2 episode of SmackDown!, where a vignette aired hyping the impending return of The Undertaker in the Royal Rumble match.

[12] On the January 6 episode of Raw, Chris Jericho and Shawn Michaels argued over who would be drawing the #1 entry in the Royal Rumble match.

[13] On the January 13 episode of Raw, a Royal Rumble qualification match took place in which Jeff Hardy defeated Raven.

Later that night, Jericho defeated Batista, Kane and Rob Van Dam in an over the top rope Challenge to earn the right choose an entry number of his choice.

At Armageddon, Angle defeated Big Show after interference from Brock Lesnar, to win his third WWE Championship.

On the December 26 episode of SmackDown!, as a result of Angle's injury, the SmackDown General Manager Stephanie McMahon cancelled Angle's scheduled title match against Big Show and decided that Big Show would wrestle Benoit to determine the number one contender for the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble; Benoit won the match.

[19] The main rivalry heading into the event from the Raw brand was between Triple H and Scott Steiner over the World Heavyweight Championship.

[20] After eight years away from the company, Steiner returned to WWE as a free agent at Survivor Series and attacked Matt Hardy and Christopher Nowinski for insulting New York City.

General Manager Stephanie McMahon, each looking to sign Steiner to their respective brands.

[17][22] At Armageddon, Triple H defeated Shawn Michaels in a Three Stages of Hell to win the World Heavyweight Championship.

As a result, Steiner and Triple H's match for the World Heavyweight Championship was made official for the Royal Rumble.

On the December 23 episode of Raw, General Manager Eric Bischoff forced Raw commentators Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler to wrestle in a tag team match against Storm and Regal for making bad comments against Bischoff.

[11] As a result, on the January 6 episode of Raw, Bischoff forced the Dudley Boyz to wrestle 3-Minute Warning (Rosey and Jamal), Rico and Batista in a handicap match.

Later that night, Storm and Regal defeated Booker T and Goldust for the World Tag Team Championship.

[13] This led to a title match being signed between Storm and Regal and the Dudley Boyz at the Royal Rumble.

[16] On the December 19 episode of SmackDown!, Torrie gave bad remarks about her storyline father Al Wilson on getting married with Dawn.

Jericho said he was trying to make himself famous because Shawn Michaels was entering at number 1 (Which he won from in the 1995 Royal Rumble and who he was feuding with).

Steiner attempted a military press slam, but Triple H countered with a neckbreaker for a near-fall.

Team Angle (Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin) were ejected from ringside before the match.

Dreamer brought a trashcan with lids and kendo sticks to the ring with him and started attacking everyone.

Edge and Christian fought each other until Jericho eliminated both of them from the match and became the only remaining person in the ring until Rob Van Dam entered at #12.

After entering the ring, Van Dam began attacking Jericho and performed a Rolling Thunder.

Jamal entered at #21 and began teaming with his 3-Minute Warning partner Rosey to double-team Rikishi.

Lesnar took advantage of the situation and eliminated a distracted Undertaker to win the Royal Rumble match.

At No Way Out, Lesnar, Benoit and Edge were scheduled to take on Team Angle (Kurt Angle, Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin) in a six-man tag team match, but Edge suffered a severe neck injury before the event, leading him to be written off of WWE television for over a year.

On the February 3 episode of Raw, Steiner became the number one contender for the title by defeating Chris Jericho.