WWE Royal Rumble 2012: Monday Night Raw Sets Up Chris Jericho for Rumble Triumph

Another bizarre Chris Jericho appearance has set up everything.

Ever since the January 2, 2012 announcement of his return to the ring where he stood and smiled for 15 consecutive minutes, you knew the suits behind the scene were cooking up something special.

Last night on Monday Night Raw, Y2J was at it again, as he emerged from the backstage with a rousing applause as he walked around the ring smiling…again. The crowd somehow was able to cheer for the entire time, without anything from Jericho. He showed the crowd a clip of his past triumphs and grabbed a T-Shirt launcher that he didn’t even use.

It was another bizarre scene and the last step to set up a deep run in the Royal Rumble for Jericho. It’s clear he will be turning heel, and what better way to officially piss off thousands of WWE fans than for Y2J to dominate fan favorites like CM Punk, Zack Ryder and Jack Swagger? A budding rivalry with any of these three would do wonders for the sport.

Clearly Jericho’s days in the sun have set, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t another deep Rumble run left in the tank. His talents have allowed him to stay relevant despite being 41 years old.

Turning heel for the Royal Rumble is the perfect scenario. Few wrestlers have the mic presence and overall aura of Jericho. Yet he is a fading star in the sport and a new generation of WWE fans is not very familiar with the legend.

Now is their chance to learn from one of the all-time greats, and what better way to introduce them than on the grand stage of the Royal Rumble.