10 Best entrants to start the Royal Rumble match in WWE history

#4 Shawn Michaels(1) and Chris Jericho(2) (2003)

This sneak attack by Jericho laid stone for the best rivalry of the decade

In 2013, WWE used a returning Chris Jericho as the second entrant against his former nemesis to rile up the crowd for the Rumble match from the get go. Exactly 10 years before that, they also used Chris Jericho as the second entrant, this time to lay stone for what ended up being the best rivalry of the decade.

With Shawn Michaels entering his first Royal Rumble match in 7 years, Chris Jericho, who was portrayed as someone who idolized Michaels, planned a ruse with Tag Team partner Christian to attack The Showstopper from behind with a Low Blow. Michaels was beaten, ambushed, busted open and eliminated in just less than 3 minutes.

In just three short minutes of impeccable planning, WWE not only provided one of the best Royal Rumble opening moments, but also turned up the heat for Jericho and generated more and more sympathy for Michaels leading to their subsequent match at WrestleMania XIX.