The main feud heading into New Year's Revolution was between Triple H, Edge, Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit, Batista and Randy Orton over the vacant World Heavyweight Championship. The build-up started at Survivor Series, where 'Team Orton' (consisting of Orton, Benoit, Jericho and Maven) defeated 'Team HHH' (consisting of HHH, Edge, Batista and Gene Snitsky) in a 4-on-4 Survivor Series match to win one night as General Manager of RAW for each member of the team in the four upcoming weeks.[4] The position of General Manager was open due to Eric Bischoff'sone-month vacation. Maven was the first to control RAW, and on the November 152004 edition of RAW he booked himself in a World Heavyweight Championship match with Triple H. However, his involvement ended here, as he lost the match and continued his feud with Snitsky (who interfered in the same match to help HHH retain the title).[5] On the November 22 2004 episode of RAW, Benoit took his turn as general manager, and booked himself in a steel cage match for the World Heavyweight Championship against Triple H. The match never occured, as Evolution deceived Benoit into thinking HHH had been attacked by Batista, and Benoit ended up facing Edge in the cage match instead. [6] Randy Orton took his turn as general manager on the November 29 2004 episode of RAW, but could not book himself as Benoit and Maven had done due to a clause from a previous match with Triple H which disqualified him from fighting HHH for the title. Instead, a battle royal was held to determine the #1 contender for a match with HHH later in the night. Chris Benoit and Edge drew to win the battle royal, and Orton chose to make the Championship match a triple threat. In the end, Benoit would make Edge tap at the same time the referee counted Edge's pinfall on Benoit.[7] Chris Jericho acted as general manager for the last week before Bischoff's return on the December 6 2004 episode of RAW, and brought Vince McMahon to the ring, where it was announced that Bischoff would make the decision about the Championship upon his return the next week.[8] When Bischoff did return on the December 13 2004 RAW, he announced an Elimination Chamber match at New Year's Revolution which would involve HHH, Edge, Benoit, Jericho, Batista and Orton.[9] On the December 27 2004 RAW, Bischoff ordered each of the superstars entering the Chamber to face a mystery opponent in 'Beat the Clock' match. Batista defeated Rhyno in three minutes and two seconds to win the competition and enter the Chamber in 6th position. Bischoff also announced Shawn Michaels would be the special referee for the Chamber match.[10] On the January 32005 RAW, the last RAW before the Pay-Per-View, Bischoff booked three matches which would pit the Chamber contestants against each other. Batista defeated Benoit, Edge defeated Jericho and Orton defeated HHH in the aforementioned matches.[11]
