When Booker T got injured halfway through his Best of Seven series for the United States Championship, he needed a replacement to face Chris Benoit. As the series was at 3–1 in Booker's favor, Booker T only needed his replacement to win one match in order to become the United States Champion. Jordan approached him about the position, but Booker T and his wife Sharmell belittled him and made jokes about his quick submission losses to Benoit. Booker asked Randy Orton to substitute for him. After Orton failed to win the deciding match, leading Jordan to once again ask for the position the next week, Booker T once again turned Jordan down after belittling him. During the sixth match in the series, Jordan jumped the rail, grabbed Booker T's crutch, and hit Benoit for a disqualification finish and thus giving Benoit the victory and tying the Best of Seven Series at 3–3. The next week, Jordan ran to ringside to attempt to halt Booker T from winning the championship, but was unable to prevent Orton from eventually beating Benoit to win the series for Booker T. On the January 20 episode of "SmackDown!", Jordan faced and lost to Randy Orton after Booker's wife Sharmell distracted the SmackDown! senior official referee Nick Patrick, before Booker hit him with a leg crutch. After the match, Chris Benoit saved him from Booker and Orton, turning him face for the first time since 2004.