CM Punk's music starts to play and the hometown crowd erupts, but John Laurinaitis comes out wearing a Punk shirt and does his entrance and says that is part of his unpredictability. He starts to talk about change and says he was honoring Punk, but the music starts again and this time Punk really does come out to confront him. Punk says he thinks John is trying to antagonize him to get a reaction, and he wants to know what is stopping him from kicking his ass right now. John says he is the boss and he could fire him, but he would like to empower Punk and give him a holiday gift by giving him the night off. He yells gotcha and asks who thought he is predictable, and Punk says everyone does but John says everyone is wrong because he gives the fans what they want.
John tells Punk he will be in a match, and possibly a second and a third because he will be in a gauntlet match, and if someone beats him they will get a title shot next week. Punk says his ideas are no good because he wants to know what happens when he beats all three of them, and tells John he has a present for Chicago and may wrestle a fourth match. Punk says he wants to wrestle John, but John tells him it's not fair to him and Punk tells him to listen to the fans while they chant 'you can't wrestle' at John. He takes a fan poll and asks if they want to see Punk face John and they all cheer, then John says he gave him no alternative and agrees to the match.
Booker T vs Cody Rhodes
Booker ties Cody up then shoves him off the ropes and takes a shoulder block but comes back with a hiptoss, then bodyslams Cody and gets a two count. Cody comes back with some right hands then he kicks Booker in the corner, but Booker comes back with a snap suplex and goes for a scissors kick but Cody moves. He hits a swinging neckbreaker and kicks Booker a few times then pulls down his knepad and drives his knee into his throat before throwing him outside as we go to a break. (Cont'd…)
