Punk is in the locker room with Slater and Gabriel, and he is holding kendo sticks. He tells them not to worry because he won’t beat them with them, because they will beat each other with them, and they’ll do it until he tells them to stop. They grab them and face off but won’t swing, and Punk is yelling at them to swing. He says if they aren’t in, that means they are out, but if they are in he expects his soldiers to hit home runs, so they better swing for the fences. They face off again but won’t swing, then they turn towards Punk acting like they will hit him instead. He says if they want to hit him, to go ahead and do it, and closes his eyes and leaves himself open. They think about it and drop the kendo sticks, then leave the locker room as Punk opens his eyes and smirks.
Lawler introduces the first member of the 2011 WWE Hall of Fame, and it’s Shawn Michaels. They play a nice video package of his career, then he comes out and HBK is live back on RAW! The crowd is loving it and chants welcome back, but he doesn’t get a chance to speak as Alberto Del Rio comes out and interrupts him. He tells Shawn that he should know his name, and the fans used to cheer for him, but now they cheer him. They disagree and boo, but he says they know he is the present and the future, and Shawn is just history. He says after he wins the Royal Rumble, he will win either the World Title or WWE Title, and he will be known as the new Mr. Wrestlemania. He starts laughing in Shawn’s face and gets hit with Sweet Chin Music for his troubles, then Shawn taunts him and takes Alberto’s scarf and jokingly checks his boot for a mark. Alberto is out in the ring as Shawn greets the fans and makes his way up the ramp.
Riley goes up to Miz in the back and is excited that they get Orton and Lawler in the same match tonight, but Miz looks less than thrilled. He says he beat a legend and he defended his title, but everyone is talking about Orton winning the cage match. He says everyone is telling him that Orton beating him is a given, but he is sick of hearing about it all. Riley starts to say he’s awesome but Miz catches him and tells him that catchphrases are for closers, and he won’t say that until he gives Orton the beatdown of his life after their match tonight.
Cole is in the ring and is going over what happened to Cena and says they will be joined by him shortly, but Punk interrupts him and he is standing on the very top of the Titantron. He says they are done talking about Cena and tonight has shown that Harris, McGillicutty and Otunga are strong enough to join him, and he is prepared to do the same. He says his initiation will be the ultimate sacrifice and he hopes it will prove he was in Nexus and he was the leader. He asks if he should dive off and the crowd cheers, then he says he has one more question, and asks how gullible they really are. He says he has a harness on and spotters, and says they have been initiated and they are all mindless sheep. He laughs as his music plays and the rest of Nexus makes their way out.
