We see Bobby Johnson in the back again and this time he is interviewing CM Punk about his TLC match with Jeff Hardy later in the night. Punk has a script for a screenplay entitled “Live For The Moment: The Jeff Hardy Story.” Punk then makes light of Jeff’s struggle with demons and plans to change the end of the story, in which Hardy wins the TLC match. Punk then goes onto insult the crowd and their false Hollywood idols. This is a great promo and builds some heat for the man challenging for the World Heavyweight Title.

When we make our way back into the arena, Kane’s theme is playing and he makes his way to the ring. We see a clip here where Kane goes after The Great Kahli but he manages to escape. Kane instead assaults Kahli’s brother and interpreter, Ranjin Singh. Kahli would then ambush on the following week’s SmackDown and that bring us to this point. Kahli and Singh enter now and Kahli has a visible limp as he makes his way into the ring. After the bell is rung, the two go back and forth trading a lot of punches. This goes on for some time until Kane is eventually thrown over the top rope by Kahli. Kane hotshots Kahli and returns to the ring only to get clotheslined. Kahli tries to drop a leg, but Kane is able to avoid this slow strike. This leaves Kahli seated and Kane brings him the rest of the way to the canvas with a dropkick. Kane drops a trio of elbows and then waits in anticipation of the chokeslam as Kahli struggles to get back to his feet. When he grabs the throat of Kahli, The Punjabi Nightmare returns the favor and wraps his hands around the throat of Kane. Kane escapes and hits the ropes, but Kahli brings him to the canvas with a clothesline. Kahli drops an elbow and tries for the cover but Kane is able to kick it out. They return to their feet and Kahli tosses Kane into the corner. A clothesline is next and mudhole stomping from Kahli leaves Kane seated in the corner. Kane eventually recovers with a big boot and takes to the top turnbuckle. He hits Khali with the diving lariat and tries for a cover. The ref stops the count at two, because apparently Khali kicked out. I beg to differ. Kane applies a seated reverse chinlock. This bring Khali to the mat and Kane transitions into a rear naked choke. Khali is eventually able to stand it up and take Kane off his feet with a back elbow and big boot. The Great Khali then waits in prey for Kane to rise. When he is on his feet, Khali hits the Great Chop and tries for a cover but Kane is able to kick-out. Kane escapes the vice of Khali and pulls Singh into the ring. Kane creates a distraction by shoving Singh and when Khali turns his head, Kane dropkicks the front of his leg out from under him. A running DDT follows and Kane really hooks the leg of Khali here. This works and The Big Red Machine is rewarded the three count. I hate to say this but I hate any match that has The Great Kahli in it. I understand the draw of the foreign Heel but at least get one that can perform in the ring. Hit the fast forward button as soon as the CM punk interview is over. Match Time-5:56

We see the Vince McMahon star on the Walk of Fame before re-entering the arena to see a video highlighting the return of Degeneration–X. After Triple H is double teamed by The Legacy he says he can participate in “Gang Warfare” and makes a phone call. This leads to the return of Shawn Michaels and their shenanigans returning. Great package here as it does a great job setting the stage for this match/feud. When The D-X theme begins with the classic “Are You Ready?” the top comes off the building. Michaels and Triple H are escorted out by an Army troop fully clad with a jeep and machine guns. The crowd is going crazy as they enter to one of the greatest theme’s there is and are riding on a tank. They hit a “Suck It” on top of the tank with the cannon between their legs. The Army platoon “unload” their weapons into the sky, the pyro explodes and this is just a great entrance we are gifted with here. Once they hit the ring they do the triple “Suck It” as the pyro “X” explodes with each chop. The crowd is still in a frenzy as the two dance around the ring and Michaels hands a microphone over to Triple H. He then gets the crowd even more fired up by asking them “Are You Ready?” a few times before going into “For the thousand in attendance, for the millions watching around the world and for Cody and Ted.. Lllleettttss get ready to Suck It!” Michaels finish the rally cry with “If your not down with that we’ve got two words for ya..” and of course the crowd responds with a “Suck It”. I don’t know about this being PG but this is great stuff, nonetheless.

Finally, Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase, or The Legacy, enter and they get some pop but it pales in comparison to what D-X received. Triple H and DiBiase start with the collar and elbow and when they end up in the corner, the ref separates the two. They tie-up again and this time Triple H comes out ahead with a side headlock. They end up in the corner once again and this time they take turns putting each other in it, trading punches each time. DiBiase reveres an Irish whip to the corner, but Triple H bounces out to flatten Ted with a clothesline. After Triple H puts DiBiase on the mat with a suplex he drops his knee into his chest. Of course H hits a “Crotch Chop” before dropping the knee. After a cover is kicked out, DiBiase is able to reverse an Irish whip and make the tag. Rhodes comes in hot only to be taken out by a Triple H kneebuster. Triple H and Cody then enter into a stare-off and when Cody realizes he is positioned between HBK and Triple H, he slaps HBK in the face. Cody then demands that Triple H tag the Showstopper in. Triple H obliges him and makes the tag. Michaels enters for what is his first match since WrestleMania 25 against The Undertaker.

They enter into the collar and elbow and HBK comes out ahead with the side headlock. After Cody escapes by shoving Michaels into the rope, Cody attempts to leap frog Michaels but Michaels stops short. HBK then gives Cody an “I’m smarter than you” look and swings a right hand. Cody is able to duck this, though, and the crowd pops when Rhodes hit Michaels with a counter slap, instead of a punch. Michaels gives Cody a Lou Thesz Press, but he is able to roll Michaels over and hit some punches of their own. They return quickly to their feet and Cody is able to land a few more jabs. Michaels reverses the Irish whip and this time his Lou Thesz goes off uninterrupted. Michaels draws a nice pop when they return to their feet and he slaps Cody. He tries for the Sweet Chin Music but Rhodes is able to hit the canvas and roll from the ring. Triple H is right there to thwart this and returns Rhodes to the ring. Michaels again tries to “Tune-Up the Band” but Cody once more avoids it by rolling from the ring. The Legacy takes a moment to regroup outside the ring. When Rhodes sees an opening, he tries to ambush Shawn only to be met with a drop toe hold. Michaels goes to work with a side headlock but Cody escapes by delivering a back body drop. This opens a window for him to finally tag DiBiase in.

The son of The Million Dollar Man enters, but is quickly tossed to the corner. Michaels hits him with four chops before his whip to the corner is reversed by DiBiase. When Michaels hits the corner he flips out of it in his traditional fashion only to be clotheslined. After a few punches, DiBiase drags Michaels to the corner by his foot and tags Rhodes back in. Cody drops an elbow and tries for a pin. Michaels gets the shoulder up and Cody continues the stomping. He scoopslams Michaels and after he drops a knee this time, he tries for another pin. Michaels kicks out and Rhodes tags Ted back in. DiBiase now drops an elbow and tries for the cover. But once again, Michaels kicks out. DiBiase now applies a side headlock and HBK eventually escapes with some elbows to the midsection. Shawn then hits the ropes and catches DiBiase with a swinging neckbreaker that brings the crowd back to life. Michaels makes the tag and the fresh Triple H enters the match. He is quick to work Ted with a series of right hands. Ted is able to reverse an Irish whip and when Triple H hits the ropes, Rhodes kicks him in the back. This doesn’t do much but anger Triple H, and he tosses Cody into the ring. He then works Rhodes with punches but this allows DiBiase to get a cheap shot in. He pulls the legs out from under Hunter and catapults him into the top turnbuckle. Triple H no-sells it and flattens DiBiase with a clothesline. Rhodes re-enters the picture but is met with a spinebuster. Ted tries to strike, but he, too, is met with the spinebuster. Triple H then tries for The Pedigree, but Rhodes is able to hit him in the back, thus stopping the finish. Michaels enters and we have an all out brawl for a moment. Michaels then clotheslines Rhodes over the top rope. HBK hits the ropes himself so Triple H can toss him over the top rope and send him flipping onto Rhodes. This allows DiBiase to deliver a low blow kick to Triple H while the ref checks the two on the outside. DiBiase then lays on the mat so the ref has nothing to question. The ref makes it to a six count before he returns to his feet and drags Triple H into his corner. He tags Cody in and then holds Hunter so Cody can stomp him. Cody quickly tags Ted back in and repeats this process a few times until they receive a warning from the official.

DiBiase hooks the leg of Triple H but “The King of Kings” is able to kick-out. A side headlock is applied by Ted, and this is when Michaels starts the rally clap from the apron. The crowd soon joins in and just as Triple H gets fingertips away from the tag, he starts to fade. Triple H finds a way to stand it up and back drops DiBiase to break the hold. This leaves both men on the canvas and DiBiase is first to his feet to make the tag. Rhodes comes in hot and stops Triple H from being able to tag out. Cody hits a quick DDT and the crowd boos as he makes the cover. Triple H isn’t done yet and kicks out before the count of two. After another cover and kick-out, Cody puts Triple H into the front facelock. Michaels once again starts the rally claps and when the crowd is at full force, Triple H uses a suplex to escape the lock. This leaves both men prone on the canvas and Rhodes is able to make the tag first. DiBiase comes in quick and heads right for Michaels, knocking him off the apron with a forearm. Ted then pounds Triple H into the corner until the ref forces separation. This is when Triple H finally lands an offensive move, a kick to the midsection. After the two trade some punches Triple H whips DiBiase to the opposite corner. Triple H charges, but is met with a back elbow. When DiBiase charges Hunter, he is able to side step Ted and toss him over the top rope. Triple H starts to slow crawl towards Shawn and this is when Rhodes returns DiBiase to the ring. DiBiase makes the first tag and just when it looks like he may stop Triple H, the crowd explodes and the tag is made. Michaels hits Rhodes with a pair of inverted atomic drops that are followed up with chest chops. Michaels hits the ropes and catches Cody with the flying forearm. Michaels does the nip-up but this is when DiBiase enters and levels him with a clothesline to the back. Triple H then pulls DiBiase from the ring and works him on the outside, tossing him into the fans.

Back in the ring Cody is taking to the skies and is on the top turnbuckle. He then takes a move from the playbook of HBK and tries for the elbow drop. Michaels is able to move and Rhodes drives his elbow into the mat. Michaels now takes to the top turnbuckle but Cody charges him knocking him onto the top turnbuckle. Cody joins him up top to try a superplex. Michaels lands some punches, though, and knocks Cody to the mat. The crowd explodes when Michaels leaps to drop the elbow but Rhodes is able to get his knees up.  Cody covers, but Michaels kicks him out. Cody looks to make the tag but DiBiase is nowhere to be found. This is when Michaels uses the double leg takedown and puts Rhodes into the figure-four. DiBiase reappears and drops an elbow onto Michaels to free the lock. Triple H enters and tries to Pedigree Ted but Rhodes breaks it up with a club to Triple H’s back. Michaels tries for the Chin Music but Cody is able to grab the foot and give him Crossroads. Cody then covers and it takes a Triple H forearm to stop the count. Triple H then hits Cody with a Pedigree and DiBiase in turn hits Michaels with Dream Street. Triple H then throws DiBiase from the ring and then clotheslines him over the announce table, leaving them both in a pile on the other side. The ref starts the count as Michaels and Cody are laid out in the ring. He makes it to nine before they return to their feet dazed. Without even “Tuning up the Band” Michaels catches Rhodes with the Sweet Chin Music and makes the cover. The fans count along as the ref counts the three. Wow, what a great match. This battle of old vs. new is great and I highly recommend checking this one out. Match Time-20:02

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