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The show started off with General Manager John Lauranitis out in the ring demanding support from the fans so that he could persuade the board of directors to change the stipulation of his match against John Cena at Over the Limit (Lauranitis' career is on the line, and Lord Tensai is banned from ringside). The crowd did not heed the request of the boss, but he did manage to get the attention of the WWE Champion CM Punk, who wasted no words in telling the GM how eagerly a lot of people on the roster were waiting for him to lose his job as he had made life miserable for so many superstars, including Big Show and Theodore Long. A frustrated Lauranitis put Punk against Kane in the main event of the night before leaving the ring amidst a chorus of jeers and boos.

The newest tag team on the roster, Darren Young and Titus O' Neil faced their biggest challenge yet as they faced the WWE tag team champions Kofi Kingston and R-Truth in a non-title match. The champions double-teamed on Young as R-Truth hit a kick to the head and Kingston hit a flying cross-body before getting distracted by Titus, which allowed Young to side-suplex Kingston off the apron. Titus tagged in and capitalized with a body slam and a corner splash. Kingston managed to tag R-Truth at the same time as Titus tagged Young. Truth hit Young with a corkscrew elbow and a DDT. Titus tried to interfere but was knocked out of the apron by the champions, and Kingston hit him with a suicide dive as R-Truth hit Little Jimmy on Young for the victory.

Damien Sandow, who refused to face a local performer in his supposed 'debut' last week on SmackDown, was scheduled for a match against Yoshi Tatsu, but once again felt that Tatsu was way beneath the level of the opponent he deserved to face. Sandow walked out of the ring, but was stopped by Tatsu, who mocked Sandow with clucking sounds. Sandow made an example of his 'opponent' by beating him down with hard elbow strikes and left him knocked out with a modified neck-breaker slam.

Before his big match for the WWE Championship at Over the Limit, Daniel Bryan faced Zack Ryder in a singles match. Bryan got the upper hand early on with punches on the corner followed by a jumping knee drop. Ryder hit a facebuster but Bryan blasted him with hard kicks to the chest. Bryan hit a corner dropkick for a two-count but Ryder kneed him in the face to turn the tables. Ryder hit a middle rope dropkick but failed to connect with the Broski Boot, allowing Bryan to lock in the Yes Lock, forcing Ryder to tap out.

As decided by John Lauranitis, CM Punk faced Kane in a singles match with Daniel Bryan watching closely at commentary. Punk kicked Kane in the thighs but Kane shoved him into a corner and smacked him in the head. Punk fought back with a clothesline and a DDT for a two-count. Punk locked in a figure-four leg-lock but Kane powered out and threw Punk outside the ring. Punk snapped Kane's head off the top rope and tried to hit him with a springboard dive, but Kane dropped him with an uppercut. Kane stretched Punk on the ring-post and elbowed him for a while for a two-count. Kane hit a sidewalk slam before locking in the body-scissors, but Punk broke the hold and countered a chokeslam attempt with a neck-breaker and a running knee-smash. Punk hit a middle-rope bulldog and a springboard clothesline for a two-count. Punk tried the GTS but his injured ribs gave way, and got a near-fall off a flying elbow. The champion tried to lock in the Anaconda Vise but Kane countered with repeated punches. Punk knocked Kane outside the ring and hit a suicide dive, and at the same time Bryan tried to hit Punk with a steel chair. Bryan ended up hitting Kane, and handed the win the Punk via disqualification. A frustrated Kane repeatedly hit Punk with the chair and chokeslammed him twice in the ring, to the ecstasy of Daniel Bryan.

A champion vs. champion match took place prior to the main event of the night as Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes squared off against United States Champion Santino Marella. Rhodes took Marella down with a wristlock takedown and stomped away on him. Rhodes went up top for a Moonsault but Marella moved out and called for the Cobra. Rhdoes countered and went for a clothesline, but Marella ducked and hit the Cobra for the surprise victory.

The main event saw the World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus in a non-title match against Randy Orton ahead of his major title defense against Orton, Chris Jericho and Alberto Del Rio at Over the Limit. Sheamus started off with a side headlock but Orton broke free and hit a dropkick. Sheamus slammed Orton into the corner, but Orton came back with a clothesline. They traded punches till Orton threw Sheamus outside the ring and followed him to the apron. Sheamus powered back with hard elbows and whipped Orton on the steel steps. Sheamus went for a Brogue Kick but Orton ducked and Sheamus hit the ring-post. Orton smashed Sheamus's arm on the post and choked him on the middle rope before hitting the middle-rope DDT for a near-fall.

Sheamus back-body dropped Orton outside the ring and clubbed him in the chest. Sheamus got a near-fall after several knees to the head and the rib cage. Orton countered an attempted High Cross with a back-breaker followed b a belly-to-belly suplex. Orton went for another hanging DDT but Sheamus countered and snapped Orton's head on the middle-rope. Sheamus got a near-fall off a Battering Ram followed by a High Knee. Orton tried to dive at Sheamus but he caught him with the Irish Curse backbreaker. Sheamus went back up the top rope but got crotched on the turnbuckle by Orton, who hit a superplex. Orton hit a middle-rope DDT and a backbreaker and went for the pin, but Sheamus rolled through and got the three-count with a small package hold.

Even though Sheamus won the match, Orton got the last laugh with a surprise RKO. What does this mean for the champion ahead of Over the Limit? We will find out next week on SmackDown.