Welcome to Wrestlemania27! RKO is on action .

RANDY ORTON vs. C.M. PUNK
The match started with an aggressive attack by Orton. He then clotheslined Punk over the top rope and followed with European uppercuts. Punk then played cat & mouse and jammed the ring steps into Orton’s knee. In the ring, Punk scored with a top-rope cross-body block, then pretended to limp around the ring to mock Orton. Orton then ducked a clothesline and landed a fallaway backbreaker. Both men sold the effects as Orton pulled himself up in the corner. Punk then targeted the right knee with multiple offensive attacks as Lawler and Cole continued to trade verbal barbs.

Punk advertised the G2S as he slowly dragged Orton to the middle of the ring. Punk took his time setting up to execute, then Orton slipped out and teased the RKO, but Punk countered with a kick strike that decked Orton for a two count. Punk then slowly made his way up top, balanced himself, readied, and Orton crotched him at the make-or-break moment. The camera zoomed in tight on Punk selling the effects while gasping for air. Orton then climbed up top, stood up there forever balancing himself and playing to the crowd, and then landed a superplex for a two count.

Punk rolled to the floor to recover, then trapped Orton in the corner to ram him knee-first into the ringpost. Punk followed with a figure-four around the ringpost that drew Ric Flair whoos from the crowd. Back in the ring, Punk went to work on the knee some more. They were locked together on the mat selling a struggle for leverage on the mat. Orton then exploded on Punk with clotheslines, followed by a snap powerslam. “Here comes Orton,” Cole noted in a deep voice. Orton smashed Punk with a right hand assault before executing an Angle Slam for a nearfall.

Started a powerhouse with clothesline to CM PUNK!

At 10:00, Orton slowly made his way to his feet and stood over Punk, who surprised him with kick strikes, then a leg sweep into a neck vice submission. Cole sold that Orton was in jeopardy not able to use his bad leg to push away. “He’s tapping!” Cole heelishly declared with no hint of Orton tapping. Orton then rolled both of them to the ropes and forced a rope break. Punk, standing on the apron, tried to pull up Orton, who blocked by ramming Punk head-first into the ringpost. Orton capitalized with the trademark spike DDT off the second rope. The crowd popped as Orton “went to that place” teasing the RKO. The camera zoomed in tight on Orton’s eyes as he measured Punk. Orton then left his position as Punk continued to sell on the mat. Orton backed up to the corner looking for The Punt, but he sold that his leg gave out.

Punk smiled as Orton sold the knee work center-ring. Punk continued to smile as he pulled himself up in the corner. He slowly approached Orton, who suddenly teased the RKO after playing opossum, but Punk just barely slipped out of Orton’s trap. Punk smiled again, then went to the corner for a trademark springboard forearm smash, but Orton caught him with a mid-air RKO that popped the crowd. Orton with the cover and the win.

Last, RKO strike of course.

WINNER: Orton at 14:46. Nice match. The finish was well-done getting over Orton as this generation’s cerebral assassin outsmarting his opponent. (**3/4)