"Show Time Power Hour" TV Taping Number 53 (Week 105)

William Regal: "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the finest sixty minutes of pro wrestling in the world, the Show Time Power Hour! I'm your host, William Regal. With me are hall of famers and notorious talkers Michael Hayes and Jim Cornette! Gentlemen, we have a huge episode lined up this week!"

Michael Hayes: "You got that right, Jack! Adam Cole gets a shot at redemption with his rematch against Braun Strowman for the Television Championship!"

Jim Cornette: "And, we'll discuss the fallout from this past Saturday's NWA: HAWK card, where CM Punk challenged Bray Wyatt for the NWA World Championship and a certain 'Beast' showed up!"

Regal: "Speaking of that, we'll hear from 'The Power Trip' right here at the top of the hour! Let's go to 'SoCal' Val, who's in the ring at this time."

Valerie Wyndham: "Ladies and gentlemen, 'The Power Trip.'"

"Cult of Personality" played to bring out the entire group.

Steve Austin: "Let me start this whole thing off by saying how pissed off I am! You don't want a pissed off rattlesnake around here. Somebody's liable to get hurt! This man was robbed on Saturday!"

Wyndham: "That was going to be my first question to CM Punk. You had an opportunity to regain the NWA world Championship at an NWA: HAWK event this past Saturday. Near the climax of the match, Brock Lesnar appeared and caused a distraction which led to Bray Wyatt hitting 'Sister Abigail' and retaining his championship. Do you have any words for Brock Lesnar?"

CM Punk: "I've got plenty of words for Brock Lesnar. But, I have some very choice words for Jordan Richards."

Wyndham: "What do you have to say to the owner and CEO of this company?"

Punk: "He's not just the CEO, he's also the man behind 'The Richards Collective' and the reason Brock Lesnar is in this company. I guarantee Jordan Richards sent Brock Lesnar to that event just to make sure I didn't walk away the NWA World Champion! Don't forget that Jordan Richards also is the Chairman of the NWA Board of Governors! He knows when all World Title matches are! It would have been no problem for him to put Brock on a plane and dispatch him with orders to keep me from winning the title! Jordan Richards is jealous of me and he continues to try to hold me back because I left his lame group!"

"Ladies and Gentlemen" by Saliva played to bring out CEO Jordan Richards.

Jordan Richards: "I've heard just about all I am going to hear from you, Punk! I did not send Brock Lesnar to keep you from winning the NWA World Championship from Bray Wyatt. In fact, there was a small part of me who was actually rooting for you to win. Bringing the NWA World Championship back to NWA: Show Time is advantageous for me as a promoter. Brock Lesnar is his own man and made his own decision. That's how he rolls. I don't control his every move. I had a conversation with him after the fact and he told me he couldn't stand the thought of you being the World Champion knowing that he is the better man and rightfully deserved to be the reigning, defending NWA World Champion right now!"

Punk: "Brock Lesnar is the better man?! Why?! Because he stole the NWA: Show Time Heavyweight Championship from me?! I'm sure you orchestrated that as well!"

Richards: "I didn't need to orchestrate Brock Lesnar's title victory over you! He whipped your tail all by himself, even after interference from Braun Strowman! The bottom line is that Brock Lesnar did show up and he did walk to ringside, but he did not lay a finger on you. You took your eyes off the match and paid for it! As far as I am concerned, you squandered that opportunity!"

Punk: "You would say that! You're the master of the cover-up, Richards! Brock Lesnar needs to pay for what he did to me!"

Richards: "You know how you make people pay in the sport of professional wrestling?! You face them in the middle of this ring and settle your differences right then and there! Now, this thing with you and Brock has gone on for months! Actually, it dates back years! It's time you all move on from this! If you want Brock to be taught a lesson, you need to get in the ring with him one last time and do it yourself!"

Punk: "That sounds all well and good, but you really don't want that! You're just trying to save face. You know in reality that 'The Power Trip' is the biggest threat to 'The Richards Collective' you have in this company! If we so chose, we could take out every one of your members and your little pet project would never be heard from again!"

Richards: "Is that so?!"

Punk: "Yeah! That's so!"

Richards: "Why don't you put your money where your mouth is?"

Punk: "What are you talking about?!"

Richards: "If you think 'The Power Trip' can end 'The Richards Collective,' why not prove it?! How about a match between my group and yours? The losing team disbands!"

Austin: "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait just a d*** minute! You're not going to goad us into a no-win situation! You're not going to come out here and start making matches to try and get rid of us just because you're scared what this man (Punk) is saying is true!"

Richards: "You're right about one thing, Steve. I'm not out here making matches. I pay another gentlemen quite handsomely to do that."

The familiar refrain played to bring out Commissioner Ric Flair to massive applause.

Ric Flair: "I've been sitting back there listening to this whole repartee between you guys and I like what I'm hearing! In fact, we have a pay-per-view event coming up on July second called 'The Great American Bash!' This is the summer event I made famous, so I know a little bit about it! NWA: Show Time has a slot open for a match on the card. I think this match might be just the one to submit to the Board of Governors. 'The Richards Collective' will take on 'The Power Trip' and the losing team will disband! Now, ahead of that match tonight, I'm also out here to talk to 'The Revival.' You gentlemen and your manager pulled a fast one on the referee last week. Well, 'War Machine' is not too happy about it! They want another crack at you!"

Scott Dawson: "We'll take them on any day of the week! Just have them put their titles on the line again!"

Dash Wilder: "Yeah, we want those North American Championships to add to our trophy case!"

Flair: "Well, that sounds like a great idea, except for the fact that I already had a better one. In tonight's main event, CM Punk is going to team with 'The Revival' to take on 'War Machine' and Brock Lesnar!"

Flair left ringside with "The Power Trip" looking on stunned. Jordan Richards walked away smiling.

Regal: "Wow! What a segment to open the program!"

Hayes: "I guess Ric Flair means business tonight!"

Cornette: "You'd better believe it!"

Regal: "Fans, let's go to the ring for our first match-up!"

Match One ~ "Gold Standard" Shelton Benjamin with Truth Martini & the "Hoopla Hotties"--Shotzi Blakkheartt, Zahra, & Dana Adiva vs. Richie Steamboat

What a hot opener! Steamboat showed some of his dad's brilliance with textbook "Armdrags" and "Dropkicks." Once Benjamin took over, he kept his offensive until the end. He worked over Steamboat's bad back and targeted him more viciously as the match wore on. Steamboat made a brief comeback and went for the Steamboat trademark "Flying Body Press," but Benjamin moved. He quickly bounded to the top and nailed his "Springboard Shooting Star Press" for the win.

Winner = Shelton Benjamin by pinfall in 10:31

Regal: "Fantastic opening match! What action!"

Hayes: "Shelty B has found the fountain of youth! He never ages!"

Cornette: "I'd like to bottle up his ability and dump it all over the new generation of up-and-comers!"

Regal: "Fans, we have to take a break. when we return, we'll see the Television Championship rematch. Stay with us!"

Regal: "We're back from commercial. Let's go to the ring for this rematch from last week!"

Match two ~ NWA: Show Time Television Championship ~ "The Monster Among Men" Braun Strowman vs. Adam Cole with Maria Kanellis & Britt Baker

Maria continued to goad Britt as Cole barked orders at Kanellis to keep her distance. She became more frustrated as the match continued. Strowman was physically dominant during the match, but Cole showed great toughness and acumen. Cole actually rallied near the end until the inexplicable happened. He went to bounce off the ropes and Maria stuck her right hand out and tripped his foot. Cole stopped dead in his tracks and looked at Maria with silver-dollar sized eyes. Baker ran over ad began to berate Kanellis, who simply held her hands in the air. Cole then turned around to a huge "Clothesline" from an awaiting Braun that nearly decapitated him. Strowman easily picked Cole up and delivered his signature "Running Powerslam." 

Winner and STILL NWA: Show Time Television Champion = Braun Strowman by pinfall in 19:56

After the fall, Kanellis hopped up into the ring and raised Strowman's hand. Braun began to laugh as he held up the TV Championship.

Regal: "What's going on here?! Is Maria in cahoots with Braun Strowman to sabotage Adam Cole?!"

Hayes: "Braun doesn't seemed to be too surprised up there. I would say that this was a plan all along!"

Cornette: "Maria Kanellis can't stand Britt Baker and she must have plotted to get even with Cole for bringing Britt on board."

Regal: "Whatever the reason, it seems we have a new unholy alliance forming between Maria Kanellis and Braun Strowman. If anyone knows the strengths and weaknesses of 'The Richards Collective,' it's Maria, who's been there since day one. Let's go to break while we sort this out."

Regal: "We're back and Joanna Rose has tracked down Maria Kanellis and Braun Strowman."

Joanna Rose: "Maria! Maria! Can you tell me what just happened out there?"

Maria Kanellis: "Adam Cole didn't appreciate me, so I went to someone who would."

Maria and Braun then left the building.

Rose: "You heard her. Back to you, William."

Regal: "Oh my! I still cannot believe what we've seen here! Maria and Adam Cole have been business partners for years now! To watch her betray him was surreal!"

Hayes: "I can't believe it either! But, she did not like Adam Cole bringing his girlfriend into the fold."

Cornette: "Well, I think I saw that one coming from a mile away. But, here's the bigger story. Maria has intimate details about 'The Richards Collective' that the vast majority of the population would not. That could be very valuable to someone.!"

Regal: "Indeed, and perhaps to the highest bidder! Fans, we've got to get this main event going for the sake of time! Let's go back to the ring!"

Match Three ~ "The Beast" Brock Lesnar and "War Machine"--Hansen & Raymond "Death" Rowe with Eve Torres vs. "The Power Trip"--CM Punk and "The Revival"--Scott Dawson & Dash WIlder with AJ Lee and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin

This was a heavy-hitting battle, especially where Lesnar and "War Machine" was concerned. Lesnar was dropping "German Suplexes," while his brethren were dropping bombs on their opponents. Raymond Rowe was eventually isolated for several minutes before making a tag. The finish saw Punk and Dawson eat "F-5's," while Wilder was dropped with "Fallout."

Winners = Brock Lesnar & "War Machine" by pinfall in 21:03

Regal: "Well, Lesnar and 'war Machine' made quite the trio tonight!"

Hayes: "Considering they took out 'The Power Trip,' I'd say so!"

Cornette: "They ran through them like Ex-Lax through a widow woman! What an ending!"

Regal: "Well fans, that's all the time we have for this hour. Please join us next Tuesday on TBS for more of the Show Time Power Hour! For Michael Hayes and Jim Cornette, I'm William Regal, saying, ta ta for now!"