"Show Time Power Hour" TV Taping Number 79 (Week 157)

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 Mauro Ranallo and Jim Cornette! Boys, both Mid-Atlantic Championships will be heavily featured on today's episode!"

Mauro Ranallo: "Momma Mia! CM Punk will continue his open challenge and 'War Machine' has agreed to defend against the Usos in a tournament final rematch!"

Jim Cornette: "I don't want to hear about the Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship! Both of my teams got robbed out of that tourney! The whole thing was crooked from the get-go!"

Regal: "That's definitely a tainted opinion, Jim. Nevertheless, those two title matches will happen tonight! Plus, 'The Richards Collective' is going head-to-head with 'The New Face of Fear' in a colossal battle in our main event! Without further adieu, let's get this big card started!"

Match One ~ NWA: Show Time Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship ~ "War Machine" ("WarBeard" Hanson & Raymond "Death" Rowe) vs. Jimmy & Jey Uso with "The Bad Guy" Scott Hall

This rematch was shaping up to be even better than the tournament final match-up between the two standout teams. The Usos hit stereo "Super Kicks" on both Hanson and Rowe, while Rowe hit a huge "Standing Uranage" on Jimmy and Jey ate the "Spin Kick of Doom" from Hanson. The battle broke down into a four-way brawl near the end. Just as it looked like we might be heading toward the climax, all of 'Camp Cornette' ran to the ring and attacked. The referee promptly called for the bell.

Winners = no contest in 15:12 ("War Machine" retains)

After laying out all four men, "The Revival," "Sons of Steel," and "The Insurgence" all stood triumphantly in the ring. Jim Cornette stood up from the commentary booth and grabbed a house microphone to cut a scathing promo.

Cornette: "You people boo all you want! Did we spoil this match for you?! Who cares?! You bunch in ingrates! You wouldn't know good tag team wrestling if it smacked you right in the face! And, that's exactly what just happened to both of these teams! Make no mistake about it! 'Camp Cornette' runs the tag team division in NWA: Show Time and we'll make sure no one forgets it!"

Cornette sat back down and put on his headset.

Cornette: "Now that's how you make people sit up and notice!"

Regal: "That was a dastardly attack, Jim! You had that planned from the outset, didn't you?!"

Cornette: "Of course we did! It's like I said, we run this division and we just went out there and proved it!"

Ranallo: "Jim, that was as underhanded a trick as I've seen from you, and that's saying something!"

Regal: "Fans, we need to take a commercial break. We'll be back with more in just a moment."

Regal: "We're back! It's just about time for CM Punk's 'Mid-Atlantic Championship Open Challenge!' So, let's bring out the charismatic champion!"

Before Punk's music could hit, this entrance did:

Braun Strowman came out to a huge ovation. He grabbed a microphone.

Braun Strowman: "Time is ticking away, Brock! You only have a few more weeks left to hold that NWA World Title. Because, it's coming home to me! You may be a beast, but I am 'The Monster Among Men' and I will destroy you at 'The Great American Bash!'"

Just then, this entrance video played on the tron:

Regal: "Oh my..."

Brock came stalking out to the ring. He jumped in and threw the NWA World Championship on the ring mat as if to draw a line in the sand.

He and Strowman stared each other down. The fans began a "This is awesome!" chant. The crowd was at a fever pitch until all of the Security force ran to the ring to separate the two warriors. Lesnar and Strowman began to shout at each other through the throng of Security Officers. Finally, the melee was stabilized and both were ushered to the backstage area without coming to blows.

Regal: "What a confrontation! No punches were thrown, but there was plenty of action!"

Ranallo: "There was some verbal sparring out here! The die has been cast!"

Cornette: "These two are going to beat the holy heck out of each other at the 'Bash!'"

Regal: "Yes, I do believe they will. Fans, let's take another quick break. We'll be back with a Mid-Atlantic Championship match next...hopefully."

Regal: "All right, fans! It looks like we have Mid-Atlantic Champion CM Punk on tap. Let's get him out here!"

CM Punk's infamous "Cult of Personality" theme hit to bring him out with wife AJ Lee alongside.

CM Punk: "Well, before I was so rudely interrupted, I was about to come out here and keep the 'Mid-Atlantic Championship Open Challenge' going for another week! So, who's it going to be?!"

In a shocker, this entrance video aired:

Punk's own teammate Ricochet came to the ring to a big response.

Punk: "What's up, man? You come out here for moral support?"

Ricochet: "I came out here for a shot to reclaim the Mid-Atlantic Championship. This is an open challenge, right?"

Punk: "It is, but we're friends and partners. Why are you challenging me?"

Ricochet: "There's nothing wrong with a little friendly competition among gentlemen. Plus, this is a match fans have always wanted to see."

Punk: "All right. If you're sure about this, let's do it!"

The fans howled with delight as the bell rang.

Match Two ~ NWA: Show Time Mid-Atlantic Championship ~ "Open Challenge" ~ CM Punk with AJ Lee vs. "The One and Only" Ricochet

The two friends shook hands before they locked up. What ensued next was an instant classic. Both men went move for move, hold for hold. Ricochet's insane athletic ability was on display, as was Punk's ring awareness and intelligence. This was a cat-and-mouse sort of game, as both opponents held the advantage for periods of time. Ultimately, Ricochet looked strong. Punk seemed to be fading, but was still very much in it. The finish saw Ricochet attempt a "Body Slam," only to be countered into a "Small Package." Punk appeared to grab Ricochet's tights to secure the pinfall.

Winner and STILL NWA: Show Time Mid-Atlantic Champion = CM Punk by pinfall in 22:39

After the bell, Ricochet looked up at Punk and smiled facetiously, as if to indicate that he was perturbed with Punk's method of pin. Punk shrugged his shoulders and smiled back as he left the ring.

Regal: "The ending was a little tense in what was an otherwise fantastic match! CM Punk retains after a suspect 'Small Package.'"

Ranallo: "CM Punk got away with one there! Ricochet gave him the old tip of the cap, but it's clear he's a bit miffed about how that one ended!"

Cornette: "CM Punk did what CM Punk always does! He cheated to win!"

Regal: "In this case, I'll have to agree, Jim. Fans, we'll take a break and be back with this volatile main event next!"

Regal: "Back from the break and it's time for a fight! Let's go to the ring!"

Match Three ~ "The Richards Collective" ("The Beast" Brock Lesnar, The Rock, "Glorious" Bobby Roode, & Adam Cole with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Eve Torres, Maryse Ouellet, & Britt Baker) vs. "The New Face of Fear" ("Eater of Worlds" Bray Wyatt, Killian Dain, Alexander Wolfe, & "Lost Sheep" Erick Rowan with "Spirit of Abigail" Maria Kanellis)

This match was a hard one for fans to decipher. Both teams are villainous at heart, so the crowd had to fall on one side or another in picking its favorite. As with most multi-man or multi-team matches, this one was frenetic. The men not in the match paced back and forth on the apron like caged animals waiting to enter a feeding frenzy. Wyatt and The Rock had a memorable exchange in center ring, as did Lesnar and Dain. Roode went for his "Glorious DDT" on Wolfe, who turned it into a big "Northern Lights Suplex." Cole dropped Wyatt's neck across his knee and went to the top rope before being vaulted off by Rowan. In a melee, the match ended after Rowan unknowingly walked into an "F-5."

Winners = "The Richards Collective" by pinfall in 19:08

Regal: "What a brutal affair! But, a high quality win for 'The Richards Collective!'"

Ranallo: "As scary as 'The New Face of Fear' is, I don't know if anything can top the sight of Brock Lesnar's scowl descending upon his next victim for a vicious 'F-5!'"

Cornette: "He's the most dangerous man on the planet, bar none!"

Just then, Braun Strowman sprinted from the back. Lesnar met him on the ramp and they began to exchange fisticuffs. The audience exploded. Meanwhile, "The New Face of Fear" continued to wage war with the remaining members of "The Richards Collective" at ringside, leaving them much the worse for wear. Security once again came in to separate all parties.

Regal: "Fans, we're rapidly running out of television time! We'll keep the cameras rolling as long as we can for this massive brawl! Please join us again next Tuesday on TBS for more of the Show Time Power Hour! And, don't forget to log onto www.nwashowtime.com to catch After Buzz with Cathy Kelley immediately following our broadcast! For Mauro Ranallo and Jim Cornette, I'm William Regal, saying ta ta for now!"

As the episode was leaving air, we saw Ricochet leaving Commissioner Ric Flair's office. Ricochet was smiling as he shook Flair's hand at the door.

NWA: Show Time After Buzz with Cathy Kelley aired as normal.

Kelley started off the broadcast wondering exactly what conversation Ric Flair and Ricochet had. She then went on to hype the battle between Braun Strowman and Brock Lesnar that will take place at "Great American Bash" in July. Kelley brought in NWA: Show Time interviewers "SoCal" Val and Joanna Rose as special guests to talk about all the action of summer. They talked about the upcoming live event schedule that will pass through coastal towns, such as Charleston, SC, the Savannah, GA, area, and a few spots in Florida over the coming weeks. Kelley iterated that, as we get closer to the PPV, "things are certainly heating up." With that, she signed off.