"Show Time Power Hour" TV Taping Number 99 (Week 197)

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! Fellas, we have a stacked card tonight!"

Mauro Ranallo: "William, you said a mouthful there! In a huge tag team main event signed by our matchmaking committee, CM Punk will see his first action since his suspension was lifted last week when he teams with Braun Strowman to take on the combination of World Champion Adam Cole and NWA: Show Time Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar!"

Jim Cornette: "I know it's my time to speak, but I'm out here under protest!"

Regal: "Protest? Under what grounds?"

Cornette: "Under the grounds that Jordan Richards and all his goons have it out for 'Camp Cornette!' Bobby Roode and James Storm deliberately cost us the Mid-Atlantic Titles last week and I know they were out there on orders from their bosses! I'm tired of us being treated like second class citizens! In fact, I'm going to do something about it right now! I'm proposing a match for next week! Eight-man tag! 'Camp Cornette' versus 'The Richards Collective!' Ric Flair, you're the Commissioner! If you and those henchman of yours have any guts, you'll make the match!"

Regal: "Whoa now! Jim, you're going off on your own agenda right now. I hope that doesn't backfire on you."

Cornette: "Backfire?! What's the worst that could happen?! They show their yellow streak and refuse the match?! At least they'll be exposed for the cowards they are!"

Regal: "All right, Jim. We'll have to address that issue a little later. We have to move on. Aside from that huge main event, we'll have Television Champion Matt Riddle here to resume his campaign to 'Make the Television Championship Great Again!' He's back from a trip to the Orient and he's ready to issue that open challenge once again! But, let's get it started with mixed tag team action! Killer Kross and Scarlett Bordeaux have challenged Bray Wyatt and Maria Kanellis!"

Match One ~ "Mixed Tag Team" match ~ "The New Face of Fear" ("Eater of Worlds" Bray Wyatt & "Spirit of Abigail" Maria Kanellis) vs. "Killer Smoke Show" (Killer Kross & "Smoke Show" Scarlett Bordeaux)

This was a wild one. The women especially were frenetic. In fact, they kept tagging themselves in just to get at each other. The men spent more time coaching their lasses than competing, it seemed at times. But, there was some very hard-hitting action when Wyatt and Kross were in the ring. Bray's unorthodox offense and mind games were matched by Kross' striking ability and athleticism. In the end, it was the women who were legal in the ring while the men were fighting outside. Scarlett was able to nail Maria with "When the Smoke Clears" ("Draping DDT") for the pinfall.

Winners = "Killer Smoke Show" by pinfall in 12:48

Regal: "What a fierce showing for these ladies tonight!"

Ranallo: "The fight between Scarlett and Maria made Bray and Killer Kross look like child's play!"

Cornette: "I still say women have no place in this sport or in the ring!"

Regal: "That notwithstanding, it was a fine match. Fans, we have to go to break. When we return, Matt Riddle will issue his open challenge!"

Regal: "We're back! I'm hearing that Vanessa Craft is backstage with CM Punk, who's just arriving to the building."

The scene shifted backstage, where CM Punk had just entered the building behind Angelico and Jack Evans.

Vanessa Craft: "CM, if I could get a word with all of you quickly!"

CM Punk: "Sure Vanessa, you can get a word. The word is free! I'm free at last, all thanks to the efforts of this guy!" (points at Angelico)

Craft: "Yes. Angelico, we saw you unmasked last week by Ricochet to reveal that you were Straight Edge Superstar. So, it was you the entire time?"

Angelico: "Uh, no comment."

Jack Evans: "What my friend means is that whether he's Angelico or Straight Edge Superstar, he won last week. Now, CM Punk is back and his contract has been renewed! That's all that matters!"

Punk: "And, I'm going to get right back to work tonight! The first order of business is to win this tag match with Braun Strowman. The second order of business will be to free one more person...my wife."

The three walked away confidently.

Craft: "Back to you, William."

Regal: "Thank you, Vanessa. Interesting words from CM Punk. His next mission will be to free his wife?"

Ranallo: "Well, maybe he considers her under bondage to 'The Richards Collective.'"

Cornette: "Everyone in this company is under bondage to Jordan Richards specifically, 'The Richards Collective' in general! But, I can't believe you two are glossing over the most important part of that interview! Angelico skirted the question as to whether or not he'd been Straight Edge Superstar all along! That's because he wasn't! It's obvious he and CM Punk colluded to dupe Ricochet last week! Honestly, I can't say I'm not happy about that at this point."

Regal: "Well, that is one theory, but no one has any proof otherwise. Either way, CM Punk is free and clear and will be back to action in the main event! But first, let's get the 'Make the Television Championship Great Again Open Challenge' underway!"

Matt Riddle: "Bro! It's time to make the Television Championship great again! Who's it going to be?!"

Regal: "Oh my!"

Ranallo: "Are you kidding me?! This is going to be epic!"

Cornette: "Yeah, this should be good."

Match Two ~ NWA: Show Time Television Championship ~ "Make the Television Championship Great Again Open Challenge" ~ "King of Bros" Matt Riddle vs. "The Man Gravity Forgot" Adrian Neville

This was a master class, pure and simple. It was the best television match in recent memory. Both men were on their game. Riddle's striking was crisp and sharp. Neville's offense is innovative and precise. It made for a titanic struggle. It looked like they might go the thirty-minute time limit, but something changed late in the match. Neville had the upper hand when this video aired:

Neville's attention went to the entrance ramp, where he readied for Solomon Crowe to come down. Solomon did not appear. Neville screamed for him, but still no Crowe showed up. Riddle took the opportunity and rushed Neville from behind. He locked him in the "Bromission." Adrian writhed, but could not escape. He was forced to tap out.

Winner and STILL NWA: Show Time Television Champion = Matt Riddle by submission in 28:14

As soon as the bell rang, Crowe walked out of the entrance with a maniacal laugh.

Regal: "A bizarre ending marred an otherwise fantastic match!"

Ranallo: "Well, it was unfortunate for Adrian Neville, but Matt Riddle's crusade marches on!"

Cornette: "Adrian Neville leaving 'The Crowe's Nest' last week proved to be his undoing this week. Tough break, kid!"

Regal: "Fans, we'll be back in just a moment with our main event! Stay with us!"

Regal: "We're back! Fans, let's not delay any longer! It's main event time!"

Match Three ~ "The Richards Collective" (Adam Cole & "The Beast" Brock Lesnar with Britt Baker, Eve Torres, & Kamilla Kaine) vs. CM Punk & "The Monster Among Men" Braun Strowman with "The Goddess" Alexa Bliss

Stowman and Bliss came to the ring first. They got a great reaction. But, the place came unglued when this entrance played:

As Punk walked confidently to the ring, "Ladies and Gentlemen" by Saliva interrupted his entrance. CEO Jordan Richards came out with a microphone.

Jordan Richards: "Not so fast, Mr. Brooks. I'll get to you in one moment. First, let me address the comments of Jim Cornette to begin this episode. Mr. Cornette, I don't appreciate my name or the names of 'The Richards Collective' being besmirched by anyone, especially not someone with your villainous and dishonest track record. Now, Commissioner Flair is on a much deserved vacation with his new wife Wendy, so I am handling the matchmaking here tonight. Jim, I will accept your offer for a match on behalf on 'The Richards Collective,' but it won't be for next week. My group is spoken for next Tuesday. But, you can have that eight-man in two weeks. Now, to you, CM Punk. Congratulations on the victory last week. It looks as if you've gotten everything you wanted. Well, let's look at how that match went down last week. You came out of the entrance way during the match. You did not get physically involved in the match, but the terms of the agreement were stipulated that no one from either side was to interfere in any way. Now, what you did can be construed as interference on behalf of Straight Edge Superstar, who was identified as Angelico. With that being said, that throws me into a quandary as to your disposition here at NWA: Show Time. I'm not so sure that the victory last week was above board. I'm inclined to rescind the contract you just signed. But, because I am a man of good heart, I will give you one more chance to get your contract renewed. Next week, you will run the gauntlet against every member of 'The Richards Collective.' If you can win a decision against every member, your contract will be renewed free and clear. If not, you're terminated. Oh and since, we won't know for sure until next week, you're out of this match."

Richards walked away to a chorus of boos. Cole and Lesnar then made their entrances while laughing at Punk. Strowman was inside the ring fit to be tied.

Suddenly, this entrance video aired.

Kelley, just like everyone else, found it inexplicable how the vendetta continues against CM Punk by Jordan Richards, who signed him in the first place. She went on and on about how the odds are stacked against hiom next week, but ended the segment by saying, "CM Punk has made a career out of beating the odds." With that, she signed off.