NWA Powerrr Episode 5: Results, Grades, and Highlights

Following another RetroMania commercial, it was time for the main event. Colt Cabana came out with Ken Anderson. James Storm followed with Eli Drake at his side.

James Storm (c) vs. Colt Cabana- NWA National Championship match

The two men circled each other before locking up mid-ring to start. Cabana transitioned into a side headlock. Storm threw him into the ropes, but Cabana bounced off and landed a shoulder block that knocked the champion down. Another collar-and-elbow ended with both men in the corner.

Storm tried to sneak a right hand in, but Cabana blocked and scored a blow of his own. After a few more shots, Cabana applied another side headlock that led to another shoulder tackle sequence. Storm got up and attempted a kick, but Cabana blocked that too and delivered a knife-edge chop and used some diversionary offense to nab a nearfall.

Cabana then tried to set up a dive from the middle rope, but Storm kicked his leg and hit a hangman’s DDT, which caused Cabana to roll out of the ring. After one chop on the outside, Storm rolled Cabana back in and started working over Cabana, particularly the legs.

After some stomps, Storm ascended to the second rope and tried a diving attack, but Cabana got his foot up to block it. Storm caught the leg, but as he swung it down, Cabana kicked him with the other one.

Cabana then fired up and hit a pair of chops and rights before hitting a headscissors. A corner hip attack and an arm wringer scored the challenger a nearfall. He went for another move, but Storm powered him to the corner. As Storm ran in for a shoulder attack, Cabana leaped out of the way and countered with a sunset flip for another nearfall.

Cabana then hit a Bionic Elbow and tried another, but Storm used his momentum to pick him up in a fireman’s carry that resulted in a TKO into the ropes. Storm followed up with a dropkick to the leg that knocked Cabana off the apron and another running dropkick to the chest.

Storm brought him back in and went up top for an elbow drop that connected for a nearfall. Storm then set up for a superplex, but Cabana hit another elbow to knock Storm down. He attempted a splash, but Storm moved out of the was. However, Storm couldn’t avoid the second splash, which netted Cabana another two count.

More right hands from Cabana set up another Bionic Elbow. Caban tried again, but Storm kicked Cabana’s arm and hit a Backstabber for a nearfall. A strike exchange followed, which Storm got the better of. He went for The Eye of the Storm and connected for another nearfall.

Eli Drake then got on the apron to argue with the ref, which drew Anderson over. Anderson yanked Drake of the apron and teased punching him. Drake begged off for a bit before dropping Anderson with a right. Then, Kamille came out and pushed Drake into Anderson, giving Anderson the green light to retaliate.

Back in the ring, Cabana caught Storm with a Superman Pin for the fall and the championship.

Winner: Cabana via pinfall, wins the NWA National Championship

Rating: **1/2. This was getting quite good until the extracurriculars on the outside took place, as intriguing as it was. All the stuff with Kamille, Anderson, and Drake detracted from the match as rendered the finish anticlimactic. Cabana winning the belt back should’ve felt like a bigger deal than it did. I did like the post-match reactions from Storm and Cabana, as it put over how important the National Title is.

After the match, Storm pointed at Cabana and said he would see him again soon before leaving. He also had words with Anderson. As Cabana left, the Dawsons came back out and said they wanted their match with Kingston and Homicide “right now!”.

Not long after, Kingston and Homicide slid in the ring and brawled with both Dawsons, triggering the start of the impromptu match.