in ▁with ▁T NA ▁World ▁He avy weight ▁Champion ▁L ash ley ▁in ▁the ▁build - up ▁to ▁their ▁match ▁later ▁that ▁evening . ▁Rich ards ▁confirmed ▁on ▁the ▁broadcast ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁there ▁to ▁support ▁Edwards ▁in ▁his ▁land mark ▁match , ▁although ▁was ▁still ▁" A ▁way ▁off ▁being ▁in ▁a ▁condition ▁to ▁comp ete ." ▁Edd ie ' s ▁match ▁resulted ▁in ▁a ▁no - cont est ▁when ▁Mike ▁Ben nett ▁inter fer ed ▁in ▁the ▁match ▁flo oring ▁the ▁ref eree ▁and ▁then ▁invited ▁new ▁sig ne e ▁to ▁T NA , ▁Mo ose ▁to ▁the ▁ring , ▁who ▁had ▁a ▁confront ation ▁with ▁L ash ley . ▁ ▁On ▁January ▁ 5 , ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁Rich ards ▁made ▁his ▁return ▁to ▁T NA , ▁helping ▁Edwards ▁retain ▁the ▁T NA ▁World ▁He avy weight ▁Championship , ▁by ▁stopping ▁L ash ley ▁from ▁hitting ▁Edwards ▁with ▁the ▁title . ▁Rich ards ▁faced ▁L ash ley ▁on ▁January ▁ 6 , ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁at ▁One ▁Night ▁Only : ▁Live ▁in ▁a ▁losing ▁effort . ▁On ▁the ▁February ▁ 9 ▁episode ▁of ▁Imp act ▁Wrestling , ▁Rich ards ▁turned ▁he el ▁by ▁cost ing ▁Edwards ' ▁T NA ▁World ▁He avy weight ▁Championship ▁rem atch ▁against ▁L ash ley , ▁by ▁pulling ▁the ▁ref eree ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁ring ▁and ▁hitting ▁Edwards ▁with ▁the ▁title ▁bel t ▁while ▁the ▁ref eree ▁was ▁dist ract ed ▁by ▁Angel ina ▁Love . ▁After wards ,