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Post by darbicus on Nov 4, 2022 22:08:31 GMT 1
In Your House 11: The Best There Is...October 20, 1996Market Square ArenaIndianapolis, IN*Free-For-All: Hunter Hearst Helmsley d. Jesse James Armstrong by Pinfall
The Free-For-All match saw the American Blueblood Hunter Hearst Helmsley defeat the so called "Real Double J" in Jesse James Armstrong, rather easily besting him with the Pedigree.
*Stone Cold Steve Austin d. Barry Windham by Pinfall
Stone Cold Steve Austin kicked things off against Barry Windham, with Brian Pillman conspicuous by his absence. Austin had viciously attacked Pillman earlier in the day on WWF Superstars after Pillman had said good things about Bret Hart during an interview with the Rattlesnake. Austin had taken a steel chair to the injured ankle of Pillman, rebreaking it and putting him back on the shelf for several more months. In this match against the veteran Windham, Austin didn't hold back with his vitriol and aggressiveness, ruthlessly attacking Windham before finishing him off with the Stone Cold Stunner. Austin then looked to duplicate the "Pillmanizer" on Windham's ankle, but thankfully was pulled off from the attack by WWF officials.
*Owen Hart & The British Bulldog w/Jim Cornette d. The Smoking Gunns [Billy & Bart Gunn] w/Sunny by Pinfall to Retain the World Tag Team Titles
Owen Hart and The British Bulldog had won the World Tag Team Titles shortly after the last In Your House show, and Sunny managed to get the Smoking Gunns a tag title shot by trying to sweet talk Jim Cornette, although the manager said he was immune to her "feminine wiles." The Gunns themselves were back to having teamwork issues following Billy Gunn's obsession over Sunny being the reason they failed to regain the belts the month before in the first place. Despite this, the former champions worked well together in the early going, teaming up on Owen Hart. However an enziguri from Owen allowed him to tag in Bulldog, who then went to work on Bart Gunn. Eventually Bart made a hot tag to Billy, but Billy's run was cut down quickly by a mistimed strike from Bart, who accidentally hit Billy with a back elbow after being blinded by a rake to the eyes. This sent Billy careening into The British Bulldog, who scooped him up and hit the running powerslam for the victory. After the match, Sunny again tried to acclimate herself to Owen or Bulldog, neither of whom was interested in her. Billy tried to console her, but Sunny simply slapped him and stormed off, her meal ticket having left the station. This led to Billy and Bart arguing again, and eventually a pull apart brawl took place between the former champions.
*Faarooq Asad w/Mustafa d. Savio Vega by Pinfall
With Ahmed Johnson still out due to kidney injuries sustained at the hands of Faarooq and the Nation, Savio Vega had become another target of the militant organization. The Puerto Rican Superman had refused to join the group, leading to his being isolated by the Nation in several random attacks. After D'Lo Brown was beaten by Savio on Raw, Faarooq himself decided to step in and take on Savio personally. The powerful leader of the Nation had dominated most of the few matches he had competed in (with the exception of the match with Johnson), and this was no exception as Faarooq controlled most of the match, snuffing out the limited spurts of offense Vega could muster before finishing him off with the Dominator. After the match Mustafa joined Faarooq in the ring to continue the beatdown to Savio, when Ahmed Johnson came through the crowd dressed in street clothes and armed with a 2x4. Johnson chased the Nation off, saving Savio from certain injury.
*"Wildman" Marc Mero w/Sable d. Goldust w/Marlena by Pinfall to Win the WWF Intercontinental Title
Marc Mero had earned the right at an Intercontinental Title shot the previous month by defeating John "Hawk" Bradshaw. After that match, Goldust began playing Mind Games with the Wildman, stating that he wanted to cast Sable in his next film and have her have intimate contact with his personal director Marlena. Sable was clearly uncomfortable in Goldust's presence, when she was cornered while doing an advertising spot on Raw. Mero came to Sable's defense, losing his temper against the IC Champion on that occasion. This appeared to be the champion's preferred tactics in their title match, as Goldust constantly made overt gestures towards Sable at ringside, attempting to raise the ire of the Wildman. Mero tried to block out the distractions, attacking Goldust with boxing moves and his high flying offense. Goldust slowed the match down and hooked on a long sleeper hold that nearly put Mero out, but the Wildman rallied back and broke the hold. Eventually Mero countered a bulldog, sending Goldust careening into an exposed turnbuckle. He then set up and hit Goldust with the Wild Thing, picking up the victory and the IC Title in the process.
*Vader w/Jim Cornette d. Bret "The Hitman" Hart by Pinfall
The night after Wrestlemania XII, The Man They Call Vader had, unprovoked, attacked Bret Hart during a backstage interview, eventually powerbombing him off a loading dock and putting him on the sidelines for the summer. The previous month, after much speculation concerning his future in the WWF, Bret announced in an interview he would be making his return at this show and would be trying to get revenge on Vader before moving on to once again becoming World Wrestling Federation champion (barely mentioning Stone Cold Steve Austin, who had been loudly demanding a match with the Hitman should be return to the WWF). With much hype surrounding his return, the match with Vader was made a #1 contenders match for the WWF Title. Bret looked as if he hadn't lost a step in his return, showing the same technical prowess he had shown before he left. Moreover, Vader was unable to maul Bret the same way he had other opponents. Bret had control of the match, having dived on Vader to the outside. While the referee attented to Cornette (who had been taken out in the dive), Stone Cold Steve Austin came from the back and assaulted Bret, throwing him into the steel ring steps and then hitting him with a Stone Cold Stunner. This allowed Vader to take control, wearing down the Hitman. Bret fought back from a bearhug from the Mastodon, and eventually hooked him in the Sharpshooter. However Austin again reared his ugly head, hitting Bret with a chair to the head behind the referee's back, causing him to break the hold. This allowed Vader the chance to hit the Vader Bomb and ruin Bret's return match by scoring the victory.
*Shawn Michaels d. Mankind w/Paul Bearer by Pinfall to Retain the WWF Championship
The deranged Mankind was named #1 contender to the WWF Title shortly after the last In Your House show, setting up a match with Shawn Michaels. Mankind seemed to take the feud personally, saying in vignettes that he had wanted to be like Shawn Michaels as a kid, but was unable to because of his "deranged nature." The match between Michaels and Mankind was a brutal affair, with both men putting their bodies on the line in a unique style of match not seen in the WWF all that often. At one point, after seemingly dislocating his knee, Mankind jabbed a sharp object into it as if to knock it back into place. Michaels attempted to hit Mankind with Sweet Chin Music towards the end of the match, but Mankind surprisingly ducked it and locked in the Mandible Claw. However before he could win the match, the lights went dark. A spotlight shone high in the rafters of the Market Square Arena, showing the Undertaker descending from the heavens as if he were an Avenging Angel. This sent Paul Bearer scurrying to the back, leaving Mankind to call out for "Uncle Paul!" Mankind then turned around right into a Sweet Chin Music that knocked him out long enough for Michaels to score the pin. The Undertaker then went after Mankind, as the two men renewed their war and began brawling as WWF officials tried in vain to separate them to close the show. |
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Post by darbicus on Nov 5, 2022 15:23:33 GMT 1
Note: I introduce the Light Heavyweight Title a year early here. WWF Survivor SeriesNovember 17, 1996Madison Square GardenNew York City, NY*Free-For-All: Brian Christopher Won a 15-Man Battle Royal to Become the Inaugural WWF Light Heavyweight Champion
The WWF was introducing its first new title since 1984 in the form of the Light Heavyweight Championship. To crown the first champion, a 15 man battle royal was held featuring competitors from across the world. In the end it came down to Brian Christopher and another newcomer in Flash Funk. It appeared as if Flash Funk would win the title, but a distraction from, surprisingly enough, Jerry Lawler of all people, allowed Christopher to eliminate Funk and win the title.
*Bart Gunn, Doug Furnas, Phil LaFon & Jesse James Armstrong d. Billy Gunn, Tony Signore, Salvatore Signore & The Goon w/Sunny in a Survivor Series Match - Doug Furnas d. The Goon by Pinfall
- Billy Gunn d. Jesse James Armstrong by Pinfall
- Bart Gunn d. Tony Signore by Pinfall
- Salvatore Signore d. Bart Gunn by Pinfall
- Doug Furnas d. Salvatore Signore by Pinfall
- Phil LaFon d. Billy Gunn by Pinfall
Sole Survivors: Doug Furnas & Phil LaFon
*Hunter Hearst Helmsley, John "Hawk" Bradshaw, Leif Cassidy & Goldust w/Marlena d. "Wildman" Marc Mero, Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart, Marty Jannetty & Jake "The Snake" Roberts in a Survivor Series Match
- Jake "The Snake" Roberts d. Leif Cassidy by Pinfall
- Goldust d. Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart by Pinfall
- John "Hawk" Bradshaw d. Marty Jannetty by Pinfall
- Hunter Hearst Helmsley d. Jake "The Snake" Roberts by Pinfall
- "Wildman" Marc Mero d. Goldust by Pinfall
- Hunter Hearst Helmsley d. "Wildman" Marc Mero by Pinfall
Sole Survivors: Hunter Hearst Helmsley & John "Hawk" Bradshaw
*Owen Hart & The British Bulldog w/Jim Cornette d. The Godwinns [Henry O. & Phineas I. Godwinn] w/Hillbilly Jim by Pinfall to Retain the WWF World Tag Team Titles
Camp Cornette put the tag titles on the line against The Godwinn family, and were seemingly at a disadvantage given that both of the Godwinn boys had scored upset victories in singles action in the weeks leading up to Survivor Series. The Godwinns controlled the early part of the match, hitting Owen with power moves, and then double teaming the Bulldog, forcing the champions to converse with Jim Cornette on the outside. Hillbilly Jim then got involved, slopping Cornette from behind and sending him scurrying to the back. The antics though provided enough of a distraction for Bulldog to take advantage and isolate Phineas Godwinn. The champions then worked over the Pig Farmer and got several near falls before he was able to make a hot tag to Henry, who proceeded to clean house. The champions began double teaming Henry to slow him down, but Phineas jumped back in and turned it into a donnybrook fight. As the referee struggled to get Phineas out of the ring, Owen grabbed the tag title belt and proceeded to hit Henry in the back of the head. This staggered him enough for Bulldog to scoop him up and hit him with the running powerslam to pick up the win and retain the titles.
*The Undertaker d. Mankind w/Paul Bearer in a Boiler Room Brawl
The Undertaker had returned at the previous month's In Your House, sporting a slightly different and more macabre look as he cost Mankind the WWF Championship, setting up another match between the two rivals. The stipulations for this match were as unique as the Buried Alive Match they had at Summerslam. In this contest, Paul Bearer was locked in a shark cage in the ring, with the object being to fight from the bowels of the Boiler Room of Madison Square Garden to ringside, secure the key and open the cage door, with Undertaker looking to get his hands on his former manager. The Undertaker was far more ferocious than he had been in matches past, but the punishment Mankind was able to endure had not waned either. In the end Undertaker managed to get away from the Demented Mankind to open the cage and technically win the match. However, before he could exact revenge on Paul Bearer, Undertaker was cut off by Sycho Sid of all people, who attacked the Deadman and managed to usher Bearer away from ringside with Undertaker in hot pursuit.
*Ahmed Johnson, Savio Vega, Mark Henry & Rocky Maivia d. Faarooq Asad, D'Lo Brown, Kama & Crush in a Survivor Series Match
- Ahmed Johnson was Counted Out
- Savio Vega d. D'Lo Brown by Pinfall
- Faarooq d. Savio Vega by Pinfall
- Kama d. Mark Henry by Pinfall
- Rocky Maivia d. Crush by Pinfall
- Faarooq Asad Was Disqualified
- Rocky Maivia d. Kama by Pinfall
Sole Survivor: Rocky Maivia
*Bret "The Hitman" Hart d. Stone Cold Steve Austin by Pinfall
The issue between Bret Hart and Stone Cold Steve Austin had begun with the Hitman in absentia. The King of the Ring winner had complained that, unlike other KOTR winners, he hadn't received a WWF Championship shot. Furthermore, he hated the fact that Bret Hart, who had been out of action since Wrestlemania XII, was getting all of the attention and speculation about his return. Austin challenged the Hitman to a match should be return, only to be frustrated again when The Hitman announced he was returning to regain the WWF Title and to settle the score with Vader, not even mentioning Stone Cold's name in his return promo. This so angered Austin, that he destroyed the surgically reconstructed ankle of his former tag partner Brian Pillman when the Loose Cannon even dared utter a good thing about Bret. The Hitman finally took notice of Stone Cold after he had performed several actions to cost him the number one contendership to the WWF Title. The match between them was a technical masterclass, as Austin worked over The Hitman's back and attempted to make him submit on numerous occasions. Bret also fought back, hooking Austin in the Sharpshooter at one point, only for Austin to reach the bottom rope. In the end, Austin hooked on a Cobra Clutch and tried to put out the Hitman, only for Bret to rebound off the turnbuckle into a pinning combination to pin Austin. After the match, Bret tried to make amends with Austin by shaking his hand as a sign of respect, only for Austin to flip him the bird and then hit him with the Stone Cold Stunner out of frustration.
*Vader w/Jim Cornette d. Shawn Michaels w/Jose Lothario by Pinfall to Win the WWF Championship
Prior to their match, Shawn Michaels had welcomed the man who trained him to become a professional wrestler, Jose Lothario, into the ring on an episode of Raw. However Jose was accosted by Jim Cornette verbally, only before the Super Sock to drill Cornette with a right hand. This drew out the Mastodon Vader, which led to a pull apart brawl between the champion and challenger. In the title match, Michaels utilized his quickness for a duck and move style of offense, trying hard to avoid a straight up fight with the Rocky Mountain Monster. Vader became winded trying to chase down Michaels, but eventually caught him with a powerful press slam to slow down the match. Michaels made a comeback after Vader hit several power moves in a row, but in the process inadvertantly hit the referee with a flying forearm. Cornette attempted to get involved, but he was quickly knocked out by Jose Lothario on the outside. This led Vader to clothesline the 70 year old legend off the apron and onto the floor, causing Michaels to immediately rush out to check on him. Vader then took a television camera and drilled Michaels in the back of the head with it, before tossing him back in the ring. Vader then hit the Vader Bomb to pick up the victory and win the WWF Championship.
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Post by darbicus on Nov 5, 2022 21:28:40 GMT 1
In Your House 12: It's TimeDecember 15, 1996West Palm Beach AuditoriumWest Palm Beach, FL*Free-For-All: Brian Christopher d. Scott Taylor by Pinfall to Retain the WWF Light Heavyweight Title
The Light Heavyweight Title was on the line in the Free For All, as the self professed "Prince of the Light Heavyweights" faced off against Scott Taylor. The journeyman Taylor made a good showing for himself, and nearly won the title on a couple of occasions before Christopher could reestablish dominance. In the end, Christopher hit the Tennessee Jam from the top rope to pick up the win and retain his title. During the match, the camera noticed Stone Cold Steve Austin sitting at ringside despite the fact that he was currently under suspension. Austin was confronted by Commissioner Slaughter, and the Rattlesnake revealed that he had bought a ticket to the event and was there as a fan. Slaughter allowed him to stay, so long as he didn't get involved in any match.
*Flash Funk d. Leif Cassidy by Pinfall
The opening match was a highly competitive affair between the former New Rocker Leif Cassidy and the high flying Flash Funk. Cassidy showed more skill than he had in many of his previous matches, earning several near falls, including a seeming false finish with a Northern Lights Suplex. Flash however survived and was able to hit a powerful kick right to the temple of Cassidy before hitting a 450 splash to pick up the victory.
*Owen Hart & The British Bulldog d. Pierroth & Cibernetico by Pinfall to Retain the World Tag Team Titles
As a side effect of the WWF creating a Light Heavyweight Division, the company had entered into a working relationship with Mexican promotion AAA. The team of Pierroth and Cibernetico had come from that promotion and challenged Owen Hart and The British Bulldog on an episode of Raw. The luchadores used their high flying offense to keep the Bulldog off kilter, but Owen was able to tap into his own background to fight this high flying duo. Owen countered an attempted hurancanrana from the top rope with a powerbomb, leaving Cibernetico out of it. Pierroth then tried a springboard dropkick to the inside, only to miss and be met with a massive clothesline from the Bulldog. Owen then hit a missile dropkick of his own to score the pinfall and retain the titles.
*Rocky Maivia d. Crush w/Jim Cornette by Pinfall
Following his impressive debut at the Survivor Series, Rocky Maivia was being courted by manager Jim Cornette to be the newest inductee into his Camp Cornette stable. On an episode of Raw, Cornette presented a contract for Rocky to sign, assuming that he had "sealed the deal" after inviting Rocky down to Castle Cornette in Louisville. However Rocky refused to sign the contract, embarrasing Cornette on national television. This led Jim to sign the Kona Destroyer Crush to a short-term contract to take out the third generation superstar. The mercenary had his own score to settle with Rocky, having been eliminated by him at the Survivor Series. Crush's power game was a deciding factor early on, as he easily shut down the offense that the rookie could muster. However Rocky was able to persevere, avoiding Crush's dreaded Heart Punch and countering with a Shoulderbreaker to finish off the Mercenary and score the win.
*Hunter Hearst Helmsley d. "Wildman" Marc Mero w/Sable by Pinfall to Win the WWF Intercontinental Title
Former Intercontinental Champion Hunter Hearst Helmsley had begun targeting the current champion, Marc Mero. At the Survivor Series, Helmsley had pinned the champion in a Survivor Series match to essentially earn a title shot at In Your House. The former champion focused solely on the knee of the Wildman, trying to wear him down and take away his high flying offense. As Helmsley had the Wildman down, Sable climbed on to the ring apron in an attempt to rally support for her man. This distracted the Blueblood, who went over and forced himself onto Sable with a kiss, leading to the bombshell slapping the taste out of Helmsley's mouth. It almost cost him the match as Mero made a rollup that got a lengthy two count. The Wildman rallied and hit several punches at the Blueblood, before slamming him down to the mat and following up with a high leg drop kick. Mero set up Helmsley for the Wild Thing, but took too long to hit the move, allowing Helmsley the chance to roll out of harm's way. With the Wildman having crashed and burned, Helmsley hit the Pedigree and got the pin to regain the IC Title.
*The Undertaker d. Sycho Sid w/Paul Bearer & Mankind in a Last Ride Match
Sycho Sid had surprisingly allied himself with Paul Bearer and Mankind at the Survivor Series, following the Phenom's win over the deranged one. This action saved Paul Bearer from being beaten down by his former protege. Taker was set to take on the self-professed Master and Ruler of the World in a Last Ride Match, where the objective was to be the first to place your opponent in a Hearse at ringside and then shut the door on them. Undertaker and Sid fought up and down the entryway, before Undertaker finally managed to hit a Tombstone just outside the Hearse and close Sid inside the vehicle, winning the match.
*Vader w/Jim Cornette d. Bret "The Hitman" Hart by Disqualification to Retain the WWF Championship
In a rematch from October, Vader put his newly won WWF title on the line against Bret Hart. Bret was initially distracted by Steve Austin, though the Rattlesnake maintained his promise to Commissioner Slaughter not to physically get involved in the match. Bret nearly had the match won, preparing to lock Vader in the Sharpshooter, but we then got the news that Shawn Michaels had entered the building, attacking Vader as he made his way to ringside for the match. Bret and Shawn then got into a shoving match as the referee called for the bell and gave the DQ victory to Vader. After the match, Bret went up and conversed with Shawn Michaels apparently breaking a vow not to be at the In Your House show. Also after the match, Bret went towards the back and ran into Steve Austin at ringside. After some words were exchanged, Bret struck Austin with a right hand and began beating him down, only to be pulled away by WWF officials to close the show. |
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Post by darbicus on Nov 7, 2022 4:27:37 GMT 1
WWF Royal Rumble January 19, 1997 Alamodome San Antonio, TX
*Free-For-All: Canek, Perro Aguayo & Latin Lover d. Fuerza Guerrera, Heavy Metal & Jerry Estrada
This 6-Man Tag saw top superstars from the Mexican promotion AAA showcased on WWF's Free For All, with Aguayo pinning Estrada following a top rope seated senton splash.
*Doug Furnas & Phil LaFon d. Owen Hart & The British Bulldog w/Jim Cornette by Disqualification [Hart & Bulldog Retain the Tag Team Titles]
The tag team champions had been arguing as of late going into this match, after each one inadvertently cost the other a singles victory over Furnas and LaFon respectively. The team of Doug Furnas and Phil LaFon had been on a hot streak dating back to the Survivor Series when they were the sole survivors for their team. In this title match, the challengers repeatedly frustrated the champions, as the arguments between the brothers in law began to grow more intense. Cornette finally managed to get the champions working on the same page briefly when they had isolated LaFon, but things went belly up again when the powerhouse Furnas came into the match and cleaned house. It looked as if the challengers would pull off the victory, but Cornette deliberately got into the ring and drilled Furnas in the back with the racket in order to force the disqualification, keeping the belts with the Bulldog and Owen Hart for the time being.
*Ahmed Johnson & Faarooq Asad Wrestled to a Double Countout
The war between Ahmed Johnson and Faarooq had been waging since Summerslam. Ahmed had even attempted an early comeback at the Survivor Series, though this was short circuited when his injuries forced him to be counted out of the match against the Nation of Domination. Finally Ahmed was fully cleared to wrestle Faarooq at the Royal Rumble, but the fight quickly went out of control, as Ahmed and Faarooq battled into the entryway. Ignoring the referee's count, both men were counted out as they continued to beat each other down, WWF officials having difficulty trying to separate them.
*Hunter Hearst Helmsley d. Flash Funk by Pinfall to Retain the WWF Intercontinental Title
The American Blueblood defended his regained Intercontinental Title against the high flying Flash Funk. The light heavyweight's high risk offense through Helmsley for a loop in the early going, as the fast pace kept the champion from establishing his preferred momentum. However things eventually calmed down for Helmsley after Funk missed a huge cross body to the outside. The champion worked over the knee of Flash Funk, hooking on a standing Figure-4 to try and get a submission. Flash countered by getting to the ropes and picking up the pace with several dropkicks and a springboard clothesline from the outside. Funk looked to hit his devastating 450 splash, but Helmsley had it scouted and brought Funk down with a slam to the center of the ring. He then hit the Pedigree to put away the high flyer and retain his title. After the match, in a backstage segment, Marc Mero was being interviewed for the upcoming Rumble match when he was approached by Helmsley who was heading from the ring. The champion made a snide remark towards Sable, which nearly caused a fight to break out between he and the Wildman.
*Mil Mascaras d. Brian Christopher by Disqualification [Christopher Retains Light Heavyweight Title]
The legendary luchadore Mil Mascaras challenged the self-professed Prince of the Light Heavyweights for the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship. From the start of the match, the veteran easily outpaced the youngster, with several armdrags and takedowns to stifle any offensive attempts by Christopher. Mascaras would have won the match if not for Christopher attempting to remove Mil's mask, causing him to readjust it briefly. Christopher used the distraction to run to the outside and grab the hammer for the ring bell from the time keeper. With Mascaras chasing him, Christopher turned around and decked him in the head with the hammer, creating the disqualification but keeping his title.
*The Undertaker Won the 30-Man Royal Rumble Match
The Rumble match began with Billy and Bart Gunn facing off against each other, but the real story throughout the match was the odyssey of Stone Cold Steve Austin. Entering at #5, Austin would outlast almost everyone, including several heavy hitters. When Bret Hart entered the Rumble at #14, the two fought against each other almost exclusively. Other notable confrontations included Faarooq and Ahmed both entering the match late and picking up right where they had left off earlier with their battle, as well as Sid eliminating his supposed tag partner Mankind from the match. Towards the end, Mankind and Sid had both been eliminated and were fighting on the outside, drawing a distraction with all the other referees. Right at that time, Austin was finally eliminated by The Hitman. However, since no referee saw the elimination, Austin snuck back into the ring, first eliminating Ahmed and Faarooq (who were fighting against the ropes) and then dumping out the Hitman after he had finished with Rocky Maivia. Bret loudly complained at the injustice while Austin turned his attention to The Undertaker, who was the only other man left in the match. Austin threw Undertaker towards the ropes, only for the Phenom to reverse it. At that moment, Bret dropped the top rope from the outside, which caused Austin to tumble out and technically gave the victory, tainted though it might have been, to the Undertaker, sending the Phenom to Wrestlemania.
*Shawn Michaels w/Jose Lothario d. Vader w/Jim Cornette by Pinfall to Win the WWF Championship
Shawn Michaels challenged Vader in his own hometown of San Antonio in an attempt to regain the WWF Title. Despite the fact that he had been hurt at Survivor Series, Michaels' mentor Jose Lothario demanded that he be allowed at ringside to counteract the actions of Jim Cornette, which HBK reluctantly agreed to. The massive champion flattened Michaels in the early going, who's anger and frustration seemingly had gotten the better of him, almost to the point where it appeared the Michaels had psyched: himself out. However the resiliance of HBK meaRoyal nt that Vader had a hard time putting Michaels away. Towards the end, Vader went for his devastating Vadersault, only for Michaels to move out of the way. The crash and burn bought HBK the time he needed to regroup and rally his reserves, eventually hitting both Vader and Jim Cornette with Sweet Chin Music, pinning the champion and regaining the title in front of the very happy hometown crowd.
Royal Rumble Entry/Exit Order (2:00 Intervals)
1. Billy Gunn
2. Bart Gunn
3. Blackjack Windham
4. Phineas I. Godwinn
5. Stone Cold Steve Austin
- Bart Gunn Eliminated #1 by Stone Cold Steve Austin
6. Scott Taylor
- Blackjack Windham Eliminated #2 by Phineas I. Godwinn
7. Savio Vega
- Scott Taylor Eliminated #3 by Billy Gunn
- Billy Gunn Eliminated #4 by Stone Cold Steve Austin
8. Cibernetico
9. Kama Mustafa
- Phineas I. Godwinn Eliminated #5 by Stone Cold Steve Austin
10. The Honky Tonk Man
- Cibernetico Eliminated #6 by Stone Cold Steve Austin
11. Crush
12. Jesse James Armstrong
13. Blackjack Bradshaw
- The Honky Tonk Man Eliminated #7 by Blackjack Bradshaw
14. Bret "The Hitman" Hart
- Crush Eliminated #8 by Bret "The Hitman" Hart
15. Goldust
16. "Wildman" Marc Mero
- Savio Vega Eliminated #9 by Goldust
17. Jake "The Snake" Roberts
- Kama Mustafa Eliminated #10 by Bret "The Hitman" Hart
18. Pierroth
19. Mankind
- Jesse James Armstrong Eliminated #11 by Mankind
20. D'Lo Brown
21. The Undertaker
- Pierroth Eliminated #12 by The Undertaker
22. Leif Cassidy
- Leif Cassidy Eliminated #13 by Blackjack Bradshaw
23. Scott Putski
- "Wildman" Marc Mero Eliminated #14 by Stone Cold Steve Austin
24. Sycho Sid
- Jake "The Snake" Roberts Eliminated #15 by Sycho Sid
25. Rocky Maivia
- Goldust Eliminated #16 by Rocky Maivia
- D'Lo Brown Eliminated #17 by Rocky Maivia
26. Faarooq Asad
- Blackjack Bradshaw Eliminated #18 by The Undertaker
27. Ahmed Johnson
- Scott Putski Eliminated #19 by Bret "The Hitman" Hart
28. Terry Funk
29. Hector Garza
- Hector Garza Eliminated #20 by Mankind
30. Henry O. Godwinn
- Terry Funk Eliminated #21 by Mankind
- Mankind Eliminated #22 by Sycho Sid
- Sycho Sid Eliminated #23 by Rocky Maivia
- Henry O. Godwinn Eliminated #24 by The Undertaker
- Faarooq Asad Eliminated #25 by Stone Cold Steve Austin
- Ahmed Johnson Eliminated #26 by Stone Cold Steve Austin
- Rocky Maivia Eliminated #27 by Bret "The Hitman" Hart
- Bret "The Hitman" Hart Eliminated #28 by Stone Cold Steve Austin
- Stone Cold Steve Austin Eliminated #29 by The Undertaker
Off-Camera Title Change:
January 27: Doug Furnas & Phil LaFon d. Owen Hart & The British Bulldog for the World Tag Team Titles
February 13: Shawn Michaels Vacates the WWF Championship Due to a Knee Injury
February 13: Rocky Maivia d. Hunter Hearst Helmsley for the Intercontinental Title
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Post by darbicus on Nov 7, 2022 14:19:30 GMT 1
WWF In Your House 13: Final FourFebruary 16, 1997UTC ArenaChattanooga, TN*Free-For-All Match: Billy Gunn w/Sunny d. Leif Cassidy by Pinfall
Both men were desperate for a victory in this Free-For-All match, with Cassidy wanting to end his long losing streak and Billy Gunn looking to satiate his currently rocky relationship with Sunny due to his lack of success as a singles star. Cassidy seemingly was ready for a breakthrough, but a mistimed cross body from the top rope gave Billy the opening to hit his Gunn-Shot Leg Drop to pick up the pinfall victory, much to Sunny's delight. After the match, Cassidy through a temper tantrum on the canvas, unable to believe his lack of luck.
*Rocky Maivia d. Blackjack Bradshaw w/Blackjack Windham by Pinfall to Retain the WWF Intercontinental Title
The nature of this match changed dramatically when Rocky Maivia upset Hunter Hearst Helmsley at a special Thursday edition of Monday Night Raw, winning the Intercontinental Title. The undefeated third generation star was thus set to defend his newly won title against Blackjack Bradshaw. The former John Hawk had formed a tag team with Barry Windham (the latter being the son of one of the original Blackjacks, Blackjack Mulligan) calling themselves the New Blackjacks, and had adopted a much more agressive attitude as a result. Bradshaw's bar room brawling style was hard for Rocky to adjust to at first, to say nothing of the weight and power advantage that he possessed. But Rocky utilized his quickness and caught Bradshaw off guard with a modified chokeslam before finishing him off with a top rope cross body to pick up the pinfall victory.
*D'Lo Brown w/Kama d. Savio Vega by Pinfall
Aside from the issues with Ahmed Johnson, Savio Vega had been the person who had been beaten down by the Nation most often. Savio attempted for a measure of revenge against Nation member D'Lo Brown, but found himself on the receiving end of a 2 on 1 advantage throughout much of the match, before D'Lo finished him off with a modified spinebuster powerbomb to pick up the win. After the match, Kama and D'Lo beatdown Savio, only for Savio to be saved by a fan from the stands, who wore a steel chain around his fist (the man would turn out to be a debuting Miguel Perez Jr.).
*Hunter Hearst Helmsley d. "Wildman" Marc Mero w/Sable by Countout
Hunter Hearst Helmsley had initially been set to defend the Intercontinental Title against "Wildman" Marc Mero in a continuation of their feud. However, since losing the title on Thursday Raw Thursday, this match would instead grant the winner a shot at the title on a future episode of Raw. Mero was attempting to get revenge on Helmsley for comments made at the expense of Sable, Mero's valet (and real life wife, though this relationship wasn't acknowledged on WWF television at the time). This match was very similar to the previous match between the two, however it ended abruptly when an Amazonian woman suddenly appeared from the crowd and attacked Sable, shaking her like a rag doll. Mero immediately went after the assailant, only for Helmsley to smash his head into the ring post, knocking him out. Helmsley and the mystery woman (later revealed to be Chyna) got in the ring as Mero was counted out, handing the victory to the American Blueblood.
*Owen Hart & The British Bulldog d. Sycho Sid & Mankind w/Paul Bearer by Pinfall
Both of these teams were, at best dysfunctional. Owen Hart and The British Bulldog had seen their cohesiveness as a unit take a nosedive, particularly after firing Jim Cornette as their manager and losing the tag team titles to Furnas and LaFon. Sycho Sid and Mankind however were fighting because of Sid's elimination of the Deranged One in the Royal Rumble match as well as manager Paul Bearer's seeming favoritism towards Sid versus Mankind. Despite the internal issues between the teams, they were able to function enough as a unit for most of the match, with Sid and Mankind isolating the Bulldog as Owen was seemingly indifferent towards the plight of his partner. Eventually however Owen came around and tagged in, knocking both Sid and Mankind around briefly before a 2 on 1 advantage came into play again. However, Sid "accidentally" whipped Owen into Mankind, sending him to the floor. In anger, Mankind immediately attacked Sid and locked him in the Mandible Claw, causing him to pass out. Owen took advantage and pinned the fallen Sid for the victory.
*Hector Garza w/Tito Santana d. Brian Christopher by Pinfall to Win the WWF Light Heavyweight Title
The self-confident Prince of the Light Heavyweights was on full display as he defended his title against "Mexican Shawn Michaels" in Hector Garza. Garza was joined by former IC Champion and Spanish commentator Tito Santana, who had taken a sort of mentorship role over the youngster. This overconfidence though would quickly be his undoing, as Garza used his high flying ability to catch the champion off guard and eventually pin him after a corkscrew plancha from the top, much to the chagrin of Jerry Lawler on commentary.
*Vader w/Jim Cornette d. Bret "The Hitman" Hart, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Ahmed Johnson & Faarooq Asad in a Five-Man Elimination Match to Win the Vacant WWF Championship
Due to the controversial finish of the Royal Rumble match, in which Steve Austin had illegally eliminated Bret Hart, Ahmed Johnson and Faarooq (before himself being eliminated by the winner of the match, The Undertaker), a Fatal Fourway Elimination match had been established with the winner initially receiving a WWF Title match the following night on Raw. However, this was changed following Shawn Michaels vacating the WWF title due to a, at the time, thought to be career ending knee injury. WWF Commissioner Sgt. Slaughter then declared that Vader (who was supposed to receive a WWF title match the night Michaels forefitted the title) would instead be added to the Final Four match, which would now be for the Vacant WWF Title. Faarooq was the first man eliminated, as he was hit with a small package by Bret Hart. Ahmed would follow soon after, as a distraction followed by a hangman's neckbreaker across the top rope sent Ahmed into the waiting arms of Steve Austin, who hit a Stunner to eliminate the Pearl River Powerhouse. Vader was content to watch Bret and Austin beat each other down, with the Hitman eventually getting the better of the Rattlesnake and pinning him after reversing a victory roll attempt into a pinning combination. Incensed, Austin remained at ringside temporarily as Vader and The Hitman fought with each other, before grabbing a steel chair and pelting Bret in the back with it. This led Bret to walk right into a Vader Chokeslam, which he followed up with a Vader Bomb to score the victory and regain the title. As Vader and Cornette celebrated in the ring, the lights went dark in Chattanooga. The lights quickly came back on, and The Undertaker had mysteriously appeared in the ring. This caused both Cornette and the new champion to run off in fear as The Phenom motioned that he was coming for the title to close the show.
Off-Camera Title Change:
March 3: The British Bulldog d. Owen Hart in a Tournament Final to Crown the Inaugural WWF European Champion |
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Post by darbicus on Nov 7, 2022 20:13:40 GMT 1
Note: No change to the town...but a change to the venue as Wrestlemania moves from the smaller Rosemont Horizon to the United Center.WWF Wrestlemania XIIIMarch 23, 1997United CenterChicago, ILFree-For-All: Flash Funk d. Hector Garza w/Tito Santana by Disqualification [Garza Retains the Light Heavyweight Title]
The Free-For-All Match saw Hector Garza defend the Light Heavyweight Title against Flash Funk. The match was a high flying competitive affair that was sadly sullied by the arrival of former champion Brian Christopher, who attacked both Funk and Garza, resulting in the match being thrown out.
*The Headbangers [Mosh & Thrasher] d. The Godwinns [Henry O. & Phineas I. Godwinn] w/Hillbilly Jim, The New Blackjacks [Blackjack Windham & Blackjack Bradshaw], PG-13 [JC Ice & Wolfie D], Los Boricuas [Savio Vega & Miguel Perez Jr.] & Doug Furnas & Phil LaFon in a Gauntlet Match to Win the WWF World Tag Team Titles
This unique gauntlet style match saw the tag team of Furnas & LaFon have to defend their WWF Tag Team Titles against 5 other teams. The champs started the match against the duo of JC Ice and Wolfie D, and quickly dispatched the rappers with little difficulty. They ran into a harder matchup against Los Boricuas, the duo of Savio Vega and Miguel Perez Jr. The Puerto Ricans gave everything they had against the champions, but ultimately fell to a powerslam from Doug Furnas. The New Blackjacks came in third, and it was this team that managed to unseat the champions, as Bradshaw hit a Texas Sized Lariat on LaFon that netted them the victory. The Headbangers came in next, and The Blackjacks were stymied by the unorthodox offense of this grunge based team. So much so that they lost their cool and failed to break a choke hold on the referee's count, resulting in the New Blackjacks being disqualified. The final team entering was the Godwinns, who as former tag team champions might have been considered favorites. However, miscommunication between Henry and Hillbilly Jim on the outside led to Henry being knocked into the barricade and out of the match. This left Phineas wide open for The Headbangers to nail their Stage Dive finish and win the tag titles in a huge upset.
*Goldust w/Marlena d. Jerry "The King" Lawler by Submission
The androgynous Goldust had faced many questions concerning his particular fetishes, so much so that Jerry Lawler asked him point blank on an episode of the King's Court if he was gay. Goldust resoundingly said no, but Lawler continued to use homophobic language when discussing the flamboyant Goldust. This led to a special stipulation match that if Goldust beat Lawler, the King would have to wrestle in a dress for thirty days, where as if Lawler won, he would gain the "services" of Marlena for thirty days. Despite his best efforts (and using a pair of brass knuckles to good effect), Lawler was unable to best Goldust and fell victim to a Sleeper Hold, which put him out. Afterwards, Goldust threw a gingam style gown and blonde wig on the King, who was horrified when he came too after the Sleeper.
*Owen Hart & The British Bulldog Wrestled to a Time Limit Draw [Bulldog Retains the European Title]
The British Bulldog had defeated tag team partner Owen Hart to become the inaugural European champion. The two men agreed to put their differences to task for one more night, as Bulldog defended the title in a match with a strict 15 minute time limit. The match was a back and forth affair, and in the end Owen couldn't defeat Davey Boy in the 15 minutes, resulting in a Time Limit Draw. After the match, Bulldog tried to shake Owen's hand, but the King of Harts refused the handshake.
*Hunter Hearst Helmsley & Chyna d. "Wildman" Marc Mero & Sable by Pinfall
At the previous month's In Your House show, things had taken a turn to the serious between Marc Mero and Hunter Hearst Helmsley when an unnamed assailant came through the crowd and viciously manhandled Sable, leading to Mero sacrificing himself to save his valet. The woman's name was Chyna and Helmsley had hired her to be his new bodyguard. They challenged Mero and Sable to a Mixed Tag Match at Wrestlemania, something the Wildman initially declined due to Sable not being a trained wrestler. However, Sable accepted the challenge for herself, despite Mero's reticence. The Wildman and Helmsley fought it out with each other for most of the match, with Chyna occasionally interjecting and Sable doing her best to keep away from the Amazon. Surprisingly Sable was able to hold her own briefly when she did come into contact with Sable, but that ended quickly when Chyna hit a double handed chokeslam on Sable sending her to the outside. Helmsley then hit Mero with a Pedigree while he checked on her, pinning the Wildman.
*Rocky Maivia d. Billy Gunn w/Sunny by Pinfall to Retain the WWF Intercontinental Title
Sunny had attempted to seduce the new Intercontinental Champion into becoming her new meal ticket, but the third generation star turned her down flat. This led Sunny to send her nominal client/lover Billy Gunn after Maivia for revenge and to win the Intercontinental Title. Maivia appeared to be in trouble early as the veteran Billy Gunn kept the youngster off balance and prevented him from executing any significant offense. Yet Gunn was consistently unable to put Rocky away, even after hitting his Gunn-Shot Leg Drop on the youngster. Maivia eventually got a flurry of offense and hit a Shoulderbreaker on Billy Gunn to keep him down for the three count, retaining his title.
*Mankind d. Sycho Sid w/Paul Bearer by Submission
The issue between Mankind and Sycho Sid finally came to a head after the last In Your House show, with "Uncle Paul" casting Mankind out of his employ. This drove the already unstable Mankind into even more of a frenetic course of action, as he attacked Sid with reckless abandon in an attempt to "win back Uncle Paul" from the Psychotic One. This despite Sid powerbombing Mankind through an announce table, only for Mankind to pop up and literally say "Please sir may I have another." This match between the two was made No Disqualification, and both men utilized weapons in order to inflict pain on the other. At one point, Mankind was down on the ground and Sid held him up for Paul Bearer to slap him. This seemed to snap something in Mankind, and he immediately got his second wind, kicking Paul Bearer out of the ring and laying into Sid viciously. Mankind then locked in the Mandible Claw and caused Sid to fade, just as Paul Bearer tried to hit him from behind with a chair. Mankind was unfazed by it, and then locked the manager in the same submission hold. Sid tried a comeback, setting up Mankind for the Powerbomb, but Mankind reversed the move and locked Sid back in the Claw, which caused him to pass out and gave the win to Mankind.
*Bret "The Hitman" Hart d. Stone Cold Steve Austin by Referee Stoppage
The issue between Bret Hart and Steve Austin were seemingly finally coming to a crescendo in this special match where the only way to win was to submit. And to keep order, WWF Commissioner Sgt. Slaughter hired UFC fighter and newly signed WWF superstar Ken Shamrock to be the special guest referee for the match. Both The Hitman and Austin beat each other senseless, with Austin being busted open in a rare bloodletting at this time in WWF history. The end came when Bret locked Austin in the Sharpshooter in the center of the ring. Despite the pain, Austin refused to submit, attempting and coming close to actually breaking the Sharpshooter hold. Eventually Austin simply passed out, forcing Shamrock to call off the match and award it to Bret by Technical Knockout. The Hitman however wasn't done, and proceeded to attack the unconscious Rattlesnake further, before Shamrock suplexed him off the attack, squaring up to fight him. The Hitman left to a chorus of boos, as Austin left with newfound respect from the Chicago crowd.
*Ahmed Johnson & The Legion of Doom [Hawk & Animal] d. The Nation of Domination [Faarooq, D'Lo Brown & Kama] by Pinfall in a Chicago Street Fight
In the build to Wrestlemania XIII, Faarooq dared Ahmed Johnson to find two other guys to take on the Nation of Domination in a Chicago Street Fight, confident that no one would want to step up against the powerful group. However the Pearl River Powerhouse pulled out two Chicago natives in The Legion of Doom. Hawk and Animal returned to the WWF after a lengthy absence, and literally brought everything including the kitchen sink to their match against the Nation. Despite Faarooq's group able to beatdown Ahmed at times, the car crash eventually turned into the favor of LOD and Johnson, as Hawk hit Twin Doomsday Devices on D'Lo and Kama to pin the Nation and pick up the victory.
*The Undertaker d. Vader w/Jim Cornette by Pinfall to Win the WWF Championship
Entering the match, manager Jim Cornette touted the fact that for all his accomplishments in the WWF, Undertaker had only been Champion once for less than 10 days several years earlier, while Vader had eclipsed that mark in less than a year. For his part, the Mastodon appeared unfazed by the Undertaker's Mind Games, even sneak attacking the Phenom on Raw and hitting him with a Vader Bomb that left him lying in the corner. Undertaker showed up to Wrestlemania XIII dressed in similar attire to his first run in the company. During the match, Shawn Michaels appeared on commentary while Bret Hart interrupted the match at the very beginning, only to be chokeslammed by The Undertaker. This distraction allowed Vader to take the early control of the match, mauling the Phenom. However the Undertaker came back and hit a chokeslam on Vader, getting a near fall. Eventually The Hitman came back to ringside, only this time he was dealt with by Vader. This distraction though allowed Undertaker to actually scoop up the 450 pounder and Tombstone him, picking him the victory and winning the WWF Title. The Undertaker celebrated his victory, pointing to the fans in celebration to close out the show.
Off-Camera Title Change:
March 24: Chyna d. Gigi Bennet to Win the WWF Women's Title
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Post by darbicus on Nov 8, 2022 12:34:15 GMT 1
WWF In Your House 14: The Dark SideApril 20, 1997Rochester Community War MemorialRochester, NY*Free-For-All: The Godwinns [Henry & Phineas Godwinn] d. Flash Funk & Jesse James Armstrong by Pinfall
The Godwinns had abandoned their fun loving nature following their title loss at Wrestlemania, firing Hillbilly Jim as their manager in the process. With this newfound aggression, the hog farmers easily beat the makeshift team of Flash Funk and Jesse James Armstrong.
*Owen Hart & The British Bulldog d. The Legion of Doom [Hawk & Animal] by Pinfall
The night after Wrestlemania, Bret Hart had mended fences with his brother Owen and his brother-in-law Davey Boy Smith. In the process, he reformed the Hart Foundation with the two men. Owen and Bulldog also buried the hatchet on their own issues, reforming as a team and attempting to regain the tag titles, first by going through LOD. Hawk and Animal dominated the match early on, and continued to dominate despite moments of offense from Owen and the Bulldog. The ref was temporarily distracted by The Hitman coming down to ringside as the Road Warriors set up Owen for a Doomsday Device. However from out of the crowd came Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart, who hit Hawk in the back with a steel chair, sending him tumbling from the top rope. Owen then used a Victory Roll on Animal to pick up the pinfall and the win, earning a future title shot at the tag team titles in the process.
*Brian Christopher & Jerry "The King" Lawler d. Hector Garza & Tito Santana by Pinfall [Christopher Wins the Light Heavyweight Title]
Jerry Lawler had been humiliated following his Wrestlemania loss to Goldust, forced to wrestle on Raw in a dress. He was further humiliated when he was beaten in less than 30 seconds by Light Heavyweight Champion Hector Garza. This caused Brian Christopher, Lawler's "biggest fan" to come to his aid against the man who had beaten him for the title months earlier. The King arranged a tag team match at In Your House, with Garza teaming with his mentor Tito Santana against Lawler and Christopher, with the added stipulation that if Lawler's team won, Christopher would regain the Light Heavyweight Title. This was also the last match Lawler had to wrestle in drag, something he lamented as Santana ran circles around him and caused him to trip over his own two feet. Eventually the match came down to Christopher and Garza, with the Light Heavyweight Champion set up to hit his corkscrew plancha. Unfortunately with Tito having been knocked out on the outside, Lawler pulled off one of the high heels he was forced to wear to the ring and smacked Garza in the head with it, knocking him off the top rope. Christopher then hit the Tennessee Jam off the top and picked up the win, regaining the Light Heavyweight Title.
*Hunter Hearst Helmsley w/Chyna d. Goldust w/Marlena by Pinfall
After dispatching Wildman Marc Mero (who would disappear due to real life knee surgery), Helmsley set his sights on regaining the Intercontinental Title. However he would also have to deal with another former champion in Goldust. Much like she had with Sable, Chyna manhandled Marlena on more than one occasion, leading to this match becoming far more personal. Goldust nearly had the match won against Helmsley, especially after Marlena sprayed Chyna with Mace to protect herself and then hit Helmsley with a loaded purse. However the Blueblood came back and, while distracting the referee, allowed Chyna to hit Goldust with a lowblow, which set him up for a Pedigree and the win for Triple H.
*The Headbangers [Mosh & Thrasher] d. The New Blackjacks [Windham & Bradshaw] by Pinfall to Retain the World Tag Team Titles
The New Blackjacks felt that they had been screwed out of the tag team titles at Wrestlemania on account of being disqualified in the gauntlet match, and thus set their sights on the new champions The Headbangers. It was clear though that they had taken the new champions for granted, as both Mosh and Thrasher were more than a match for the rough and tumble cowboys. Despite an attempt to use a bullrope in the match, The Headbangers hit Windham with the Stage Dive to score the pinfall and the upset, retaining their titles.
*The Undertaker d. Sycho Sid w/Paul Bearer by Pinfall to Retain the WWF Championship
After winning the WWF title from Vader, The Undertaker was approached by Paul Bearer to reconcile and become "his Undertaker again." The Phenom refused this offer, and was attacked from behind by Sycho Sid, setting up this title match. As with previous matches between the two giants, it was a slow plodding affair that saw both men utilize power moves against the other. To the surprise of many, as Sid had Undertaker nearly set up for a Powerbomb, Mankind wandered to ringside and helped his great rival The Undertaker by distracting Sid at a timely moment. Undertaker then sat up and hit a chokeslam on Sid followed by a Tombstone to pick up the win. After the match, Paul Bearer attempted to attack the Phenom, only for Undertaker to corner him. With nowhere to go, Bearer was helpless as Undertaker seemingly lit a fireball from nowhere and threw it in Paul's face, causing him to scream in pain and collapse to the ground.
*Stone Cold Steve Austin d. Bret "The Hitman" Hart by Pinfall
After not submitting at Wrestlemania, the issue between the Rattlesnake and The Hitman finally reached their end with this #1 contenders match. With Owen, The Anvil and Bulldog watching from the entryway (but staying out of the match at the request of the Hitman), it was clear that both men were leaving everything on the line. The Hitman focused on Austin's injured knee, wrapping it around the ring post with a Figure-4 Leglock at one point. TAustin fought back and hit a Stone Cold Stunner, but only got a two count out of the move. In the end, The Hitman nearly locked Austin in the Sharpshooter, but Austin scored the pinfall with a small package, giving him his victory over Bret. The Hart Foundation then came down to the ring and began beating down the Rattlesnake with a 4 on 1 attack. The Undertaker came from the back and chased off the Foundation, but backed into Austin who delivered a Stunner to him without knowing who it was. Austin was left looking at the Harts as they retreated to close out the show.
Off-Camera Title Change:
April 21: Owen Hart & The British Bulldog d. The Headbangers to Win the World Tag Team Titles |
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Post by darbicus on Nov 9, 2022 3:47:50 GMT 1
WWF In Your House 15: A Cold Day in HellMay 11, 1997Richmond ColiseumRichmond, VA
*Free-For-All: Mankind d. Kama by Submission in a King of the Ring Qualifying Match
In the weeks leading up to this event, a multi-part interview between Mankind and Jim Ross aired, giving sympathy to the character of Mankind by revealing him as hardcore legend Mick Foley. In this King of the Ring qualifying match, Foley easily beat Kama via the Mandible Claw.
*Owen Hart d. Rocky Maivia by Submission to Win the WWF Intercontinental Title
The opening match saw Owen Hart challenge the 3rd Generation Star for the Intercontinental Title. Before the match, Owen dedicated the match to his brother Bret, who was currently out with a knee injury. Rocky came out of the gates with a strong offensive showing, but a timely Enziguri from Owen Hart slowed him down. He then worked over Rocky's knee, which had been tweeked in a previous match on Raw. Rocky tried to make a comeback, but Owen eventually hooked him in the Sharpshooter in the center of the ring, forcing him to tap out and giving the King of Harts his 2nd Intercontinental Title.
*The Godwinns [Henry & Phineas Godwinn] d. Doug Furnas & Phil LaFon by Pinfall
The newly vicious Godwinn family faced the former tag champions in Furnas and LaFon in a highly competitive match. Both teams gave it their all with several near falls between the two of them. Towards the end of the match, though, Zeb Colter made his return to the side of the Godwinns, hitting LaFon with a branding iron which allowed Phineas to hit him with the Slop Drop to pick up the victory.
*Ken Shamrock d. Crush by Submission
After serving as the special guest referee for the Submission match at Wrestlemania, former UFC champion Ken Shamrock announced that he was entering the world of the WWF. The Kona Destroyer, Crush, took exception to this outsider coming in to his sport, and promised to prove that Shamrock certainly wasn't the most dangerous man alive. However Shamrock easily dispatched Crush with MMA strikes and a variety of suplexes, eventually making him submit to an Ankle Lock submission hold.
*Shawn Michaels d. The British Bulldog by Pinfall to Win the WWF European Title
Recently Shawn Michaels had announced his "comeback" to the ring, promising to confront Bret Hart at the In Your House Pay Per View about allegations that Hart had made regarding Michaels' knee injury earlier in the year not being serious. However, do to a knee injury of his own sustained at the hands of Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Hitman wasn't even present for the event, leading to Michaels calling Bret a coward. A seemingly open challenge was answered by Bret's brother-in-law, The British Bulldog, who agreed to even put his European Title on the line in an impromptu match. Bulldog dominated Michaels throughout the short match, so much so that the referee had to check on HBK to see if he could still compete. However in the confusion, Rick Rude suddenly appeared through the crowd and drilled Bulldog with a steel briefcase, knocking him out. Michaels then hit an overly dramatic elbow drop before pinning the Bulldog to pick up the win and the European Title.
*Vader w/Jim Cornette & Ahmed Johnson Wrestled to a Double Countout
Vader made his first in-ring appearance following losing the WWF Championship to the Undertaker at Wrestlemania XIII. However his match against the Pearl River Powerhouse turned into an all-out brawl, as both men were frustrated by their lack of championships in the company at the current moment. The brawl spilled to the outside, as Vader and Ahmed brawled to the back, ignoring the double countout that it resulted in.
*Stone Cold Steve Austin d. The Undertaker by Disqualification [Undertaker Retains the WWF Title]
Courtesy of his victory over Bret Hart the previous month, Stone Cold Steve Austin challenged The Undertaker for the WWF Title. The match was an evenly paced affair, with both men getting their fair share of offense in. The Hart Foundation (namely Owen, the Bulldog and The Anvil) watched from the entryway, as Commissioner Slaughter had ruled that all members of the Hart Family were barred from ringside. Towards the end of the match though, when Austin had hit the Stone Cold Stunner (though Undertaker had kicked out at 2) and was in control of the match, Brian Pillman came out through the crowd and attacked Austin, resulting in a disqualification. With the match over, the rest of the Hart Family came down (including Bret, who suddenly appeared in a wheelchair with his family members) to beat down both Austin and the Undertaker. However they were saved by Shawn Michaels, who chased the whole family and Pillman up the ramp to close the show.
Off-Camera Title Change:
May 12: Stone Cold Steve Austin & Shawn Michaels d. Owen Hart & The British Bulldog to Win the WWF World Tag Team Titles
May 26: The British Bulldog Wins the European Title Via Forefit due to Shawn Michaels No Showing the Event (in kayfabe)
May 26: The Great Sasuke d. Brian Christopher to Win the WWF Light Heavyweight Title
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Post by darbicus on Nov 9, 2022 18:10:27 GMT 1
WWF King of the Ring June 8, 1997 Providence Civic Center Providence, RI
*Free-For-All: Scott Putski d. Bart Gunn by Pinfall Second generation star Scott Putski had made his debut in the Royal Rumble earlier in the year, but injuries had largely kept him off TV until this point. He made a successful return in the Free For All, pinning Bart Gunn following a Polish Hammer.
*Mankind d. Jerry "The King" Lawler by Submission in a King of the Ring Quarterfinal Match The fan favorite turn of the Deranged Mankind continued with this match against Jerry Lawler. The King attempted to target the knee and ankle of Mankind, which had been damaged in a match on Raw against Vader, but was unable to gain a significant advantage as he applied the Mandible Claw to the King and picked up the win.
*The British Bulldog d. Goldust w/Marlena by Pinfall in a King of the Ring Quarterfinal Match The British Bulldog had regained the European Title after Shawn Michaels "no-showed" an event where he was supposed to defend it, but the title would not be on the line in this match with Goldust. The Bulldog and the Bizarre One had a highly competitive match, which saw Goldust nearly get the fall with his Sleeper Hold. However Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart was on hand to distract the referee, followed by Bulldog low blowing Goldust before hitting the Running Powerslam to pick up the victory and advance.
*Vader & Ahmed Johnson Wrestled to a Time Limit Draw in a King of the Ring Quarterfinal Match The previous month had seen two big hosses of the WWF fight in Vader and Ahmed Johnson, with the match ending in a Double Countout. This match was similar as both men beat seven layers of tar off the other. In the end, neither man could get a significant advantage inside the Time Limit, resulting in a Draw and both men being eliminated from the tournament.
*Hunter Hearst Helmsley w/Chyna d. Rocky Maivia by Pinfall in a King of the Ring Quarterfinal Match The final match of the Quarterfinal round saw Hunter Hearst Helmsley gain a measure of revenge against Rocky Maivia for his loss of the Intercontinental Title earlier in the year. Despite Rocky's best efforts, and even hitting his Shoulderbreaker finisher on Helmsley, The Blueblood nailed the Blue Chipper with a Pedigree to score the pinfall and advance to the finals of the tournament, due to the bye created by the results of Vader vs. Ahmed Johnson.
*The Great Sasuke d. Hayabusa by Pinfall to Retain the WWF Light Heavyweight Title Two Japanese imports, including the recently crowned Light Heavyweight Champion The Great Sasuke, had a banger of a match for the title. It was a back and forth affair with neither man giving an inch, including Hayabusa breaking out the impressive Phoenix Splash to the champion. In the end Sasuke scored the pinfall after a lengthy match with a Bridging Tiger Suplex, though both men received a standing ovation after the match was over.
*Mankind d. The British Bulldog by Disqualification in a King of the Ring Semifinal Match The Bulldog was stymied by the Deranged Mankind in the early going, before turning his focus to the already injured knee and ankle of Mankind. Despite targeting the injured leg, Bulldog couldn't force Mankind to submit. Foley eventually made a comeback, even hooking the European Champion in the Mandible Claw. However The Anvil became involved and drilled Mankind in the back with a chair, resulting in a disqualification victory. Mankind no sold the shot and attacked the Anvil, but the 2 on 1 began, ending with Bulldog and Anvil mimicking what Steve Austin had done with Brian Pillman months earlier, putting Mankind's ankle in a chair and smashing it to the ground, leaving his participation in the Finals of the tournament in question.
*The Undertaker d. Faarooq Asad by Pinfall to Retain the WWF Championship Following his match with Steve Austin, the Undertaker was looking for a new challenger to his title. He issued an open challenge to anyone on the roster looking to step up to the Deadman, and the challenge was issued by Faarooq of the Nation of Domination. Faarooq blamed racism in the WWF for keeping the "title off the waist of a worthy black man" and vowed to defeat the champion and win the belt. Faarooq attempted to use the Nation to beat down the champion, but the Phenom easily mowed through most of the faceless members of the group, as well as chokeslamming D'Lo Brown right out of his shoes. Faarooq did have moments of offense, and even hit the Dominator on the champion, but the Phenom kicked out and then proceeded to defeat Faarooq with a Tombstone Piledriver, picking up the victory.
*Dude Love d. Hunter Hearst Helmsley w/Chyna by Pinfall to Win the King of the Ring Tournament Before the match began it was announced that Mankind would be unable to compete due to his leg injury sustainted in the semifinal match. However, instead of Helmsley simply being crowned King of the Ring via forefit, he would face a replacement opponent. The opponent turned out to be "Dude Love", an alter-ego of Mick Foley who, despite walking with the ankle injury, appeared to be little worse for wear. Helmsley collected himself and attacked the ankle of Dude Love, though was unable to do much more damage to it. The match went back and forth, with Dude even punching out Chyna when she attempted to hit him in the back of the head with the Women's Title. Dude locked in his version of a Mandible Claw on Helmsley, only for Helmsley to kick him low when Chyna had the referee distracted. An attempt at a Pedigree failed though, as Dude Love backdropped Helmsley out of the move and then hit a Double Arm DDT to pick up the victory and become the King of the Ring.
*Shawn Michaels & Stone Cold Steve Austin d. Bret "The Hitman" Hart & Owen Hart by Disqualification to Retain the World Tag Team Titles The night after the last In Your House show, the unlikely duo of Shawn Michaels and Stone Cold Steve Austin had won the World Tag Team Titles from Owen Hart and The British Bulldog. Despite this, Austin and Michaels could scarcely co-exist, and when Austin beat Michaels on an episode of Raw, Michaels seemingly took his ball and went home, failing to defend his European Title while also threatening to no-show this tag team title defense. Michaels did actually show up for this match against Bret and Owen, if for no other reason than to get his hands on the Hitman. Michaels and Hart didn't interact very much, as the dysfunction between the champions was obvious from the outset, almost to the point where they were fighting with each other. In the end though Michaels got a hot tag from Austin and took down both the Hitman and Owen, nearly pinning the King of Harts following a cross body from the top. The rest of the Hart Foundation came out and attacked the champions, resulting in a disqualification victory for them. However they were saved by a cadre of babyfaces, namely the Legion of Doom, Goldust and Ken Shamrock.
Off-Camera Title Change: June 9: Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart & Brian Pillman d. Stone Cold Steve Austin & Shawn Michaels by Pinfall to Win the World Tag Team Titles June 23: Goldust d. The British Bulldog by Pinfall to win the European Title |
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Post by darbicus on Nov 10, 2022 3:04:53 GMT 1
WWF In Your House 16: Canadian Stampede July 6, 1997 Canadian Airlines Saddledome Calgary, Alberta, Canada
*Free-For-All: The Disciples of Apocalypse [8-Ball & Skull] d. Los Boricuas [Savio Vega & Miguel Perez, Jr.] by Pinfall The Disciples of Apocalypse had returned to the WWF in recent weeks, and in this Free-For-All match they reestablished some degree of dominance by defeating Los Boricuas relatively easily.
*Hunter Hearst Helmsley w/Chyna d. Mankind by Pinfall Triple H was taking on the winner of the King of the Ring (though Mankind insisted it was Dude Love who had won the King of the Ring tournament and not himself) in an attempt to avenge his loss. Like their King of the Ring match, Helmsley and Foley were able to go back and forth quite a bit, with neither man able to gain an advantage for very long. In the end it was Chyna who got involved, hitting Foley with a low blow behind the referee's back that allowed Triple H to hit a Pedigree and score the pinfall.
*The Great Sasuke d. Taka Michinoku by Pinfall to Retain the WWF Light Heavyweight Title Two highly skilled Japanese light heavyweights went for the gold in this match, as the youngster Taka Michinoku took on his mentor The Great Sasuke. Similar to the match between Sasuke and Hayabusa the month before, this fast-paced, high flying matchup was a back and forth affair that got the crowd really into the encounter. Taka attempted to hit the Michinoku Driver, but Sasuke countered and hit a Tiger Suplex in order to pick up the win and retain the title.
*The Godwinns [Henry & Phineas Godwinn] w/Zeb Colter d. The Headbangers [Mosh & Thrasher] by Pinfall The Godwinns success had continued in recent weeks, especially since they had hired Zeb Colter to be their new manager. Against the former tag team champions The Headbangers, the Godwinns were able to defeat them despite Mosh and Thrasher's unorthodox offense making it a difficult match. Henry pinned Mosh following a Slop Drop.
*Faarooq & D'Lo Brown w/Kama d. Ahmed Johnson & Rocky Maivia by Pinfall This match which saw Ahmed rekindle his feud with the Nation of Domination never really got off the ground, as he was betrayed by his tag team partner Rocky Maivia. The 3rd generation star turned on the Pearl River Powerhouse, joining the Nation in the process.
*The Undertaker d. Vader w/Jim Cornette by Pinfall to Retain the WWF Championship The night after King of the Ring, Vader had approached the Undertaker and asked to receive his rematch from Wrestlemania. Despite Jim Cornette's bravado, Vader acted more respectful to the Deadman and simply wished to prove that he was still "The Man." The match between the two behemoths was similar to their Wrestlemania encounter, though when Cornette attempted to interfere, Vader told him off and sent him to the back, wanting to beat the Undertaker on his own. Though Vader did hit a Powerbomb on Undertaker and nearly scored a three count, he failed in this endeavor. Instead Taker finished him off with a Tombstone Piledriver, retaining the title again.
*Bret "The Hitman" Hart, Owen Hart, The British Bulldog, Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart, Brian Pillman, Doug Furnas & Phil LaFon d. Shawn Michaels, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Goldust, Ken Shamrock, Hawk, Animal & The Patriot in a 7 on 7 Elimination Tag Match The Hart Foundation had challenged Austin & Michaels to put together a 7 man team to take on the Hart Foundation and the duo of Furnas & LaFon (who had become loosely aligned with the group) in Bret Hart's hometown of Calgary. - Ken Shamrock d. Phil LaFon by Submission - Brian Pillman d. Goldust by Pinfall - Animal d. Doug Furnas by Pinfall - Hawk & Animal were Disqualified
- Bret Hart d. The Patriot by Pinfall - Stone Cold Steve Austin d. Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart by Pinfall - Shawn Michaels d. Brian Pillman by Pinfall - Shawn Michaels Was Counted Out - The British Bulldog d. Ken Shamrock by Pinfall - Owen Hart d. Stone Cold Steve Austin by Pinfall Survivors: Bret Hart, Owen Hart & The British Bulldog
Off-Camera Title Change: July 14: The Godwinns d. Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart & Brian Pillman by Pinfall |
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