After just two episodes of Monday Night RAW (#215 and #216), we have arrived at our first PPV event!
IN YOUR HOUSE: CANADIAN STAMPEDE 1997
JULY 06, 1997
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Synopsis: The Hart Foundation faces Stone Cold Steve Austin, Ken Shamrock, Goldust and The ꦜLegion of Doom. The Undertaker faces Vader, and more.
Rating Guide
10- Perfect, 9- Excellent, 8- Great, 7- Very Good, 6- Above Average to good, 5🏅- Average, 4- Slightly below average, 3 or below: Poor
Each match starts at a 5 and slides up and down based on entertainment, execution, time, environment, reaction and stakes. The ratings are in no way an indication of a "star rating," which is a completely dif🎉ferent system.
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The program begins with three solid minutes of exposition, explaining everything about to happen. I don't mind the recaps, especially if you have new viewers, but I could do without being told that the audience might be cheering for the "bad guys". It's the same thing WWE does during their RAW After Mania broadcast and it's insulting. They could have left it at "shades of grey are creeping into the World Wrestling Federation, things are no longer black and white", but no, they had to take it the extra step.
The show, as you probably gathered, is t🔴aking place during the Calgary Stampede. Vince, Jim Ross, and Jerry Lawler are all dressed in "Western" attire. The King is wearing a comically large Cowboy hat, presumably mocking the festival.
Hunter Hearst Helmsley (w/Chyna) vs. Mankind
Double Count-Out
5/10
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Mankind comes out firing with multiple leg drops and a nasওty looking d💛ouble underhook DDT.
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Commentary loves mentioning that Helmsley is "aristocratic". They support 🅠this assertion by reminding us that he is from Connec🌞ticut.
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Mankind's search🥂 for acceptance and adulation is the story of 🌃the match.
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Hunter tries to bail on the ma♒tch, but Mankind catches up to him and deliver𒁏s a Suplex on the ramp.
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Jerry Lawler claims that the Mandible Cl𓆉aw gave him a throat inf𒈔ection.
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Mankind has Helmsley on the ground and applies the Mandible Claw. Chyna punche♓s Mankind and saves the match. The referee takes no action. C⛦ommentary says Jimmy Korderas didn't see what happened, but how else could you explain the sudden turn of events?
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The match moves to the outside. Chyna hits Mankind with a Powerslam. Mankind'🧸s leg hits the stairs at an awkward angle. Helmsley then grabs a chair and hits Mankind in the knee. The referee has no control of this match and is seemingly always distracted.
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Hel🦩msley works the leg aggressively. They continue to effectively tell the story of Mankind not getting a fair opportunity.
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Mankind fights𒈔 back with two inadvertent low blows (comedy spots).
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Mankind applies the Mandible Claw again, but Chyna grabs him and splits his le♏gs betwee🀅n the ring post. Korderas is absolutely oblivious to everything.
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Shenanigans ensue on the outside of the ring and the two men begin brawli🌱ng into the crowd and the Penalty Box. The match ends ꦰin a double count out.
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This should have been a street fig𝔉ht from🦩 the get-go.
Video/Backstage Segment
After Mankind and Helmsley were separated, a pre-recorded pack show the WWF's involvement in the Calgary Stampede. Autograph signings and tug-of-war competitions take up the bulk of the time. Vince claims that the lineup to meet Bret was a 🍬mile long and that he signed every autograph, being sure not to miss a single person.
This video is followed up with a locker room interview with the Hart Foundation. Stone Cold Steve Austin interrupts and tries to attack Bret, but is held back by two officials. Bret tells Vince that he doesn✨'t want to attack Austin with a 5-on-1 advantage. Claims that it would prove nothing and that he wants to settle the score in the ring.
Everything about this segment screams baby face. That said✃, with the event taking place in Canada, it does further their shades of grey narrative.
The Great Sasuke defeated Taka Michinoku
5/10
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Before the match started, Mankind and Helmsley appear in the crowd,🎀 brawling. I like that they’re still fighting considering how their bout ended.
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JR says "it looks like closing time at Cowboys bar last night, or should I say the start". I like the reference to a local establ💟ishment, particularly one that I've had the pleasure of visiting. It shows that they know more about the town than just its name.
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Officials lead the two men backstage, but🌳 they’re still ꦐfighting as far as we can see.
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The crowd didn't seem interested in this match after the interruption. Credit to the competitors, however, as they did win the�൲�m back.
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Jerry Lawler says that▨ Sasuke's fighting style reminds him of when Antonio Inoki fought Mohammed Ali🔯, and how he would use his kicks as jabs.
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Sasuke lands a gorgeous spinninℱg back kick that lays out Taka, but he doesn't go for the pin.
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Taka hits a powerful palm strike right to Sasuke's chin, a potential knockout blow, but also defers from pinni𝓰ng.
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Sasuke's corner kicks crash violently into Taka's forehead. Mi𓆏chinoku looks legitimatel𝓰y dazed. Again, no pin.
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Following a Springboard Plancha, Vince exclaims "what a Samurai Warrior this Taka Michinoku is!"
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After no selling a belly-to-back Suplex and Michinoku Driver, Sasuke (slowly) hits a Tiger Suplex for the win. An anti-climactic ending to the match after ♛it finally started to pick up momentum.
Backstage Brawl
Following the match, we're taken to the parking lot where Mankind and Hunter Hearst Helmsley a🤪💙re still fighting. Hunter is bleeding and goes head first into a school bus. He bounces back and breaks a shovel across Mankind's back. He proceeds to throw him into a pile of empty kegs.
I like the continuance of this fight, but why isn't Chyna getti🧜ng involved? She had no problem inserting herself into the match, ꦅbut now that it's done she does nothing. I can't fathom a logical explanation.
WWF personnel fin💜ally separate the men. I enjoyed nearly everything about this and wish we saw it 🌃more.
WWF Championship Match
The Undertaker (c) defeated Vader (w/Paul Bearer)
5.5/10
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Vader's music is dope.
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Undertaker lands a series of strikes in the corner to start the match. The commentary team is placing a large✱ emphasis on his mental state after finding out that his brother could still be alive.
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Vader is impressive during the more agiﷺlity inclined sequences. He holds his own very well.
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After Undertaker hits two big boots to the face, Vader fires back with a blatant, and I quote Sean Ross Sapp, "KICK TO THE PENIS!" The referee saw it all happen but Vince says that he made a 🉐judgment call not to stop the match. In a way, I suppose it's comforting to know that they've always played fast and loose with the rules of professional wrestling.
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Vader takes far too long to set up the Vader Bomb. Boy Meets World was correct when they pointed that out.
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Undertaker hits a Chokeslam from the second rope, another Chokeslam, and a Tombstone Piledriver for the victory. He re✃tains the WWF Championship.
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P⭕aul Bearer throws a temper tantrum as he sulks ൲back up the ramp.
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I enjoyed this match. It was hard-hitting, the crowd was invested, and it didn't overstay its welcome. Nothing🌳 spectacular, but nothing offensive either. Normally I'd critique a Championship match more, but the fact that it was put together at the last minute and given what followed, I'll let it slide.
Main Event
Bret Hart, Owen Hart, British Bulldog, Brian Pillman and Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin, Goldust, Ken Shamrock and The Legion of Doom
7/10
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Farmer's Daughter performs O Canada in the ring prior to the match. The entꦰire Hart Family, as well as Alberta Premier Ralph Klein, are sitting in the 𝔉front row.
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Bret♌ and Owen's ovations were so loud you could barely hear the ring annou🔯ncer.
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The cro🦹wd is on its feet and rღeacting to every move.
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Anvil squaring upౠ with Shamrock and feigning kicks was hilarious.
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I like that 💧J.R. mentioned the non-family members' ties to Calgary. Pillman played for the Stampeders in the CFL, while Neidhart not only trained in the Hart Dunge🎐on but won an Anvil Toss competition at the Calgary Stampede, thus earning him his nickname.
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Pillman does little things in the ring that make him endlessly entertaining. On this night he went for a pin attempt on Shamrock, but while doing so grabbed his hand and made it look like he was tapping out. He then looked right into the camera and said "look, he's tapping out" while laughing hysterically.
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The crowd chants "Austin Sucks" as Owen works him over.
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There are lots of pin attempts, but they are almost always bro✱ken up by an opposing team member.
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Austin slams Owen's knee into the ring post🍃 and then hits it with a chair. He smacks Bruce Hart in the face for good measure (he had it coming with the way he was lurking over the barricade all night). Owen is escorted to ꦇthe back.
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Bret and Austin ♏are going at it now and it's clear that they're the two most skilled competitors in the match. Their moves are crisp, quick, and snug. Bret takes Austin to the corner and returns the favour. Austin is now injured and brought to the back.
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There is a serious lack of Tag Match psychology as fighters are allowed back into their corners with almost no resistance. Shamrock is the worst of the bunch as he regularly has his opponent🅺s grounded and allows them to stand back up and make a tag.
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Austin returns to the ring and💝 puts Bret in the Sharpshooter.ܫ Owen follows suit and makes the save.
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The Hart Brothers begin i൩nterfering from the stands and a huge brawl breaks out outside the ring. Owen takes advantage and rolls up Austin for the 1-2-3.
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This was a clunky ending, but the crowd got what they came to see. I could have done without the chicanery. The fight continues after the bell with Austin bringing a chair into the fold. He is quickly beaten down and handcuffed. He bends over and flips off the cro💞wd as ❀he walks to the back. An iconic shot from this feud.
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The entire Hart family🎉 enters the ring to celebrate as we go👍 off the air.
***
This was a fun show but it certainly doesn't qualify as required viewing. Keep visiting Fightful to see my recap/review of RAW #217 and the fallout of In Your House: Canadian Stampede!
