WWF In Your House - Ground Zero (Version II)

Original Airdate: September 7, 1997

 

From Louisville, Kentucky; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon, Jim Ross, and Jerry Lawler

 

Opening Indecent Proposal Match: Goldust v Brian Pillman: If Goldust wins, Pillman has to leave the WWF. If Pillman wins, he gets Goldust's valet/wife Marlena for thirty days. Goldust attacks on the outside to kick start the match, and he continues to dominate on the way inside. Clothesline and a ten-punch count leave Brian begging off, but Pillman manages to choke Goldust to turn the tide back. They went back to the red/white/blue ropes for this show, and it's a really weird look since the rest of the colors are the Attitude Era style ones. Pillman goes after Marlena on the outside, but Goldust saves by dropping him onto the steps, so Brian tries a bulldog on the way back in, but gets dropped crotch-first across the ropes. Pillman bails, but Goldust is on him with a suplex on the ramp, and he crotches Brian again on the post. Inside, Goldust works the leg, but his own attempt at a bulldog gets blocked, and Brian backdrops him. Pillman works a reverse chinlock, but Goldust powers into an electric chair to escape, so Brian goes to the top, but Goldust crotches him. Was Bruce Hart booking this show? No, of course not, he'd be going over Bret for the world title, if that was the case. Goldust dumps him to the outside to let Marlena slap him around a bit, but Brian blocks a superplex on the way back in - only to miss a 2nd rope dropkick. That allows Goldust to hit the Curtain Call, but the referee gets bumped in the process, so no count. Marlena tries to interfere, but it backfires on Goldust, and Brian scores the pin at 11:08. Nothing special, but much better than the SummerSlam match, mostly because Pillman didn't look like every little movement was agonizingly painful for him. Lawler is practically giddy about all the raping Brian will be doing for the next thirty days. ** (Original rating: * ½)

 

Brian Christopher v Scott Putski: Brian tries a charge, but Putski dodges, and hiptosses him. Dropkick sends Brian over the top, and he regroups out there for a bit. Inside, Brian tries a headlock, but Putski easily fights him off - only to have another hiptoss attempt countered with a short-clothesline. Brian uses a bodyslam to set up a dive, but Putski gut-punches him to block, and delivers a rana for two. Brian comes back with a full-nelson legsweep facebuster, but he wastes time playing to the crowd, and Putski fires off some clotheslines. Bodyslam, but Brian manages a counter with a German suplex, and he dumps Scott to the outside for a plancha. That one almost got away from him there, but it worked out. Or maybe not, as Putski suffers a legitimate leg injury, preventing him from beating the count in at 4:38. This was going along fine, but the finish really hurt it. * ½ (Original rating: ¾*)

 

Triple Threat Match: Faarooq v Crush v Savio Vega: First fall wins it. As clarified by the handy, on-screen rules before the bell. Hard to believe there was ever a time when they had to explain the rules to a Triple Threat, but it was still a pretty new concept for mainstream in 1997. Crush charges in to attack Vega, but Faarooq quickly helps Savio fight him off, and they double up on Crush for a bit, until he manages to clothesline them both. Corner charge misses, allowing Vega a schoolboy for two, broken up by Faarooq. Faarooq gives Crush a low blow to get rid of him for a bit, and a spinebuster on Vega gets him two. Backdrop, but Savio counters with a facebuster for two, broken up by Crush. The crowd is actively ignoring this match, with tons of empty seats visible, and people heading for the bathrooms in droves. You'd think that would be a good enough message for them to drop this angle, but nope, the stupid Gang Warz went on for months after this. Three-way slugfest is won by Crush, but Vega spinkicks him, then runs into a boot while charging Faarooq. There's just no flow here, no story being told. Crush dumps Faarooq to the outside so he can isolate Savio in a chinlock. Way to make the most of that opportunity, stinky. Faarooq dives off the top to break it up, and he covers Crush for two. He does the bit where he pounds Crush but gets dropped with an electric chair, but Vega dives in to cover him for two before Crush can. Savio tries a ten-punch on Crush, but gets fought off with an inverted atomic drop, and Faarooq covers Vega himself for two. Faarooq tries a backdrop, but Vega counters with a swinging neckbreaker for two, even with Faarooq rolling the wrong way in taking the move. Crush and Faarooq decide to team up (since that worked out so well for them in the past?), but it falls apart after literally one venture, and Faarooq hits him with a backbreaker for two. Crush delivers his own backbreaker for two, so Faarooq returns fire with a powerslam for two. Please excuse me if I'm making any of this sound exciting. Crush tries a spike piledriver with Vega, but promptly turns on Savio, and sets up the heart punch on Faarooq himself. He delivers it, but then Vega returns to spinheel kick him before he can cover, and Savio scores the pin on Crush at 11:39. What a mess. ¼* (Original rating: ¾*)

 

Max Mini v El Torito: It always bugged me that they used full sized referees for these matches. Max sticks and moves to start, managing to dump Torito to the outside with a headscissors, then dives after him. Torito manages to power him down on the way back in, however, and a bodyslam sets up a somersault senton splash, but Max dodges. He sinks his teeth into a wristlock, so Torito sinks his teeth into Max, and then literally kicks his ass for a bit. Avalanche misses, however, and Max goes back to the wristlock. They stop to suddenly do a bunch of comedy spots revolving around biting, and Torito ends up in control following another slam. Max fights back with a rana into a splash for two, so Torito powerbombs him for two. Backdrop, but Max counters with a sunset flip for two, so Torito cradles for two. Big clothesline takes Max's head off, but another one misses, and Max makes a comeback. Torito ends up on the outside, with Max diving after him with a springboard moonsault press, and he delivers a flying headscissors on the way back in. Sunset flip finishes Torito at 9:11. This wasn't terrible, but it was having an identity crisis, unable to decide if it wanted to be a serious match with smaller workers, or a typical midget comedy deal. * ½ (Original rating: ¼*)

 

WWF Commissioner Sgt. Slaughter brings out WWF Tag Team Champions Dude Love and Steve Austin (who is also the reigning Intercontinental champion) to surrender the titles, as Austin had suffered a legit career-threatening neck injury at SummerSlam, and was out of action. Dude surrenders it, but Austin doesn't like the idea of giving up something he bled for, and throws the title at Slaughter (what is this, a restaurant in Chinatown?), then stuns Jim Ross for good measure. I hated Austin as a kid (it took me until after WrestleMania XIV to warm up to him), because I agreed with Bret Hart's character that he was an instigating piece of shit (I'm paraphrasing) - though the sea of 'Austin 3:16' shirts in the crowd indicate that I was in the clear minority. Bits like this really exemplified the new direction of the WWF (and early days of 'Attitude') as if someone had behaved like Austin had only a couple of years before - they would be clear heels, and not embraced by the fans for doing something like Stunning Jim Ross, and flipping literally everyone off. This was a strong segment, but probably should have been on RAW. And probably would have been, were this not the first three hour In Your House

 

WWF Tag Team Title Fatal Four-Way Elimination Match: Davey Boy Smith and Owen Hart v The Godwinns v The Legion of Doom v The Headbangers: Winners get the now vacant title. Henry Godwinn starts with Thrasher, and he pounds on him for a bit, but gets caught in a schoolboy when Thrasher ups the tempo. Tags made to Phineas Godwinn and Mosh, and Mosh wins a criss cross with a hiptoss, and he armdrags Phineas into an armbar. Back to Thrasher to nail Phineas with a 2nd rope clothesline, and he passes to Animal to hit Phineas with a fistdrop. Phineas bails to regroup, and manages to force Animal into the Godwinn corner on the way back in, allowing for a double team with Henry. Henry tags in to work a front-facelock, but Animal powers free, and Henry bails - Hawk meeting him on the floor with a slap! Dust settles on Animal and Mosh, and Animal powerslams him, then passes to Hawk to blast him with a flying clothesline. Tags made to Bulldog and Phineas, and Davey takes a cheap shot during a test-of-strength, and passes to Owen to dive in. Unfortunately for Hart, he gets into trouble in the Godwinn corner, and Henry press-slams him for two. Backdrop, but Hart counters with a leg-feed enzuigiri, and passes to Animal - who promptly goes sailing over the top after missing a charge. The Godwinns work Animal over in their corner, but he fights them off long enough for the tag to Hawk, and Roseanne Barr the door. Doomsday Device, but the Godwinns brings the slop bucket in - only for it to backfire on them, and the LOD to get disqualified over it at 9:15. Despite the DQ, the LOD continue to beat the piss out of the Godwinns with the weapon, allowing the Headbangers to double up on Phineas as things settle back down. They work him over with combos, but a cheap shot from Henry turns the tide, and now the Godwinns work Thrasher over. Whose brilliant idea was it to book the best team in the match to stand on the apron for most of it? The Godwinns try another double team, but Mosh interferes, and Thrasher puts Henry away with a sunset flip at 12:16. Owen rushes right in to attack the battered Thrasher, however, delivering a gutwrench suplex and a legdrop right away. The Hart Foundation cut the ring in half on Thrasher, until Smith collides with him for a double knockout, and Mosh gets the hot tag - Roseanne Barr the door! Bulldog crotches Thrasher on the top to prevent a combo, allowing Owen to go for the Sharpshooter, but Steve Austin runs in - nailing Hart with the Stunner, and allowing Mosh the pin at 16:51. This felt really long for what they were bringing to the table here, and would have been a lot better at under ten minutes. * ½ (Original rating: ½*)

 

WWF Title Match: Bret Hart v Patriot: Poor Bret always seemed to play second fiddle whenever he'd get the WWF Title, though never was it more pronounced than this reign. Hart attacks before the bell, pounding Patriot into the corner, and ropeburning him. Side suplex sets up a headbutt drop to the groin, and he ties the challenger in a tree of woe for some abuse. Cross corner whip, but Patriot reverses, and drills the Hitman with a clothesline on the rebound. Dropkick connects, and another clothesline knocks Hart over the top. Bret stalls, but an attempt at sneak attacking the challenger is met with a series of armdrags, and the Hitman ends up in an armbar. Patriot works the arm for a while, until Bret is able to fire off a shot at the knee, allowing the champion to go to work on the leg. And since it's 1997, that means the ring post figure four is part of the deal. As I always note, points for creativity, but I've never liked that move. Bret delivers a Russian legsweep for two as Davey Boy Smith shows up at ringside, and a backbreaker leads to a vertical suplex - only for Patriot to reverse! Patriot makes a comeback, and hooks a sunset flip for two. DDT gets two, so Bulldog trips him up as he runs the ropes, and Hart rolls him up for two. Patriot shoves Bret into Bulldog to prevent more interference, and a schoolboy gets him two. Uncle Slam gets two when Bulldog pulls Bret out, so Vader marches down to back his fellow American up, and Bret ends up getting run into the steps out there. The referee shows leniency, however, not calling for the DQ, but booting both interfering guys. Back in, Patriot hits a big boot, and a bodyslam sets up the Patriot Missile for two. Atomic drop into a side suplex gets two, but Bret ducks a headbutt, and drops him with a hotshot. That allows the Hitman a bulldog to set up a 2nd rope pointed elbowdrop for two, and he unloads in the corner, but the challenger turns the tables. Uncle Slam connects, but Bret is in the ropes at two, and a criss cross sees them collide for a double knockout. Hart is up first and tries a rollup, but Patriot hooks the ropes to block. Hitman with a small package instead, reversed by Patriot for two. Patriot cross corner whips him to set up his own sharpshooter, as the announcers talk about how crazy it is that Bret might lose the WWF Title to his own signature hold. But then Bret reverses it on him before that can happen, and Patriot submits at 19:20, despite being pretty close to the ropes. No wonder no one took this guy seriously. This got really good during the last third, but felt very low key for a pay per view effort most of the way. But then, I've never been a big fan of Bret's heel matches to begin with. The layout of the match also felt right out of the mid-late 2000s, definitely more than the 90s. *** (Original rating: * ¼)

 

Main Event: Undertaker v Shawn Michaels: Undertaker takes out the referee right away, so Shawn decides to walk out on the match because of an unsafe working environment, but Sgt. Slaughter cuts him off, and sends him back. Undertaker responds by throwing the downed referee AT him, so Shawn runs up the ramp, but Undertaker stalks after him for a press-slam on the stage. Undertaker chucks him into the house set next, and a big shot sends Michaels careening down the ramp back to ringside. Undertaker keeps stalking after him for a shot into the steps, and he chokes Shawn with some cable, before sending him flying into an announce table with a big right hand. Another knocks Shawn into the rail, and Undertaker takes him inside, though there's no referee in sight. Undertaker doesn't care, continuing to tee off on Michaels, with Shawn doing his usual brilliant job of selling everything. Cross corner whip sends Shawn flipping over the top, as Slaughter shows up with another referee. Michaels tries forfeiting the match then and there, but Undertaker warns the referee that he'd better not allow that to happen. That allows HBK to sneak in with a clip to the knee as the match officially starts, and he corners Undertaker for a ten-punch, but Undertaker keeps shrugging him off. Chokeslam, but Michaels manages to kick the leg to block - only to have a flying axehandle blocked on him. Undertaker clotheslines him over the top, so Shawn tries a slingshot sunset flip back in, but Undertaker blocks, and tosses him across the ring with a choke. Corner whip ends in Shawn getting crotched on the top, and Undertaker pounds him down for two. Undertaker goes after the arm, but a ropewalk forearm ends in him getting crotched, and Shawn pounds until he falls out of the ring. Michaels stays on him with a baseball slide, but Undertaker catches a plancha, and runs him into the post a few times. It's interesting how similar Shawn's gear here is to the Diesel match at Good Friends Better Enemies (if not the very same), so I guess that's his brawling pants. Inside, Undertaker stays on the back with a backdrop for two, but Shawn counters a second one with a neckbreaker. He thinks he's bought himself a breather, but Undertaker sits right up, so Shawn grabs a chair to defend himself - only to have it booted back in his face. Undertaker picks up the weapon, but the pesky referee pulls it away, allowing Shawn to dropkick him down. Michaels with some mounted punches to set up a pair of flying elbowdrops for two, as Rick Rude shows up to pass HBK a set of knux. Michaels clobbers Undertaker with the weapon, but the referee is down, so no count. Another official runs down to count, but only two, so Shawn beats him up out of frustration. And also because he's an asshole. Shawn dumps Undertaker to the outside, where Hunter Hearst Helmsley and Chyna are waiting to attack him, and we get some tripled teaming as the referee's play dead. Yeah, but where's Slaughter? Fat, lazy bastard. The triple teaming goes on for a bit too long, before Undertaker tries coming back with a Tombstone, but Michaels counters to the Superkick - only for Undertaker to block. Undertaker unloads in the corner, and steals the knux away from him to hit a big knockout blow. Cover, and the dazed referee gives us a dramatic two count. Undertaker responds by chokeslamming the official, and he nails Shawn with a jumping clothesline - just as another referee runs in to throw the match out at 16:07 (22:17 total). I thought it went on for a bit too long (especially in the last section), but this was one hell of a brawl, and a great lead in for the first Hell in a Cell match the following month. *** ½ (Original rating: *** ¼)

 

BUExperience: In the era of the two hour In Your House, the top two matches would have been enough to carry this. Not so much in the three hour era.

 

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