It's Sunday, May 14th, 1995. Crimson Tide is the #1 movie in America. Montell Jordan is teaching us how we do it. And in the world of the WWF, the company was beginning a new experiment. This experiment was In Your House, a shift to monthly pay per views. Unlike the big five at the time (Royal Rumble, Wrestlemania, King of the Ring, Summerslam and Survivor Series), these PPVs would be both shorter (clocking in at roughly 2 hours) and cheaper (initial price of $14.95). The inaugural event was held in the Onondaga County War Memorial in Syracuse, New York. The attendance was 7,000 to a surprisingly good 0.83 buyrate.
So, what's been going on since Wrestlemania XI? In terms of the title picture, Diesel is still the WWF Champion. He offered a rematch to Shawn Michaels with the caveat of Sid being taken out of the picture. Shawn agreed to these terms, which angered Sid. Sid would attack Michaels and powerbomb the Heartbreak Kid right out of the WWF. Due to this, Sid would go on a tear, taking out the likes of Razor Ramon and Bam Bam Bigelow, until the newest member of the Million Dollar Corporation would earn himself a title opportunity. Tonight, Sid will get his shot against Diesel for the championship.
Bret Hart has been dealing with several foes lately. First is his longest foe, Jerry Lawler, and the other is Hakushi. This all started with Jerry Lawler making claims that Bret was racist to Japanese people. This made Bret the target of the "Japanese Kamikaze". Lawler, being so confident that Hakushi would take out Bret, offered the Hitman a contract for a match. So, Bret works double duty on this event. If he can survive Hakushi, he'll get his hands on the king.
In other news, the tag team champions Owen Hart and Yokozuna defend the WWF Tag Titles against The Smoking Gunns, Razor Ramon faces both Jeff Jarrett and the Roadie in a handicap match, as well as Adam Bomb taking on Mabel in the first qualifier for the King of the Ring tournament. But the main attraction, and the reason for the "In Your House" name is that the WWF is the giveaway of a house in Florida. So, for a first card for the inaugural In Your House card, this actually sounds pretty decent. Are the matches good enough to confirm that? Let's find out.
Opening action for In Your House is Hakushi vs Bret Hart. We recap the March 25th Superstars where Hakushi attacked Bret while he was being interviewed by Japanese media. I also want to note that I love the set for In Your House with the big house stage and the video tron looking like a window. Really fits this era of wrestling. Bret is interviewed by Todd Pettengill who dedicates his match to his mother and says that Lawler is next after he defeats Hakushi.
Both men lock up early on. Headlock by Hakushi. Bret escapes, but Hakushi pulls a cartwheel out to avoid an attack from Bret. A lock up is met with a hairpull by Hakushi. Bret kips up. Bret tries a clothesline, but Hakushi avoids and hits a shoulder block. Cover for two. Arm bar by Hakushi as "USA" chants slowly break (for a match between a Japanese man and a Canadian). Bret turns the offense around and manages a shoulder block and an elbow to the back of the head. Hiptosses by Bret, which forces a timeout for Hakushi.
Hakushi tries to sneak attack, but Bret is quick to catch him. However, Hakushi still takes him down with strikes. He tries to ram Bret into the buckle, but Bret turns it around. Whip by Bret is turned into a hard whip to the buckle that hits Bret sternum first. We see Jerry Lawler backstage enjoying the damage to Bret. Hakushi takes Bret to the corner with a choke and stomps him down. Bronco Buster by Hakushi, slamming groin-first into Bret in the corner. Hakushi takes some time to gloaf as he goes back for offense. Bret tries to regain momentum, but gets tossed through the ropes. With the ref distracted, Shinja gets in some stomps on the outside.
Hard whip to the buckle by Hakushi who follows with a choke hold as Shinja distracts the referee. The ref gets distracted again as Shinja gets a choke in. Chops by Hakushi followed by a hard whip to the corner and a handspring elbow. Bret tries to come back, but Hakushi counters. Bret tries a backbreaker, but Hakushi spins out and lands one of his own. Hakushi goes to the top rope and lands a headbutt from over halfway across the ring. Cover gets a two. He goes to the apron and attempts a springboard splash, but Bret avoids it.
Bret lays in some rights to Hakushi and a shot to the sternum, setting up the patented Russian leg sweep. Cover gets two. He follows with a big bulldog for a two count. Backbreaker by Bret followed by the elbow drop. He sets up the Sharpshooter, but Shinja tries to get in the ring. Bret goes after Shinja as Hakushi tries a sneak attack. He gets an inverse atomic drop and a massive clothesline for his troubles. Hakushi appears to be out cold, which allows Bret to tie him in the ropes and go for some striikes. He tries a clothesline, but Shinja trips the leg.
Bret, tired of the interference, dives through the ropes and attacks Shinja, taking him out. When he gets back in the ring, Hakushi hits him with a dropkick. Cover gets a two. He tries a suplex, but Bret blocks it as both men end up suplexing themselves over the top rope. Both men are struggling to get up. Shinja grabs the leg of Bret, but Bret attacks him.
Hakushi lands an Asai moonsault, sending Bret crashing to the concrete. Hakushi rolls to the ring. Bret gets back in. Hakushi tries a suplex over the ropes, Bret counters. Hakushi tries a go behind, but Bret gets a victory roll for the three.
A really good match. Kind of slow in areas, but when it picked up, it delivered in some really amazing spots. The suplex over the ropes, the moonsault, the general feel of desperation by the end for Bret to get the win. This was definitely the best showing of Hakushi so far, and as always Bret can get the best of everyone. Post-match, Bret appears to have suffered an ankle injury. He hobbles to the back.
We go backstage to the Superstar line with Stan Lane and Alundra Blayze (great use of the Women's champ, guys). Lawler barges in and tells Pettengill that he wants his match with Bret right now. When he learns that Bret will be in the 1-900 room, he claims to get a beep from his mother and bails.
Staphanie Wyand is here to continue to promote the house giveaway. over 340,000 entries apparently.
Up next, it's Double J and the Roadie taking on Razor Ramon. Vince talks to the 1-2-3 Kid via telephone, who is still injured and thus is why he can't be the partner for Razor. It's hard to hear what the Kid is even saying to poor feedback from the phone. Backstage, Razor says that he doesn't care about the gold. This time, it's personal. They're going down for him and the kid.
This handicap match is one man in the ring at a time for the team. Jarrett sporting an attire that can only be best described as "zebra vomit". The Roadie distracts Razor, allowing Jarrett to get a cheap shot. Razor reverses a whip and lays in a right. Jarrett tries a dropkick, but gets hit with slaps, sending him in retreat on the outside. Jarrett comes back in and hits some rights, sending Razor into the buckles. Jarrett tries another dropkick, but misses and gets hit with a clothesline that sends Jarrett over the ropes. Jarrett pulls Razor out of the ring, but Razor gets back the offense.
Jarrett whips Razor to the buckle a couple times. Razor catches the foot, but Jarrett lands an enziguri to the back of Razor's head. Razor reverses a whip and catches Jarrett with a fallaway slam. Cover, but the Roadie breaks the count. The Roadie is tagged in and lands a clothesline. He gets a headbutt to the abdomen and a hairpull slam. A couple of elbow drops on Razor by the Roadie.
We get some taunting from the Roadie. It's good, but it's no Jimmy Del Ray.
Now THAT's a gyration sensation.
Tag back to Jarrett. Razor reverses a whip. Jarrett tries as sunset flip. Razor counters it, covering for two, but Jarrett counters it around for two. Jarrett tries a suplex, but Razor turns it into a small package for two. Clothesline by Jarrett. He tags back in the Roadie who stomps down Razor. Hard rights by the Roadie. Razor tries to come back, but Jarrett gets a sneak attack. Tag back to Jarrett who goes to the second rope, but gets a shot to the midsection. Massive atomic drop by Razor. He tries a Razor's Edge. but gets tossed over the ropes. The Roadie goes to the turnbuckle and lands a clothesline over the ropes.
Razor manages to get back in. Jarrett goes to the top rope and lands a cross body. Razor turns it around for two. Jarrett gets up first with a dropkick. Cover for two. Neckbreaker by Jarrett. He tries to drop his weight on Razor, but misses. Both men collide into each other. Razor recovers and manages a sidewalk slam (Vince calls it a suplex because of course he does). Jarrett recovers and tags the Roadie. Roadie goes to the top and lands a knee drop. Cover gets a two.
Chinlock by the Roadie is eventually broken by Razor, who manages to slam the Roadie to the mat, but he's still out of it. Tag back to Jarrett, but Razor stops the offense with rights. He whips Jarrett right into the Roadie. He lays some rights to the Roadie and lands a back suplex off the top buckle. He sets up the Razor's Edge, but gets kicked in the leg by Jarrett. Jarrett goes for the figure four, but Razor kicks Jarrett into the Roadie and tries for a Razor's Edge. He connects and covers fo the three.
I really enjoyed this match. Razor worked well, the Roadie was pretty decent in the ring for his first match and Jarrett also put in some good work. Everyone played their role well, Jarrett and Roadie as the overconfident heel and Razor as the face with the odds against him. I wasn't expecting much going in, but this was musch better than I had expected. Post-match the Roadie tries to attack Razor, but Razor gets some rights. He sets up a Razor's Edge, but Jarrett clips the knee. He locks in a figure four as the referee tries to stop. Aldo Montoya runs in and takes out the Roadie, but Jarrett beats him down too, dumping him out.
Suddenly some guy jumps in the ring and attacks both Jarrett and the Roadie. He clotheslines Roadie out and takes down Jarrett. He gets some strikes on the two men as officials hold him down. This is Savio Vega. And, most importantly, this is the former Kwang. Cops begin to head to the ring and finally escort Savio out of the building.
Jerry Lawler is backstage arguing with Jack Tunney, still wanting his match to go on immediately since Bret is still hurt from the Hakushi match.
A squash match, but not too bad. Well, more so on Adam Bomb's part as he put in some impressive work. Mabel, not so much as he looked sloppy and his offense was bad. But he's kicking out at 1 and looking like a monster. It's almost like he's going to get a monster push or something. Oh god, we're nearing it, aren't we?
Backstage at the Superstar Hotline Lounge Todd Pettengill interviews Razor Ramon who introduces us to Savio Vega, one of the biggest superstars of the Caribbean. Savio says that nobody will mess with him or his friend Razor. Razor says that he's fought with Savio before, but it's good to have him on his side.
Up next it's the WWF Tag Team Titles on the line. The Smoking Gunns vs Owen Hart and Yokozuna. Lawler is still trying to get his match with Bret already, but is sent back by Tony Garea and Worzel. Backstage, we see Bret with an ice pack on his knee. I like the arrogant touch of Owen carrying both his title belt and Yokozuna's to the ring. Yoko waves the flag of Japan to boos.
Billy and Yoko start. Yoko breaks out of a headlock easily and hits a shoulder block. Dropkicks by Billy can't manage to take down Yoko. Tag to Bart who tries to work the arm, but Yoko gets a headbutt in. Tag to Owen who whips Bart hard into the buckle. Bart reverses a whip and gets a press slam and a dropkick. Tag to Billy as the Gunns hit a suplex/dropkick combo for two. Mr. Fuji distracts Billy, allowing Owen to land an enziguri. Tag to Yoko who hits a clothesline.
Yoko hammers down Billy and then locks in a nerve hold. Tag to Owen who gets a boot to the faceand a neckbreaker. Cover for two. Billy gets a massive sunset flip for two, but Owen gets right back up and lands a beautiful spinning heel kick, sending Billy to the outside. Yoko tries to squash Billy into the post, but Billy avoids. Owen tries to continue offense, but misses. Tag to Bart who gets some punches and an elbow. Body slam and a cover for two by Bart. Sternum first to the buckle goes Owen as Bart lands a back suplex. Suplex/neckbreaker from the Gunns and a cover only gets two. Bart tries a cross body, but ends up sailing through the ropes. Yoko drops a massive leg drop on the outside and rolls Bart in as Owen gets the three.
A very quick match, but compared to their Wrestlemania match, a much better match. Yoko worked much better and put in far more offense. Owen looked crisp and fast in the ring as always, and the gunns put in some good work. It felt like it moved in fast forward though, though at least that didn't mean predictable "face in peril" spots. And despite its brief feeling, it still managed to be pretty good for how brief it was. And, let's be honest, any longer and Yoko would have been even more gassed, so it ended at the right time.
Todd is backstage with Diesel. He mentions that he lost his mother last Christmas and that this is the first mother's day without her. He wishes a happy Mother's day to all the moms out there. He says he's a marked man, but he's 100 percent tonight. Sid has to be stopped for what he did to Shawn. If Sid's the master, than he's the walrus and cuckoo-cachoo. Random Beatles reference aside, and his real stuff with his mother aside, I gotta say that for a guy who is very charismatic, Diesel's face promos are bland as hell, and this is definitely the case.
Jerry Lawler is in the ring with a young woman that he claims is his mother. Unless Lawler is going through some sort of Benjamn Button stuff, I don't think this works. I just think that Lawler's into kinkier stuff than usual. Mother Lawler tells her "son" to beat Bret, and that if Jerry wins, she wants to fight Helen. He calls Helen a pile of wrinkled flesh and escorts his mother out of the ring. Bret is interviewed with Todd Pettengill and is hopping happily. I guess he was screwing with Lawler's head. Lawler vs Hart is up next.
Bret mocks a limp and heads to the ring. Lawler tries to escape, but Bret takes him to the corner and lays some first in. Lawler escapes the ring, but Bret gets a hold of him and rams him head-first into the barricade and steps. Bret brings Lawler back into the ring and works some more fists. Snapmare and a leg drop by Bret followed by a back body drop. Bret chokes Lawler on the ropes and tries a back body drop, but Lawler hits a piledriver. Bu holy no-sell, Bret pops right back up and attacks Lawler with some more fists and a bulldog. Bret hits a piledriver of his own. Bret lands an elbow. Lawler tries to converse with "Mother Lawler" as Bret grabs Lawler and rakes his eyes into the ropes. Thumb to the eye by Lawler and a body slam. Jerry goes up top for the patented royal fist drop, but Bret gets a fist to the breadbasket. Elbow to the face by Bret followed by a headbutt to the face. Bret lays fists to Lawler...
But Shinja arrives to distract the ref. Bret accidentally knocks Referee Earl Hebner into the ropes (danglling with his foot caught in a comical fashion). Elbow by Bret, but Hakushi arrives to land an elbow on Bret off the top rope. Hakushi goes back up and hits another headbutt to the ribs followed by another. Hebner gets back in as Lawler gets a roll up for the three. Lawler is still undefeated against Bret Hart since this feud started in 1993. Post-match, he holds Bret for Hakushi, but Hakushi accidentally hits Bret. Bret takes down Hakushi and gets some strikes in on Shinja as the heels retreat.
More of an angle than a match, but with almost everything Bret, it's still a good match within. Lawler played a great coward heel and got a great deal of licks from the heroic hitman. But in the end, this is still an angle that will continue in the coming months, especially with Hakushi who is far from a good sport in his defeat. I've enjoyed this Bret/Lawler feud so far, and while I know what awaits me at the King of the Ring, I'm still on board at this point.
Sycho Sid whisper rambles some more saying that Diesel's reign is over and a new man will be crowned the champion. Diesel will be another one of Sid's victims.
It's time to give awaty the damn house. Todd tosses Stephanie into the pile of letters as she picks a good envelope. Todd dials the number to the winner, but just gets an operator. Ah, the magic of live television. Sadly we're far past the days of the infamous Rick Roll. They get the answer of 11-year old Las Vegas resident Matt Pomposelli, who has won the house. Congrats to them.
So, did they live in the house? That would, of course, be a no. In an interview with WWE.com, Matt said that while they did win the house, they had recently moved to Las Vegas from New York and a move to Florida didn't seem wise enough. So after six months they sold the house, which did at least pay for his college, so they still won out in the end. They did get to visit the house at least, and meet some of the WWF Superstars. We'll see some of that in the coming editions of Raw. So, while actually giving away a house was a bit of a bust, at least the winners got some money and some great memories out of it, so compared to some other dud ideas from the WWE, this one turned out okay.
It's time for our main event. Diesel defends his WWF title against Sycho Sid. After a long staredown, Diesel shoves down Sid and gets some punches and a big clothesline in the buckle, followed by a second. Hard elbows to the head of Sid in the corner sends Sid to the outside. Dibiase tries to get in the ring, but Diesel almost strikes him. Diesel exits the ring and lays in some punches. Clotheslines by Diesel followed by a big flying one that sends Sid down. cover gets a two.
Sid pulls Diesel out of the ring, but Diesel keeps with the momentum with some more punches. Dibiase distracts Diesel, allowing Sid to get a knee to the back, sending Diesel tumbling outside. He drops Diesel face first into the ring apron. Sid breaks the count and continues his offense with a some kicks to the ribs (while telling the camera to keep focus). He rams Diesel ribs-first into the ring post. He lands a really weak looking running punt on Diesel as Sid reenters the ring.
As Diesel reenters, Sid continues with more clubbing blows and ax handles. Diesel tries to fight back, but gets an elbow to the face and a clothesline from Sid. Sid taunts the crowd then returns to work with more forearms and ax handles to the injured back. Sid locks in a camel clutch, raking the face for extra measure. The crowd chants for Diesel as Sid continues to apply pressure. Sid starts yelling at the crowd as after a couple minutes, Diesel finally manages to break free, however Sid stomps down quickly and drops a rather nice elevated leg drop. Cover only gets two.
Sid goes back in on the clutch, and after another couple minutes, we go to the arm drop spot. And of course, on the third drop, Diesel recovers and breaks from the clutch. Sid tries to drop his weight again, but misses. Sid hits a chokeslam on Diesel. He signals for a powerbomb and lands it. He taunts instead of covering. He finally covers, but Diesel kicks out. Sid rams Diesel into the buckle a couple times, but somehow Diesel has Tatanka's no-sell powers and manages to come back by dodging a charge in the corner and landing a snake eyes. Big boot and a Jackknife by Diesel. He goes for the cover...
But Tatanka shows up and starts stomping at Diesel, causing a DQ (and giving us 0-6 for the corporation on PPV). Even Dibiase gets some kicks in on the champ. Sid calls for a second powerbomb.
But Bam Bam Bigelow makes the save as Diesel escapes the attempt. The corporation retreats as Diesel and Bam Bam celebrate in the ring to end the inaugural In Your House. Vince shills King of the Ring on June 25th and we're out.
Well, we actually end on this weird commercial with aliens and the WWF. Mid-90's was a hell of a drug.
Sid vs Diesel was not a very good match. Granted, it started very well with it feeling more like a brawl, but once we went into not one, but two camel clutch spots, this match really died a death. And in the end, it just boiled down as an angle to continue the babyface turn for Bam Bam Bigelow and continuing the feud with Diesel and the corporation for a while longer. But if what we got so far is any indication, I'm not too fond of what's likely to come already.
But despite a weak main event, the first In Your House was actually a pretty good show. Maybe it's the fact that it was mercifully shorter, clocking in at only an hour forty, or the fact that most of the in-ring was decent stuff. Either way, it worked. Bret vs Hakushi was good, the handicap match was more fun than expected, Mabel vs Adam Bomb was mercifully quick, the tag title match was perhaps too quick, and Bret Vs Lawler was fun stuff that continues this feud that, at least to this point, I'm not sick to death of. That could change quick. I know what's at the King of the Ring. The only down point is the Diesel/Sid match as it just never felt like a fun match. But even with that, this first In Your House earns itself a solid A-. A definite step up from Wrestlemania XI. Too bad that's set to go right out the window as we make our way to the infamous 1995 King of the Ring.