Nickrj’s Rant for In Your House: Canadian Stampede
This PPV aired at the SaddleDome in Calgary Alberta Canada on July 6th 1997
Your hosts are Vince McMahon, Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler and all three are in cowboy outfits. Lawler has a huge hat that covers his head
Unfortunatly Colsieum Video included this match with the video I got so I’ll have to live with it. Phenias starts with Bradshaw. They stall before Bradshaw pushes Phenias in the corner. They tie again and Phenias misses a clotheline and Bradshaw hits a big boot. Henry comes in as does Windham. Henry pounds on Windham but misses a back suplex and Windham hits his own. Phenias comes back in and does a test of strength with Windham and takes advantage. Windham hits an arm drag and Phenias goes to the wrong corner. Windham grabs Phenias and tags Bradshaw who follows in Phenias twice with two clotheslines and hits a pump handle slam for 2. Phenias hits a DDT. Henry comes in and pounds on Bradshaw. Bradshaw comes back with a Lariat and tags Windham. Phenias gets slammed and so does Henry. Phenias gets backdropped for 2. Windham hits a flying clothesline for 2. Windham goes for a suplex but gets kicked by Henry and Phenias gets a small package for the pin at 5:32 and that’s that. DUD but that’s okay. This was pretty much the way most FFA matches went.
Now for the real show!
In the opening video the announcer explains that tonight the villains are heroes and heroes are villains.
A video is shown showing Hunter and Mankind battling it out at the King Of The Ring which Hunter wins and he attacks Mankind after the match. The next night on Raw Is War, Mankind demands a rematch and Chyna tells him to come in the ring and Mankind gets attacked again. Mankind gets in the ring and pounds on Hunter to start off. He hits an leg drop followed by a double arm DDT and mocks Hunter during his curtsey. Mankind goes for a backdropped and takes a face smasher. Hunter is backdropped out to the floor where Mankind hits a flying elbow from the apron for 2. Hunter gets flipped into the corner and out of the ring. He tries to leave the ring but Mankind nails him and suplexes him on the steel ramp. Hunter gets back on the apron where he gets knocked off. Hunter does a sunset flip from the apron and Mankind gets the Mandible Claw but he gets nailed by Chyna. Mankind goes after Chyna outside the ring and hits Hunter in the stomach as he’s jumping off. Hunter reverses an Irish Whip and Chyna slams Mankind across the steps. Hunter nails Mankind’s leg with a chair. Mankind gets back in the ring and gets clipped by Hunter. Hunter goes to work on Mankind’s injured leg. Hunter pounds on Mankind in the corner. Hunter throws Mankind in the corner and Mankind falls down. Hunter hits a drop kick on the leg. Hunter hits the figure four leglock and uses the ropes for leverage. The ref sees it and breaks it. Mankind starts coming back on Hunter. Hunter goes for the pedigree but gets taken down. Mankind gets kicked but falls on Hunter’s lower part if you now what I mean J. Mankind pounds on Hunter in the corner and hits a running knee. Hunter gets flipped upside down and is hooked in the corner. Mankind hits a piledriver for 2. Mankind clotheslines Hunter and both men are at the outside. Mankind grabs a chair and Chyna stops it but Hunter grabs it and nails Mankind and he gets clotheslined by Chyna outside. Hunter goes to the top rope but Mankind runs into the ropes knocking Hunter off. Mankind gets the Mandible Claw but Chyna grabs the leg of Mankind and rams him into the ringpost. Both men brawl on the outside and they both get counted out at 13:10. The double countout hurt this match but it is still ***3/4 Both men continue to brawl in the audience and Hunter gets knocked into the penalty box.
We get a look at the things that occurred that weekend where the WWF parade float has the Hart Foundation on it. We then get a look at the MILLIONS AND MILLIONS of Bret Hart fans waiting to get an autograph and the Hitman signs each and every one. The Hart Foundation’s opponents attended the White Hat ceremony and competed in a tug of war. Bret Hart appears at the stampede grounds before a lot of fans.
Dok Hendrix interviews the Hart Foundation and Steve Austin tries to get at them.
These two Japanese wrestlers comepete in a match from the WWF Light Heavyweight Division. We get a look at Hunter and Mankind still going at each other. Hunter is now bleeding. Match starts with Sasuke missing a spin kick. He starts to hit a few on Taka. Sasuke with a front face lock. Sasuke goes for the right arm of Taka. Taka comes out but gets caught in a head scissors. They get out of it and Sasuke nails a spinning back kick and hits a snap mare into a chin lock into a leg scissors for 2. Taka goes to the armbar. He goes to work on the right arm of Sasuke. Sauske hits a sleeper and Taka get out of it but Sauske hits a spinning back kick right in the face. Sauske does a half Boston Crab but Taka reaches the ropes. Taka nails Sasuke and does a snap mare and a drop kick to the back of the head and then to the face. Taka gets backdropped onto the floor and Sasuke hits a flying dropkick knocking both down. Sasuke gets back in and nails a number of kicks on Taka in the corner. He knocks down Taka with another one. Taka grabs the leg and takes him down with it. Taka nails a dropkick on the kneecap sending Sasuke to the outside. Taka gets on the top and nails an awesome plancha on Sasuke outside. Sasuke gets back in and coimes out of a suplex and so does Taka and he hits a hurricurana for 2. A pinning comibination gets another 2. Sasuke hits a back elbow and hits a springboard moonsault from the 2nd rope on Taka outside. Both men are down again. Sasuke misses a clotheline and Taka hits a belly to belly suplex for 2. Taka hits a flying knee in the corner and hits a springboard dropkick form the top rope. Taka hits the Michinoku Driver but can’t pin Sasuke. Taka goes to the top and Sauske dropkicks Taka while in mid air and nails a springboard moonsault for 2. A powerbowb followed by a german suplex gets the pin at 9:59. A fantastic match involving two great Japanese athletes ****1/4
Mankind and Hunter are now brawling in the parking lot outside the arena. They brawl for a few more minutes before it is finally broken up
We get a look at Ahmed Johnson getting his leg injured in the DOA Nation brawl when the DOA made their debut. He was supposed to face The Undertaker for the title but now Vader will be challenging the Undertaker.
Paul Bearer is Vader’s manager here. The week before on Raw Is War he starts the rumor that Kane is alive by calling the Undertaker a murderer. UT starts by hammering on Vader. He hits a clothesline and an elbow for 2. UT works on the right arm on Vader. He hits a flying clothesline in the corner for 2. UT does the top rope walk and elbow to the back for 2. Vader hits a shoulderblock to take advantage. UT hits another flying clothesline for 2. Vader pounds on UT. He does a chinlock wearing down UT. Vader hits a shoulderblock but then runs into a big boot and another one knocks him outside. UT hammers on Vader outside but Vader reverses an Irish Whip and UT gets rams into the steel steps and Paul hammers on UT outside while calling him “Murderer!” UT clothelines Vader into the top rope. UT goes up to the top and hits a flying clothesline for 2. UT uppercuts Vader outside the ring. He goes outside and after Paul Bearer and Vader takes advantage of it and nails UT outside as Paul kicks UT outside again. Vader pounds on UT in the corner. Vader hits a short clothesline and goes to the 2nd rope and hits a bodypress for 2. Vader hits a suplex. He hits a splash for 2. He goes to the nerve pinch. UT gets up and starts pounding on Vader but Vader catches him and hits a clothesline. Vader pounds on UT in the corner. UT fights back and now is pounding Vader in the corner he goes for the chokeslam but Vader hits a low blow. UT picks up Vader in the tombstone but can’t hold him he falls on Vader for 2. UT runs into an elbow and then a avalanche. Vader hits an elbow to the lower ab and goes for the Vader Bomb but UT gets up and low blows Vader. And hits a chokeslam from the 2nd rope for 2. Another chokeslam gets another 2 3/4. UT signals for the tombstone and hits it to pin Vader at 12:37. This was a very good title match ***1/2
We get a look at the brawls that have been happening recently in the WWF leading up to the big 10 man tag team match. Bret Hart says that his team will “Pound Austin’s team into dirt just like they deserve.”
10 Man Tag Team Match The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart, Owen Hart The British Bulldog, Jim Neidhart and Brian Pillman) VS Steve Austin, Ken Shamrock, Goldust, Legion Of Doom
Farmer’s Daughter sings Oh Canada to start the festivities and Howard Finkel recognizes Ralph Klein the Providence of Alberta and Stu and Helen Hart in the audience and they get a big pop. Austin’s team members get booed one by one and when Austin comes out he is really booed unmercifully. Then they give a huge pop for each of Bret’s teammates and when Bret comes out the arena nearly comes down. Bret gives his sunglasses to his mother. Bret and Austin start it off and the crowd is really hot for this one. Bret and Austin pound on each other when Bret pounds Austin in the corner they are cheering. When Austin pounds Bret they are booing so Austin gives them the double bird. Bret nails a clothesline to the head and a head butt. Bret gives an inverted atomic drop followed by another clothesline. Austin hits a low blow in the corner and kicks away at Bret. Austin does the Millon Dollar Dream But Bret uses the top rope and almost pins Austin. Austin chokes Bret on the 2nd rope and misses a sitting butt splash. Neidhart comes in and pounds on Austin and Austin counters with a Lou Thesz Press. Austin tags Shamrock and misses a back kick but hits another one and goes for the Ankle Lock and Pillman breaks it up. Shamrock does an arm drag on the Anvil. Shamrock blocks a hip toss and does a small package for 1. Neidhart tags Pillman and Shamrock does a nice arm drag but Pillman raches the ropes and bites Shamrock. He nails a chop in the corner. Pillman hits a backbreaker for 2. Pillman slaps Shamrock around. Shamrock hits a clothesline in the corner to take advantage followed by a belly to belly suplex. Owen Hart comes in and so does Goldust. Owen works on Goldust in the corner. But he gets rammed in the corner and backdropped. Owen hits an enzurgiri for 2. Goldust gets an eyerake and does the 10 punch in the corner. Goldust tags Hawk and he pounds on Owen and hits a gut wrench suplex followed by a leg drop. Hawk hits an elbow and goes to the top and hits a splash for 2. Hawk misses a dropkick and Owen goes for the Sharpshooter but Animal breaks it up. Bulldog comes in and hits a vertical suplex for 2. He hits the running powerslam on Hawk but Goldust barely breaks it up. Animal and Bret now come in. Animal hits a headbutt in the stomach but runs into a boot and a clothesline. Goldust comes in and they do a test of strength but Bret hits a low knee and an eyerake. Goldust is hooked in the wrong corner and a 10 man brawl erupts. Goldust is getting pounded in the corner. Owen comes in and takes a backbreaker. But misses a charge and gets his shoulder rammed into the ring post. Animal comes in and works on the injured shoulder. Owen hits a spinning heel kick followed by a drop kick from the top rope. Owen goes for the hurrcurana but gets power bombed and then power slammed by Animal. The LOD hit the Doomsday Device on Owen but Neidhart breaks up the cover. Another 10 man brawl erupts as Austin is ramming Owen’s leg into the ringpost and he nails it with a chair. He almost gets into it with Bruce Hart. Bret stops the pounding on Owen and Owen is sent to the back. Austin does a test of strength with Neidhart and Neidhart pounds on Austin. Austin is dragged into the wrong corner and the other members of Austin’s team tries to break it up. Ausitn fights back on the entire Hart Foundation and pulls Pillman’s trunks down. He hits the Stone Cold Stunner for 2 but Pillman reaches his own corner and Bret rams Austin’s leg into the ringpost. He hits it with a fire extinguisher and does the figure four around the ringpost. Hawk breaks it up but Austin is sent to the back as well. This is turning into the survivor series. Hawk comes in and slams Bulldog. He goes to the top but Bulldog his a low blow for 2. Neidhart comes in and Hawk takes a double clothesline. Bret comes in and so does Animal. Another test of strength comes with Animal and Neidhart. Animal is winning it but Anvil sends Animal in the wrong corner and the Old Hart Foundation with Demoliton’s old finisher for 2. Animal fights back and tags Shamrock. Shamrock tries to work on the legs but takes too long and gets clotheslined by Pillman and Bret works on the lower abs. Bret gets rammed stomach first into the corner. Shamrock hesitates again and allows Bret to get up. Big mistake as Bret takes advantage and gets rammed into the wrong corner and thrown outside. Pillman runs Shamrock into the announce table outside. Another brawl erupts outside with Hawk thrown in the steel steps. Bret hits a side leg sweep on Shamrock for 2. Bulldog pounds on Shamrock in the corner. Shamrock hits a low blow and tags Goldust who hits a clothesline. Goldust hits a bulldog on the Bulldog. Goldust tries the Curtain Call and Pillman breaks it up. Goldust gets caught in the top rope and Bulldog hits a superplex for 2. Austin limps back to the ring at this point. He gets the tag from Goldust and Bulldog tags Bret. They pound on each other and Austin kicks Bret in the corner and Bret gets rammed stomach first into the turnbuckle. Austin hits a suplex for two. Bret hits a neckbraker and then a backbreaker followed by an elbow from the 2nd rope for 2. Bret hooks the sleeperhold but gets a jawjacker. Austin covers Bret for 2. Ausitn misses a backdrop and Bret goes for the Sharpshooter but Animal breaks it up. Austin goes for the Sharpshooter but Owen comes back to the ring and breaks it up. Owen gets the tag and pounds on Austin. Austin kicks Owen and clotheslines him outside. Owen gets rammed into the railing and throws Owen back in the ring. Austin gets into it with Stu and Bruce Hart. Everyone is coming to beat up Austin. Bret throws Austin back in the ring and Owen rolls up Austin for the pin at 24:29. This was an awesome match with the crowd super hot all the way through *****. Another brawl erupts but officals come and break it up. The Hart Foundation celebrate in the ring and Austin comes back into the ring with a chair but succeeds in getting jumped and they put handcuffs on Austin. As Austin leaves he gives the Hart Foundation the double bird behind his back. The Harts celebrate in the ring again and they allow the entire Hart family to come into the ring to end the show. This is a big moment for the WWF.
Summary: Well what more can you say? This was a great
show for the WWF and IMO was the turning point for the WWF which would be
catapulted back into the #1 spot in March 1998 to stay. This show should be
seen by all. HIGHEST RECOMMENDATIONS