On the Marc – WWF: In Your House 1 Review

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Onondaga War Memorial, Syracuse, New York; May 14, 1995

Commentators: Vince McMahon and Dok Hendrix

This show marked the beginning of the era of the five thousand PPVs.

Bret “Hitman” Hart vs. Hakushi (w/Shinja):   This was set up by a Hakushi attack on Bret on WWF Superstars. Bret will also have to face Jerry “The King” Lawler later on in the night. In the opening moments, Hakushi rolls over and cartwheels around Bret. Hakushi gets two off an extremely quick flying shoulder block. Hakushi works the arm, this time Bret rolls up Hakushi for two and applies his own arm lock. Bret hits a trio of arm drags and Hakushi head to the outside. They go back and forth until Bret takes his patented corner chest bump. Hakushi uses a trapezius hold to wear Bret down. Hakushi hits a Bronco-buster splash and celebrates. Shinja gets a few shots in on the outside and distracts the referee as Hakushi chokes Bret in the corner, then they switch. Hakushi hits a backflip corner elbow splash. Bret keeps trying to comeback but Hakushi keeps countering. Hakushi hits a top-rope diving head-butt that gets two. He tries a springboard splash but the Hitman moves and begins his classic comeback. Shinja prevents the Sharpshooter. Bret shrugs off the distraction and locks Hakushi into the ropes and planchas out onto Shinja. Hitman reverses a Hakushi suplex and both go over the top rope. Shinja distracts Bret so Hakushi can hit an Asai moonsault to the floor. Hakushi tries to suplex Bret to the inside of the ring but Bret rolls over and counters into a victory roll for the three count. Post-match as Bret jumps out of the ring he hurts his knee and hobbles to the back. 7.5/10 Great match that went back and forth the whole time. It was unique, and matches like this were strictly seen on the other side of the world.

Stephanie Wiand shows off the house of the WWF was giving away on the video wall.

Razor Ramon says that he has been having handicap matches with Jeff Jarrett and the Roadie all along, now he gets them both legally. He wishes Mother Ramon a happy Mother’s Day.

Razor Ramon vs. Jeff Jarrett & The Roadie handicap match:   Jarrett is the IC Champion here; these two feuded over that title for the early part of 1995. The 1-2-3 Kid was supposed to be Ramon’s partner but the Roadie injured him; he talks at the beginning of the match via telephone promising revenge once he heals. Jarrett and the Roadie try to illegally double team at the outset. Roadie distracts Ramon allowing Jarrett the advantage; Ramon controls with right hands and Jarrett retreats to the floor. Jarrett reenters the ring and he gets a brief advantage ramming Razor into the buckles a few times but misses a dropkick and Ramon clotheslines him to the floor again. Ramon comes out after him but the Roadie nails him from behind, normally that would be a DQ but Roadie is legally in this match. Jarrett gets an enziguri and struts, they run the ropes and Ramon catches Jarrett off a crossbody and fall-away slams him. The Roadie breaks up the possible pinfall and tags in. This would be Roadie’s first legal WWF action; he starts off with a running lariat and whiplashes the back of his head onto the canvas. Jarrett returns and Ramon telegraphs a backdrop so Jarrett sunset flips him they trade nearfalls and Jarrett elbows Ramon back down. Jarrett blocks a vertical suplex and small packages him for two; Jarrett clotheslines Razor and tags in the Roadie. Ramon comes back against the Roadie but Jarrett runs in and cuts the comeback off. Jarrett, who’s black and white striped tights make him look like another referee, leaps off the second rope but Ramon plants a punch in his gut. Razor counters and tries a Razor’s Edge right next to the ropes so Double J backdrops him to the floor, injuring his already gimpy ankle even further. The Roadie climbs to the rope and clotheslines Ramon on the floor. Jarrett awaits the count out but Razor slides back in at nine. Jarrett tries a top-rope crossbody but Ramon rolls-through… HE GOT ‘EM! HE GOT ‘EM! No, no he didn’t. Sometimes, I miss his commentary. Jarrett stays on top with a dropkick for a nearfall. Jarrett counters a telegraphed backdrop with a swinging neckbreaker; Jarrett misses a follow-up rope splash. Ramon runs the ropes and they hit head-to-head for a double KO. Ramon hits a back suplex and they are both down again. The Roadie gets the tag and hits a second-rope knee drop for a nearfall; Roadie applies a reverse chinlock. Razor comes back and slams Roadie’s face into the mat; Jarrett tags in but Ramon continues his comeback against him and tosses the heels together. Ramon hits a second rope superplex on the Roadie; Jarrett attacks from behind and floors Ramon. Jeff tries the figure-four leglock but Ramon kicks him off into the Roadie on the apron and hits the Razor’s Edge on Jarrett and gets the improbable three count. Razor tries to Razor’s Edge the Roadie but Jarrett clips the leg and Jarrett slaps on the figure-four leglock. Aldo Montoya runs in and takes out the Roadie but Jarrett blindsides him and they toss him to the floor. “A fan”, who would reveal himself as Savio Vega, runs into the ring and makes the save. 2/10 Boring match that had Ramon make a John Cena-like comeback and made Jarrett and the Roadie look like chumps; Kliq, running the show!

Jerry Lawler demands WWF president Jack Tunney start his match with Bret Hart now; Tunney is not hearing any of it. They segue into a video package showing off Sid decimating people.

Adam Bomb vs. Mabel (w/Mo) King of the Ring qualifier:   Men on a Mission turned heel right around WrestleMania XI and are all business here, this was the beginning of his ascension to the WWF title. Dok Hendrix makes Adam Bomb the favorite citing tag teaming as Mabel’s weakness; he did not take into consideration, Bombs jobberitis. Bomb nails Mo who was hanging around in the ring too long; Mabel nails him from behind and hits an avalanche. Mabel misses a second avalanche and hits a shoulderblock knocking Mabel to the floor. Adam Bomb busts out a pescado. Impressive. Slingshot clothesline, back into the ring, gets a one count for Bomb. Adam Bomb hits a top-rope clothesline for a one count. Mabel floors Bomb with a spinning wheel kick and catches Bomb off a crossbody and hits a World’s Strongest Slam for three. Mabel qualifies for the King of the Ring tournament at the next PPV. 1/10 Squishy squash.

Todd Pettingill is with Razor Ramon who introduces Savio Vega as his mysterious helper.

WWF Tag Team Championship Owen Hart & Yokozuna (w/Jim Cornette & Mr. Fuji) vs. Smoking Gunns:   Pre-match, Jerry Lawler charges to the ring to try get his match with the injured Bret Hart going; Bret is shown in the locker room icing his injured knee. Yoko was Owen’s surprise partner against the Gunns at WrestleMania XI and won the titles; here is the rematch. Yokozuna starts the match off, which was extremely rare in his tag team days, with Billy Gunn. Billy applies a headlock but runs into Yoko; Billy hits a few dropkicks and tags in Bart Gunn, who eats a head-butt, Yoko tags in Owen. Bart press-slams him and hits a dropkick; Billy returns and they hit a nice delayed vertical suplex/dropkick combo. The Gunns had some pretty nifty tandem maneuvers. Billy gets distracted by Mr. Fuji waiving the Japanese flag allowing Owen to score with his enziguri. Yoko tags in and kills Billy with a clothesline; Yoko punches away on Billy Gunn and then clamps on his trapezius hold. Owen tags in and hits a nice neckbreaker; Billy gets a sunset flip for two. Owen ends him with a spinning wheel kick; Yoko sets up Billy on the floor but misses a charge against the post. Owen misses a running corner dropkick and Bart tags in. With Yoko down on the floor the Gunns work over Owen and Bart hits a backdrop suplex. The Gunns score with the sidewalk slam/neckbreaker combo but take too long celebrating so Owen kicks out. Bart misses a crossbody and flies through the ropes to the floor where Yokozuna squashes him with the Hulkbuster legdrop. Yoko tosses Bart back into the ring and Owen pins him. 3.5/10 Basic tag team squash; the Gunns got some offense in but Yokozuna is the deciding factor.

Todd Pettingill is with the WWF champion, Diesel who is somber due to him losing his mother last year and it is on Mother’s Day. Diesel says he is 100%, from a Henry Godwinn beat down, acting in the employ of the Million Dollar Corporation. Diesel is coming for Sid after injuring his buddy Shawn Michaels on the Raw right after WrestleMania XI.

Bret “Hitman” Hart vs. Jerry “The King” Lawler (w/His “Mother”):   Bret pulls double-duty here. Jerry cuts a pre-match promo insulting Bret and his mother, he dedicates this match to his “mother”; I have it in quotes because his mother looks about twenty years old. Bret tells Todd Pettingill, in the back, his leg is fine and that he’s fooled Lawler. Bret “hobbles” towards the ring and then shows Lawler he is fine; Lawler’s reaction is great. Bret kicks the ever loving shit out of Lawler and tosses him into the ring barricade. Bret snapmares Lawler and drops a leg. Bret backdrops Lawler and chokes him in the ropes. Bret telegraphs a backdrop and Lawler hits a piledriver; Lawler quickly celebrates but Bret no-sells it and pops right back up. Okay? Bret bulldogs the King and piledrives him right back. Lawler tries to get to his mom on the outside but Bret stands on him in the ropes. Lawler rakes the eyes, Bret sells that, and the King bodyslams him. Lawler to the top and leaps but Bret pops up again and nails him on the way down. Shinja reappears on the apron, drawing the referee to him, meanwhile Bret tosses Lawler into the ropes but he collides with the referee, who falls to the outside, but he gets his leg tied in the ropes and hangs there. Bret hits a Russian leg sweep and the driving second-rope elbow. Shinja shields the referee for Hakushi to run down and nail Bret with a top-rope double axe. Lawler sets Bret up for a pair of Hakushi swandive head-butts; Shinja frees the referee so Lawler can jackknife cradle him for three. Post-match Lawler and Hakushi try to double team Bret, but the heels miscommunicate, so Bret is able to fend them off. 3.5/10 That was a brisk match; Bret dominated 75% of the match and Lawler won via nefarious means setting up their “Kiss My Foot match” at the 1995 King of the Ring.

Sid says time has run out for Diesel and will become a symbol of many victories he will have. Sid calls himself the master and the ruler of the world.

Todd Pettingill and Stephanie Wiand give away a house in Orlando, Florida.

WWF Heavyweight Championship Dieselvs. Sid (w/Ted Dibiase):   The battle of the powerbombs. Diesel shoves Sid and pummels him; a pair of corner clotheslines forces Sid to retreat to the floor. Diesel leaps off the apron with a double axe handle and tosses Sid back in a bunch of clotheslines finally floor Sid. Sid drags Diesel to the floor but Diesel beats him there and flings him back into the ring. Dibiase hops up on the apron, which allows Sid to knee Diesel in the back and send him to the floor. Sid continues his dominance on the floor and rams Sid’s back into the ringpost. Sid sledges and works the back; Sid continues with methodical (boring) forearms to the back. Sid continues the punishment with a Camel Clutch, weakening the back, injured by Henry Godwinn on WWF Superstars a week prior to the PPV. Sid gets a nearfall and then reapplies the Camel Clutch; the referee checks Diesel’s arms which triggers the comeback. Diesel avoids a sit-down splash but gets caught in the one-handed chokeslam. Sid plants Diesel with the powerbomb and Vince McMahon calls him the new champion; he takes forever gloating though, and only gets a nearfall. Sid misses a shoulderblock in the corner and Diesel scores with Snake Eyes, a big boot and the Jackknife follows, but Tatanka runs in for the DQ. Post-match, Dibiase joins his corporate team members for a three-on-one beat-down. Sid sets up another powerbomb but Diesel backdrops free and Bam Bam Bigelow runs in to even up the odds. The corporation scampers and sets up the main event at the next In Your House. 2.5/10 Well it was boring but it was quick so the WWF knew that it must be kept short or it would die a slower death than it did.

This ends the PPV portion of the show but Coliseum Home Video has two exclusive matches that were post-PPV dark matches.

Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer) vs. Kama (w/Ted Dibiase):   Kama stole Taker’s urn at WrestleMania XI and melted it down into a chain that he is wearing around his neck. Undertaker is in the midst of his (painful) Ted Dibiase/urn storyline that began at Summerslam ’94 and continued all of the way up to just prior to WrestleMania XII. Kama “The Supreme Fighting Machine”, was the in between phase for Charles Wright, wedged between Papa Shango and the infinitely more over, Godfather. Kama hits two punches but gets whiplashed off a telegraphed backdrop; Taker dominates with punches and hits the Ropewalk Forearm. Undertaker chokes a lot. Kama comes back with a vertical suplex but Taker no-sells and continues the beating; Taker misses the running clothesline and Kama begins to unload with punches into the midsection. Kama uses some roundhouse kicks and stomps to keep the Taker down; on the floor Undertaker misses a charge and posts his shoulder. Kama slams Taker’s back into the ringpost twice; Dibiase taunts Taker with the urn necklace. Back in the ring, Kama applies a half-Boston crab. Kama releases it and sledges away on Takers back a bodyslam follows for a nearfall; Kama gets a few more kicks but Taker begins to comeback. Kama cuts it off and applies a bearhug; Taker frees himself and gets a back suplex. The Undertaker fires back with a boot and a clothesline; they double clothesline each other. Kama is up first and punches away; Taker gets up and is pissed, flying clothesline follows. Kama counters Snake Eyes into a belly-to-belly suplex and follows up with a series of elbow drops. Taker looks to be out, so Kama celebrates; Taker, of course, sits up and chokeslams Kama. Tombstone piledriver follows and the Undertaker gets the three count. Hallelujah. 2.5/10 Boring match as Kama did not have near enough interesting (or believable) offense to keep Taker down; too many rest holds.

Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Tatanka (w/Ted Dibiase):   After losing to Lawrence Taylor at WrestleMania XI, he was fired (or quit, depending on whom you asked) from Ted Dibiase’s Corporation, so he spent the rest of his WWF tenure as a babyface fending off Dibiase’s corporate charges. Speaking of Dibiase he distracts Bigelow allowing Tatanka to get the advantage at the bell. Bam Bam comes back with clotheslines and a dropkick; Tatanka retreats and Bigelow cartwheels in the ring. Tatanka chops in the corner but Bigelow fires back with a clothesline and a tackle. Dibiase low bridges Bam Bam to the floor to get the advantage for Tatanka; he tosses Bigelow into the ring steps a few times and hits the End of the Trail, on the floor. Bigelow drags himself back into the ring and Tatanka stomps away. Tatanka scores with a high crossbody for a nearfall, so he clamps on a chinlock, Bam Bam fights up, but an eye rake keeps Tatanka on top. Tatanka reapplies the chinlock; Bigelow fires back but misses the enziguri, back to the reverse chinlock. Dok Hendrix mentions that since Bigelow and Tatanka are former tag partners; that is how Tatanka knew to avoid the enziguri, good analysis. Bam Bam tries a Samoan drop but Tatanka slides down into a sunset flip; Bigelow sits down squashing Tatanka. They run the ropes and hit double crossbody blocks for a double KO. Tatanka gets a “DDT” (it was really botched). Tatanka goes to the top; Bigelow counters on his way down then Tatanka charges Bigelow in the corner but meets a knee. Bigelow climbs to the top and gets a top-rope sunset flip for the three count. 3/10 Boring, just like the other exclusive match, Tatanka was quite boring when (it looked like) he stopped giving a shit.

The 411:  With mainstream wrestling in the crapper, Vince McMahon, in an effort to bring in more money, started secondary PPVs. All of the matches, except for Bret/Hakushi, were either boring, rushed or squashes. Not a great way to kick off the secondary PPV era. 1995 was disastrous for the WWF creatively and wrestling wise; it would take a few years before the Attitude Era kicked in.
Final Score:  2.0   [ Very Bad ]