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From The Network- WWF In Your House: Canadian Stampede

March 18, 2014 | Posted by Dylan Diot
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From The Network- WWF In Your House: Canadian Stampede  

WWF In Your House: Canadian Stampede
7-6-97
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

You hosts are Vince McMahon, Jim Ross, and Jerry Lawler.

Video package for Helmsley/Mankind airs.

Hunter Hearst Helmsley w/Chyna vs. Mankind
They slug it out to start and Mankind hits a bulldog. Slam by Mankind and he hits a leg drop. Double Arm DDT by Mankind but Helmsley comes back with a face buster. Helmsley charges but Mankind backdrops him to the floor. Mankind follows out with an elbow drop off the apron and back in, Mankind covers for 2. Mankind sends Helmsley into the corner and he falls back to the floor. Helmsley tries to walk out but Mankind stops him and he suplexes Helmsley on the ramp. Mankind knocks Helmsley off the apron, preventing him from entering the ring. Helmsley goes for a sunset flip but Mankind blocks and he grabs the Mandible Claw. Chyna nails Mankind to break the hold and Mankind stalks Chyna on the floor. Helmsley leaps off the apron but Mankind nails him on the way down. Helmsley sends Mankind into Chyna who hits a hip toss into the steps!!!! Helmsley nails Mankind in the bad knee with a chair and he chop blocks Mankind as he was entering the ring. Helmsley stomps away on the bad knee and he begins to work it over. Helmsley hammers away on Mankind in the corner and he dropkicks the knee of Mankind. Figure-4 by Helmsley and he uses the ropes for added leverage. The ref finally catches him and the distraction allows Mankind to finally fight out. Helmsley goes for the Pedigree but Mankind blocks and he goes to slingshot Helmsley into the corner but he blocks. Mankind falls forward and lands in the groin of Helmsley!!! Mankind hits the running knee strike in the corner and he sends Helmsley in the corner which causes Helmsley to get caught in the tree of woe. Elbow drop to Helmsley in the tree of woe and Mankind hits the pile driver for 2!!! Mankind clotheslines Helmsley to the floor and he grabs a chair. Chyna prevents Mankind from using the chair and Helmsley nails Mankind in the back with the chair. The ref prevents a second chair shot and Chyna KILLS Mankind with a clothesline on the floor. Back in, Helmsley goes up but Mankind crotches him and grabs the Mandible Claw. Chyna trips up Mankind and crotches him to break that up. They go back to the floor and Helmsley and Mankind begin to brawl in the crowd. The ref counts them both out!!!
Match ends in a Double Count Out ***1/2 ( This was a damn good opener and an improvement from their King of the Ring match. They did some good leg work during the match and Mankind did his usual array of crazy bumps. I was impressed by the performance of Chyna here, she looked like a beast and her gimmick shined through here. Crappy finish but it set up a cage match and the famous street fight in MSG in the coming months. )

We see footage of the Hart Foundation during the Calgary Stampede fair.

Stone Cold tries to barge into the Hart Foundation’s locker room but officials hold him back.

Taka Michinoku vs. Great Sasuke
This is the start of the WWF’s attempt to compete with WCW’s Cruiserweight Division. Before the match starts, we see Mankind and Helmsley continue their brawl in the crowd as officials try to separate them. Both men look for control early and Sasuke attempts the cross arm breaker but Taka counters into a roll-up for 2. Snap mare by Sasuke and he grabs a chinlock. Taka escapes and grabs the surfboard, eventually turning into Taka working over the left arm. Sasuke grabs a sleeper but Taka escapes so Sasuke catches him with a spin kick. Half crab by Sasuke but Taka makes the ropes to break. Taka comes back with a hard palm thrust and he snapmares Sasuke into a basement dropkick to the back. Basement dropkick by Taka and Sasuke backdrops Taka to the floor. Sasuke goes up and hits a missile dropkick to the floor on Taka. Back in, Sasuke throws some kicks at Taka in the corner and he hits a spin kick to the face in the corner!!! Taka comes back with a dragon screw leg sweep and he hits a dropkick to the leg of Sasuke. Sasuke bails and Taka hits a springboard crossbody to the floor!!! Taka goes to suplex Sasuke back in but he escapes and Taka catches him with a hurricanrana for 2. Inside cradle by Taka gets 2. Handspring back elbow by Sasuke knocks Taka back to the floor and Sasuke hits a springboard Asai moonsault to the floor. Back in, Taka hits an overhead belly to belly suplex for 2. Corner knee strike by Taka and he hits a springboard dropkick to the back of Sasuke. Michinoku Driver by Taka gets 2!!! Taka goes up and leaps but Sasuke dropkicks him on the way down. Springboard moonsault press by Sasuke gets 2. Powerbomb by Sasuke and he hits a Tiger Suplex for 3.
Winner- Great Sasuke ***1/2 ( Good first showcase for the Light Heavyweight Division. This didn’t hold up as well as it did in 1997, but this was an excellent athletic display and they got the crowd rocking in the final few minutes. )

Helmsley and Mankind take their brawl into the parking lot and HHH is busted open by Mankind. The refs finally get them separated.

Paul Bearer doesn’t understand how Undertaker can look in the mirror knowing he murdered his entire family. He reminds Undertaker of what happened at the Royal Rumble and claims tonight will be déjà vu.

WWF Championship- Undertaker © vs. Vader w/Paul Bearer
Rights by Taker and he hits a clothesline. Leg drop by Taker gets 2. Avalanche in the corner by Taker gets 2. Taker goes OLD SCHOOL on Vader for 2. Vader trucks Taker to come back but Taker catches him with a flying clothesline for 2. Vader grabs a headlock but Taker escapes so Vader overpowers him to come back. Big boot by Taker knocks Vader to the floor and he follows out. Vader sends Taker into the steps and Bearer mocks him on the floor. Taker snaps Vader’s neck off the ropes and Taker goes up. Flying clothesline off the top by Taker gets 2. Taker knocks Vader back to the floor and he stalks Bearer, allowing Vader to attack from behind. Bearer nails Taker with his shoe a few times and back in, Vader hammers Taker in the corner. Short arm clothesline by Vader and he goes to the second rope. Second rope clothesline by Vader gets 2. Suplex by Vader and he hits a big splash for 2. Nerve hold by Vader but Taker fights out of it. Vader pokes the eye of Taker and hits a clothesline. Vader hammers away on Taker in the corner and Taker fights back with some rights. He hammers away on Vader in the corner and goes for the Chokeslam but Vader goes low to block. Taker goes for the Tombstone but Vader rolls out but collapses, causing Taker to fall on top for 2. Taker charges in the corner but eats elbow and he trucks Taker again. Vader goes up but Taker goes low and Taker takes him off the ropes with a choke slam for 2!!! A second Chokeslam by Taker gets 2!!! Tombstone by Taker gets 3!!!
Winner and Still WWF Champion- Undertaker ***1/2 (There were some weird, slow pauses during the match but for the most part this was as action packed a big man match as you will see. Taker’s run of matches during his second title reign were incredibly underrated.)

Video package for Hart Foundation/Austin’s team airs.

Austin’s team their ready to compete in hostile territory and Austin himself walks away saying nothing.

Farmer’s Daughter sings the Canadian National Anthem. Yes, THE Farmer’s Daughter.

Goldust, Ken Shamrock, Legion of Doom (Hawk and Animal), and Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Hart Foundation (Brian Pillman, Jim Neidhart, British Bulldog, Owen Hart, and Bret Hart) w/Diana Smith
Austin and Hart start. Rights by Bret and he hammers away in the corner. Bret stomps away in the corner but Austin rakes the eyes and works over Bret in the corner. Bret comes back with a clothesline and he hits a head butt. Reverse atomic drop by Bret and he hits a clothesline. Bret rakes Austin’s face off the ropes and Austin goes low to come back. Austin stomps away on Bret and grabs the Million Dollar Dream but Bret bounces off the corner into a roll-up for 2. Austin chokes Bret in the ropes and he goes to jump on Bret but Bret moves. Tag to Neidhart and Austin hits a Thesz Press into some rights on Neidhart. Tag to Shamrock and he hits a kick to the back of Neidhart. Ankle Lock by Shamrock but Pillman breaks it up. Arm drag into an arm bar by Shamrock but Neidhart breaks. Tag to Pillman and he rakes the eyes of Shamrock. Chops in the corner by Pillman and he hits a back breaker. Pillman charges in the corner but Shamrock comes out with a clothesline. Belly to belly suplex by Shamrock and Owen tags in along with Goldust. Backdrop by Goldust but Owen comes back with the enzuigiri for 2. Goldust rakes the eye of Owen and he hits some punches in the corner. Tag to Hawk and he hits a gutwrench suplex. Leg drop by Hawk gets 2 and he hits a slam. Fist drop by Hawk and he goes up. Flying splash off the top by Hawk gets 2. Dropkick misses and Owen grabs the Sharpshooter. Animal breaks it up and Bulldog tags in. Delayed suplex by Bulldog gets 2. Running powerslam by Bulldog gets 2 as Goldust saves. Tag to Bret and Animal. Shoulders to the gut in the corner by Animal and he charges but eats boot. Clothesline by Bret and Goldust tags in. Knee to the gut by Bret and he puts Goldust in the tree of woe. The Hart Foundation all work over Goldust in the corner but Austin and his teammates save him. Owen comes in and he hits a back breaker. Owen charges but misses and hits the post shoulder first. Tag to Animal and Owen hits the spinning heel kick. Owen goes up and hits the missile dropkick off the top. Powerbomb by Animal and he hits a powerslam. Doomsday Device by LOD gets 2 as Neidhart saves. Everyone comes in and brawls as Austin slams Owen’s leg off the post multiple times. Austin nails Owen’s knee with a chair!!! Bret finally saves him brother and Neidhart tags in, allowing Owen to go to the back and get medical attention. Austin stomps away but Neidhart rams Austin in the corner to come back, allowing the Hart Foundation to work over Austin in the corner. Austin fights out of the corner and his teammates gets some shots in on Pillman. Stunner on Pillman and Bret takes Austin down. Bret slams Austin’s leg off the post a few times and he nails Austin in the leg a few times with a fire extinguisher. Figure-4 against the post by Bret but Hawk saves. Hawk tags in and now Austin needs to go to the back for medical attention. Slam by Hawk to Bulldog and he goes up. Bulldog crotches him and brings him down for 2. Double clothesline by Neidhart and Bulldog and Animal tags in. Test of strength is broken up by Neidhart and he and Bret hit a backbreaker/second rope elbow combo for 2. Tag to Shamrock and Pillman catches him with a clothesline. Bret hits a head butt to the midsection but Shamrock comes back with a hard forearm. Bret dumps Shamrock to the floor and Pillman sends him across the announce table. Hawk tries to save but Pillman and Neidhart send him into the steps. In the ring, Bret hits a side Russian leg sweep for 2 as Goldust saves. Tag to Bulldog and he hammers away on Shamrock in the corner. Shamrock goes low to come back and Goldust tags in. Clothesline by Goldust and he hits a bulldog. Goldust goes for the Curtain Call but Pillman breaks it up. Goldust goes up but Bulldog stops him and follows up. Superplex by Bulldog gets 2 as Hawk saves. Austin finally makes his way back out and gets the tag along with Bret. They slug it out and Austin stomps away in the corner. Suplex by Austin gets 2. Swinging neckbreaker by Bret and he hits a backbreaker. Bret goes to the second rope and hits the front elbow drop for 2. Sleeper by Bret but Austin breaks with a jawbreaker for 2. Bret goes for the Sharpshooter but Animal breaks it up. Austin grabs the Sharpshooter but Owen returns and breaks it up!!! Tag to Owen and he hits some rights on Austin. Austin clotheslines Owen to the floor and he follows out. Austin stomps away on Owen on the floor and Austin goes after Stu and the rest of the Hart Family. The Harts attack Austin and back in, Owen rolls up Austin for 3!!!
Winners- Hart Foundation ****3/4 (Incredible main event. The match itself was fantastic but the crowd was insanely hot for the Hart Foundation and made for an atmosphere the likes of which you rarely see in wrestling anymore. This is a classic match and the peak of a classic angle. Fantastic stuff all around. )

After the match, everyone continues to brawl as officials try to separate both teams and members of the Hart Family. Austin charges the ring again with a chair and again, officials have to pull Austin off the Hart Foundation. Austin is forced to be handcuffed by security and finally drag him out of the ring. The Hart Family stands tall in the ring to end the show.

The 411: This is regarded as one of the best shows in the history of the WWE and I can't say I disagree with that assessment. The wrestling on this show is top notch, with the main event going down as one of the most heated and emotionally fueled matches in the history of the company. This was the peak of an all-time great angle involving the Hart Foundation and an example of just how hot the WWF was starting to get during the summer of 1997. This is a must watch for any wrestling fan.
411 Elite Award
Final Score:  9.5   [  Amazing ]  legend

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