In Your House 3

Legacy Review

In Your House 3: Triple Header

September 24, 1995 from the Saginaw Civic Center in Saginaw, MI

Commentary: Vince McMahon, Jerry Lawler and Jim Ross

Welcome to the first WWF PPV to officially take place during the Monday Night Wars. Nice to see JR back in the booth. He's very much the third wheel but at least he's working his way out of the doghouse. This is the first time he'd be in the booth with Lawler so a bit of history there. This is also one of a small run of shows in '95 that former Mid-South and WCW head Bill Watts was brought in as a booker.

Savio Vega def Waylon Mercy in 7:06- Mercy is Dan Spivey in another infamous mid-'90s WWF gimmick. The character was based on Cape Fear (released in 1991 but Vince probably just got around to watching it) and serial killers in general, and was also a heel that didn't know he was a heel. After a handshake Mercy charges and Vega dodges. Arm work by Vega. Mercy reverses a whip and knees Vega in the gut. Mercy's got some seriously shiny pants on. They go to the floor, with Mercy laying in chops and slamming Vega on the floor. Back in Mercy gets a hot shot for 2. Dok Hendrix cuts in with immediate can't wait breaking news: Owen Hart is not in the building and no one knows where he is. Film at 11. Mercy locks on a sleeper, which is his finisher. Vega starts to go down then runs Mercy into the top turnbuckle. Mercy hooks it on again and Vega back suplexes out. Slugfest. Vega headbutt and big boot. Reverse kick for 2. Mercy hits a brain buster for 2. Saito suplex for 2. Vega does a standing switch and gets a German suplex for 2. The spinning heel kick finishes it off for Vega. Vince calls it an upset. I'd dubious. Spivey's body was quickly breaking down and he'd be out of the WWF and retired by October. 3/4*

Hendrix is in the heel locker room where Jim Cornette and interim WWF President Gorilla Monsoon are having a heated debate. Cornette says Owen is in......Michigan, and promises he'll be here. Monsoon says the main event is on no matter what.

 

Sycho Sid (w/Ted DiBiase) def Henry O. Godwinn in 7:23- DiBiase rejected Godwinn's application for Million Dollar Corporation membership, after Godwinn had already done a bunch of dirty work for him of course, so Godwinn slopped him and turned face. JR gets in his "this won't be a technical masterpiece" code for this will likely suck balls, and makes Vince and Lawler laugh getting "slobberknocker" in. After some back and forth Godwinn gets the edge and throws Sid to the floor. He tweaks his back (still smarting from a Sid powerbomb on weekly TV) suplexing Sid back in, then has his back give out completely when he tries to slam Sid. Sid works on the back. Then doesn't. It's Sid. Camel clutch. After some more slow Sid offense Godwinn dodges a corner charge and counters Sid coming off the second rope. Flying tackle. Slop drop! DiBiase pulls Godwinn out of the cover, then trips him running the ropes. Sid hits a legdrop and the powerbomb and good night. After the match Bam Bam Bigelow and Kama come out to scrape and in the confusion Godwinn dumps slop on DiBiase again from behind. 1/2*

In the back Cornette and Monsoon are still arguing. Monsoon gives Cornette a proposal: either Yokozuna defends the tag belts alone, or Cornette wrangles up a temporary partner for tonight. Cornette runs off to go scab hunting.

 

"The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith def Bam Bam Bigelow in 12:00- On the last Raw before Summerslam Bulldog turned heel for literally the first time in his career by attacking Diesel. He also joined Jim Cornette's camp, but Cornette's too busy trying to find a replacement for Owen to be out with him. Bigelow wins the early (nicely stiff) shoulderblocks so Bulldog rolls out for a think. We go picture in picture to see Cornette offering Sid Owen's spot in the main event. Bulldog dodges a Bigelow elbow drop and stops what had been a promising start with a chinlock. Bulldog suplex. Bigelow no sells it and hits clotheslines. Bulldog ducks a charge and Bigelow goes over the top to the floor. Bulldog tries to suplex him back in but Bigelow blocks it and drops Bulldog on the top rope. Headbutt off the top for 2. While Bigelow's arguing balls and strikes with the ref Bulldog clips his knee. Knee work follows. Another clip of the knee. Bigelow fights back and hits an enzuguri! Bulldog gets up first and goes back to the knee. Single leg crab. After cutting off another comeback Bulldog forgets the knee and goes back to the chinlock. Bleh. He tries a slam and Bigelow falls on him for 2. Bulldog with the Dynamite Kid shoutout headbutt off the top for 2. On a corner whip Bigelow bounces face first off the turnbuckles, then Bulldog catches and powerslams him for 3. Solid. Bulldog looked like he was still trying to find his comfort zone as a heel. **1/2

 

Dean Douglas (w/Bob Backlund) def Razor Ramon in 14:53- This feud started when Douglas had some notes Ramon didn't like about Ladder Match II at Summerslam. Backlund is still doing the '96 presidential run gimmick and gives a promo letting loose his verbose lexicon for the masses. He's anuspeptic, phrasmotic, even compunctious to cause the audience such pericombobulations. His pairing with Douglas is just a one shot deal but it makes sense, they should have continued with it. The build to this also saw Douglas causing some dissension between Ramon and the 1-2-3 Kid. Ramon charges the ring and it's on. A clothesline sends Douglas 360 and out. They do a bunch of headlock into headscissors spots until Ramon has enough, punches, and hiptosses Douglas out to the floor again. We go picture in picture again to see Cornette and Yokozuna talking to Mabel about their open spot. Dear God no. Reset lockup in the ring, followed by some hammerlock swapping. Douglas flips over and gets a leg takedown. Ramon catches Douglas on a run and hits the fallaway slam for 2. Ramon works the arm bit and dives Douglas some humiliation head slaps. Douglas fakes a reverse crossbody and does a sunset flip that triggers some rapid fire near falls. Ramon gets momentumed over the top to the floor. Douglas gives Ramon a running knee in the back sending Ramon into the stairs, but Ramon's not interested in hitting them hard at all. Barely nudged them. Douglas double ax handle off the top for 2. He keeps working the back and hits a springboard splash off the second rope for 2. Double chinlock. As usual Ramon doesn't do much to sell a hold, he just kind of lies there until powering out and dropping Douglas. Ramon with a unique double knucklelock suplex for 2. He goes for the back superplex. Douglas elbows out and hits a reverse crossbody. Ramon rolls through it for two. Douglas pulls Ramon into the ref. Ramon dodges a splash and hits the Razor's Edge. The Kid runs in and counts the 3 himself! Ramon thought it was the ref and gets pissed when he sees it's Kid and throws him out of the ring! Douglas uses the distraction to roll Ramon up, grab a handful of tights and get the 3! After the bell Ramon and Kid have to be separated by the usual gaggle of officials. The match was never overtly bad, but it was awfully slow until the stretch run. The Ramon/Kid angle was good stuff. The Kliq guys always tried extra hard for each other. **1/4

 

Bret "Hitman" Hart def Jean Pierre Lafitte in 16:37- Lafitte is the former Pierre of the Quebecers, and is still currently wrestling in Ring of Honor as PCO. This all started when Lafitte, as a pirate does, stole Bret sunglasses from a kid at ringside and even Bret's jacket. He's wearing Bret's jacket to the ring for this match. Bret launches with a massive TOPE SUICIDA while his music is still playing! He rips his jacket off Lafitte. A Lafitte eye rake kills Bret's momentum and he pounds down Bret in the corner. Bret wraps up a crucifix for 2. Lafitte blocks a hiptoss and hits a clothesline, followed by a series of gut stomps. Bret slips out of a slam and rolls Lafitte up for 2. Lafitte dodges in the corner and Bret RAMS his shoulder into the post. I mean the post almost legitimately physically moved on that one. I will always be amazed how Bret could do things like that and never get hurt. Speaking of, Bret bump! Lafitte charges but Bret backdrops him onto the floor. Lafitte lands on his feet! He drags Bret out and whips him hard into the stairs. Back in a Bret comeback is cut off by a spinebuster. Lafitte legdrop for 2. Bret gets a sunset flip for 2. Lafitte side suplex and legdrop off the top rope for 2. He goes up top again for his cannonball finisher. Bret just dodges! He hits an inverted atomic drop and diving clothesline, then tries to hook up the Sharpshooter. Lafitte pushes him out to the floor. He gets a run up and goes for a somersault plancha! Bret sidesteps and Lafitte splats on the floor! That was a Foley level bump. Now Lafitte eats a stair shot. Bret goes into the full Five Moves of Doom run until Lafitte cuts it off by getting his boots up to counter the elbow off the second rope. Bret tries another crucifix. Lafitte blocks it and hits a rolling slam. He tries a leverage pin in the corner but Bret kicks out. Bret hits a desperation dropkick. He tries a bulldog but Lafitte pushes him into the corner. Another Lafitte dodge and Bret flies into the ropes. Bret dodges a top rope splash and we have a midring collision. While both guys are down Bret does the Summerslam '91 finish, hooking in the Sharpshooter while laying down, turning over, and Lafitte gives it up. Fantastic match, and another textbook example of how great Bret Hart was at adapting to the style of whoever he was in the ring with. His time in midcard purgatory was finally about to come to an end. ***1/2

With the feeling that we've been played this whole time, Cornette introduces the British Bulldog as Yokozuna's one night tag partner. Monsoon give it his OK. Afterward Alundra Blayze comes out to model the event shirt on sale. Great use of the women's roster there.

 

All Titles On The Line: WWF Champion Diesel and WWF Intercontinental Champion "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels def WWF Tag Team Champions "The King of Harts" Owen Hart "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith and Yokozuna (w/Mr. Fuji and Jim Cornette) in 15:42- The stips for this are actually less convoluted than they appear. If Bulldog or Yokozuna get the decision, they win the title of whoever they pinned or submitted. If Diesel and Shawn win, they win the tag titles. After a little rock paper scissors, Shawn starts out with Bulldog. Standing chain wrestling turns into a great speed run. Shawn backdrops Bulldog, then Cactus Clotheslines him while skinning the cat. Yoko runs in and the faces take him out also to clear the ring. Yoko tags in. Shawn refuses to tag out and instead challenges Yoko to a sumo match. After too much stalling Yoko accepts. Shawn slides under him but runs into a back elbow. Yoko goes for the big elbow drop. Shawn dodges and tags. After a clothesline exchange a Diesel big boot sends Yoko to the floor again. Bulldog hits Diesel from behind and the heels swap behind Hebner's back. Bulldog badly fucks up a delayed suplex, resets, and hits it properly. He goes for the powerslam but Diesel pushes out. Vintage Nash corner elbows and corner clotheslines. Shawn hits a splash off Diesel's shoulders for 2. Bulldog presses Shawn and drops him crotch first over the top rope. Yoko knocks him off. Corner whip and Shawn flip. Shawn does his mile high backdrop and Bulldog covers for 2. Shawn sunset flip for 2. Crossbody for 2. Bulldog suckers Diesel in and the heels double team. Yoko wears down Shawn and goes for the Banzai drop. Shawn dodges! Hot tag! Diesel backdrop and snake eyes on Bulldog. Donnybrook! The heels are run into each other. Yoko falls on top of Bulldog! While Shawn's taking out Cornette (who got on the apron) Yoko blocks Diesel's jackknife attempt on Bulldog and gives him a Samoan drop. Shawn superkicks Yoko to the floor. Bulldog hits the powerslam. Shawn breaks the pin up with the elbow off the top rope! OWEN HART IS IN THE BUILDING! He tries coming off the top rope but Diesel catches him. Jackknife on Owen! Diesel covers and for some reason Hebner counts the 3. New tag champs! The image of Shawn and Diesel with literally every belt in the WWF is the perfect on screen reflection of what was happening behind the scenes during this time- the Kliq ran the show. But because Owen was pinned and he officially was not in the match, the next night on Raw Monsoon overturned the decision and handed the tag belts back to Owen and Yoko. Who promptly lost them for real later that same night to the Smoking Gunns. Fun match though. You couldn't expect much of anything out of Yoko at this point, but the other three guys were on it enough to make up for it. It would have been even better if it had played up the heels going for the singles titles angle better, especially if they argued a bit about being in the match to get the decision. Despite the stips it mostly felt like a standard tag title match. ***1/4

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS: After an extremely difficult year, this is one of those shows that has a "turning the corner a bit" feel about it. There's still some crap for sure, but the top matches delivered enough to make this, dare I say, decent? Maybe even a bit good?

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: B-