'Stone Cold' Steve Austin vs Dude Love (WWF In Your House: Over The Edge) Review

'Stone Cold' Steve Austin vs Dude Love (WWF In Your House: Over The Edge)

I have always considered this match to be the match in this era that was the genesis of the brawling genre, before it would become overdone as the year and into '99 would become. There is of course a whole convoluted back-story to how this title match came about and who is to be involved.

They actually had a match at the prior In Your House: Unforgiven that I have very little memory of TBH. Foley beat funk and Goldust to get this title shot (YES VINCE, I CAN SAY TITLE SHOT :p) The kitchen sink is thrown at this match with who's involved. Patterson is the announcer, Brisco is the bell ringer and Vince McMahon is the referee. Vince reminds us that this can only end by his own hand.

A line of importance there to remember when watching the match

Also if Austin touched Vince, then we will have a new champion.

This is also the same building that christened “Austin 3:16” and where Mankind battled The Undertaker in that HIAC

First up, out come Patterson and Brisco and they go through some very thorough and funny introductions. I tried putting the video of these up on YT – BUT VINCE IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT FUCKING DOWN AGAIN

So, here it is on an alternative video site so peeps can watch them rather than me writing what they say down;

https://vid.me/DmtL

Got to take note of the cars down the isle as Brisco is making his way to the ring.

:lol Looks exactly like a car salesmen here, too. Well, he owned his own body shop at least.

Well, 10 minutes later and the challenger; (Corporate) Dude Love is first out. Grinning wildly as he's got all his teeth in for this match it seems. Crowd go wild as Patterson starts introducing Austin.

“He's a beer swilling fool”

“He's a loud mouth punk”

“He's a disgrace to every human being alive today”

“Well I got news for you...........I ain't going to introduce a bum”

LOL

Crowd go ape as the glass shatters and the champion, STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN, finally makes his way out here.

Just as Vince goes to call for the bell to get this started.............................GONG goes off

“Business is about to pick up” - :proud Oh J.R, I miss thee.

Here comes the motherfucking UNDERTAKER.

He seems to be out here so Vince doesn't fuck about and officiates this match fairly. The bell FINALLY RINGS and this this is under way.

Collar and elbow tie up to start with and both go into the corner. Vince backs Austin off, and gets the old Stone Cold finger salute for his troubles. Quick headlock by Foley (Now, I don't really want to keep writing Dude or Love, or Dude Love, so I'm just going to say Foley :p). He takes Austin down with a shoulder barge and tries for a pin. Vince counts suspiciously fast here and Austin gets right in his face to ask “What the fuck was that?”.

I have just noticed Vince is wearing an earpiece microphone lol.

Foley again takes Austin down and goes for another pin, but gets a one this time. Austin whips him off the roped and stiffs him with a nasty looking elbow to the face and immediately gets him into a side headlock on the mat.

A “Vince is gay” chant starts in the crowd

Austin reverses an Irish whip into the ropes, kicks Foley in the gut and slams his head backwards right onto the mat.

Foley's teeth have fell out

Austin picks them and STAMPS ON THEM

How could you, Steve.

'Dude has lost his smile'

Foley starts kicking the shit out of Austin. He's got Austin in the corner and starts wailing at him with big right hands. He tries to whip Austin off the ropes, but it gets reversed and Austin hits him with a LOU THESZ press and punches the crap out of Foley. He follows this up by dumping Foley over the top rope and onto the outside via clothesline. Both on the outside now, as Austin nails Foley's head off the guardrail and tries to send him into the steps. Instead, Foley reverses this and it's Austin who takes the big bump into the steel steps.

Foley follows up on this by ramming Austin's head into the same steps, just as Taker is looking loomingly on. Vince is screaming at Austin, who is flat on the outside, to get back in the ring. Soon as he does, Foley hits him with a drop toe hold and gets a 2 count.

“LETS GO STONE COLD, LET'S GO” Crowd is obviously hot for Austin.

Austin is in the corner now as Foley starts choking him out with his boot and biting him in the damn head..............and all Vince can do is watch on. Foley whips Austin hard into the opposite turnbuckle. Foley fully in control now as he drops an elbow onto Austin and then slams his head into the turnbuckle. He sends Austin into another turnbuckle and runs straight at him and hits him hard with a running knee to the gut. Foley again goes for a pin, but Austin kicks out at 1.

Austin manages to reverse a whip into the ropes and hits Foley with a neckbreaker. He then gets up immediately and hits Foley with a series of clotheslines. He gets Foley into the corner and starts 'stomping a mudhole' in him with kicks to the gut. Austin tries to clothesline Foley again, but Foley ducks and puts Austin into the

MANDABLE CLAW

Austin quickly gets out of it by sending Foley INTO the top rope

I'm sure Foley wants to keeps his ears here TBH.

He sets himself free and rolls to the outside. Austin follows him out and they briefly slug it out before Foley sends Austin flying over the announcers table

Patterson then gets on the mic and says “THIS IS A REMINDER; THIS IS A NO DISQUALIFICATION MATCH”

Since when??? Vince up to his tricks here.

Foley starts choking the life out of Austin with some cable cord. Austin breaks free by running and sending Foley into the ring area and off a table. Austin just starts beating the shit out of Foley and ends up sending both of them over the guardrail and into the crowd.

Another hell of a bump by Foley.

Both back in the ring now and Austin is firmly in command as he starts choking Foley on the ropes.

NO DQ, VINCEY BOY

Austin tries to hit Foley with a running jump into the ropes, but Foley moves and Austin ends up bouncing hard off the ropes. This should allow Foley some time to get his shit back together too. He gets up and baseball slides Austin outside of the ring. He then runs out the ring and hits Austin with his patented neckbreaker.

Vince goes to Patterson and Pat gets back on the mic

“THIS IS A REMINDER; THIS IS A FALLS COUNT ANYWHERE MATCH”

YOU NAUGHTY S.O.B, VINCE

Foley gets an immediate 2 count on the outside on Austin. Austin is straight up and just as Foley is celebrating with a little jig, Austin runs over him like a freight train with a powerful clothesline. He runs again over to Foley, but Foley sends him over his head and

ONTO THE HOOD OF A CAR

Foley then pins Austin on the car but only gets another 2 count. They trade a couple of punches and Foley runs at Austin, but this time it's Austin's turn to reveres it and sends Foley face first into a car

Even Patterson has come down to have a look lol. Taker is also still there of course, hovering over Vince to make sure he's counting these pin attempts properly. Both Austin and Foley are now on the roof of a car and Austin seemingly tries to go for a STUNNER, but Foley sends him flying onto the top of the next car

Another big bump by Austin.

Foley then does a SUNSET FLIP OFF THE HOOD OF A CAR and pins Austin......but can only get a 2 count again.

Foley then picks up some sort of steel pipe. He hits Austin with it, but immediately throws it away and instead rams Austin's head off the hood of the car.

JUICE TIME - AUSTIN IS BUSTED OPEN

Austin starts a comeback as he punches the shit out of Foley. He tries to piledrive Foley on the outside but Foley reverses and sends Austin over in a back flip. Another 2 count by Foley follows. He hits Austin with a quick snap suplex.

Man, Austin is taking some damn bumps here.

Foley then gets onto the roof a car and drops a flying elbow............but Austin manages to move out of the way

Austin then starts literally kicking the shit out of Foley all the way back to the ring. He sends Foley crashing hard into the steps. Both finally back into the ring now. Austin tries to bounce off the ropes, but Patterson catches his foot and stops him. This allows Foley to hit Austin with a clothesline and he starts hitting Austin in the head and into the open wound.

Foley takes off the turnbuckle padding and exposes the steel. He immediately rams Austin's head straight into it. Austin is just down, bloodies and beaten as he's slumped in the corner. Foley goes running over and nails him with a knee. Foley again rams Austin's head off the exposed steel. He puts Austin in a hold that brings back fond memories of Wrestlemania 13/Bret and all that

Memories, like the corners of my mind........oh sorry.

Vince is taunting Austin here, but Austin starts fighting his way back up. He gets out of it and launches at Foley with a quick flurry of right hands.....but Foley immediately whacks his head again off that exposed turnbuckle. He goes for a pin......1..........2................2.9

AUSTIN KICKS OUT

Vince is having a mini meltdown here as Foley asks Patterson to give him a steel chair. He nails Austin in the midriff with it and whacks hit hard off his back. He nails Austin with a double arm DDT right off the chair. This has to be it as Foley goes for another cover..1.2...................2.9

AUSTIN DAMN FUCK KICKS OUT AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Austin is now up and in the corner as Foley comes running at him with the chair...........but Austin manages to get his feet up sends the chair flying off Foley's head

Finally, some rest bite for Austin and a chance for some revenge. He grabs the chair himself and starts psyching himself up, but he ends up being too over zealous with the chair and it ends up bouncing off the ropes and hits him plum in the face

This doesn't deter him though as he nails Foley in the head with the chair. He pins Foley

BUT THAT S.O.B VINCE JUST STANDS THERE AND REFUSES TO MAKE THE DAMN COUNT

Austin goes over and screams at him to count. Just as he does that, Foley grabs the chair and tries to hit Austin with it, but Austin moves and the chair ends up off off Vince's noggin'

Austin immediately hits Foley with the STONE COLD STUNNER. Another ref comes down to count the pin/ 1.......2...........................PATTERSON GRABS THE REFS LEGS and pulls him out the ring. He nails the poor ref with a follow up punch lol. He could still throw a mean punch. By this time, Foley is up and puts Austin into the MANDABLE CLAW.

Austin's shoulders appear to be on the mat as Patterson takes it upon himself to count the pin. 1..........2....................UNDERTAKER GRABS PATTERSON and drags him out the ring.

HE PUTS HIM IN A CHOKESLAM AND SENDS HIM CRASHING THROUGH THE TABLE

Brisco then tries to count the pin, but is also pulled out the ring and

CHOKESLAMMED THOUGH A TABLE

Back in the ring and Austin hits Foley

WITH ANOTHER STONE COLD STUNNER

He covers Foley, grabs Vince's dead hand and makes the count with it.

No doubt about this one............1.........2........................3.

Austin finally retains.

Crowd go ape as Austin celebrates and has an eye to eye with Undertaker. Brisco/Vince/Pat are all dead of course.

THIS WAS FUCKING AWESOME AND I FUCKING MISS THIS SHIT. Seriously, it is still one of the most fun matches you could ever watch, from the outlandish announcements at the start, to the over top story of the match, to the final bell. This style of match would become very prevalent over the course of the A.E, but here it's fresh and is done to perfection. The overbooking of it was great, with the stooges and Taker being involved. Vince was wonderful around this time as a character and in this match, he continues that by stacking the odds against Austin and wanting you to will on Austin in every turn.

Austin himself deserves a lot of credit for taking all those bumps tbh, esp around this time of his career. He took his share on the outside onto the floor and on those ringside cars. I was never the biggest fan of the 'Dude Love' character, but I did like him as the 'corporate heel' here with Vince and co as it worked with the story and esp in this match.

Credit to Patterson/Brisco too for being very entertaining and taking those table bumps.

I fucking love this match and everyone should go and watch it NOW.

Shawn Michaels vs Mankind (WWF Championship) (WWF In Your House: Mind Games) Review

Shawn Michaels vs Mankind (WWF Championship) (WWF In Your House: Mind Games)

So, I was going through my In Your House DVDs, deciding on a match to watch. Despite the IYH series getting some derision over the years, the events still produced some good/great matches in between some of the dross. This match is an obvious stand out and is one that I haven't seen in a while and my mind was made up as soon as I came across it, as this was the match I really wanted to watch again.

Can HBK go toe to toe with the maniacal Mankind and retain his WWF Championship? Or will he not be able to compete with the toughness and madness that the deranged one brings? We shall see.

Paul Bearer is out first with some druids, who push along a coffin to ringside. Mankind already playing 'Mind Games'. I have a slight feeling this will come into play later on. :hmm: The casket pops open and Mankind rises up

The WWF Champion out next, with of course Jose Lothario. I sure hope he's ready for this.

Shawn quickly outs Mankind in a side headlock to start this one off. He whips him off the ropes, but Mankind catches him with a vicious elbow, sending HBK right down to the mat. Mankind starts kicking HBK and hits him with a chop to the throat. Mankind in control early as he whips HBK off the ropes and sends him straight into a back body drop. He follows this up with a big running clothesline, which sends them both over the top rope to the outside.

“ECW, ECW, ECW” chants can be heard from the crowd.

Mankind rips the outside mat up and exposes the concrete. Just as he lifts it up though, HBK catches him with a drop-kick and follows this up with two double foot stomps onto Mankind.

Shawn already knowing what he may have to do to win this thing.

HBK gets onto the turn-buckle and hits Mankind with a flying cross-body He runs straight back at Mankind and yanks his head straight onto the exposed concrete. He sends him back into the ring and hits him with a double axe handle off the top rope. HBK starts hitting Mankind with some big right hands before clotheslining him down onto the mat. He picks him up and slams him back down to the mat, before climbing onto the top turn-buckle

He hits him with a Savage like flying elbow. HBK seems to think this is it as he goes into the other corner and gets ready to tune up the band. Mankind quickly gets up and realises this and just runs and flies through the middle rope to the outside to avoid this.

Bearer hands him the infamous urn as it looks like Mankind is going to need some divine guidance here as HBK is really bringing it. Paul is screaming at Mankind with a pep talk and 'it's about the championship'. Back in the ring and Mankind/HBK start exchanging punches in the corner. Mankind sends HBK to the turn-buckle, but Shawn reverses this and seems to try a cross-body, but Mankind is too far away. So HBK goes off on one of his tantrums and start berating Mankind.

DID SOMEONE SAY WORKED SHOOT???

He kicks Mankind in the gut, who immediately responds with a slap to the face to HBK. Who in turn starts punching the shit out of Mankind. He tries to take HBK down to the mat, but HBK continues to hit some snarly right hands. THIS IS A GOD DAMN BRAWL.

HBK seems to try and hit Mankind with a bulldog, but it's reversed and Mankind takes him down into a submission hold. He's got HBK on the mat and is effectively choking him out. He's got HBK in a snap-mere takedown, but HBK starts fighting out of it with some punches to the face. Mankind still has both his legs wrapped around HBK's waist though as Shawn tries to hit him with some elbows to try and get out of it. He does finally break out of as he relentlessly punches the shit out of Mankind.

All of a sudden, Mankind turns around and fucking NAILS Shawn with one of his own right hands to the face.

GET THE FUCK DOWN INDEED

He sends HBK flying out the ring and onto the outside. Mankind grabs the Spanish announce table and starts dragging it into a position, but just as he does, HBK comes flying over it and hits Mankind with a flying elbow.

He wails Mankind's head off the casket. He then suplexes him off the steel steps and it catches Mankind's leg sweet as a nut, which the sound of comes across as loud as hell.

NASTY

Mankind gets back up and in the ring, but as soon as he does, HBK takes him straight out via that damaged knee and he slides out the ring again and lies on top of the casket. Shawn takes this ample opportunity to slam Mankind's knee hard off the casket. Shawn taking a leaf out of Bret's book here and continues to target the leg of Mankind with some kicks.

HBK realises what he has to do and how far within himself he has to search to take this new found aggressiveness to Mankind.

He stamps on the knee, which doesn;t please Earl Hebner and HBK really tries his luck here and slaps Earl.

Careful now Shawn.

Mankind starts fighting back and hits Shawn with a short flurry of punches. Mankind tries to kick HBK, but gets taken down with a leg drag to the mat. Shawn then goes for the leg again and puts Mankind into a figure four leg-lock

Mankind quickly gets out of this though by nailing HBK with a punch to the face. He whips Shawn off the ropes, but HBK hits a drop-kick straight to the heavily damaged leg of Mankind. HBK now seemingly tying to break his damn leg and is not letting up as he locks Mankind's leg up and stamps hard on it. He then puts him into a sort of one legged sharpshooter to further target the bad leg. Mankind manages to grab the ropes but it takes nearly up until the full count of 5 for HBK to finally release the hold.

HBK really is learning what he has to do and how far down he has to dig to win this thing.

Mankind though catches him with a chop to the throat, He goes towards HBK, but Shawn quickly jumps on his back and flings him over for a pinfall attempt, and gets a close 2 count. The first of the match insidently.

HBK comes off the ropes towards Mankind but gets flung over and dropped face first off the opposite top rope

Some rest bite for Mankind here and his chance for some revenge maybe.

Bearer hands Mankind some kind of instrument as Mankind starts stabbing his own leg multiple times, seemingly to try and get the feeling back and help him to turn this match around, now he knows HBK is hurt. He goes straight after HBK and starts choking him out on the ropes. He whacks Shawn's head off the casket and sends him to the outside.

This has been a war of attrition and is still far from finished.

Back in the ring and Mankind immediately starts hammering away at Shawn with some stiff shots in the corner before running at him and delivering a vicious knee to HBK;s face with all his weight. Mankind now fully in control as he plants HBK face first onto the mat, not once, but twice. BK manages to gets some adrenaline from somewhere though as he hits Mankind with a back suplex. Both men slowly get back to their feet and Shawn lands a couple of punches before being taken down with a boot to the gut and a headbutt by Mankind.

Mankind whips Shawn off the ropes, but HBK slides under his legs and takes him down via his legs. He then goes straight for Mankind with some more slugfest type right hands. Mankind though sends HBK into the corner and Shawn takes his big flying back bump and is now hanging upside down as Mankind comes flying over and nails him with an elbow.

Mankind follows this up with another flying elbow to Shawn, whilst he's still tied in the corner. HBK is now lying face first on the mat as Mankind hits him with a legdrop right onto the back of his head. He's still on offense as he gives HBK a big boot, sending HBK over he top rope and narrowly avoiding hitting the casket.

Those damn caskets.

He follows Shawn to the outside and runs at him, but HBK moves and it sends Mankind flying into and over the top of the steel steps. Both of them make their way to their feet and HBK quickly goes to Mankind and drop toe hold's him face first back onto the steps. Shawn now back in the ring as is probably thankful of the rest at this stage, however brief it may be.

Mankind gets back on the ring apron and they both take it in turns trying to suplex one another. Mankind wins this battle, but HBK manages to land on his feet. Mankind then runs at him on the apron, but Shawn moves and Mankind goes head first into the ring post.

Steel steps, ring posts; Mankind is taking a fucking battering, here.

Both on their feet again and Mankind gives HBK and elbow before running at him, but Shawn catches him and plants him down with a powerslam and gets a nearfall 2 count.

Jim Ross - “WHAT MATCH. WHAT A WWF CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH WE ARE SEEING RIGHT HERE” - You are bang on there, J.R.

HBK sends Mankind into the ropes, then throws him over the opposite ropes and Mankind ends up getting stuck in the ropes

Careful now, you don't want to lose another ear, here

Mankind and the ref try and get his free, but as Shawn comes over, Mankind quickly puts on the

MANDABLE CLAW

Luckily for HBK, he kicks Mankind free of the ropes and out of the ring. Both men are now down.

Shawn then goes to the outside, but just as he gets near, Mankind again puts on the

MANDABLE CLAW

But HBK quickly pulls Mankind right into the guardrail, knocking over a Spanish announcer at the same time.

HBK then picks up a chair, as Mankind throws a punch, he instead hits the chair with his hand. Shawn follows this up with a chair strike to the legs and a shot to the hand of Mankind.

Stop the hand that could claw you to death. HBK drags Mankind back in the ring and starts

BITING MANKIND'S DAMN FINGERS!!!!!!

He takes Mankind down and goes about trying to destroy his hand by slamming it against the mat. He starts stomping on them and twisting them. Shawn jumps off the ropes multiple times straight landing on the fingers of Mankind.

Really excellent psychology and work here by HBK I have to say.

Shawn then runs at Mankind, but instead gets thrown over the top rope and takes a big bump onto the outside. Mankind gets onto the ring apron and flies at Shawn with a flying elbow. Mankind then baseball slides out the ring and hits Shawn with his patented neck-breaker HBK starts to get back into the ring, but just as he has his head through the middle ropes, Mankind plants him back down with a leg drop.

He follows this up with a double arm DDT onto the champion.

He goes for the cover and gets a 1,2......................2.9 

HBK KICKS OUT.

Mankind doesn't let up though as he nails HBK with a Piledriver

Remember those?

Again he goes for a cover and gets a close 2 count. He tries again by hooking the leg, but again, HBK kicks out at a close 2.

Mankind is frustrated now and is having a fit in the corner, pulling his own hair out and going ballistic. He goes over to the announcers area and starts grabbing and throwing chairs into the ring. He opens up the casket and tries to put HBK in it for some reason, but Shawn fights his way out. Both back in the ring and HBK hits Mankind with a flying elbow.

HULK..............OH FUCK I MEAN KIP UP

by Shawn.

He gets Mankind into the corner and starts wailing at him with stomps. He slams him sown to the mat and climbs up onto the top turn-buckle He hits Mankind with a flying cross-body and goes for a pin, but can only get a close 2 count. HBK again goes up top, but Mankind is back to his feet and hits the ropes, sending HBK onto the turn-buckle via his crown jewels.

Mankind gets up on the apron, grabs HBK and tries to

BACK BODY DROP HIM THROUGH A TABLE

'HOLY SHIT, HOLY SHIT, HOLY SHIT'

HBK though seems to reverse it mid air with a cross-body Bearer has the ref distracted on the outside as Mankind gets inside the ring with a steel chair. He gets on the turn-buckle, but as soon as he does, HBK runs at him, off another standing chair that is also in the ring, and kicks the chair straight off his face

SWEET CHIN MUSIC!! SWEET CHIN MUSIC!!

Awesome spot.

HBK then goes for the pin, but gets a 2 before he gets up as here comes

VADER

And of course the bell rings. Vader must have been slow to do the run in here, as when Shawn pinned Mankind, Earl had to count very slowly to wait for the run in to happen lol.

Shawn ends up hitting Vader with a flying elbow, sending him over the top rope. Just as HBK is standing in the ring, Paul Bearer comes up behind and nails with with the urn.

J.R - “The referee didn't see it”

Well Jim, doesn't matter now does it as he's already rung the bell for the DQ before this happened :p

Just as Vader is about to get back into the ring

SYCHO SID arrives and goes straight for him. They both start wailing on each other down the isle as multiple referees starts running towards the ring. HBK is dead on the floor as Mankind slowly starts to make his way to his feet. Shawn gets up and is immediately hits with the

MANDABLE CLAW

He asks Bearer to lift the casket lid up, Just as he does,

THE FUCKING UNDERTAKER IS IN THERE!!!!

And goes straight after Mankind.

He sends him over the top rope and follows and stalks him and Bearer down the isle. Finally, back in the ring, HBK is declared the winner via DQ and retains his WWF Championship.

Well, until I rewatch Bret/Austin from Survivor Series, as of this writing, this is the WWF MOTY and the probable MOTY for the whole of the US. It's a perfect mix of this style as you can get out of a wrestling match, DQ finish excluded of course. This is also one match that the finish doesn't hurt the match IMO. Vader/HBK/Sid/Taker/Mankind were all involved in storylines with each other, so it was not a surprise.

Both Mankind and HBK came out of this looking like a million dollars each too. Shawn showed a real aggressive side pretty much straight from the off and this match showed how far down he had to delve to not only match Mankind for his physicality, but also how to actually beat him. He does some really great leg work during the first half and then even getter in the second once he starts going after Mankind's fingers so he can't put on the claw. Shawn's main offense was also spot on here, esp his punches, which I thought looked really good. I loved how they both mixed up both traditional wrestling, brawling and well placed, but not overdone, high spots. Foley took his obvious fair share of bumps, but they both worked hard in getting intensity and nastiness of the match over.

This match didn't happen on a Wrestlemania, or a Summerslam.......it happened on a freaking In Your House PPV. It's as good, if not better, than anything else that year. We know HBK had a pretty consistent year in '96 and this match is just the crowning glory of it all.

Don't need to say recommended as OF COURSE IT FUCKING IS

A stunning piece of work and one of the great title matches in the company history.

Vader, Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith vs. Shawn Michaels, Ahmed Johnson & Sid (WWF In Your House 9: International Incident) Review

Vader, Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith vs. Shawn Michaels, Ahmed Johnson & Sid (WWF In Your House 9: International Incident)

So, it's been years since I have seen this match TBH and I always remember it being rather good. The Ultimate Warrior was due to be in the match, but was suspended for missing dates, so was replaced by Sid. Considering the time frame of this match, I'm kinda glad. Earlier on in the night, Cornette and Lothario had a debate in the ring, which resulted in Corny trying to whack Jose with the racket and Vader/Shawn having a pull apart face off, to add even further heat to the match.

Nice slide in by HBK there.

So the faces are actually labelled as 'The People's Posse'

LOL

Should be interesting given the recent history between Sid and Shawn over the past year and all involved have been going at it with each other for the majority of the year too TBH. HBK is out first, to a big pop too in Canada. The fans are that excited, they fall over the barricade

Lawler's laugh on commentary is funny during this. Already interesting that the faces are the ones to come out first in this and not the heels. Ahmed Johnson is out next with the 'People's Intercontinental Championship Belt'. Got a feeling this is going to take a while to actually start lol. You know who that leaves; SID, and he's next out to that iconic music and a pop of his own.

“THE MAN IS HERE”

The heels are next out and they all come down together with Jim Cornette. Vader/Owen/Davey. Just on paper that is a fucking great team. So it looks like this is finally ONNNNNNNNNNNNNNN. Owen has a cast on his arm for this, still recovering from his 'broken wrist'. Wonder if that'll come into play.............

Vader and Ahmed look to start this off, but Vader points at Shawn and demands he's in with him (yeah, I bet HBK is relishing this). Ahmed tags him in and it's Vader/HBK off the bat. They both lock up and HBK is like “Bring it” (now are you SURE??). Shawn pounds away with hard rights at Vader, but this doesn't face the big man one bit and Vader just nails Shawn with a big strike to the throat to knock him down.

Yup Shawn, maybe think again on that one. Shawn though gets up and ends up hitting a Hurricinrana on Vader followed by a flying crossbody. He runs at Vader with another crossbody, knocking both of them to the outside. Shawn gets back in the ring and nails Vader with a baseball slide, followed by yet another flying crossbody, this time over the top rope, right onto Vader. HBK using his high flying skills to try and keep the Mastodon down. He goes to the well one too many times though, as he jumps off the apron, but Vader moves and HBK ends up face first off the guardrail.

Both back in the ring now and Vader has HBK just where he wants him; in the corner. He pancakes away at him with hard rights to the face and body (yeah, bet Shawn is loving this, eh). Crowd are chanting for SID, SID, SID at this point. Vader tries for an atomic drop, but Shawn flips right over Vader and makes the hot tag to...............SID!! Crowd ERUPTS.

Sid and Vader finally going to go at it. Sid comes in and starts landing some big fucking strikes on Vader, followed by some quick kicks to the gut and a clothesline to knock Vader down.

Owen and Davey fly in to try and help out, but Sid just fucking cleans house and throws all three of them over the top and to the outside. Fuck Sid is grand when he's like this. All the faces are now in the ring celebrating and Sid and HBK do a chest bump to demonstrate this

Hot start to the match. Owen tries to blind-side Sid, but ends up eating a clothesline and Sid tags Ahmed in. He takes Owen to

BOTCH SUPLEX CITY BOTCH.

I assume they are supposed to be German's rather than a side suplex TBH. Didn't look great.

Ahmed then goes for a big elbow, but Owen moves out of the way and tags Davey in. He takes control straight away and starts with big clubbing hands to the back. He flings Ahmed off the ropes, but he reverses it and plants Davey with a spinebuster. He follows this up with the Pearl River Plunge

But Vader makes the save. Vader gets Ahmed in the corner and starts slapping him around. Crows are still chanting loudly for SID lol. Ahmed turns it around and clubs Vader with some whirlwind right hands. Vader does the old 'thumb in the eye', sends Ahmed into the opposite corner and gives him a BIG VADER SPLASH. He then keeps him there and starts pounding away at him with Vader fashion with big right hooks to the face and body. Vader then runs at Ahmed and tries for another VADER SPLASH, but Ahmed uses his power and catches Vader into a powerslam for a nearfall pin.

Vader manages to get up first and tags in Owen, who immediately starts kicking away at Ahmed, before hitting him with a spinning heel kick. Ahmed turns it around as he whips Owen hard into the turnbuckle before using his power and lifting Owen up high for a big body slam. He then tags Sid in (crowd fucking love this guy lol). He levels poor Owen with a BIG BOOT, before sending him back first into the turnbuckle. I loved the bump Owen took here as he tagged Davey in straight away

The powerhouse is in now; Davey. Sid sends him off the ropes, but Davey kicks Sid in the face and puts him high up for a great extended, standing suplex

Great power by the bulldog. Vader takes this opportunity to pop in and drop an elbow on Sid as Davey distracts the ref. Sid then kicks out of a pin attempt in emphatic style. Vader now back in and it's another round of Sid/Vader :mark: Crowd are still chanting SID, SID, SID. Vader takes him down with a big standing body splash, before tagging Davey back in. Good team work here with these quick tags to try and get at Sid. Davey tries nailing Sid with some punches, but Sid is having none of it. He no sells these and plants Davey with a big right hand, before going over to tag HBK in.

He immediately hits Davey with a elbow off the top rope and straight into a 2 count. He slings Davey back first into the turnbuckle and tries to follow it up with a running shoulder barge, but Davey moves and HBK goes shoulder first into the post. He hits HBK with a headbutt and a couple of strikes, but ends up getting slung into the ropes where Vader is standing, knocking the big man over. Owen then breaks up a pin attempt by HBK, who tosses Owen over the top rope and tries again, but only gets a 2.

Davey then tags Owen in, who has his back to the ring, so HBK flings him over the rope and back into the ring. The two then get involved in a game of rolling pin attempts, as Earl tries to keep up

Always good to have Owen and HBK share a ring though. We get an excellent segment of various flips and rolls by them both in pin attempts, just showing just how well these two work together. Owen ends up solving this by hitting HBK with a hard clothesline for another nearfall. He tags Davey back in, who immediately sends HBK over in a back body drop and a leg drop for a quick nearfall. He follows this up with a powerslam and into another nearfall. He then tries an elbow, but HBK moves out the way to possibly seize his chance of a comeback.

Davey sends HBK to the ropes and immediately into Owen, who takes this opportunity to cheapshot HBK over the head with his damn cast. Doesn't get any better for Shawn, as Vader is now tagged in. Crowd are still chanting Sid, Sid, Sid. He puts HBK into the corner and pounds away with big right hooks again. Not a place you want to be again, Shawn. He's picking him apart here and he sends HBK into the opposite corner and into a big bump

Vader gives Sid a cheap slap to distract the ref as Owen goes to the outside and kicks away at Shawn and flings him back into the ring. Vader nails Shawn with a short clothesline. HBK really in trouble here. Vader decides to punish HBK and puts him in a choke/bearhug. 

A fucking FAN tries to jump into the ring at this point lol

As Vader is in there? Are you crazy or have a damn death wish? Ahmed and Davey 'team up' to chase him away. Vader continues to apply this bearhug as he also pounds away with punches to the midriff. HBK tries a mini comeback with some punches of his own to Vader, but is quickly shit down and placed firmly back into the hold. Vader is the ever so clever heel here, as he yanks on Shawn's hair as the red can't see. Then when the ref goes to the back of HBK to check, Vader starts choking Shawn via his Adam's Apple. Great, subtle work there.

HBK really in trouble here and desperately needs to make a tag. He starts hammering away at Vader, but is caught again with a big standing Vader Splash. Vader follows this up with a body splash off the ropes. Ahmed decides he's had enough of this shit, and flies in and nails Vader with a clothesline. Shawn is fucked as he climbs over Vader in an attempt at finally making a tag. Vader does get a tag though, and Davey jumps in and just about stops HBK from making that elusive tag. HBK keeps trying to get up, but keeps getting knocked right back down again by Davey's punches to the head. Davey gets HBK up, looks like a piledriver, but ends up putting him into a backbreaker. Shawn tries to counter this, but is knocked back down with a Samoan Drop.

Davey whips HBK into the corner, he follows it up, but Shawn moves out the way and Davey goes head first into the ring post.

OUCH.

This is HBK's chance now, he has to take it.

Davey manages to tag Owen back in and he and HBK start exchanging punches. Owen flies off the ropes as HBK turns around and they end up colliding with one another and knocking each other over. They are both down on the mat. Davey gets tagged in and sends HBK back to the mat with his finishing running powerslam. THIS IS IT!!!! He goes for the cover but Sid breaks it up, by deciding that a simple blow to the head won't suffice, I need to give Davey a big leg drop lol. HBK has been in there a loooooooooong time now.

Davey tags Vader in and FINALLY, HBK GETS THE HOT TAG TO................AHMED..................but blind Earl didn't see the fucking tag. Vader/Owen/Davey take this opportunity to kick the shit out of HBK as Earl is busy trying to back the faces off. Davey/Owen are now double teaming HBK and Owen tries a missile drop kick, but HBK moves and he hits Davey instead. Shawn has to make the tag now FFS.

YES IT IS, HE HOT TAGS IT STRAIGHT TO..................SID. Crowd go expectedly nuts as Sid flies in and nails Vader with a clothesline and CHOKESLAM. Owen comes in and he eats one too. Oh and ditto for Davey too. Sid is cleaning fucking house. He tags Ahmed in and they double team on Vader and take him down with a double clothesline. HBK gets on the top turnbuckle as Sid picks him up and throws him onto Vader, but Davey comes in to break the pin attempt up.

All hell is now breaking loose as Owen/Davey are lamping Ahmed on the outside, as Sid goes over to help. Meanwhile, Cornette makes his first appearance as he's on the apron and HBK is choking him as Vader picks up the TENNIS RACKET. Shawn turns around in time and punches Vader before picking up the racket, and whacking Vader right over the head with it.

1............2......................WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT, KICK OUT BY VADER!!!!!!!!

HBK goes into the corner and signals for 'Sweet Chin Music' to finish this thing, but Cornette grabs his damn foot as the ref's back is turned and Vader runs over and squashes Shawn. Vader then gets up on the second rope and hits

VADERBOMB

1...........2................................3. Camp Cornette wins. Sid/Ahmed are obviously not happy about this, and attack Owen/Vader as they are celebrating. Poor Davey ends up eating a Sid Powerbomb at the end of this. He's probably sick of these bumps by now lol. Owen also eats one too for good measure.

POWERBOMB FOR VADER TOO????!!! Nah, Sid tries but Davey pulls Vader out the ring just in time. Vader doesn't quite escape though, as Shawn runs and flies over the top rope and hits Vader with a Plancha.

After not watching this thing in years, this certainly holds up as an excellent, kind of forgotten/overlooked, WWF match TBH. HBK has a really good FIP segment, Vader does some good, stiff shit. Sid is over as fuck and is also good in his quick spurts. Owen/Davey work hard and bring the flash from the heel side. Ahmed is........Ahmed. Sloppy at times, but he was only briefly in the match so he didn't really detract anything from it. Good finishing stretch and ending too that helps set up the Vader/Shawn match at Summerslam. Really good transitions in this match too, with both teams having a chance to shine with varying offense.

A top tier multi man match form the WWF here.

Recommended.

Shawn Michaels vs. Diesel (No Holds Barred) (WWF In Your House: Good Friends, Better Enemies) Review

Shawn Michaels vs. Diesel (No Holds Barred) (WWF In Your House: Good Friends, Better Enemies)

Was just randomly thinking of WWF in 1996 and this match popped into my head as something i'd like like to revisit. So I dug out the HBK: From The Vault DVD and gave it a watch. I've always loved it and it's a highly regarded match of course, some say it's Nash's best one, although I have said that was his match with Bret at Survivor Series, so we'll see on this one. This was also Nash's last televised WWF match before he split for WCW.

These two were best friends, then there was dissension, Nash turned on HBK and they became enemies. It needed a match fitting to the ongoing hatred these two had against each other, and what better way than a 'No holds barred' match? So, here it is.

Diesel is out first and is looking as cool as ever.  He gets in the ring and throws his jacket straight onto Vince at the announce table. He's like “What the fuck is this?”. They show Mad Dog Vachon in the audience. Wonder if he'll come into play in this match

HBK is still in the back, being 'coached' by Jose Lothario, although i'm sure in his head, HBK is probably thinking “I don't need your stinking help, i'm fucking ready for the this shit, i'm the WWF Champion”. He finally makes his way out, and takes his jacket and belt off whilst walking to the ring and just goes running in the ring and straight for Diesel.

This thing is fucking on.

He starts clubbing Nash with some big right hands, but Nash finally says 'None of this shit', and gives HBK a big knee to the gut. He sends Shawn into the corner, but he reverses it and dropkicks Nash over the top and onto the outside. He follows this up with a baseball slide to keep Nash out the ring. He gets onto the top turn-buckle and Moonsaults onto Nash

HBK then, rather randomly, goes to the Spanish announce table and grabs a boot off someone, before getting onto the top turn-buckle again and ramming the said boot onto Nash's head, and goes for the cover for a 2 count. Nash sends Shawn flying into the turnbuckle, which HBK goes into it back first and flips over the ropes onto the apron. Nash then gives him a big sledgehammer shove and sends Shawn face first onto the guardrail. Shawn is dead.

Nash in control now. He goes to the outside and clumps Shawn with a big right hook, before throwing him back in the ring. Nash continues to pound on Shawn with punches and a big clothesline, before delivering classic 'Snake eyes'. Nash takes this opportunity to go and berate Vince some more lol. He puts Shawn into the corner and shouts “Hey old man, this is how we do it in the 90's” at Jose, before putting big knees into Shawn. He picks him up for a big, jumping side slam. Nash in control and fully enjoying this now.

Nash takes his wrist tape off, for which Earl Hebner doesn't like, so Nash strangles him with it  and taking his trousers...........................no no.............belt off. He starts whipping Shawn's back with big
lashes of the belt. Ref is back up and his trousers are still up, so that's good. Not so good for HBK as Nash then uses the belt to strangle him with it, we get a camera close up of Shawn's anguish, which i'm not sure we'd see nowadays TBH. Nash swings HBK around with the belt and hangs him with it, in quite spectacular fashion

“Hang in there Shawn” - Lawler

Nash ties HBK to the ropes with the belt and he's now stuck. Even Vince unintentionally joins in and says “Shawn Michaels, trying to hang on”. Nash then goes over to the announce area and throws poor Howard Finkel off his chair and grabs it. As the ref is trying to untie HBK from the ropes (oh, how nice of him), Nash comes over and wallops him in the back with the chair. Shawn is now untied, but Nash is still in control and holds the chair aloft to show this and whacks Shawn again in the back with it. Nash tries hitting him again with it, but Shawn moves and he hits the ropes with it instead, which cause the chair to bounce back and hit Nash plum in the face.

This is HBK's big chance and the crowd know it.

Shawn picks up the chair himself and goes to hit Nash with it, but before he can, he gets a nasty low blow for his troubles.

'Don't rub them Son, count them'

The ref throws the chair to the outside and both Nash and HBK are flat, down on the mat. Nash is up first, whips Shawn into the ropes and into the big back body drop.  He goes for a pin but only gets a 2 count. He then puts on the old 'twisted skull chrusher thing', man HBK has been through the mill so far. Shawn tries to power out of it, but Nash keeps swatting him with big blows, before one of them sends him to the outside. Nash follows him and signals for the Jackknife, which he does...............onto the announce table where Vince is.

The monitor ends up hitting Vince plum in the face in the process and his damn headset is also still plugged in

Shawn is dead again. Vince tries to tidy up whilst Nash gets in the ring with the WWF belt and poses with it. HBK eventually tries to make his way back up, not knowing where the fuck he is. He does get up and sneakily grabs a fire extinguisher and fires it straight into Nash's face, blinding him. Mind you, it took him two tries, and after the first failed, he seems to say something like “Motherfucker”

Now this has to be Shawn's big chance.

Ash can't see a thing and is throwing wild, blind punches at thin air :shane HBK takes this opportunity and lands some big right hooks of his own, before hitting a big flying forearm. Nash is finally down, HBK 'kips up' and is feeling it now. He goes to the outside and grabs a chair, but it's got a monitor wrapped around it, but he doesn't seem to notice or care as he whacks Nash with the chair. Lawler is like “That is my headset”. He then wallops Nash right in the face and that sends the big man right down onto the mat.

Nash is back up and HBK sends him into the ropes and tries a back body drop, but Nash is having none of it and clubs him in the back. He then gives Shawn a BIG BOOT, which I always love. He then signals again for the Jackknife, which he tries to hit, but HBK reverses it and starts punching the fuck out of Nash and gives him a stamps for good measure. He goes to the top and delivers a Macho Man elbow. He's in command now and stamps the mat and signals for 'Sweet Chin Music', he flies at Nash but it get's blocked and Nash gives him a big clothesline. Both are down on the mat.

Man alive this has been FUCKING GREAT.

They both bet back up, but Nash delivers another clothesline and sends Shawn to the outside. He picks Shawn up and plants him, face first, onto the guardrail, before throwing him back into the ring. Just as Nash is about to follow suit, he stops and walks over to the crowd.  What is he doing? He goes and grabs Mad Dog Vachon and PULLS OFF HIS FUCKING PROSTHETIC LEG, yes you read that right, HE PULLS OFF HIS FUCKING PROSTHETIC LEG

He tries to hit Shawn with the leg, but is instead hit with sweet revenge and he gets a big low blow

'Don't rub them, Son, count them'

Shawn picks up the leg, just typing that makes me smile, waits for Nash to get back up again, and runs over and plants the leg right into the cranium of Nash. That's gotta hurt. He then hits 'Sweet Chin Music' for the win and to retain the WWF Championship.

Shawn then seemed to fire a message to Hogan with “You want a big boy to play with”?

Well, this was just as good as it's ever been. Some big spots that i'd forgotten about TBH, like the table bump HBK took. I just love the pace of the match, the control that Nash has for large proportions of it and the way HBK sells being beat the shit out of. The leg spot if funny, but hey it's a NHB and it added to the match in the end. Just a war, with HBK trying to survive and o what he could, when he could, to come back and make it through. I'd still say Nash's best match was with Bret, but fuck this isn't far off.

A full on, WWF classic, and not the only one of course from this year.