The third installment of the bargain pay-per-view series gives us maybe the highest stakes we’ve ever seen in a WWF pay-per-view match: the Triple Header main event put every WWF title on the line in one tag team match, as WWF Champion Diesel and Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels were scheduled to battle Tag Team Champions Yokozuna and Owen Hart. One championship was guaranteed to change hands, with the man taking the pin losing the title that he held!
Of course, that means that there were shenanigans planned.
Right from the start, we learn that Hart isn’t in the building, but Interim WWF President Gorilla Monsoon allows manager Jim Cornette to find a one night only replacement to defend the tag team titles. Cornette chooses his own man, the British Bulldog, who already wrestled once at the pay-per-view. The Bulldog steps up and goes after Diesel, who he attacked at the end of SUMMERSLAM, but it’s not enough to take down either of the two singles champions, because Owen Hart suddenly appears, gets jack knifed by Diesel and pinned, giving Diesel and Michaels the tag team titles!
Owen Hart wasn’t even officially in the match!
Obviously, this was all gaga for the WWF to give a title change that could be immediately overturned the next night on Raw, which is what happened, essentially wiping out everything that happened at the pay-per-view while furthering the Diesel-Bulldog program.
Best Match: Bret “Hitman” Hart defeated Jean-Pierre Lafitte – Bret Hart is involved in the best match on the show? I know, it’s shocking. The Hitman was looking for revenge after the pirate stole his leather jacket. Bruce Prichard contends that’s one of the most heinous crimes a man can commit. And, I mean, it was a nice jacket. Probably expensive. I’d be pissed, too. Lafitte was a good hand and worked well with Bret, who continues to wrestle everyone he can as he waits on another shot at the WWF Championship he lost last November.
Worst Match: Sid defeated Henry Godwinn – Yes, we need to keep a monster like Sid strong, while giving also building Godwinn up, but even the 7 minutes they gave this match was way too much. The most interesting parts of the match came after the bell, when Bam Bam Bigelow ran down to attack Sid and Godwinn managed to slop manager Ted DiBiase.
No Mercy – The character of Waylon Mercy (the former “Golden Boy” Danny Spivey) had just debuted in the WWF and the company seemed to be building him up a bit. Based on Robert de Niro’s character in Cape Fear, Mercy was portrayed as a nice guy who got an angry and vicious streak once the bell rang. But he loses his first pay-per-view match against Savio Vega, so I guess the WWF didn’t really have much faith in him or the character. They’d shelve the concept for a while until they debuted Bray Wyatt 20 years later.
Class is in Session – After building himself back up as “The Franchise” in ECW, Shane Douglas left the BINGO hall and headed to New York, reimagining himself as Dean Douglas. The real-life teacher was introduced by everyone’s favorite orator, former WWF Champion Bob Backlund, who helped Douglas beat Razor Ramon in his pay-per-view debut. It’s a shame Douglas’ issues with Shawn Michaels and company derailed his WWF career. I would have loved to see a pay-per-view match against Bret Hart.
Ranking In Your House 3
Bret “Hitman” Hart defeated Jean-Pierre Lafitte
1 – 2 – Triple Header Championship Match: Diesel and Shawn Michaels defeated Yokozuna and British Bulldog
3 – Dean Douglas defeated Razor Ramon
4 – British Bulldog defeated Bam Bam Bigelow
5 – Savio Vega defeated Waylon Mercy
6 – Sid defeated Henry Godwinn
*DISCLAIMER* The Top 10 rankings are for discussion purposes only and in no way reflect an official or authoritative list. It is simply my opinion. If you disagree, let me know in the comments. New arrivals to the Top 10 are in bold.
1 – WWF Championship Match: Diesel (c) and Bret “Hitman” Hart battle to a draw – Royal Rumble 1995
2 – Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match: Shawn Michaels (c) defeated Razor Ramon – SummerSlam 1995
3 – WWF Championship Match: Diesel (c) defeated Shawn Michaels – WrestleMania XI
4 – WCW World Championship Match: Hulk Hogan (c) beat Vader by disqualification – SuperBrawl V
5 – Bret “Hitman” Hart defeated Hakushi – In Your House 1
6 – WCW TV Championship: Arn Anderson (c) defeated Johnny B. Badd – Clash of the Champions XXX
7 – ECW Tag Team Championship 2-out-of-3 Falls Double Dog Collar Match: The Pitbulls defeated Raven and Stevie Richards (c) – ECW Gangsta’s Paradise
8 – Arn Anderson defeated “Nature Boy” Ric Flair – Fall Brawl 1995
9 – Hulk Hogan and “Macho Man” Randy Savage defeated the Butcher and Kevin Sullivan – Clash of the Champions XXX
10 – WCW Tag Team Championship Match: The Nasty Boys (c) defeated The Blue Bloods – The Great American Bash 1995
We’ll be back in 4 weeks with our next installment, another In Your House! Stay tuned!