WWF 1997.07.06 - In Your House: Canadian Stampede

This is one of the rare Pay-Per-View events that the WWF performed outside of America. It's just over the border in Canada, but there's a completely different atmosphere. In the USA Bret Hart is unpopular with the fans, but in Canada he's a big hero. Davey Boy Smith, aka British Bulldog, is married to the reigning Mrs. Calgary, Bret's sister Diana. This photo was taken at an outdoor event earlier in the day.

Location: The Saddledome, Calgary, Alberta, Canda

Commentators: Vince McMahon, Jerry Lawler. Jim Ross

Normally Jim Ross is the only one who wears a cowboy hat, but today it's also Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler. Can Jerry see anything from under that hat?

Match 1. Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs Mankind

Triple H comes into the ring expecting an easy victory against Mankind after defeating him at the 1997 King of the Ring.

But all eyes are on Chyna. Does this fan called Serge have a chance? He might do better if he knew how to spell her name properly-

Chyna follows Triple H to the ring without even giving Serge a glance. It looks like the weather in Canada is colder than she's used to.

The match starts with a clear advantage for Mankind. He tosses Triple H around the ring like a rag doll. The fans are all cheering for Mankind. Jerry Lawler says it's because they can relate to him, since most Canadian women look like him. Come on, Jerry, take another look at the photo of Mrs. Calgary. She's a beauty, even though I prefer Chyna.

When Triple H is thrown out of the ring, he falls in front of the Hart family, who are occupying the front row seats. It's more of a dynasty than a family. Stu Hart, Bret's father, has 12 children, most of whom are connected with the wrestling business.

Mankind applies his finishing move, the mandible claw, to Triple H. Chyna punches him behind the referee's back, or rather over the referee's head. This gives Triple H a temporary advantage, but Mankind fights back. While they're outside the ring, Chyna throws Mankind against the steel steps. This is the real turning point. Triple H fights brutally, concentrating on Mankind's leg.

Outside the ring again, Chyna knocks Mankind down behind referee's back. They brawl outside, until the referee counts them both out.

The fight continues. Mankind runs into the audience, followed by Triple H and Chyna. The referees, assisted by Jerry Brisco, do their best to separate them.

Match 2. Great Sasuke vs Taka Michinoku

The WWF does something unusual. Two unknown wrestlers are pitted against one another in a PPV. Both are Japanese light heavyweights, but Taka Michinoku is currently wrestling in Mexico. The Great Sasuke was already praised by Jim Ross at the beginning of the show as the world's greatest light heavyweight wrestler. Obviously, today's PPV is a try-out for Sasuke. Taka is a jobber who's supposed to lose quickly.

But guess what? Even though he loses the match, the audience likes Taka Michinoku more. They side with the underdog. I'm sure that Vince McMahon at ringside was taking note of this. Wrestling ability is less important than being able to win over the audience.

The match's start was delayed because Mankind, Triple H and Chyna were still fighting at the back of the arena. When it finally started, it was an exciting high-flying match between the two Japanese wrestlers. Sasuke used impressive martial arts kicks. Taka fought valiantly, but he lost.

Mankind and Triple H are still fighting in the parking lot, while the referees are doing their best to hold Chyna back.

Triple H is bleeding badly, but he doesn't want to stop.

Match 3. WWF Championship, Undertaker vs Vader

Undertaker was due to defend his title against Ahmed Johnson today, but his knee was injured in a backstage brawl at Raw two weeks ago.

Before the match Paul Bearer repeats his accusations that the Undertaker murdered his whole family. Dok Hendrix doesn't believe it.

The Undertaker is the crowd favourite, in Canada as in America.  Despite his huge size, the Undertaker is fast and agile. Vader isn't fast, but he makes up for it by having more muscle mass. For the first few minutes the Undertaker has a clear advantage, making several near pins. All the time Paul Bearer is standing outside the ring taunting the Undertaker, calling him a murderer. Then Vader fights back, and the two wrestlers are equally matched. Finally the Undertaker wins the match with a tombstone and retains the WWF Championship title.

The Canadian country music group Farmer's Daughter comes out to sing the Canadian national anthem. The crowd is clearly moved by the performance, but the singing didn't impress me. Is that the best Canada has to offer?

Howard Finkel (also wearing a cowboy hat) introduces Stu and Helen Hart as the patriarch and matriarch of the Hart family. On the right is Ralph Klein, the premier of the province of Alberta.

Match 4. 10-man tag team match, the Hart Foundation (Bret Hart, Owen Hart, British Bulldog, Jim Neidhart, Brian Pillman) vs the unnamed American team (Steve Austin, Ken Shamrock, Goldust, Hawk, Animal)

Before the match begins, Dok Hendrix interviews the American team. It's noticeable that Steve Austin refuses to talk and storms off. He's obviously not happy at having to share the ring with partners.

One of the problems of having so many wrestlers in a match is that it takes ages to get them all to the ring. I timed it: 8 minutes 58 seconds from the first entrance till the start of the match. I've never seen Steve Austin be booed so much as today. The Canadians love Bret Hart, so they automatically hate his nemesis Steve Austin.

Only one of the Hart Foundation, British Bulldog, isn't Canadian, so he wins over the crowd by being accompanied by his beautiful wife Diana.

Before the match starts there's a showdown between Steve Austin and Bret Hart. I can't read his lips, but I know what he's saying. He's not interested in the tag team match, he just wants to fight with Bret.

Incidentally, there are cameras at ringside filming a documentary about Bret Hart.

These two wrestlers begin with a brutal brawl. The crowd cheers whenever Bret hits Steve, and they boo whenever Steve hits back. 

It's difficult for my review to do justice to the following 24-minute battle. It wasn't wrestling, it was brawling. Both sides were cheating, entering the ring without tags or attacking each other outside the ring. At one point Bret Hart hit Steve Austin with a fire extinguisher. The referee Earl Hebner had no control over the match. He should have taken the day off. Here are a few pictures to capture the atmosphere:

Steve Austin pulls Brian Pillman's pants down so that Hawk can hit him.

Bret Hart is confused by Ken Shamrock's unorthodox style.

 Steve Austin pulls 82-year-old Stu Hart off his seat to attack him. Stu's other sons who're sitting behind the railing leap to his defence.

Eventually Owen Hart pins Steve Austin.

The brawling continues with Stu Hart's other sons in the ring.

The fight calms down, but then Steve Austin returns and attacks everyone in sight. He's led out of the arena in handcuffs.

Bret Hart celebrates in the middle of his family. Stu Hart is obviously very weak. He can't even raise his arm without assistance.

And this is my favourite photo of the evening. Owen Hart celebrates the Canadian victory with his son.

This was a very good PPV, even though the America vs Canada rivalry was exaggerated.