WWF In Your House 6: Rage In The Cage Review

 

Hello and welcome to another edition of Seanomaniac Wrestling Reviews, the only wrestling review series on the internet that has more marital issues than Karl Anderson. WWF In Your House 6: Rage in The Cage with Bret Hart defending his WWF Championship against Diesel, the man who cost Undertaker the championship at The Royal Rumble. We have Razor Ramon vs The 1-2-3 Kid in a cry-baby match, Owen Hart vs Shawn Michaels with the chance to headline Wrestlemania on the line as well as Yokozuna taking on The British Bulldog.

 

(Cry-baby Match) Razor Ramon vs The 1-2-3 Kid

Kid was showing a lot more attitude before snapping in a tag team match with Razor Ramon by his side, the two friends came to blows as Kid joined The Million Dollar Corporation. With Sid as his bodyguard, Kid ducked Ramon time and time again before costing Razor his Intercontinental Championship against Goldust at The Royal Rumble. This feud explodes tonight as both men slap one another to kick-off, shoulder block from Razor. Massive right hands and a clothesline, Kid is down on the floor. Dibiase distracts Razor as Kid tries to come back into the ring, hot-shot from Kid. Springboard clothesline for two, Kid stomps away at Razor. Massive kicks in the corner, elbow to the ribs and a spinning heel kick from Kid. Chops in the corner from Kid, Razor reverses the hold and chops Kid hard. Toss across the ring from The Bad Guy, corner clothesline from Razor.

 

 

Kid ducks the clothesline but Razor lands his fallaway slam, Razor’s Edge is avoided as Kid powders to the apron. Razor decks Kid with a right hand, Dibiase throws powder into the eyes of Razor. Missile dropkick from Kid for two, snap-mare and leg drop from Kid. Make it two, standing dropkick from Kid and a frog splash for two. Jabs and rights from Kid, spinning heel kick rocks Razor. Sleeper from Kid, Razor battles and battles with Kid squeezing tighter and tighter. Razor fades before getting back to his feet, Razor atomic drops Kid onto the top rope. Kid crawls over for a cover, it’s two for Kid. Razor blocks and lands right hands of his own, a left hand to mix things up.

 

 

Razor wants the super back suplex, Kid kicks away Razor. Flying crossbody from Kid, Razor rolls through for two. Irish whip by Razor, Kid ducks and lands a spinning heel kick for a close two. Irish whip reversal from Razor, Razor has Kid and places him on the top rope. Middle rope fallaway slam from Razor, Razor calls for the finish. Dibiase has baby powder on the apron, Kid has the powder while Dibiase ditracts the referee but Razor kicks the power into Kid’s eyes. Razor’s Edge in the middle of the ring, Razor puts away Kid but no. Razor pulls up Kid, Razor wants to punish Kid. A second Razor’s Edge and this match is over, Kid is put in the diaper and embarrassed in the cry-baby match.

 

 

Fun match, it lived up to what I had expected from these two, they are close friends so you knew neither man would make the other look bad. Kid works at electrifying pace, showing all the flash with his sweet-looking kicks to the head. Razor does what he does best, right hands, fallaway slams and two Razor’s Edges, Kid is finally put away for all the troubles that he caused The Bad Guy. It is a rather comical end to the feud but Kid did seem like a brat who was not worth Razor’s time. Razor had been embarrassed time and time again by Ramon so it was time for the heel to pay for his sins. It’s rather frustrating to think that Kid never had angles all that time when he was stealing the show with high-flying moves but at least Kid was able to seem like a big deal after joining The Million Dollar Corporation.

 

Winner: Razor Ramon over The 1-2-3 Kid via Razor’s Edge!

 

Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs Duke The Dumpster Droese

What in God’s name is this feud? Well, Helmsley went from feuding with a disgusting farmer to feuding with a disgusting binman. That works well for Helmsley’s gimmick and Helmsley cut the hair of Duke on Superstars and now Duke wants revenge. Duke rushes to the ring, big right hands and a toss, Helmsley takes his signature corner bump. Military press slam from Duke, Helmsley begs off as Duke gets ready to destroy Helmsley. Duke whips Helmsley before stomping Helmsley, slap from Duke. Duke lands ten punches in the corner before Helmsley stun-guns Duke into the top turnbuckle. Helmsley wants a Pedigree, Duke counters for an inverted atomic drop. Clothesline from Duke, Duke rakes the back but Helmsley back-drops Duke to the floor. Duke is sent flying into the steel steps, Helmsley gets two in the ring. Uppercut from Helmsley, snap-mare into a knee-drop from Helmsley for two. Duke begins fighting back before Helmsley rakes the eyes, Irish whip and a high knee from Helmsley for two.

 

 

Suplex from Helmsley for two, hard Irish whip to the buckle. Duke kicks away Helmsley, both men down off a clothesline. Spinebuster from Duke, Duke lands big right hands. Irish whip and back body drop from Duke, clothesline from Duke. Powerslam from Duke, it’s time to take out the trash. Trash Compactor from Duke, Duke throws a trashcan in the ring. Helmsley waffles Duke with the trashcan lid behind the referee’s back and Helmsley is your winner.

 

 

Well I thought this was far too competitive, Helmsley has been a treat to watch since entering the WWF, this valet for Helmsley does nothing for me. Anyways, yeah I mean why is Duke on PPV? Duke gives it everything but I am not into Duke, I never though Duke had a chance and once the finish came, Duke looked like a moron which is always great when it comes to my babyfaces, I just love a dumb babyface. I thought Duke wanted to cut his hair, I could have bought Duke going to the floor to do that but no, Duke walked away after hitting his finisher and ends up losing like a moron.

 

Winner: Hunter Hearst Helmsley over Duke The Dumpster via Trashcan Lid To The Head!

 

The British Bulldog W/ James E. Cornette vs Yokozuna

Yokozuna cost Camp Cornette a big tag team match on Raw, Cornette talked massive trash to Yokozuna’s face and Yokozuna had enough, attacking Cornette and shaking off Bulldog & Owen. So, we have babyface Yokozuna against Bulldog. Right hands, back body drop and clotheslines from Yokozuna. Scoop slam from Yokozuna, Yokozuna misses an elbow drop. Bulldog clubs and lands forearms on Yokozuna, big running clothesline. Make it three and Yokozuna is down, Bulldog chokes Yokozuna with his leg across the ropes. Bulldog distracts the referee as Cornette waffles Yokozuna with his jacket. Yokozuna reverses an Irish whip, corner clothesline and throat thrust. Bulldog is in trouble, Banzai Drop time. Bulldog is pulled out of the way by Cornette, both men are down on the floor.

 

 

Bulldog dodges Yokozuna who runs into the ring-post, Bulldog lands a diving axe handle for two. Yokozuna blocks the second axe handle with a chop, Bulldog tees off with right hands. Clothesline, make it two. Three but Yokozuna is still on his feet, Samoan Drop by Yokozuna. Belly to belly suplex from Yokozuna, Cornette is in the ring and smashes Yokozuna twice and Yokozuna does not sell it at all. Yokozuna stalks Cornette, here comes Vader. Vader attacks Yokozuna, handcuffing him to the ropes and beating Yokozuna.

 

 

Well it was quick which is a compliment, Bulldog had a great match with Bret but beyond that, Bulldog has had to work with Bigelow and Yokozuna which have not been easy watches at all. I hope that Vader vs Yokozuna is also a brief match!

 

Yokozuna over British Bulldog via DQ!

 

(Winner Goes To Wrestlemania) Owen Hart vs Shawn Michaels

Owen Hart was the man who took out HBK with a vicious enzuigiri, Shawn Michaels dominated 1995 with amazing performances while I was angered with my lack of Owen Hart in meaningful angles and matches so this is right up my alley with two of these being two of the very best to do this. Michaels comes to the ring, gets the better of Owen who is dumped to the floor. Michaels plays it cool as Owen promises to break Michaels with another kick to the head, both men shove one another. Lock-up, side headlock from HBK. HBK ducks and slides through, scaring Cornette and high-fiving everyone at ringside. Cornette is irate, Michaels steals a kiss from one of the fans. Side headlock from Owen, Owen slides through and tries to high-five fans before Michaels lands a crossbody to the floor.

 

 

Michaels lands a diving axe handle for two, side headlock from Michaels. Owen tries a belly to back suplex but Michaels flips out and trips The King Of Hearts. Side headlock from Michaels, Owen tries pulling the hair but HBK returns the favour. Cornette is not happy with the antics of HBK, shoulder block from HBK but Owen answers with a hip-toss. Both men kip-up as Michaels kicks away Owen, hurricanrana and right hands from HBK. Irish whip, Michaels ducks his head and Owen reverses an Irish whip for a belly to belly suplex. Owen works the back with vicious stomps, back-breaker from The King of Hearts. Hard Irish whip to the buckle, neck-breaker from Owen for two. Owen looks for the sharpshooter but Michaels kicks away Owen.

 

 

Owen applies face-lock, Cornette asks Michaels how he likes that. Camel clutch from Owen with a pull on the hair, Michaels manages to fight his way out of the hold before Owen lands a massive knee to the ribs. Jacknife cover from Owen for two, Owen quickly applies a reverse chin-lock. Michaels escapes but runs into a spinning heel kick from Owen, Michaels spills out to the floor. Michaels is on the apron, Owen wants a suplex into the ring. Michaels reverses though and suplexes Owen to the floor, Michaels tries a crossbody but Owen powerslams Michaels to the floor. Owen is on the top rope, Michaels eats a missile dropkick for two. Uppercut in the corner, Michaels slides out of a scoop slam for an O’Connor roll for two. Owen sends Michaels to the buckle, Michaels flips out of the corner and Owen lands a clothesline. Owen kicks at the head of Michaels, Sharpshooter is applied by The King Of Hearts. Michaels reaches the ropes, Owen lands a vicious scoop slam. Owen snots on HBK, HBK counters with a victory roll for two. Enzuigiri from Owen, Michaels tumbles to the floor.

 

 

Owen motions to the hard-camera “I’m going to Wrestlemania”, beautiful from Owen. Michaels does not move on the floor, Michaels is picked up by Owen. Owen tosses Michaels back into the ring, 1….2…. Michaels manages to kick out at the last second. Shoulder thrusts from Owen, Owen whips Michaels to the opposite buckle. Owen misses as HBK dodges, inverted atomic drop from HBK. Eye rake from Owen, Irish whip but Michaels ducks. Flying forearm from Michaels, Michaels kips-up. Right hands, Owen is whipped to the buckle, another flying forearm from Michaels. Stomp to the face, scoop slam. Diving Elbow Drop from Michaels, right hand to Cornette. Michaels misses Sweet Chin Music, Owen misses his enzuigiri as Michaels ducks and wham, Sweet Chin Music ends this match.

 

 

Very good match from two wrestlers who kick all sorts of ass inside of that ring, Owen and Michaels have great chemistry too to boot. Michaels is over big time, cocky and confident before The King of Hearts rattles his cage. Fun stuff to kick us off before Owen starts punishing Michaels, Michaels sells and sells like seemingly only he can because nobody can measure up to HBK when Michaels is on. The enzuigiri is worked into the match, I think it would have been more effective if Michaels had just beaten the count at the nine but nonetheless, an entertaining match with a finish that has fans going bananas, Michaels continues to be the best thing about the WWF during these dark, dark times.

 

Winner: Shawn Michaels over Owen Hart via Sweet Chin Music!

 

(WWF Championship Steel Cage Match) Bret Hart © vs Diesel

The Hitman is your WWF Champion because Bret Hart outsmarted Diesel, it was the catalyst for Diesel’s change of attitude. Big Daddy Cool destroyed Owen Hart for injuring Shawn Michaels, Diesel was irate that The Undertaker would be challenging for the WWF Championship at The Royal Rumble so Diesel cost The Undertaker the championship. Tonight, Diesel challenges for the championship that he lost to The Hitman. Diesel is one of the most interesting wrestlers in the company at this point which is hard to believe considering cookie-cutter Diesel might be one of my least favourite babyfaces of all-time. Will The Undertaker be making an appearance on this night? Who knows!

 

 

Diesel starts off with a massive knee, Bret goes for the leg after big right hands. Diesel wins the throwing bombs war though, Bret is going after the leg again as Diesel throws massive forearms at the champion. Knees in the corner, Diesel tosses Bret into the cage. Bret backs off, going for the leg once more with Diesel out-powering The Hitman. Bret meets the buckle hard, Bret sends Diesel into the cage after a block. Big Daddy Cool is dazed, Bret goes for the knee. Diesel meets the cage with his face, elbow to the head from Bret. Make it two, Bret tries climbing out of the cage. Diesel is too quick for Bret, they are both on the top rope. Knees from Diesel wear down the champion, Diesel bearhugs Bret and rams the champion into the cage wall. Diesel wants to walk out the cage door, Bret stops Diesel.

 

 

Massive right hands from Bret, headbutt to the groin. Bret tries crawling out of the cage but Diesel pulls Bret back into the ring. Diesel tries crawling out but Bret grabs Diesel, stomp to the ribs from Bret. Bret drops his weight on the leg of Diesel, Bret does it again with Diesel grimacing in pain. Bret tries snapping the leg, Diesel fights his way back in with a massive sidewalk slam. Diesel tries an elbow drop but Bret dodges, Bret looks towards climbing out of the cage. Diesel crawls towards the cage door, Bret realizes his mistake and goes right back after Diesel. Knees to the leg of Diesel, Bret begins climbing the cage but Diesel manages to catch The Hitman. Bret is yanked off the top rope, whip to the corner but Bret kicks away Diesel. Massive diving bulldog from Bret, Bret is almost out of the cage.

 

 

Diesel pulls down Bret, belly to back suplex from Diesel. Bret moves first, inching towards the cage door but Diesel pulls Bret back into the ring. Elbow drop from Diesel, Diesel’s knee is attacked once more. Bret shows an aggressive side as The Hitman continues to punish the knee. Diesel’s knee is stretched all over the place, Bret’s Rope Elbow Drop to the knee. To the corner, Bret stomps the knee but Diesel reverses an Irish whip with Bret hitting the buckle sternum-first. Diesel drives forearms into the spine of Bret, Bret is thrown to the buckle. Diesel drives the knees into Bret, elbows in the corner too. Bret goes to the knee, Bret tries climbing over. Diesel grabs Bret by the hair to pull The Hitman back into the ring, Bret is thrown into the cage hard.

 

 

Diesel poses in the middle of the ring, grinning and calling himself the man. Irish whip to the buckle with Bret hitting his sternum again, Diesel drives a knee across the back of Bret. Snake eyes attempt but Bret escapes out the back, Diesel nails the cage with his face. Sharpshooter attempt from Bret, Diesel pokes Bret in the eye to survive the submission hold. Bret headbutts and throws right hands at the spine of Diesel, Russian leg-sweep from Bret. Bret kicks away Diesel and lands an elbow drop from Bret, Bret begins climbing. Low blow from Diesel, Bret falls groin-first onto the ropes. Diesel kicks Bret with a leg to the face, Diesel is so close to crawling to the floor but from under the ring, it’s The Undertaker. Bret climbs over the top of the cage and wins the match.

 

 

So it was ok if not a little boring, I felt that Bret and Diesel can work really well together, their Survivor Series match is a classic but this match was just bad. I like the start of Bret putting his head into the lion’s den, trying to take the attacks of Diesel to allow Diesel to offer up his leg. Bret takes control through leg work but it doesn’t grab me like before, Diesel throws a few knees here and there but never dominates and sucks me in despite Bret doing his chest buckle bump and being yanked off the top rope. I did not feel the desperation, I thought the ending with Taker was a little sloppy to be honest. I thought Diesel would have laid out Bret and then Taker comes up from behind him and drags him in but it’s quite slow and not drawn out in a good way. What’s more interesting is Diesel wanted to Jacknife Bret Hart and then have Taker cost him the championship as it built their feud but Bret vetoed the idea and that’s why Nash left WWF. Say what you want about Nash but Nash had the right idea for the finish, it would have been more dramatic and more clean that what was executed here but this match was a boring one, I don’t know if that finish could have saved this cage match.

 

Winner: Bret Hart over Diesel via Escaping The Cage!

 

That was WWF’s In Your House 6: Rage In The Cage, a mostly solid and entertaining PPV from the WWF. With these shorter In Your House PPVs you get less filler and more action. You cannot go wrong with ending the feud between Razor and Kid, Razor finally gets his hands on Kid for turning on him and costing him the Intercontinental Championship. Both men work hard and get their spots in and you have Razor definitively ending the feud by humiliating the heel who got what he deserved. Duke The Dumpster vs Hunter Hearst Helmsley was passable at times, Duke never had a hope in the world. Finish makes Duke look like a moron too so great work there for The Dumpster. Yokozuna vs Bulldog sets up Yokozuna vs Vader, Yokozuna looked awful and gassed immediately, that’s been an issue for years at this point. I am starting to wonder how Yokozuna ever became WWF Champion considering his cardio. Owen Hart vs Shawn Michaels is exciting and fun, Michaels is the man in terms of popularity in the company and both men put on their working boots for this match. Great callbacks to the injury, great finish that has the fans losing their minds. Probably should have been the main event considering what took place there. Diesel vs Bret Hart was boring to me, didn’t have the drama or excitement I wanted from these two, the drama that I have gotten before from these two. Another match with Bret working an arguably more popular wrestler when he’s the babyface, Diesel’s character is at its best here but the match is slow and drags for a finish that just does not have the execution I would associate with the WWF. I would argue Judas Messsias coming from under the ring was better or Big Show appearing in 1999 was better than this. This PPV was an easy watch but seek it out only for Owen Hart vs Shawn Michaels and the end of Razor’s feud with Kid. Thanks for reading and remember: there’s always another night!