WWF In Your House 7: Good Friends, Better Enemies! Review

 

Hello and welcome to another edition of Seanomaniac Wrestling Reviews, the only wrestling review series on the internet that is more dead than The British Wrestling Scene! It’s WWF in Your House 7: Good Friends, Better Enemies! It’s time for HBK vs Diesel for the WWF Championship, two former friends have to face one another with Diesel looking to destroy Shawn Michaels. We also have The Ultimate Warrior challenging Goldust for the WWF Intercontinental Championship which sounds bizarre to me, we also have Vader against Razor Ramon which should be a fun match. Let’s see if In Your House can be a fun show once more!

 

Owen Hart & The British Bulldog vs Jake Roberts & Ahmed Johnson

A Wrestlemania rematch of sorts with Roberts looking to take out Bulldog, Roberts jabs away at Owen before Owen tags in Bulldog. Roberts tags in Ahmed, Bulldog tags in Owen. Ahmed tosses Owen to the corner, Ahmed wants Bulldog. Ahmed shoves down Owen a second time, Owen says Ahmed is pulling the hair. Side headlock from Owen, Ahmed tosses Owen across the ring with ease. Ahmed tags in Roberts, Owen rakes the eyes. Irish whip, Roberts lands a hip-toss on Owen. Roberts calls for the DDT, Owen slips out. Roberts takes the arm, elbow to the face of Owen who escapes the DDT for a second time. Eye rake from Owen, clubbing blows for good measure. Tag to Bulldog, scoop slam but Bulldog misses the elbow. Tag to Ahmed, Bulldog tags in Owen again.

 

 

Ahmed wants a test of strength, Ahmed out-powers Owen and stomps on his fingers. Clothesline from Ahmed, right hands and stomps in the corner. Bulldog attacks Ahmed from behind, tag to Bulldog. Bulldog keeps Ahmed down, big scoop slam from Bulldog. Bulldog poses, Ahmed begins firing up though. Bulldog is choked, Owen cheap shots Ahmed from the apron. Owen is in the ring, uppercuts stagger Ahmed. Ahmed blocks the scoop slam though, military press slam from Ahmed. Tag to Roberts, elbows from Roberts. Owen whips Roberts to the buckle, Roberts dodges the splash. Owen knees Roberts in the face, middle rope missile dropkick and a tag to Bulldog.

 

 

Stomps from Bulldog, Owen chokes Roberts behind the referee’s back. Bulldog headbutts Roberts who is feeling the effects of the double-teams, Roberts is fighting back from his knees. Bulldog shuts that down and lands a big leg drop, tag to Owen who lands a diving fist drop. Owen locks in a reverse chin-lock, Roberts begins fighting back before an elbow stops Roberts. Owen wants a sharpshooter, Roberts kicks away Owen but Bulldog is now the legal man. Roberts continues to be assaulted by Owen illegally before Bulldog tags in Owen, Irish whip and Owen lowers his head. Owen tries a sleeper but Roberts counters and tags in Ahmed. Big right hands to Bulldog, spinebuster from Ahmed. Clothesline for Ahmed, tag back to Roberts. Roberts call for a DDT, in comes Owen who eats a back drop. Ahmed clotheslines down Bulldog and Owen, Bulldog has the tennis racket. Owen pulls out Ahmed, Bulldog nails the leg of Roberts with the racket and with a weird looking single leg makes Roberts tap.

 

Fun little opening match, I do love Owen Hart and Bulldog as a team. Roberts is still over and sweet Jesus, Ahmed Johnson is so explosive that I am just falling in love with the man. One spot, one spinebuster was his performance in this match and it was amazing. Jake should be putting people over and we still want to see Ahmed get his hands on Bulldog at a later date. So, I am happy with how this one played out, crowd loved it too.

 

Winners: Owen Hart & British Bulldog over Jake Roberts & Ahmed Johnson via Single Leg Boston Crab!

 

(WWF Intercontinental Championship Match) Goldust © W/ Marlena & Bodyguard? Vs The Ultimate Warrior

Goldust has a bandaged knee but the match will take place, Warrior sprints to the ring and I hope Warrior is not going to destroy another promising talent. Tonnes of stalling, Goldust threatens the crowd with kissing if they do not shut up. Loud faggot chants which shows us where we were and what year it was, Goldust has his hand burnt with the cigar before eating a massive clothesline. Warrior clotheslines The Bodyguard and this crap is over!

 

Winner: The Ultimate Warrior over Goldust via Count-Out!

 

Razor Ramon vs Vader

Vader took out Yokozuna, crushing his leg with multiple Vader Bombs to his leg, Razor Ramon is back from “suspension” following Razor’s intent to leave for WCW. Razor throws his toothpick at Cornette, Cornette is irate. Vader is in the face of Razor, lock-up with Vader tossing Razor to the floor. Vader tosses Razor down, Vader starts throwing bombs to the chest and face. A headbutt staggers Razor, corner rights and lefts from Vader. Vader poses for the fans, Razor stands tall defiantly but Vader keeps swinging. Razor fires back but an eye poke from Vader stops that madness. Vader takes down Razor, Razor ducks two clotheslines before landing a massive right. Three in a row, Vader back-drops Razor to the floor. Razor is not down though, Razor comes back with massive rights.

 

 

Vader is down in the corner, Cornette is trying to get Vader back to his feet. Jabs and rights from Razor, Vader is down. Clotheslines from Razor, Vader is clotheslined to the floor. Vader takes his time before re-entering the ring, Cornette distracts Razor. Razor catches Vader, Vader sends Razor to the buckle. Corner splash and clothesline from Vader, Vader drops an elbow on the knee of Razor. Vader splashes Razor for a close two, Vader throws rights and lefts in the corner before trying a short-arm clothesline but Razor ducks and lands a belly to back suplex for two. Slam from Vader, Vader wants a Vader Bomb! Razor manages to put a hand up at the last second, loud Razor chants from the crowd.

 

 

Razor fires back before Vader lands a right hand and belly to back suplex. Knee from Vader, rights and lefts in the corner from Vader. Razor blocks the suplex and suplexes Vader for two. Vader comes back with a clothesline, scoop slam from Vader. Vader is on the middle rope, Razor manages to slam Vader off the middle rope for a close two. Whip to the buckle, corner clothesline from Razor. Razor is on the middle rope, diving bulldog for two. Razor charges in but Vader hammers Razor, snap-mare from Vader. Razor was playing possum, Razor wants the razor’s edge but Vader is too heavy. Hammering blows from Vader, slam from Vader. Vader was going for a Vadersault, Razor electric chair-drops Vader. Vader back drops Razor and squishes Razor with a hip splash.

 

 

Disappointing and a sad end to Razor’s run in the WWF. I love Razor Ramon and I love Vader but this seemed like little more than an extended squash, it could have been so much more. Razor had been one of the most popular wrestlers during the last 3 years in the WWF, an important figure in so many big WWF New Generation moments and his matches were always enjoyable. However, this match just seemed like a nothing match, the right man goes over with Vader continuing to build that momentum which will lead to a match with Yokozuna at the next In Your House. That could be awful!

 

Winner: Vader over Razor Ramon via Hip Splash!

 

(WWF Tag Team Championship Match) The Bodydonnas © W/ Sunny vs The Godwinns W/ Hillbilly Jim

Henry Godwinn has Phineas here with him as they challenge for the tag team championships, Hillbilly Jim is here too as their manager. Bodydonnas beat The Smoking Gunns at some point, Zip and Henry to start. Side headlock by Zip, Henry catches Zip before Skip comes in, Skip and Zip get clotheslined by Henry. Tag to Phineas, Zip gets away from the slop bucket but Phineas takes control by biting the arm. Tag to Henry, Zip cheap-shots Henry and tags in Skip. Skip eats a shoulder block, fireman’s slam from Henry. Henry lands a vicious wheelbarrow suplex on Skip, Zip swaps places with Skip but the referee caught them. In comes Zip, Phineas comes into the ring too. Shoulder block from Phineas, Zip lands a kick to the ribs and sends Phineas to the buckle. Phineas kicks away Zip, side headlock from Phineas.

 

 

Skip low-bridges Phineas who was running the ropes, Skip puts the boots to Phineas on the floor. Zip covers for two, in comes Skip. They double-team Phineas double slingshot suplex. Zip lands a massive knee drop, Skip comes in and stomps the life out of Phineas. Snap-mare into a reverse chin-lock, Phineas survives and eats a hurricanrana from Skip for two. To the corner, tag to Zip. Double stomps but Phineas begins fighting back with massive right hands, what is Phineas doing? Phineas tags Henry but Sunny is distracting Phineas with a signed autograph. Hillbilly Jim has the slop bucket, Henry drops Skip with The Slop Drop. Zip changes places, Henry gets caught in the small package and the heels retain their championships.

 

 

As bad as I thought it would be, Phineas aka Mideon never did anything for me inside of that ring. Especially when he’s out there doing standing mule kicks and playing a buffoon, like what was this? Tag team division is quite poor at this time, I do not want to see a rematch of these two anytime soon, that’s for sure. Sunny is very good though, I can’t believe they never put her with a top act considering what she could do in SMW.

 

Winners: The Bodydonnas over The Godwinns via Small Package!

 

(WWF Championship Match No Holds Barred) Shawn Michaels © vs Diesel

What a difference a year makes, from Shawn Michaels being the arrogant one stating that he no longer needed Diesel to now Diesel saying the same thing. Shawn Michaels fulfilled his dream by winning the WWF Championship, Michaels was able to eliminate Diesel from The Royal Rumble match to get his chance to go to Wrestlemania. Diesel said the friendship was still alive at this stage before Diesel drove that knife deep into the back of his former best friend HBK.

 

 

This starts perfectly with Michaels and Diesel staring a whole through one another, Michaels is throwing rights and lefts at Diesel before a knee turns the tide. Diesel bounces Michaels’ head off the buckle, Michaels leap-frogs Diesel to escape the corner. Dropkick and Diesel is on the floor, baseball slide from HBK. Michaels moonsaults to the floor to wipe out Diesel, Michaels has a boot from one of the announcers. Diving axe handle with the boot, two for Michaels. Diesel reverses an Irish whip and sends Michaels to the floor, Diesel tosses Michaels back into the ring. Short-arm clothesline rocks Michaels, Diesel stares out into the crowd. Snake eyes from Diesel, knees in the corner from Big Daddy Cool.

 

 

Diesel chokes Michaels in the corner, sidewalk slam from Diesel. Diesel starts choking the referee with his wrist-tape, Diesel steals the referee’s belt. Michaels is being whipped by Diesel, Michaels is being choked by Big Daddy Cool. Diesel is choking Michaels, Michaels is dangling over the ropes and now Diesel ties the belt to the ropes. Diesel tosses down Fink and grabs a chair, Diesel waffles Michaels in the back with the chair, the challenger is dominating in this match. Another chair-shot to the spine, Michaels is in agony. Diesel aims for HBK, HBK ducks and Diesel eats the chair as it bounces off the top rope.

 

 

Michaels has the chair, revenge time but no, Diesel lows blows the champion. Back body-drop from Diesel, Diesel applies a neck crank to HBK. Michaels fights back, big right hands but Diesel shoves down Michaels. Forearm shot after forearm shot, Michaels keeps on getting up before Diesel forearms Michaels to the floor. Jacknife Powerbomb through the announce table, rarely did that happen in the WWF at this point. This is a huge spot, Diesel grabs the championship and asks the referee to place it around his waist. Michaels stumbles to his feet before blasting Diesel with a fire extinguisher. Massive rights from Michaels, kip-up after a flying forearm. Diesel is down, Michaels grabs the chair, Diesel is waffled in the back and in the head.

 

 

Irish whip from Michaels, Michaels ducks the head though. Diesel clubs down Michaels, Irish whip and big boot from Big Daddy Cool. Michaels avoids the powerbomb by hammering Diesel with fists, Michaels lands his elbow drop. Sweet Chin Music is blocked as Diesel lands a massive clothesline, Diesel clotheslines Michaels to the floor. Diesel military presses Michaels onto the guardrail. Diesel attacks Mad Dog Vachon, Diesel rips out the leg of Vachon. The prosthetic leg of course, Diesel has the leg but Michaels lands a tremendous low blow. Michaels waffles Diesel with the prosthetic leg, Sweet Chin Music and Michaels retains the championship.

 

 

What a match, a classic in my eyes for sure. This was awesome, Diesel as a heel in late 1995/early 1996 has just cemented himself as one of my favourite heels with this performance. So it starts off fantastically with both men staring a whole through one another, Diesel goes to work and just takes off the kid-friendly New Generation gloves. We have the referee being attacked but we have Diesel hanging Michaels, powerbombing HBK through the announce table and stealing a wrestling legend’s prosthetic leg all with the intention of maiming and destroying his once close friend Shawn Michaels. Diesel is perfect in this match, his body-language is spot-on while his attacks are vicious and devastating. Nothing could be better, the powerbomb spot was rare with the fans rushing to the barricade to see if HBK was still alive. Michaels selling was tremendous as always and his comeback had the fans going bananas. I loved this match, Diesel may have only had great matches with Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels but I am fine with that because this was a classic!

 

Winner: Shawn Michaels over Diesel via Sweet Chin Music!

 

That was WWF ‘s In Your House 7: Good Friends, Better Enemies! An alright In Your House from the WWF. The opening tag match is a lot of fun, I think the finish hurts the match, I don’t see that weird looking single leg Boston crab as credible in the slightest but Owen bumping like a mad man and Ahmed Johnson being explosive is always a fun watch. It’s building to Ahmed destroying Owen and Bulldog, I am all here for that. Goldust vs Ultimate Warrior is eight minutes of stalling, it’s boring and dull and very homophobic by the end with the highlight being fans chanting faggot thunderously throughout the arena. I did not enjoy Razor vs Vader much, I like both but it was dull with Razor being destroyed by Vader. A sad end to Razor’s WWF career but like a champion, Razor put over the new heel in town. The tag team championship match was average, I see no upside to two Godwinns. However, the main event kicks all sorts of ass, Diesel is at his best as a character and Michaels is firmly the top guy who carries the company with standout performances. HBK sells tremendously and Diesel’s character work is top-notch, they have some great spots mixed in and a great finish to boot. Watch this only for the main event, I can’t recommend anything else on this show. 1996 is starting off a lot like 1995, hoping that WWF can inject some new talent into the upper parts of the card with Razor and Diesel leaving for WCW as well as show some edge as we move further into the year. Thanks for reading and remember: there’s always another night!