WWF In Your House IX: International Incident Review

 

Hello and welcome to another edition of Seanomaniac Wrestling Reviews, the only wrestling review series on the internet that retires more times than Terry Funk! It’s WWF In Your House IX: International Incident where our main event is a high-stakes six man tag team match as Camp Cornette take on Shawn Michaels, Ahmed Johnson and Sycho Sid (Originally Ultimate Warrior was planned for this match). We also have Mankind vs Henry Godwinn, Undertaker vs Goldust and Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Marc Mero. Let’s keep the momentum going right? Well I mean a six-man tag match doesn’t fill me with hope but let’s see what the WWF does tonight!

 

The Smoking Gunns W/ Sunny vs The Bodydonnas

Skip and Zip are the babyfaces which is interesting to say the least, Billy eats a double back body-drop from Bodydonnas. Bart gets dropped with a right hand, The Smoking Gunns stall. Zip and Bart reset, boot and chops from Bart. Irish whip from Bart, Zip leapfrogs Bart and chops to no effect. Shoulder block from Bart, hip-toss from Zip. Arm-bar from Zip, Bart cannot shake off Zip. Tag to Skip, diving axe handle and arm-wrench. Quick tags and diving axe handles, Bart continues to have his arm worked by the Bodydonnas. Skip eats a forearm to the head and a clothesline for good measure, tag to Billy. Scoop slam and boot to the head from Billy, Irish whip but Skip counters with a headscissors takedown. Right hands from Skip, Skip lowers his head off an Irish whip and Billy lands a fameasser.

 

Skip dodges a splash and works the arm, Billy lands a right to the head. Skip lands a shoulder block, Sunny looks hurt who falls on the ground. Skip checks on Sunny, Sunny slaps Skip and The Gunns land a clothesline. Billy tags Bart, knee to the ribs from Bart. Bart whips Skip hard in the corner, make it two. Skip sends Bart to the buckle, Skip tries a crossbody but Bart lands a massive powerslam. Tag to Billy, Billy and Bart fuck up their spot. Billy spits at Zip, Billy and Bart stomp Skip. Skip fights out of the corner before Bart knocks down Skip. Bart steps on the throat of Skip, Billy lands elbows to the throat behind the referee’s back. Rope guillotine from Bart, tag to Billy. Billy shoves Skiip to the corner, eye rake from Billy who tags in Bart.

 

Bart whips Skip to the buckle, another blown spot. O’Connor roll from Skip for two, middle rope crossbody before Bart fires back with a clothesline. Tag to Billy, Billy is on the top rope. Diving double axe handle is countered with an inverted atomic drop, Skip tags in Zip. Right hands from Zip, Billy is tossed to the floor. Irish whip reversed by Bart, Billy trips Zip who was running the ropes. Bart whips Zip, sidewalk slam but Bart is looking for Billy and Sunny is arguing with Billy. Skip lands a missile dropkick with Zip landing on top of Bart for the win.

 

That was rough, few blown spots and The Gunns look to be figuring themselves out inside of that ring. Sunny is the best part of that tag team by a country mile, Sunny looks like a star compared to everyone in that ring, how is she not with a main eventer? Anyways, the cameramen miss the most important part with Billy and Sunny arguing which leads to the finish, they don’t even play it up afterwards so yeah, this match dragged.

 

Winners: Bodydonnas over Smoking Gunns via Missile Dropkick!

 

Henry O. Godwinn W/ Hillbilly Jim vs Mankind

Mankind attacks Henry from behind, punch after punch from Mankind. Stomps from Mankind, Irish whip and headbutt from Mankind. Henry answers with a right hand, Mankind is rocked. Powerslam from Henry, clothesline to the floor. Mankind re-enters the ring, rocking Henry and choking the hog-farmer. Henry fights back from his knees but Mankind headbutts and knees Henry. Henry takes down Mankind, right hand after right hand. Low blow from Mankind, Mankind is on the back of Henry. Henry rams Mankind into the buckle twice, Mankind headbutts and face-busters Henry. Running elbow drop from Mankind, running knee in the corner from Mankind. Leg drop while Henry is draped across the bottom rope, Mankind exposes the concrete.

 

Henry is tossed to the floor, neck-breaker on the concrete. Henry fights back from his knees in the ring, Mankind reverses the Irish whip and lands a corner clothesline. Henry dodges the corner clothesline, Mankind hits the ring-post hard. Henry scores with right hands, massive clothesline. Mankind lures in Henry, throwing Henry to the floor. Henry catches Mankind on the apron, gorilla press slam to the concrete. Slop Drop is blocked as Mankind holds onto the ropes, Mandible Claw from Mankind and this match is over.

 

A nothing match to put over Mankind, Henry hit some meaty looking clotheslines and right hands while Mankind took a bump to the floor on exposed concrete for Henry bloody Godwinn. Ridiculous but that’s Mick Foley torturing himself for the fans.

 

Winner: Mankind over Henry O. Godwinn via Mandible Claw!

 

Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Marc Mero W/ Sable

Rematch from King of The Ring, Austin went through Mero to get to the finals. Austin knees and batters Mero, big right hands from The Rattlesnake. Mero blocks the punches, Mero shows his superior boxing skills. Austin and Mero ducks clothesline, big crossbody from Mero for two. Arm-drag and arm-bars from Mero, Mero lands a leg drop to the arm. Austin reverses for a side headlock, takedown for a close two. Both men trade pin-falls attempts, Austin knees and punches Mero to block the backslide. Austin eats a boot though, rights and lefts from Mero. Austin is down, Austin rolls to the floor.

 

Austin stalks Sable, Mero lands an apron axe handle to cut that off. Austin tries a suplex but Mero goes for a rolling prawn pin for a close two. Austin fakes holding his lip, eye poke and clothesline to the floor from Austin. Austin drags Mero to the timekeeper’s area, catapult into the ring-post. Austin chokes Mero against the top rope, Mero is bounced off the apron into the guardrail. Snap-mare and a middle rope elbow from Austin for two, Austin is furious about the referee’s officiating. Irish whip from Austin, elbow from Austin. Camel clutch variation from Austin, Sable cheers on Mero from ringside.

 

Austin chokes Mero on the middle rope, Austin slaps Mero’s head again and again. Austin fakes out Mero but Mero crotches Austin on the top rope, Austin is down. Austin is rammed off the buckle, Mero is whipped. Boot from Austin, Austin’s variation of the stun-gun is countered. Mero hurricanranas Austin to the floor, apron somersault from Mero. Marlena gives Lawler a gold envelope, what does it mean? Apron moonsault from Mero, slingshot splash for a close two. Right hands in the corner from Mero, Mero wanted a hurricanrana but Austin crotches Mero on the top rope. Austin talks trash to Sable, Mero holds onto the ropes to avoid the stunner. Slingshot leg drop for a close two, Austin chop blocks Mero though. Stone Cold Stunner and it’s over!

 

What an abrupt finish, doesn’t do any favours for Mero who’s WWF run is looking a lot worse than when it started. However, I do enjoy these two working with one another, Mero continues to work well with The Rattlesnake. Some spots look nasty, Austin’s offence looks great no matter the occasion but I just wish Austin had worked the leg of Mero at some point. Things were setup with the catapult into the ring-post but it went nowhere to be honest, why take such a great looking bump to not play into the finish?

 

Winner: Stone Cold Steve Austin over Marc Mero via Stone Cold Stunner!

 

Goldust W/ Marlena vs The Undertaker W/ Paul Bearer

Looks like a rematch from Beware of The Dog, nobody gets a win over The Deadman and gets away it, nobody! Fingers crossed that Taker works this match like the previous match with Mankind, lots of stalling before the bell. Goldust stares down Taker, Goldust walks up to the face of Taker and eats a throat thrust. Goldust begs off some more, Goldust eventually drags out The Deadman but Taker no-sells and Chokeslams Goldust on the steel steps. Goldust is bounced off the steel steps, Taker has the steel steps but Marlena is protecting Goldust. Taker throws Goldust in the ring, Taker chokes Goldust in the corner. Goldust exposes the top turnbuckle, there is a method to the madness but Taker whips Goldust to the corner and lands a vicious clothesline.

 

Leg drop from Taker for two, Goldust begs off before eye poking Taker, Knees from Goldust, big right hands in the corner. Irish whip to the buckle, Taker stops the throat thrust and Taker begins using right hands and throat thrusts on The Bizarre One. Old school from Taker, scoop slam but Goldust avoids the elbow drop. Goldust clotheslines Taker to the floor but Taker lands on his feet, Goldust kicks away Taker. Rights and lefts from Goldust, Taker hot-shots Goldust. Goldust manages to send Taker into the exposed buckle in the ring, Goldust punches and stomps Taker over and over. Taker is tossed to the floor, Goldust drops the steel steps across the back of Taker. Camel clutch from Goldust in the ring, Taker survives the hold and fires back with rights and uppercuts.

 

Goldust drops to a knee, Irish whip and boot from Taker. Taker wants the tombstone, small package for two. Goldust whips Taker, Taker ducks and lands his flying clothesline. Tombstone Piledriver and Mankind comes through the bottom of the ring and applies The Mandible Claw, Taker has been outsmarted by Mankind once more but smoke emits from where The Undertaker was, what is going on here? Eventually, Taker climbs out of the other side of the ring, hammering away at the deranged Mankind!

 

Much like their Beware of Dog match, I really didn’t care about the match between these two, Goldust stalls just like that awful match with Warrior for the beginning and the action never really gets going. However, the angle is the important part and it seems Taker has finally got the best of Mankind for once, I am looking forward to the next match between those two.

 

Winner: Undertaker over Goldust via DQ!

 

Camp Cornette (Owen Hart/British Bulldog/ Vader) W/ Jim Cornette vs Shawn Michaels/Ahmed Johnson/Sycho Sid

No Ultimate Warrior but what a replacement, an absolute killer in Sycho Sid who was reduced to a sidekick for The 1-2-3 Kid before everything turned with a neck injury. This is a massive match for sure, Vader and Ahmed to start but Vader wants Michaels. Ahmed obliges, HBK comes in to go one on one on Vader. They lock-up, Vader picks up Michaels with ease. Right hands from Michaels before Vader lands a throat thrust, Irish whip but Michaels ducks twice. Hurricanrana doesn’t work until a shove from Ahmed, flying clothesline and crossbody sends Vader to the floor. Baseball slide from HBK, plancha from Michaels. Michaels tries an apron dive but Vader dodges, Michaels smashes his face off the guardrail.

 

Vader lands rights and lefts in the corner, Michaels flips out of a back suplex and tags in Sid. Sid clotheslines all of Camp Cornette, everyone is down. Owen attacks Sid from behind, no effect! Clothesline from Sid, tag to Ahmed. German suplexes from Ahmed, Owen is destroyed. Ahmed misses a big elbow drop, tag to Bulldog who clubs Ahmed over and over. Irish whip but Ahmed reverses, massive fucking spinebuster from Ahmed. Ahmed wants to end this, Pearl River Plunge but Vader elbows the neck of Ahmed. Bulldog tags in Vader, Vader slaps Ahmed in the corner. Ahmed reverses and pummels Vader, Vader eye-pokes Ahmed. Whip to the buckle, corner splash from Vader. Rights and lefts from Vader, Vader tries a corner splash but Ahmed powerslams Vader for a close two.

 

Tag to Owen, stomps to Ahmed. Spinning heel kick from Owen, face-rake from Owen. Shoulder thrusts from Owen, Ahmed sends Owen to the buckle. Military press slam from Ahmed, tag to Sid. Irish whip and boot from Sid, corner right hands from Sid. Owen is sent flying into his buckle, Bulldog tags into the match. Bulldog boots Sid, stalling vertical suplex from Bulldog. Elbow drop from Vader, Sid kicks out at two. Bulldog tags in Vader, Vader clotheslines Sid down. Tag to Bulldog, headbutts from Bulldog. Right hands but Sid is shaking it off, right hand to Bulldog. Sid tags in HBK, diving axe handle for two. Irish whip to the corner but Michaels runs shoulder-first into the ring-post, headbutt from Bulldog. Bulldog is whipped into Vader, Owen elbow drops Bulldog by mistake. Michaels tosses Owen to the floor, HBK covers Bulldog for two.

 

Owen is legal now, HBK brings Owen into the ring. Michaels lowers his head off an Irish whip, rolling cradle from Owen for two. Owen gets caught in a victory roll for two, they trade pin-falls and wrestle excellently before Michaels bridges up. Backslide is countered by Owen for a clothesline, tag to Bulldog. Back body-drop, leg drop from Bulldog. Owen nails Michaels with the cast, Bulldog lands a clothesline and Vader is tagged into the match. Rights and lefts from Vader, whip to the buckle sends Michaels to the floor. Short-arm clothesline from Vader, standing cross-face from Vader. Vader sits in the hold while some dumb fan tries to enter the ring, Michaels fires back with right hands but Vader continues squeezing the life out of HBK.

 

Michaels escapes the hold but Vader clubs down Michaels, massive splash from Vader. Vader stands up with Ahmed clotheslining Vader down, what a clothesline. Michaels is pulled back by Bulldog, Bulldog applies an Argentine back-breaker but Michaels escapes, crucifix is countered into a Samoan drop from Bulldog. Bulldog whips Michaels to the buckle, Bulldog misses the corner splash. Owen comes in, eye-rake from Owen. Owen slaps on a side headlock, shove and drop-down from HBK with both men banging heads in the middle of the ring. Sid attacks Bulldog who was pinning Michaels after his collision with Owen, Michaels looks to make the tag.

 

Michaels tags in Ahmed, the referee did not see the tag? What? Camp Cornette decimate Michaels, Bulldog covers for a close two. Tag to Owen, Bulldog holds Michaels, Owen nails Bulldog with the missile dropkick by mistake. Crowd is in a frenzy, Vader and Sid are in. Sid clotheslines and chokeslams Vader, chokeslam for Owen too. Chokeslam for Bulldog, three chokeslams. In comes Ahmed, double clothesline to Vader. Rocket Launcher with Michaels onto Vader, Bulldog takes out Michaels. Bulldog and Ahmed are brawling, Michaels has Cornette. Vader has Cornette’s racket but Michaels sees it coming. Michaels nails Vader with the racket, two for Michaels. Sweet Chin Music is avoided as Cornette grabbed the foot of Michaels. Jose decks Cornette but Vader corner splashes Michaels and lands the Vader Bomb for the win.

 

That was an action-packed six-man tag team match, the crowd are absolutely bonkers for this match and rightly so, it gives you everything you want from every wrestler in this match. Sid looks like a million bucks chokeslamming and clotheslining everyone, Bulldog and Owen have their moments with Bulldog showing he could suplex Sid. Vader decimates the babyfaces, I just love when Vader is allowed to do his thing, Vader punishes Ahmed and Michaels throughout. Some nice tag team spots too mixed in and that finish sets up Summerslam perfectly with Vader pinning Michaels, Vader needed that after King of The Ring and the half-assed stuff they have been giving us when it comes to Vader. I loved this match, it was everything I could have hoped for and more, I thought Michaels would come away as the only bright spot but everyone looks great after this match and it’s the most fun I had watching WWF in a while, kudos to all involved.

 

Winners: Camp Cornette over Team Michaels via Vader Bomb!

 

That was WWF ‘s In Your House IX: International Incident, a pretty standard if not boring WWF In Your House that has an astonishingly good main event. Things kick off with a sloppy enough tag team match with a finish that is mostly missed by the WWF cameramen, not sure if there will even be any follow up on a breakup between Billy and Sunny. On the other hand, I’m glad I don’t have to watch Phineas be embarrassed and booked poorly. Things do not improve greatly when Henry Godwinn faces Mankind, the match is uneventful with Mankind trying to get a reaction by taking a bump for an opponent who frankly is not worth it. Austin vs Mero is solid but not on par with King of The Ring, Mero takes these cool looking bumps but they don’t play into the finish, I think of his leg buckling and the catapult into the ring-post but neither have resulted in the finish but miles better than the first two matches. Undertaker vs Goldust is all angle, Taker vs Mankind will be good I have no doubts considering they continue to beat the piss out of one another and then the main event just kicks all sorts of ass. Sid looks like a star, Vader looks like the new WWF Champion, HBK is as good as always, Ahmed and Bulldog and Owen all get their shit in, the crowd is alive and they wake up big time, it’s shockingly good and a rollercoaster ride especially with Jose and Cornette’s involvement at the end. One of the best matches of 1996 for me, the WWF is chugging along but still not firing on all cylinders despite the influx of new talent, let’s hope that the momentum continues with Summerslam 1996! Thanks for reading and remember: there’s always another night!