We’re in April 1996 for Into the Vault and we’re looking at WWE In Your House 7: Good Friends, Better Enemies. I dig the subtitles for In Your House events.
It’s like the episode title of a show where you’re given an idea of what that episode is going to be about. This one is headlined by buddies HBK and Diesel for the World Title.
Low-Tier
The team of Owen Hart and British Bulldog—known as Camp Cornette—took on Ahmed Johnson and Jake the Snake. It wasn’t a trash match but it could’ve been on TV.
At this time, wrestlers were just getting paired with Ahmed and face Cornette’s team. Like they would have no major quarrel with Camp Cornette but Ahmed always found a partner.
Johnson was someone WWE wanted to push, they had Jake who was an odd roster addition for their company’s direction at the time. It was like having Luger on the roster.
Goldust defended his Intercontinental Title against The Ultimate Warrior. Don’t worry, he retained by count-out. This is a match that really should’ve never existed.
Warrior shouldn’t have been in WWE past 1992 but here he is in the mix of WWE In Your House 7 in 1996. Not only that but since WWE has to pay him, they have to use him.
That means you have these wrestlers WWE are trying to do something with potentially getting a match with the Ultimate Warrior. How unfortunate.
The Bodydonna’s Tag Title defense against The Godwinns was a short bout that also could’ve just been on Superstars or RAW.
Then again, the IYH shows were between a proper PPV and A-show TV. They were basically Clash of the Champions with a great miss rate. So, the match fits the show.
This tag match did nothing for me. I’d say use this match to fix yourself a sandwich and get a bev or something. It’s not exactly a landmark defense in the title’s history or a show highlight.
Exotic-Tier
At least WWE was aware that you couldn’t run an event that people pay for with just B-show matches and stuff that could’ve been on TV.
Vader vs. Razor Ramon was really good but these two turns it up on PPV. The question would be if they would click in the ring. At minimum could they deliver a decent bout.
Actually, looking at the match’s position on the card, they would need a good bout. They clicked enough to put up the second-best match of the night.
For me, Vader would be an odd sight in WWE even though I first saw in this company. Going back and seeing his work in WCW, it’s that Lex Luger/Barry Windham effect.
You know, when you identify a wrestler with a particular promotion then they seem out of place in a new company. It can take a while for that view to go away.
I couldn’t tell you how long it took me to accept Booker T as a WWE star after WCW closed!
Next, we have the main event of HBK defending the WWE Title against Diesel. This is actually the kind of opponent Diesel should’ve had for most of his face run.
WWE was hung up on main event faces taking on monsters and big men when Diesel’s development as a wrestler and the advice he was given came from those smaller than him.
This match was a no holds barred affair—which was my favorite match stipulation in WWE. Just hearing “Later tonight: Austin vs. Dude Love—NO HOLDS BARRED!” ensured I was flipping back.
The match has a good pace and HBK sells to the mark in the back of the arena who can’t see anything—so A+ for that. Also, this match doesn’t run way too long.
WWE In Your House 7 Verdict: Mid-Tier (5.5/10)
“What? Mid-tier? What’s this?” I figured I’m not putting number ratings on these shows. Exotic is anything 8/10 and above and Mid is 5 to 7.5.
In Your House is a series of PPVs that rides on the strength of the main event, the semi-main, and a strong tag bout. A wheel was missing here and that’s the tag team bout.
There were two and both were decent at best. The Tag Title match just wasn’t something that wow-worthy. Also, Ultimate Warrior is there for what reason?
Goldust could’ve gotten a dope title defense out of Austin or Savio Vega who were busy doing dark match duty. What?!
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