Wow, this is a wrestling show
Deep into the WWF's "US vs. Canada/Hart Foundation" storyline, the WWF decided to have their July In Your House in the Hart family's hometown of Calgary, Alberta Canada. The environment is absolutely UNREAL as the fans go nuts for everything the Canadians do (Brian Pillman gets cheered for cheating for example) and boo the US team out of the building with their every move (Steve Austin takes on a heel persona and plays against the crowd getting some of the loudest heat ever, Ken Shamrock tries to play to the crowd and gets booed right out of the building)
Just a break down of the matches here.
Mankind vs. HHH Probably the best of their original feud, if you loved the Street Fight or the HIAC or the MSG Raw match this is an essential, this is from their original feud and was an absolutely wild brawl leading to a double countout and they fought throughout the rest of the show, the feud culminated the next month at Summerslam ****
Taka vs. The Great Sasuke
Although they've had many matches on Michinoku Pro TV this is the first time North American WWF fans had been treated to these two (although they made a very very impressive NA PPV debut at ECW's barely legal 4 months prior), a great outing which changed Taka's entire career path because of how the crowd rallied behind him, originally Sasuke was to be pushed and Taka was supposed to be fodder for the light heavyweight division. This match was excellent although a bit short, and is one of the best cruiserweight matches i've ever seen, even close to Eddy vs. Rey. ****1/4
Vader vs. The Undertaker
This was originall supposed to be Ahmed vs. Taker, but big surprise, Ahmed Johnson got injured before the match! Thank god his heel push got cut off at the legs. Anyway, this is a really good big man match that really makes you realize how washed up Taker is after he was this great in 97. The selling and bumping are really sound for these two, especially considering how injuries were getting to Vader at this point. ***3/4
10 Man Tag
Steve Austin/Ken Shamrock/Goldust/Road Warriors vs. Bret Hart/Owen Hart/Jim Neidhart/British Bulldog/Brian Pillman
Wild, 30 minutes of non stop action with the best crowd heat ever for any match (although it was nearly duplicated on Raw in 2000 during the Radicals debut). Wild stuff as Owen Hart and Steve Austin both were "injured" during the match, leading to their exits and eventual return for the finish, Austin gets in a brawl with the Hart family at ringside and gets taken to jail, but is able to get the middle fingers up past the handcuffs. Why couldn't he play THIS character in 2001? Awesome stuff, and i wish that Bret Hart could've gone out on this note.
*****
If you don't own this tape...what is wrong with you?!!?!? Get a VHS copy of the coliseum video version "WWF Maximum Impact (97)" which should say contains matches with the July in your house and has Bret Hart on the cover. Probably the best show the WWF has EVER done in competition with only Wrestlemania X-7 and a few others. WWE is nuts not to release this on DVD, i'd upgrade my copy in a second.
Just a break down of the matches here.
Mankind vs. HHH Probably the best of their original feud, if you loved the Street Fight or the HIAC or the MSG Raw match this is an essential, this is from their original feud and was an absolutely wild brawl leading to a double countout and they fought throughout the rest of the show, the feud culminated the next month at Summerslam ****
Taka vs. The Great Sasuke
Although they've had many matches on Michinoku Pro TV this is the first time North American WWF fans had been treated to these two (although they made a very very impressive NA PPV debut at ECW's barely legal 4 months prior), a great outing which changed Taka's entire career path because of how the crowd rallied behind him, originally Sasuke was to be pushed and Taka was supposed to be fodder for the light heavyweight division. This match was excellent although a bit short, and is one of the best cruiserweight matches i've ever seen, even close to Eddy vs. Rey. ****1/4
Vader vs. The Undertaker
This was originall supposed to be Ahmed vs. Taker, but big surprise, Ahmed Johnson got injured before the match! Thank god his heel push got cut off at the legs. Anyway, this is a really good big man match that really makes you realize how washed up Taker is after he was this great in 97. The selling and bumping are really sound for these two, especially considering how injuries were getting to Vader at this point. ***3/4
10 Man Tag
Steve Austin/Ken Shamrock/Goldust/Road Warriors vs. Bret Hart/Owen Hart/Jim Neidhart/British Bulldog/Brian Pillman
Wild, 30 minutes of non stop action with the best crowd heat ever for any match (although it was nearly duplicated on Raw in 2000 during the Radicals debut). Wild stuff as Owen Hart and Steve Austin both were "injured" during the match, leading to their exits and eventual return for the finish, Austin gets in a brawl with the Hart family at ringside and gets taken to jail, but is able to get the middle fingers up past the handcuffs. Why couldn't he play THIS character in 2001? Awesome stuff, and i wish that Bret Hart could've gone out on this note.
*****
If you don't own this tape...what is wrong with you?!!?!? Get a VHS copy of the coliseum video version "WWF Maximum Impact (97)" which should say contains matches with the July in your house and has Bret Hart on the cover. Probably the best show the WWF has EVER done in competition with only Wrestlemania X-7 and a few others. WWE is nuts not to release this on DVD, i'd upgrade my copy in a second.
- Ronald Quincy Dobbs
- Nov 30, 2002