Set right in between the 1997 Royal Rumble and WrestleMania 13 came one of the most important editions of the In Your House series. In Your House: Final Four took place February 16, 1997 at the UTC Arena in Chattanooga, Tennessee in front of just over 6,000 fans who were guaranteed to see a new WWF champion crowned.
This is a crazy set up so buckle up. The Royal Rumble saw a controversial finish. Steve Austin was eliminated but the referees didn’t see it. He came back in and eliminated Vader, the Undertaker, and Bret Hart thus winning the Rumble. The plan all along was to have these four men face off again at In Your House: Final Four to decide a definitive winner who would then go on to face the WWF champion (Shawn Michaels) at WrestleMania 13.
The problem was, Shawn Michaels didn’t want to lose his title to Bret Hart. I mean, Shawn had a knee injury. I mean, Shawn “lost his smile”. No matter what the truth was the fact is Shawn Michaels gave up the WWF title three days before this pay per view at Thursday Raw Thursday Live. This four way match that was meant to crown a new #1 contender is now for the vacant WWF title.
We go over all of this on the podcast and so much more. Hot Pokemon talk. Matty Treats introduces us to the world of car sushi. We ask what kind of person Shawn Michaels was back in 1997. We discuss sending money via Western Union. One of the biggest WWF debuts of all time as “Funky Gold Gunn” shows up. This is then overshadowed by the debut of Chyna! We follow all of this up with the biggest top 5 debate in show history.
Tonight’s card includes:
- Marc Mero (with Sable) vs. Leif Cassidy.
- The Nation of Domination – Faarooq, Crush, and Savio Vega – accompanied by PG-13, D-Lo Brown, and Clarence Mason vs. Bart Gunn, Flash Funk, and Goldust (with Marlena).
- Rocky Maivia (Intercontinental champion) vs. Hunter Hearst Helmsley.
- Doug Furnas and Phil LaFon vs. Owen Hart and British Bulldog (WWF Tag Team champions) – with Clarence Mason.
- Vader vs. Undertaker vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Bret Hart in an elimination match for the WWF title.
The Retro Network’s own Kevin Decent (@MaskedLibrary) along with his two best friends “Sweet” Matty Treats (@MattyTreats) and Matt “the Educator of Excellence” are revisiting the WWF’s In Your House pay per view events over the course of the worldwide quarantine. This trios team has been watching wrestling all their lives and debating the outcomes since high school. Join them each week for a new podcast and invite them in your house.
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