The WWF Tag Team Championships were vacated when Stone Cold was injured in the infamous Summerslam 1997 sitout piledriver incident with Owen Hart. Vince McMahon, Jerry “The King” Lawler and Jim Ross are on commentary for this match. Last year British Bulldog replaced Owen Hart, this time he teams with him to represent The Hart Foundation. Mosh and Thrasher are The Headbangers, Anima, of course, of course are The Legion of Doom. Phinneaus and Henry The Godwinns. Before the match the former champions come out to the ring to officially surrender the championship belts over. Vince takes us to a video of the piledriver, and Comissioner Slaughter's announcement on Friday Night's Main Event that Stone Cold must relinquish his championships for the sake of the company.
Slaughter's in the ring with Jim Ross, and he says he's just doing his job to the best of his ability. Dude Love enters the ring first. Ross says he wishes Dude Love was out here under different circumstances. Dude Love says he could try to defend the championships himself but that wouldn't be right, and he relinquishes the belt. The fans don't like that too much. Their mood changes when Austin's announced though, blowing the roof off the place for his entrance. Austin goes face to face with Slaughter. Ross tells Austin he wishes it was under better circumstances but Austin grabs the mic. He tells Slaughter that if Austin says he can wrestle then he can wrestle. He also went after Vince but flubbed it. He asks Slaughter if he wants the belt and teases giving it to him. He throws the belt to Slaughter's feet, which McMahon calls disrespectful on commentary. The fans give Austin a pass though because it's Austin. Slaughter cautiously picks it up and leaves the ring. Austin goes on a tirade about how the company makes him sick. JR explains they don't want him risking permanent paralysis and eats a Stunner for it.Austin eventually leaves the ring and JR's seen to by medics.
Dok Hendrix has a pre-match interview with Owen Hart and British Bulldog in the locker room. He asks Owen if he's scared now he's seen what happened to JR. Owen says JR's a friend of his and he wants to see Austin jailed for what he did. Even if the stupid American people enjoyed it. He wants to see Austin back in the ring and wants his Intercontinental Championship back. He and Bulldog are going to win the Tag Team Championships tonight. WWF European Champion, Bulldog says he's behind Owen 100%, and Owen steals Bret's “Best there is, best there was and best there ever will be.” Vince calls Austin a jackass on commentary, Lawler tells him to be careful or he'll get the same. The Headbangers enter first and we cut to a pre-taped interview with them basically claiming they'll win. The Godwinns get the same treatment. We actually see Owen and Bulldog's entrance, Owen carrying his Slammies. Vince mentions Bulldog defending his European title against Shawn Michaels at One Night Only, 20th September in Birmingham, England. LOD is backstage with Michael Cole and Animal says they haven't won the titles in 6 years, and that's a long time to accomplish nothing as a tag team. Hawk goes after The Godwinns. They then enter the ring to complete the set.
OWEN HART & BRITISH BULLDOGVS. LEGION OF DOOM VS. THE GODWINNS VS. THE HEADBANGERS
Fatal Four Way Elimination match -WWF TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS)
WWF In Your House: Ground Zero (7th September 1997)
The rules are displayed on the screen, 2 men in the ring at a time, a team is eliminated through pinfall, submission, count out or disqualification and obviously the last team standing are the new champions. Vince McMahon says we'll have updates on JR's condition, and Lawler says Austin was ready to go off on anyone and it was unfortunate JR got it. Thrasher and Phineas Godwinn start the match. A collar-elbow tie up doesn't last long as Phineas sends Thrasher across the mat. Thrasher gets a side headlock, but Phineas sends him across the ropes. A shoulder block sends Thrasher stumbling back, but he stays on his feet as McMahon now calls the Godwinn Henry. Whichever he ends up being he knees Thrasher in the gut and hits a clubbing blow to his back, before applying his own side headlock. Thrasher sends him off the ropes but gets knocked down on a shoulder tackle. Godwinn goes over Thrasher and blocks a hip toss, but gets rolled up for a 1. Vince is pretty sure it's Henry now, but just to make it difficult for a while longer Thrasher tags in the other Godwinn.
Apparently if he doesn't enter the match he gets disqualified. Either way Henry (I think) tags in Mosher. They stall before locking up. Godwinn knees Mosher in the gut and hits a clubbing blow. Mosher leapfrogs Godwinn and sends him over for a hip toss. Another arm drag brings Godwinn over again, Mosher keeps him down with an arm bar. Godwinn has a good size and strength advantage, so he's quick to his feet, so Mosher tags out to his own partner. He sends Godwinn across the ring with an irish whip, and Thrasher comes off the second rope with a clothesline. Thrasher's quick to tag out to Animal, he hits a standing leg drop and Godwinn gets the fuck outta Dodge. Referee Tim White starts counting Godwinn out, as McMahon says the referee's his favourite in this match. He mentions the problems between LOD and the Godwinns as Godwinn takes Animal into his corner and makes a quick tag to Henry. Henry sends him across the ring. Animal ducks a clothesline and neither man move on the shoulder tackle. Henry Godwinn gets a standing front facelock but Animal lifts him overhead to release the hold and lets him free fall to the mat. Godwinn rolls out of the ring, but Hawk's there to meet him with a few right hands. Henry gets back in the ring tagging out to Mosh. Owen Hart calls him a chicken from the apron.
Jerry Lawler mentions that Owen and Bulldog haven't been in the match yet in perfect timing, and he calls it smart. Animal sends Mosh across the ring and brings him to the mat with a powerslam. He tags out to Hawk who shouldn't have been involved in the match yet, holding Mosh in place for a diving clothesline. Hawk sends Mosh across the ring and lifts him overhead, dropping him with a military press slam. He offers Bulldog into the match whilst holding Mosh in place. Bulldog holds his hand out but Hawk tags him in with a right hand to the head instead. (SEE! I SAID THAT!) The referee has to stop Bulldog going after Bulldog, giving Mosh a chance to tag in Phinneaus Godwinn. A test of strength goes nowhere so Bulldog kicks Godwinn in the gut. Bulldog gets an arm wrench and tags out to Owen who hits it with an axe handle from the top rope. Godwinn reverses a clothesline sending Owen into the Godwinns' corner and tags out to Henry as Vince and Lawler talk about the Bulldog vs. Michaels match. Godwinn sends Owen across the ring but he ducks a clothesline but is caught by Godwinn, Godwinn holds Owen overhead and slams him to the mat for a nearfall.
Henry Godwinn sends Owen across the ring but ducks too early, Godwinn catches Owen's leg but Owen's quicker, catching him with an enziguri. Owen covers for a nearfall and tags out to Animal. Animal beats down on Godwinn but he ducks a running clothesline, sending Animal over the top rope to the floor. Phinneaus gets a cheap shot and the tag before Animal gets back on the apron. Vince reminds us that it's Owen's fault Stone Cold isn't performing tonight and Lawler says he put on quite a performance earlier. Godwinn brings Animal back in the ring and drops him with a jawbreaker. Animal takes a beating in The Godwinns' corner as Hawk rallies the fans into an LOD chant. Hawk tries to help his partner but gives the Godwinns a chance to double-team him as Owen antagonizes him from the other side of the apron. Godwinn leaps from the top rope into Animal's boot before Hawk gets the hot tag and clears out both Godwinns. He tries to get Owen and Bulldog but they jump from the apron.
Hawk climbs to the top rope as Animal tries to lift one of the Godwinns overhead, The other Godwinn interrupts the Doomsday Device, Hawk dives into a body shot from one Godwinn The Godwinns bring in the slop bucket but Animal is able to grab it. He takes out both Godwinns causing LOD to be disqualified. Phinneaus and Mosh are now legal as the latter takes advantage, he brings Godwinn over to his corner as Thrasher climbs to the top rope, Mosher is assisted from a superplex to splash onto Godwinn for a nearfall. Mosh tags out and drops to all fours, allowing Thrasher to jump off his back and land on Godwinn with a plancha. Godwinn is back in the ring at three and he reverses an irish whip but Thrasher ducks the clothesline. Henry low bridges Thrasher and gets in a cheap shot on the floor. Mosh tries to protect his partner best he can but Henry shoves Thrasher back into the ring and gets the legal tag. Henry gets a free shot on Thrasher before slamming him to the mat. He picks up some speed and hits a jumping elbow drop but Mosh breaks up the cover. Phinneaus gets the tag.
Both Godwinns send Thrasher across the ring and send him over with a double back body drop. Another quick tag before they both send him across the ring again, this time he adjusts his path and tries to send Henry over with a sunset flip. Phinneaus tries to keep his partner on his feet but Mosh comes in with a clothesline, Thrasher gets Henry over and the Godwinns are eliminated. I think it's bullshit but the crowd seemed to like it. Owen attacks Thrasher on the mat with mounted punches. He brings him to his feet and slams him down with a gutwrench suplex and hits a running leg drop for good measure before going back to the right hands. Owen stomps on Thrasher on the mat and sends him into Bulldog's corner. Owen goads Mosh into entering the ring, taking the referee's attention away from Bulldog choking Thrasher in the corner. Bulldog holds Thrasher for Owen to get in some shots, then gets the tag. British Bulldog sends Thrasher across the ring and Thrasher runs into a back elbow.
British Bulldog brings Thrasher to his feet for a delayed vertical suplex and covers, but Mosh breaks it up. British Bulldog holds Thrasher as Owen hits him with a missile dropkick. Referee Tim White ignores the fact there's no tag and Owen gets a nearfall. He sends Thrasher across the ring, Thrasher ducks a clothesline and gets a nearfall of his own from a running cross body. Owen is first to his feet dropping Thrasher with a falling neckbreaker for another nearfall. Owen slams Thrasher to the mat, making the tag to Bulldog as a USA chant begins. They snap the wishbone before Bulldog sends Thrasher across the ring, Thrasher blocks the clothesline but the collision knocks both men down. Mosh gets the tag just before Owen and takes out both members of the Hart Foundation. Mosh sends Owen out of the ring with a dropkick, but Bulldog reverses an irish whip and Owen trips him. Bulldog grabs Mosh from behind but Owen's leg lariat finds Bulldog instead knocking him out of the ring. Owen ducks too early off an irish whip and Mosh elbows him on the back of the head. Thrasher climbs to the top turnbuckle but Bulldog crotches him just in time. Owen sends Mosh over with a back body drop as Thrasher and Bulldog fight outside. HERE'S AUSTIN! Owen has Mosh set up for the sharpshooter but turns around into a stunner! Mosh covers and Headbangers win the titles.
WINNER: THE HEADBANGERS
Just... what was this match? Honestly, someone tell me. The real feud was LOD and Godwinns, but they get taken out on a DQ and upset, then The Headbangers take Austin's assistance (which got the biggest reaction of the match) to beat Owen and Bulldog. I didn't enjoy one minute of this, and I 'm with Lawler, I have no idea how the Headbangers got that much of a reaction during the match. They looked like complete morons. Nothing really to complain about technically though, which is pretty good with these teams. It just sucked the life out of me as a match. – WORKRATE: 3/5 PERSONAL ENJOYMENT -4/5 OVERALL -1/10
So after that match I see I have another WWF match for this year. I also need to finish and get my Terry Funk vs. Bret Hart match up for ECW in this year before moving on to 1998. I'm installing a new rule that when I hit a dead end with my connections I start again from the opening match, whatever that may be. ECW didn't have another named show until November in 1998, but September 1999 they came back with Anarchy Rulz. WCW, of course, continued Fall Brawl, and due to my connections rule I am reviewing my first WarGames match! So have fun criticising me on that one guys!!!! WWF switched up the theme slightly calling their 1998 event Breakdown: In Your House.
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