In Your House 16: Canadian Stampede

Background

In Your House 16: Canadian Stampede consisted of professional wrestling matches involving different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds, plots and storylines that were played out on Raw Is War and other World Wrestling Federation television programs. Wrestlers portrayed a villain or a hero as they followed a series of events that built tension, and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.

The main rivalry heading into the event involved Stone Cold Steve Austin and Bret Hart. While on hiatus from the WWF from April until October 1996, Hart received challenges from Austin. After he returned to the WWF, he feuded with Stone Cold Steve Austin, who cost him a victory at the Royal Rumble match, and the WWF World Heavyweight Championship. After fighting with him on WrestleMania 13, Austin became a fan favorite, while Hart became a villain, criticizing the American fans for cheering Austin. Hart recruited his brother Owen, his brothers-in-law The British Bulldog and Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart and Austin's former partner Brian Pillman, creating the Hart Foundation, to fight with Austin. At King of the Ring, Hart challenged the five best American wrestlers of the WWF to fight his team at the event. Austin entered himself into the match the next day on WWF Raw is War, prior to his match with Brian Pillman. Before the match, the Hart foundation attacked Austin, prompting Mankind to replace him in the match. After the match, Austin and Ken Shamrock cleared the ring of the Hart Foundation, and Austin gave the Stunner finisher on Shamrock. Next week, Austin and Pillman fought as the Hart Foundation members were handcuffed into the ring posts, but they managed to release themselves and to attack Austin, who was rescued by Shamrock, Mankind and Goldust. After a brief brawl between Austin and Shamrock, which was broken by the Legion of Doom, Goldust suggested that he, Shamrock and LOD will team up with Austin in the 5 on 5 match at the event, to which Austin agreed. On the June 23 edition of Raw Is War, LOD fought The Godwinns, and after their victory, the Hart Foundation attacked them and Shamrock. Next week, while Austin fought Neidhart, Bret Hart (Who attacked Shamrock during the match) came and attacked Austin, putting the figure-four leglock on Austin while on the ring post.

Another predominant feud involved the WWF World Heavyweight Champion The Undertaker and Vader. On the June 23 episode of Raw Is War, Vader was announced as the number one contender for the championship, as Undertaker had to team up with Vader in a tournament match for the WWF Tag Team Championship against the Nation of Domination's team of D'Lo Brown and Faarooq. Vader's manager, Paul Bearer, forced The Undertaker to do as he said or else he will tell a secret from the Undertaker's past. After the Undertaker attacked Vader in the match, Bearer told the secret next week: Throughout The Undertaker's childhood and teen years, he lived in a funeral home with his parents and half-brother. According to Paul Bearer, The Undertaker killed his parents and caused his half-brother's face to be bruised and scarred by setting the funeral home ablaze. The Undertaker denied it and said that Kane was the one that burnt the house. During an attack from the Undertaker after Vader's match with Rockabilly, Bearer said he heard that from Kane himself, because unbeknownst to The Undertaker, Kane had survived the fire and was still alive.

Another rivalry heading into event was the continuation of battle between Mankind and Hunter Hearst Helmsley. At the King of the Ring event, Helmsley and Mankind fought at the finals of the King of the ring tournament as Helmsley won, and he kept attacking Mankind after the match. The day after that, Mankind requested a rematch, to which Helmsley agreed. On the June 30 edition of Raw Is War, Mankind and Brian Pillman fought in a match, which Pillman won by a count-out after Helmsley interfered.

Event

Prior to the main event Farmer's Daughter performed "O Canada".

In the first contest of the night, King of the Ring Hunter Hearst Helmsley took on Mankind. The match ended in a double count out after a brutal brawl that saw Triple H's bodyguard, Chyna getting involved a good bit. The two men didn't stop fighting though, taking their brawl through the crowd into the parking lot. The two men were finally broken up, with Helmsley left bloodied.

The second match saw Taka Michinoku taking on legend, The Great Sasuke. After some back and forth action, The Great Sasuke won the match via a tiger suplex.

Aftermath

Stone Cold Steve Austin's feud with Bret Hart ended after Canadian Stampede but immediately started a feud with his brother Owen the following night by attacking him while he was singing the Canadian national anthem. This led to a title match between the two for the Intercontinental Championship at SummerSlam with Austin giving the stipulation that if he lost, he will kiss Hart's ass. During the match, Hart delivered a botched piledriver to Austin, legitimately breaking his neck and temporarily paralyzing him. Despite this, Austin was able to win the match and the title but due to the severity of his neck injury, he was forced to relinquish the Intercontinental Championship and the Tag Team Championships. Austin eventually recovered and ended his feud with Hart by defeating him for the Intercontinental Championship at Survivor Series.

Reception

This pay-per-view was awarded Best Major Show for 1997 by Dave Meltzer's Wrestling Observer Newsletter.