Top 5 best In Your House events in WWE history
In 1995, WWE decided to expand their pay-per-view lineup beyond the Big Four shows with the introduction of "In Your House". These shorter, cheaper major shows would help the company build to something every month. This would improve the weekly television as well as present more opportunities for stars to stand out.
The first year started slow with not the most well built-up events for the In Your House brand. However, as the calendar changed to 1996, WWE would find a formula that would gain success throughout the years to come. The addition of sub names for these events also allowed for them to be identified in their own way as well.
With the NXT TakeOver: In Your House event on the horizon, it seems like a perfect time to look back on the rich history of these events. In this article, let's take a look at the top five best In Your House events in WWE history.
Honorable Mentions
- In Your House: Mind Games (Shawn Michaels vs. Mankind)
- In Your House: Bad Blood (Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels - Hell In A Cell Match)
- In Your House: Cold Day In Hell (Undertaker vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin)
#5 In Your House: Buried Alive
Memorable matches/moments:
- Undertaker vs. Mankind - Buried Alive Match
- Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Hunter Hearst Helmsley
One of the overwhelming themes of In Your House was one match cards. Whether from the build-up or the aftermath, these major events are usually remembered for the show stealing encounter. Heading into In Your House: Buried Alive, the main event was where all the attention was centered.
The rivalry between Undertaker and Mankind was the Feud of the Year for WWE. The two iconic characters had built a brutal feud that had so many memorable moments and truly put the Mankind character on the map. Following their hard-hitting, insane Boiler Room Brawl at Summerslam 1996, this rivalry had gotten even more personal after Taker's longtime manager, Paul Bearer, turned on him.
With Bearer in his corner, Mankind embarked on a daunting task at this show, facing Undertaker in a Buried Alive Match. The object of the contest was to bury your opponent under dirt near the entrance way. The two men had a wild brawl all over the Market Square Arena with Taker gaining the victory. However, Mankind would get help from The Executioner to dump Taker in the grave afterwards.
This wasn't the only good bout on the show though. Stone Cold Steve Austin and Hunter Hearst Helmsley had a very good heel vs heel opening contest, with The Rattlesnake getting the win ahead of his showdown with Bret Hart at Survivor Series. Sid defeated Vader in a #1 Contenders Match to face Shawn Michaels for the WWF Title. It was a night of surprising quality up and down the card.