WWE In 1997 | Wrestling Timelines

13. July 6, 1997 | Canadian Stampede

For the first time in a long time, the WWF feels hot. The promotion is onto something with this USA Vs. Canada storyline. The latter “side” is far more into it than the U.S., on the evidence of In Your House: Canadian Stampede, but the Americans don’t much like being told that they are dumb and ignorant. Bret is the ideal heel for this role because he’s a fully-realised character that the fans have long perceived to be intelligent. He takes a longstanding free hit of a cheat heat device and adds depth and credibility to it. If the WWF is about to storm ahead in popularity, this is first recorded when the rumbling thunder of the crowd causes the hard camera to shake. 

This iconic scene precedes the incredible main event of the seminal In Your House: Canadian Stampede pay-per-view. When the Hart Foundation of Bret Hart, Brian Pillman, Jim Neidhart, Owen Hart and the British Bulldog make their entrances individually, the arena literally vibrates. Heels in the U.S., but babyface Gods in Canada, the Foundation is the hottest act in a new WWF that, five months before Vince McMahon’s famous address, recognises that the fans no longer believe in the outdated fare of “good guys versus bad guys”. 

The Foundation defeats the U.S. babyface team of Steve Austin, Goldust, Ken Shamrock and the Legion of Doom. The 25 minute epic is a twisting, intense masterclass. This new sub-genre of tribalism is exploited to awesome effect by producer Pat Patterson, who nails every beat of the story and sends the Calgary crowd on an emotional odyssey of outrage, fury, justice, and euphoria. 

The entire show is great by 1997 standards, and while the Great Sasuke’s win over Taka Michinoku is not quite as exhilarating as the Cruiserweight division down south, WCW should not be getting cocky: the WWF’s main event scene is early evidence that they cannot rely on its workshy headliners coasting on star power.