Breakdown: In Your House was a 1998 professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It was the 24th In Your House and took place on September 27, 1998, at the Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. This was the fourth In Your House in Canada, after In Your House 4 in Winnipeg, Manitoba in October 1995, In Your House 9 in Vancouver, British Columbia in July 1996, and In Your House 16 in Calgary, Alberta in July 1997. The promotional poster featured D-Generation X, whose entrance theme was titled "Break It Down".
Nine matches were held on the PPV, while three matches were held for the Sunday Night Heat pre-show. The main event was a triple threat match between "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, The Undertaker, and Kane for the WWF Championship, which ended in controversy when The Undertaker and Kane simultaneously pinned Austin. Another match at the event was a triple threat steel cage between Ken Shamrock, Mankind, and The Rock to determine the number-one contender to the WWF Championship. The event was also notable for featuring the debut of Christian.
Production Background In Your House was a series of monthly professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) events first produced by the American promotion World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) in May 1995. They aired when the promotion was not holding one of its then-five major PPVs (WrestleMania, King of the Ring, SummerSlam, Survivor Series, and Royal Rumble) and were sold at a lower cost. Breakdown: In Your House was the 24th In Your House event and took place on September 27, 1998, at the Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It was the fourth In Your House in Canada, after In Your House 4 in Winnipeg, Manitoba in October 1995, In Your House 9 in Vancouver, British Columbia in July 1996, and In Your House 16 in Calgary, Alberta in July 1997. The name of the event was about D-Generation X, whose entrance theme was called "Break It Down".
Storylines The event comprised twelve professional wrestling matches with outcomes predetermined by WWF scriptwriters. The matches involved wrestlers portraying their characters in planned storylines that took place before, during, and after the event.
The main feud heading into the event was between "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, and Vince McMahon, who did not want Austin as the WWF Champion. On the September 5 episode of Raw Saturday Night McMahon criticized, and insulted The Undertaker, and Kane for failing to dethrone Austin. On the September 6 episode of Sunday Night Heat, McMahon apologized, and scheduled Austin to defend his title at Breakdown against both in a Triple Threat match. On the September 14 episode of Raw, McMahon added a stipulation that The Undertaker, and Kane could not pin each other. He then confronted Austin, who attacked him. The Undertaker and Kane broke up the attack and later that night interfered in Austin's match with Ken Shamrock. With the help of The Rock and Mankind, Austin fought off the attackers and chased after McMahon, who was watching from the aisle. On the September 21 episode of Raw, The Undertaker and Kane defeated Austin and Billy Gunn. After the match, Austin hit The Undertaker and Kane with a chair. McMahon made one more stipulation if anyone interfered in the match on Austin's behalf then Austin would automatically be stripped of the Title.
On the same night, to prevent Shamrock, The Rock, and Mankind from teaming with Austin, McMahon allowed them to win a shot at the WWF Championship in a Triple Threat match. The match ended in a no-contest when The Undertaker and Kane attacked the three contestants. The Triple Threat match was rescheduled for Breakdown. to be contested inside a steel cage.
Lower down the card, Dustin Runnels clashed with Val Venis. Dustin's new gimmick was that of an evangelist who preached against the vulgarity of the WWF's Attitude Era, mainly its violence, bloodlust, and sexual content, making Venis, whose gimmick was that of a porn star, a prime target. Venis responded the following evening on Raw with a film involving Runnels's wife, Terri, who had been absent for almost a year. On the September 13 episode of Sunday Night Heat, Dustin jumped through the crowd and attacked with a religious-themed sign, using the wood to choke him. The following week, Dustin, who was providing commentary, assaulted Venis, who was busy fighting Owen Hart, but Venis managed to tie him up in the ropes and deliver a promo further insinuating the details of his adulterous relationship with Terri.
Event + Other on-screen personnelRole:Name:English commentatorsJim RossJerry LawlerSpanishcommentatorCarlos CabreraHugo SavinovichRing announcerHoward FinkelInterviewersMichael ColeDok HendrixKevin KellyRefereesMike ChiodaJack DoanEarl HebnerJim KorderasTim White
Despite featuring prominently on the promotional poster, Triple H did not participate in the event, due to a legitimate knee injury.
Before the event officially began, three matches were taped for Sunday Night Heat. Golga defeated Mosh, The Hardy Boyz (Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy) defeated Kaientai (Men's Teioh and Funaki), and 8-Ball from The Disciples of Apocalypse defeated Billy Gunn, and Skull from The Disciples of Apocalypse in a Triple Threat match.
The first match of the event was between Edge, and Owen Hart. Edge gained the early advantage after a dropkick. After Edge sent Hart outside the ring, Edge attempted a move from the apron, which Hart countered into a powerslam. Hart gained the advantage afterward until Edge performed an electric chair facebuster as Hart climbed the turnbuckles to regain the advantage. Hart eventually countered a suplex attempt into a bridging German suplex. Hart then missed an attack in the corner, and Edge attempted a superplex. Hart countered it into an inverted suplex slam from the turnbuckles. Hart then attempted the Sharpshooter, which Edge countered into a small package. After performing a spinning heel kick, Edge saw the debuting Christian at ringside. This distraction allowed Hart to pin Edge with a roll-up. After the match, Edge followed Christian into the crowd.
The second match was between Too Much (Brian Christopher and Scott Taylor), and the team of Al Snow, and Scorpio. After going back, and forth, Taylor performed a pumphandle suplex. Snow and Christopher tagged in, and Snow delivered trapping headbutts. Scorpio and Taylor tagged in. As Scorpio delivered corner clotheslines, Snow threw a steel chair into the ring. With Scorpio distracting the referee, Snow performed a calf kick with the chair. Scorpio then performed a dropkick with the chair to Christopher into Taylor. As Scorpio performed a splash to Taylor, Snow performed a moonsault on the outside from the security wall onto Christopher. As Scorpio was on the top turnbuckle, Christopher tripped him and performed a suplex on the outside. Taylor followed with a springboard axe handle. Back inside, Too Much performed a back body drop, and Christopher performed a bulldog to Scorpio. Scorpio then countered a back-body drop from Too Much into a double dropkick. Snow tagged in, and, as Scorpio distracted the referee, attacked Too Much with his mannequin head, also accidentally hitting Scorpio. Snow then performed a low blow to Taylor with the head. Christopher performed a Tennessee Jam onto Snow, Scorpio performed a flying clothesline to Christopher, and Snow finally pinned Taylor after a Snow Plow.
The third match was between Marc Mero (accompanied by Jacqueline) and Droz. Mero had the early advantage with punches and kicks. Droz came back with a flapjack and a dropkick. Mero left the ring and looked to leave as Droz came after him and attacked Mero with the guard rail and steps. Back in the ring, Mero performed a knee lift, but Droz performed a flying shoulder block and a clothesline. Mero then performed a backbody drop, sending Droz outside the ring. Mero followed with a suicide senton. Back inside, Droz blocked a slingshot splash attempt with his knees and followed with a flying spinning back elbow, an inverted atomic drop, and a power slam. As Droz went for the pin, Jacqueline placed Mero's foot on the bottom rope, stopping the count. Mero then came back with a clothesline and choked Droz with the athletic tape around his wrist. Mero then distracted the referee as Jacqueline hit Droz with the heel of her shoe from the top rope. Mero then pinned Droz after a Marvelocity.
The fourth match was a Falls Count Anywhere match between Vader and Bradshaw. Bradshaw gained the early advantage with attacks in the corner until Vader performed a clothesline, and a big splash. Bradshaw fought back with a big boot, and performed a clothesline, sending Vader outside the ring. Outside, Bradshaw attacked Vader with the ringpost and the ring bell, but Vader fought back using the ring steps. Back inside the ring, Bradshaw performed attacks in the corner, and a belly-to-back suplex. Vader then sent Bradshaw outside the ring, where Vader attacked Bradshaw using the guard rail, and delivered a low blow. Back inside, Vader performed a splash from the second rope, and a Vader Splash. Bradshaw fought back, performing a Clothesline from Hell, and pinned Vader after a neckbreaker slam.
The fifth match was between D'Lo Brown and Gangrel. The match went back and forth until Brown performed a low blow, and a running sitout powerbomb. Brown kept the advantage until Gangrel performed a flapjack onto the ropes. Mark Henry then came down to ringside as Gangrel performed a back body drop and a flying clothesline. As Gangrel ran at the ropes, Henry pulled down the ropes, sending Gangrel outside the ring. Brown distracted the referee as Henry sent Gangrel into the ringpost, and back into the ring. Brown then pinned Gangrel after a Sky High. After the match, Gangrel spat "blood" into Henry's face, attacked Brown, and performed an Impaler on Brown.
The sixth match was a Triple Threat match in a steel cage between Ken Shamrock, Mankind and The Rock. The match went back and forth between all three, and each was double-teamed. As Mankind and Shamrock double-teamed The Rock, The Rock fought back with a DDT to Mankind and a float-over DDT to Shamrock. The Rock then performed a scoop slam and a People's Elbow to both before climbing the cage. Mankind and Shamrock stopped and attacked The Rock. The Rock then performed a low blow to Shamrock and a Rock Bottom to Mankind. Shamrock fought back with a belly to belly suplex, and applied the ankle lock. Mankind stopped Shamrock and climbed to the top of the cage. The Rock followed but Mankind threw him off. Mankind then performed a diving elbow drop from the top of the cage, but The Rock avoided it. Shamrock then attempted to climb out the door, but Mankind held onto his leg. Shamrock brought a chair into the ring and attempted to hit Mankind. Mankind avoided it, performed a double-arm DDT on Shamrock, and hit him with the chair. As Mankind climbed the cage, The Rock pinned Shamrock to win the match, and become the number-one contender to the WWF Championship.
The seventh match was between Dustin Runnels and Val Venis (accompanied by Terri Runnels). Venis performed a spinebuster, but Runnels came back with a powerbomb. Venis knocked Runnels outside and attacked Runnels. As they re-entered the ring, Runnels performed a backbody drop, but Venis fought back with a Russian legsweep, and applied the camel clutch. Runnels blocked a suplex into his suplex, but Venis came back with a chinlock. Runnels fought back with a DDT and climbed the turnbuckles, but Venis threw him to the outside. They then went back and forth until Venis performed a power slam, several elbow drops, and pinned Runnels after a Money Shot.