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Tag Team Turmoil: Jeff Jarrett and Diesel become #1 Contenders for the WWF Tag Team Championship
An already excited crowd was electrified at the outset of Tag Team Turmoil as the glass broke announcing the first contestants, Stone Cold Steve Austin and Dustin Runnels. While Austin seemed fired up for the contest, Runnels didn’t share his enthusiasm. The next team down was one half of the Wolfpack, the Million Dollar Man Ted Dibiase and the Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels. Before the two teams could lock up, however, Jack Tunney came down to the ring and got on the mic. The Commissioner reminded Dibiase that he had lost a career match at Summerslam. Although Tunney had made a few exceptions to Dibiase’s retirement, this In Your House would not be one of them. Shawn demanded to know how he would be able to compete in his match without Dibiase, and Tunney announced that he would have a replacement partner: Matt Hardy! Michaels did not seem nearly as excited as the Syracuse fans, but the match began anyways. Michaels quickly eliminated Runnels, then sat back to watch Hardy and Austin slug it out. Austin soon hit the Stunner, but somehow Hardy bounced right back and dropkicked the Texas Rattlesnake out of the ring! Hardy was elated at knocking out the first team, but Shawn seemed resentful of his unlikely ally.

The next team in the battle royal was the other half of the Wolfpack. After entering the ring, Diesel and Jarrett saluted Michaels, who actually began formulating a plan with Hardy. The unlikely duo counted down from three, but only Hardy charged the Wolfpack! A betrayed Hardy was beaten down as Michaels watched and after a Face-buster from Jarrett and a Jack-knife from Diesel; the Surge was tossed from the ring. Now Michaels was left with his Wolfpack teammates, who wasted no time in attacking him! It seemed that the Michaels-Hardy duo was finished, but Michaels reversed a Jarrett maneuver and back body-dropped him to the outside. Ducking a Diesel clothesline, Michaels then preceded to superkick his ‘Pack teammate to the outside! A disappointed Diesel and Jarrett left the ring, eliminated, as a distrusting Hardy reentered the ring and prepared for the next tag team.

The next team to enter was the Beverly Brothers. The twins from Greenwich went right to work on Michaels and Hardy, and back and forth action ensued. After Hardy came to Michaels’ aid, the two teamed up to double superkick Blake to the outside. Left alone, Beau then attempted a double-clothesline but missed and was also met with two feet to the chin! With another team eliminated, Hardy fired up the crowd and Michaels clearly had trouble concealing his own excitement.

Coming down the aisle, the Chocolate One and Val Venis were clearly a force to be reckoned with. After several minutes of furious combat, Michaels managed to get Henry tied up in the ropes and double-team Val with Hardy. After a double clothesline, the duo scored a tandem dropkick to eliminate Venis! Two kip ups later, the pair was untying Henry from the ropes. An Irish whip and a double back body drop, and Hardy and Michaels had eliminated yet another team! The two shook hands and awaited their next opponents.

Having voiced their determination earlier in the night, Kaientai came down to the ring ready for action. The two men from Japan had their hands full in the early going, but took the advantage when Taka threw salt in Michaels’ eyes. The two then took advantage of Hardy, setting him up for simultaneous moves off the top on Hardy. Clawing at his eyes however, Michaels stumbled into the ropes, knocking Taka off balance and out of the ring! Meanwhile, Funaki scored an elbow drop on Matt and waited with a handful of salt for the Surge to get up. Hardy ducked the salt, but it went into the eyes of his already blinded partner! Matt collected himself and managed to dropkick Funaki from the ring, but was met with a superkick from his confused partner! Hardy and Michaels advanced but were in poor shape, with Matt on the canvas unconscious and Shawn totally blinded.