We open the final Raw before Summerslam with a familiar sight, Ahmed Johnson being injured. Only this time, pretty badly injured. Legitimately injured. Ruptured kidney injured. Vince says it came out of his confrontations with Faarooq Asad, but also from the toll Ahmed's taken competing in last week's battle royal. So, not only does this mean the match with Ahmed and Faarooq is off for Summerslam, but so will Ahmed's WWF title match after Summerslam againt either Shawn Michaels or Vader. What of the IC Title? While not mentoned here, it is pretty much forfeited. We'll get more details in the coming month.
Speaking of Faarooq Asad, we open in-ring action with his in-ring debut against one of Sunny's former clients, Bodydonna Skip. Faarooq lays in an elbow to Skip early on and keeps on him, throwing Skip over the top rope. He lands a clothesline and then throws Skip hard into the ring. Skip ducks a clothesline, but gets caught in a massive fallaway slam. Lawler suggest stripping the title from Ahmed, meaning it's not happened right now. Sunny mocks Skip as Faarooq continues offense. Scoop slam and a helmeted headbutt.
We learn that Jake "The Snake" Roberts will take on Jerry Lawler at Summerslam, which Lawler reminds us of how he treated Aldo last week. Back in the ring, Faarooq continues to destroy Skip, until Skip gets in a roll up for two. Faarooq recovers with a quick knee. He whips Skip and lands a big powerslam and opts to not cover Skip. This allows Skip to recovers long enough, only to get hit with a second powerslam. Faarooq hits a gutwrench slam (The Dominator) to win this massive squash match. This isn't all we'll see of Sunny tonight apparently as Lawler advertises "the naked truth" later tonight.
Up next Savio Vega is taking on the client of Clarence Mason. Why it's our old pal, Kona Crush. We last saw Crush at the 1995 Royal Rumble. He was later arrested and jailed for steroids and possession of an illegal hand gun. Hence his return to the company now and his new gimmick of a biker jailbird, complete with dreadlocks, pen ink tattoo and nose chain. The client of crooked attorney Clarence Mason. According to Mason, he was arrested but never convicted. If the evidence doesn't fit, you must acquit.
Crus starts off strong, beating down on Savio. He drags Savio on the apron and hits an ax handle, followed by some elbows to the back of the head. He follows that up with a shoulder breaker on the ring post. Mason chides on Vince for not sending him a get well card for his neck injuries. Meanwhile, Crush hits a slam and goes for a diving fist drop, but Savio escapes. Vince rants on attorneys (feeling like some heat from that whole steroid trial a few years back) while Savio lands a facebuster. Crush gets a knee to the face and a leg drop, but doesn't cover Savio. Lawler comments if Vince has ever been arrested, which gives Vince the real steroid trial flashbacks.
Crush locks in a vice on the head of Savio, then takes him to the corner with more strikes. Savio avoids a shoulder in the corner and rolls him up for two as we go to break. When we return, Crush has a chinlock applied. Savio escapes and lands a cross body, covering for two. However, Crush comes back with a big boot. Slow cover only gets a two. Savio ducks another clothesline and lays in chops and a spin kick. He tries another spin kick, but Crush avoids. The ink on his head tat is already running as Crush throws Savio in the ring post and locks a full nelson for the win. New look. Same old boring Crush pretty much.
We get a recap of the battle between Mankind and Undertaker last week during the battle royal, with the two brawling all over the arena. But what's bigger is Sunny's naked truth. We see Sunny behind a blind, saying that she doesn't know what to wear at the Bikini Beach Blast Off at Summerslam. She asks Lawler if she can be his queen. Lawler says she can sit on his throne, as long as she doesn't get his lap wet. I really miss the women's wrestling division right now.
Up next, it's The Godwinns taking on T.L Hopper and Who. Who's Who? Who that's Who! As mentioned prior, Jim Neidhart had left the WWF in early 1995 due to missing live events. This led to him being gone for the better part of a year and a half until he was brought back and given the punishment of being under a mask and used for a bunch of tired Abbott and Costello jokes from Lawler and McMahon. But more importantly in this match, we see Bob Backlund at ringside, still campaigning.
Headlock and shoulder block spot from Henry who follows with a hiptoss on Who. Tag to Phineas. Bob Backlund says that he has some plans more important than running from president. He's bringing in someone who can achieve a goal of taking the WWF Title from a person who is having a bad affect on society as a whole. Back in the ring, Hopper comes in and beats down on Phineas. Tag to Who as they hit a double back body drop. Meanwhile, Backlund is on a tangent about how teachers won't teach "though shalt not steal", but will teach how not to get aids by applying a "condominium". He gets so angry that he knocks his headset off and walks off. Back in the ring, Hopper and Who stay in control until Phineas reverses with a suplex.
We get an interview from Gorilla Monsoon who confirms that the Intercontinental Title is indeed vacated. Back in the ring, It's a brawl between both team until the godwins criss cross and lay out the heels. Slop Drop on Who for the win. Meanwhile, Monsoon says a tournament for the championship will begin next week on Raw.
We get an interview with Bret Hart for the first time in months on his current status. He says he's had a great time being off, but the only thing that makes him want to come back is his fans. He's still going to take some time off, but when he come back and speak his mind whether he'll come back or not. If he comes back, he'll have a shovel.
Up next, it's the main event. Owen Hart faces WWF Champion Shawn Michaels. An exchange of quick holds from both men early with both men looking evenly matched. Owen gets a cheap shot and starts to stomp down Shawn. Shawn sweeps the leg and lands some shoulders. Owen throws Shawn over the ropes, but Shawn skins the cat and sends Owen out of the ring. He follows with a planca over the ropes. Owen comes back in, but Shawn ducks a spin kick and hits a cross body for two. He follows that back up with a headlock. He then takes Owen back down, and works the "injured" arm.
Shawn whip Owen hard into the buckle, then nails a clothesline. Cover only gets a two. Owen returns with a belly to belly. He hits a boot to the lower extremities. Backbreaker as we go to break. Backbreaker again as we returin from break. Owen then locks in a camel clutch. Shawn breaks free, but gets caught with a spin kick. Cover only gets a two. Owen applies the chin lock. Shawn eventually escapes, catching Owen and rolling up for a two count. Owen recovers with a clothesline and a leg drop. He lands a neckbreaker, then goes up top for a a missile dropkick as we take yet another break.
Owen tries an enziguri, but Shawn avoids, following with a clothesline and a nip-up. He lands a slam and goes up for the elbow drop, connecting. He calls for Sweet Chin Music, but Vader shows up. Shawn dropkicks Vader, then lands two superkicks. Cover and a three for Shawn in a pretty solid main event between two of the show's best workers. Meanwhile, Vader grabs a steel chair, while Shawn steals Owen's cast. Cornette throws the tennis racket to Owen. Shawn grabs it and bops Owen over the head with it, allowing for Vader to get the attack in on Shawn. Body blows and a clothesline knock out the champion. He slams Shawn in position and drops the Vader Bomb. Vader throws referees out of the way and drops him with a second Vader Bomb as Raw comes to an end.
This episode felt more like it built up everything besides Summerslam as we got a lot more focus on newcomers, returning faces and some more newcomers down the pipeline. And as such, save for the main event, the in-ring this week was pretty mediocre. We got very little build to the Summerslam card itself, with exception to Shawn and Vader which did get enough heat going forward.Vader looking like the man who has Shawn's number, thanks in part to the numbers game of Camp Cornette. Overall, not the best go-home show ever and save for a really good Owen/Shawn match, not one you really need to rewatch. Unless you really missed Crush, I guess. A C rating for this Raw.
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