We open Raw with the final first round matchup, Savio Vega taking on Faarooq. Sid, Owen Hart and Marc Mero had previously advanced. Faarooq sticks his finger in Savio's face, but Savio strikes back. However, Faarooq overpowers and locks in a side headlock. He reapplies it, leading to a shoulder block. Sunny chants as Faarooq catches Savio and just tosses him. Savio starts to come back with strikes. Faarooq reverses a whip to the corner, but savio comes back in some kicks out of the corner. Crescent kick connects for Savio. Cover only gets a two. Faarooq comes right back, dodging another kick and countering with a spinebuster. Cover only gets a two.
He lands a snap suplex and covers, but still only a two. After a commercial break, we see Faarooq use the ropes to apply pressure on a chinlock, while Sunny adds pressure. Sunset flip which Faarooq tries to punch out of, but hits canvas. Headbutt takes Savio to the mat. Cover, only a two. He then goes into a chinlock, which Sunny again helps apply leverage to. Faarooq takes Savio to the corner, but misses a shoulder, allowing Savio to hit an arm drag. J.R saying that Savio might end up looking like Tupac Shakur by the time this is over. Note: The episode aired 4 days before Tupac was murdered, so yikes.
Faarooq sends Savio to the ground and keeps him grounded with an armbar. Cradle from Savio only gets two. He hits a body slam and goes for a middle rope headbutt, but Savio avoids. But Faarooq comes back with a clothesline. Cover, still only a two. Back into the chinlock. Savio escapes and starts to come back with some chops, until Faarooq catches him with a dominator. Cover and the three. Decent enough match, regardless of Faarooq's constant chinlocks, and coming off as very gassed. Otherwise, it was decent. Post-match, Sunny grabs the mic and declares that they'll go right through Sycho Sid.
Speaking of Sid, he has a smile on his face as he heads to the ring. Referees separate the two as the crowd is hot as hell for Sid.
Postmatch: We see get well wishes from the Action Zone from everyone including Savio, Sid, Bob Backlund and Austin, supercut with clips of Faarooq beating the hell out of him. With the intersplicing of face and heel sentiments, this comes off as one of the most hilarious things the company has shown in a long time. "Get well soon" *cut to clip of Faarooq beating that kidney in*.
WWF champion Shawn Michaels gets interviewed by Spanish announcer Carlos Cabrera. Before talking Mankind, Shawn focuses on what's left of Camp Cornette. He singlehandedly eliminated the entire camp, all except for him. Since he don't beat on "women", he'll let Jose Lothario beat his clock. Jose says he's sick and tired, but he promises to kick his butt. Carlos has to wrestle the mic away from Lothario he's so mad. Shawn then focuses on Mankind at Mind Games. He always tells the truth, he never claims to be the biggest or baddest and he doesn't have the most brains, but he uses it to his advantage. He promises to end Mankind's reign of terror courtesy of the Kliq. He promises that Undertaker will bury Mankind and Paul Bearer. Shawn's not his mommy or friend, but he'll be his daddy. Do not hunt what you can't kill.
We get an ad for WWF Livewire as we get to our next match. T.L. Hopper taking on the debuting Stalker Barry Windham. But never mind that, Brian Pillman is backstage with Owen Hart. Pillman thanks Owen and the Hart family for giving him the opportunity to interview Bret Hart at Mind Games. Owen says that it's thanks to Pillman that he and Bret are back together. In the city of brotherly love, Bret will make an announcement that will shock the world.
Back in the ring, gutwrench suplex by Stalker who covers for two. Lawler doubts Jim Ross' claims about Diesel and Razor Ramon. J.R. apologizes, saying that it hit a snag in negotiations, however, he will promise more to say later tonight. Dropkick by Stalker who covers for two. He lays in a few more elbows in the corner and gauds Hopper who wants a timeout. Hopper tries to whip Stalker in the corner but gets reversed. Superplex by Stalker gets the win in a squash.
We get a full recap of the Mark Henry/Jerry Lawler confrontation last week as we get into our next match. Crush taking on Freddie Joe Floyd. Crush takes Floyd to the corner and pummels him, following with a toss. He then press slams Floyd and lands a big leg drop. Cover, but he immediately pulls Floyd up and locks in a chinlock. Floyd tries to come back with a cross body, but gets thrown throat-first into the bottom rope. Back drop and more shots from Crush who lands a big boot. Heart Punch (to the head?) gets the win for Crush in a squash.
Up next, Undertaker takes on Salvatore Sincere. Who in the hell is Salvatore Sincere? Played by Tom Brandi, it's one of Vince's classics, an overblown stereotype. A disingenuous Italian who claims to love everyone. Taker immediately attacks Salvatore and chases him out of the ring. Salvatore gets in the ring and lays some shots, but Undertaker no-sells and slams him to the mat. He follows with a choke until her gets admonished by the ref. Body blows by Taker followd by a stiff throw into the corner.
Salvatore dodges an attack in the corner and lands an arm drag, but Taker comes right back with a punch. He tries an elbow, but Salvatore avoids. Taker sits up, allowing Salvatore to get some strikes in the corner. He throws Taker hard into the buckle a few times and hits a running neckbreaker. Cover, but only a two. Body blow and a Russian leg sweep. Cover, but only a two. We get a prerecorded video from Goldust and Marlena. Marlena quotes Untouchables as Goldust talks mindgames, like the ones that he and Mankind have played with Taker. He promises to lay him to rest in peace.
Lawler continues to prod Jim Ross about Razor and Diesel, but J.R. still promises for later. After a commercial break, Taker hits a back suplex on Salvatore and sits up. Jim Ross says that there has been a snag with Razor's negotiations, but Diesel is going well. He promises more news in the future. Powerslam by Salvatore followed by a few elbows. He slaps around Taker and plays to the crowd as Taker stands up. Taker ducks a clothesline and hits a patented flying clothesline. Chokeslam and a tombstone ends Salvatore Sincere's undefeated streak.
A pretty bog standard edition of Raw this week. Bookended by two decent at best matches with Faarooq and Savio as well as Salvatore Sincere and Undertaker. The Crush squash was pretty basic and there was little interest in focusing on the match with Stalker, meaning that gimmick already feels dead in the water. I liked the Shawn Michaels promo as it did a good job focusing on how he killed Camp Cornette and promises to finish off Mankind at Mind Games. Other than that, it was an average edition. A stopgap show as we get closer to Mind Games. Raw gets a B- this week.
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