Raw opens with The Undertaker in action. But Vince and Lawler's focus is more directed on the smell of Jerry Lawler's feet. Yes, we still have another hour to deal with this whole storyline. Mike McReynolds is the victim of the dead man this week. Taker starts with some attacks early on including a ram to the buckle and a big boot. He lands a palm strike. Vince and Lawler mention that Taker has to deal with Mabel, but he's more focused on making it to Kama. Chokeslam from Taker followed by a hard whip to the buckle. He sets up McReynolds in the tree of woe and stomps him before quickly pulling him down. McReynolds ducks a clothesline, but gets caught in a second chokeslam. Tombstone gets the win in a quick, basic Taker squash. Paul Bearer gets out the body bag and Undertaker zips McReynolds in, following with a finishing stomp.
Man Mountain Rock is still sulking over his kicked guitar. Like I said last week, at least it wasn't that cool WWF guitar.
Adam Bomb is in action next against Bill Payne. Payne gets a few cheap shots in until Adam Bomb turns around with a shoulder block. Some strikes in a corner followed by a hiptoss by Adam Bomb. Payne begs off offense, but gets hit with another hiptoss and a dropkick. Hard whips to the buckle and a sidewalk slam followed by a back suplex. Adam Bomb finishes it with a flying clothesline off the top buckle for hte win in another fast squash.
Todd Pettengill is here with the King of the Ring report. Nothing's really changed in terms of the matches, with the possible exception of Razor Ramon in the tournament as he is now out with an injury. Lawler is still crowing about the "Kiss my Foot" match, meanwhile Bret is far from happy, considering he lost to Henry Godwinn over the weekend via countout thanks to Lawler. Bret promises that not only will his foot be kissed, but Lawler will kiss his own foot.
Up next it's Sycho Sid and Tatanka (with Ted Dibiase) taking on the Headshrinkers. But never mind that, Barry Didinsky is here to shill a Diesel shirt. Actually not a bad shirt compared to some of the recent ones he's hocked.
Boy, does this feel like the other side looking in.
Fatu no-sells the rams into the buckle and follows with some strikes and punches in the corner. Hard whip to the buckle is met with a clothesline from Tatanka. Tatanka hits some chops as Lawler says that he can join the black foot tribe. Oy. Tatanka throws Fatu outside of the ring, but Fatu gets back in quickly as Tatanka lands a chop off the top, which Fatu also no-sells. Tatanka turns a back suplex into a DDT, but Fatu no-sells it again. He dances a bit and lands a kick as Sid gets the tag.
Fatu instead chooses to moonwalk over to Sione. Sid gets annoyed and rams the Shrinkers heads together, despite the fact that to this point, we've learned that head strikes do not work on the two Samoans. Sid's reaction is priceless as he gets hit with a double headbutt and a clothesline from Sione. No lie, this may be one of my favorite sequences in the history of this blog. Fatu continues offense until Sid finally takes him down with a clothesline and a chokeslam. Leg drop and a cover gets two for Sid as we go to break.
When we return, Sid attacks Fatu as Tatanka gets cheap shots in the corner. Tatanka comes in off a phony tag and lands some stomps. Body slam and and elbow drop form the Native American who covers for two. Tatanka cheap shots Sione allowing him and Sid to get some cheap shots in the corner. Sid comes back in to choke Fatu in the corner, using the ropes. Loud Diesel chants as Fatu tries to fight back, only to eat a big boot. Sid tries another leg drop, but misses. Tag to Tatanka who denies a tag to Sione. He lands a body slam, but misses the elbow.
Fatu finally makes the tag to Sione, who lands some strikes. He misses a boot, but catches Tatanka, slamming him down for a two count. He drapes Tatanka on the rope and covers for two. Sione lands a piledriver and covers, only for Sid to break it. Sione sends Tatanka to the outside, then boots Sid. Sid gets right in and clotheslines Sione out of the ring. Fatu fights back, but gets hit with a powerbomb. He tosses out Fatu and goes after Sione. With Dibiase distracting referee Tim White.
Sid and Tatanka land a double team powerbomb to the outside. They toss Sione back in and Tatanka covers for three. I actually really enjoyed this match. I liked the energy from both of the Headshrinkers, especially Fatu who is showing a lot more charisma. I also enjoyed Sid who played monster heel really well. And Tatanka... was there as well. Lots of great spots including the double headbutt spot and the powerbomb to the outside. This was a definite surprise going in. No five star classic, but for a match that's supposed to build Tatanka and Sid as a force to be reckoned with at the King of the Ring, it worked pretty well.
Backstage interview with Bam Bam Bigelow and "Ol' white cap" Diesel. Diesel says that despite the elbow injury, he withstood it but it won't happen again. Bam Bam says that what they know about the Million Dollar Corporation, they have confidence despite the injury. Bam Bam is trying to cut a decent promo while Diesel looks like he's ready to go to bed.
It's time for another Jerry Lawler video as we see his personal torture room. He's talking about the King of the tournament making an impostor to the throne. He brings up a device call the fallbrett, which is what Bret will do. He'll make Bret fall and kiss his feet.
Hunter Hearst Helmsley is in action against Buck Quartermaine. Hunter locks in a headlock, which turns into a hammerlock that Quartermaine tries to break, but gets shoved down. Hunter puts back in a headlock, but Buck turns it around, only for Hunter to break using the ropes. European uppercut and some chops in the corner from Hunter who reapplies the headlock, only to land a cheap shot. Irish whip and an elbow to the face as Hunter takes a bow. Another whip and a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Hunter lands the pedigree (which he started using for a few weeks prior finally) for the win in another quick squash.
In our final squash of the night, it's Shawn Michaels in action against Gus Kantarakis. Vince takes pot shots at Siskel and Ebert, referring to them as Beavis and Butt-Head. Headlock by Shawn followed by a shoulder block. He lands a second and follows by riding the back of Kantarakis. Kantarakis gives chase, but Shawn dodges, eventually having a seat in the audience.
This has truly been a night of great sequences.
Vince and Lawler are more focused on Niagra Falls and Maury Povich and Connie Chung. Vince also shills the WWF hotline as Kantarakis gets some strikes in on Michaels, but Michaels no-sells. Michaels hits some punches and reverses a whip, tossing Kantarakis to the outside. Shawn gets a strike on Kantarakis and lands a suplex on the outside.
Shawn lands a sweet chin music to Kantarakis on the outside. He goes to cover, but the crowd chants "one more time". Shawn gives them what they want, landing another crisp sweet chin music for the win in a really fun squash match.
Kama tries a cheap shot on Shawn, but Shawn quickly sends him to the outside. The referee holds him back as The Undertaker and Paul Bearer make their way to ringside. But then Mabel also makes his way to ringside. We go to break without any major confrontation.
We end Raw with another shill of the "Kiss my Foot" match. Lawler promises that not only will Bret kiss his foot, but Bret will kiss his career goodbye.
Overall, this was one of the most fun Raws I've watched in a while. All of the squashes were quick and efficient, never feeling dull at all. I particularly found Shawn's to be the best of the night, with him showing a lot of energy that we normally don't see from him. And having the involvment of Kama, Undertaker and Mabel really helped build some of the importance to the King of the RIng tournament. But my match of the night is surprisingly Tatanka and Sid vs the Headshrinkers which was surprisingly more fun than I had expected. For the last Raw before the King of the Ring PPV, it certainly delivered, giving this an A- rating. Not the greatest Raw ever (the Lawler feet puns got tiresome), but still a fun watch.
Unfortunately that's where the fun looks to end as up next I have to cover what is considered by many as one of the worst pay per views of all time. It's the third annual King of the Ring. Sure, we don't have to deal with Art Donovan this time, but what's to come... Oh dear. Enjoy.