Raw immediately opens with a recap of the debut of "Razor Ramon" last week as Kevin Kelly promises that not only will "Razor" face Savio Vega, but Diesel is in the building. But opening action is a rematch from the finals of the 1996 King of the Ring, Jake "The Snake" Roberts against Stone Cold Steve Austin. Lawler promises a surprise for Jake "The Drunk" Roberts after the match. Austin gets in a hard right in the corner while Lawler continues to chime in on jabs of his own. Roberts avoids a headlock and lands a right of his own as Austin sits in the corner.
After some stalling, Austin takes Roberts to the corner and lays in some more strikes. Roberts gets in a knee and attempts a DDT, but Austin escapes in time. Roberts turns his attention to Lawler, allowing Austin to try a sneak attack, only to fail. Roberts continues to be distracted by Lawler as Austin regains control with strikes and a middle rope elbow. Austin follows with some elbows on Roberts who is splayed on the apron.
Austin continues his assault with a grind of the knee to the face. Jim Ross, still hornery, mentions that the last time he called a PPV was Beware of Dog 2, due to the lightning storm. Roberts tries to recover, but Austin knees him in the face again. Another middle rope elbow and a cover, but Roberts gets the ropes as we go to break. When we return, Roberts tries to recover from a camel clutch, but Austin maintains control until Roberts manages a pair of buckle rams. Austin goes up top, but gets crotched. Short arm clothesline by Roberts who calls for a DDT, but Austin grabs the ropes and goes for a rope cover, only to be stopped.
Roberts hits a DDT and covers, but Austin gets the foot on the rope. Lawler, with a booze bottle in hand, takes a swig, then spits it in the face of Roberts. This allows Austin to hit a stunner for the three. Kind of a slow match, mostly from Jake's part, but Austin impresses regardless. Post-match, Austin and Lawler beat on Roberts until Savio Vega makes the save with a leather strap.
We get a video package of Mankind digging a grave with his bare hands. Mankind saying that "if you dig it, he will come." Bearer promises that Undertaker will dig his own grave.
We get a shot of "Razor Ramon" backstage with "Diesel". Our first shot at this incarnation of Big Daddy Cool. And he looks more like a dentist than a diesel. That's right, it's our old pal Glenn Jacobs.
Hunter Hearst Helmsley enters the ring and challenges Mr. Perfect to a match. He promises to show Perfect what the new generation is all about.
But next up is The Grimm Twins taking on The Godwinns. The Grimms being the former Blu Brothers from last year. Helmsley on commentary says that Perfect is nothing but a has been. Headlock and shoulder block spot doesn't move Phineas, but a clothesline from Jason Grimm does the trick. Hiptoss and clothesline from Phineas. Tags to Henry and Jared Grimm. Henry ducks a shoulder block and lands a big shoulder block and a clothesline to the outside.
Mr. Perfect backstage says that he loves a good challenge. He's been doing commentary on Superstars for 11 months and nobody's issued a challenge. He accepts Hunter's challenge and gives him a couple weeks to face him. Hunter says that it's Perfect that needs to get in shape as he'll be the one to take him apart. Back in the ring, more double teaming from the Grimms on Henry. Tag to Phineas who tries to clean house until Jason ends that and lands a sidewalk slam. He tries a second, but it's turned into a Slop Drop and a cover for the three, giving the win to the Godwinns.
We get our follow up on the Double J lip sync scandal. Jarrett had struck a deal with the real Double J, but when it was almost broke in July of 1995, he went into hiding, leaving his partner high and dry. And the real Double J? The Roadie obviously. So, this angle is coming mainly due to the fact that Jarrett was let go from the WWF yet again, so the company is trying to do something with Jesse James who was brought back to the company not too long prior.
Up next, it's Savio Vega taking on "Razor Ramon". Jim Ross cops to the fact that he never once mentioned Scott Hall and Kevin Nash, but that he was giving great athletes a chance. Gorilla Monsoon enters the commentary table to dispute it. Ross says that the name on the contract said Razor Ramon and that's all that matters. He shoots on Vince again as Savio rushes the ring and starts to lay in on "Razor". Savio tries to go for a back drop, but gets hit with a facebuster. Loud "Fake" chants from the crowd as Jim Ross continues to defend his actions.
"Razor" throws Savio in the corner, but Savio avoids and lays in some strikes. He goes for a cross body, but gets hit with a fallaway slam a la the real Razor. "Razor" works the arms and paintbrushes the head of Savio while Ross continues to air grievances over his previous firings. Savio tries a slingshot cross body, but "Razor" dodges. He continues to work the arm. Savio escapes, ducks some clotheslines and hits a cross body, covering for two. Ross tells Monsoon that he'll be around long after Monsoon's gone. Ooof. I mean, he's not wrong. While Dok Hendrix is backstage, ready to talk to "Diesel", Razor lands a slam. He goes for an elbow, but Savio avoids and tries an inside cradle for two. Dok checks "Diesel's" locker room, but he's gone as we go to break.
Back from break, "Razor" is still in control until Savio hits a heel kick. Jim Ross defends his actions by saying that he wasn't the one who brought clowns like Doink into the WWF, to which Monsoon defends by saying that it is sports entertainment. Savio is in control until "Diesel" hits the ring. After a punch to the face, he pulls Savio out of the ring, causing a DQ. "Razor" then follows with a Razor's Edge. "Diesel" follows with a Jackknife (and Kane can hit a decent powerbomb).
We go to a video of The Undertaker to the plot that Mankind was at earlier. He says that Mankind's wish is his command. He will dig his grave, and will bury him alive.
Up next, it's the main event. A tag team match featuring Vader and Jim Cornette taking on Shawn Michaels and Jose Lothario. Ross brings up "Diesel" taking on Mero next week and laments no promo for that. Michaels avoids contact for a while until Vader stops his momentum. Big splash in the corner follows. Vader then lifts Shawn and throws him over his head. He goes for a powerbomb, but Shawn turns it into a hurricanrana. He avoids Vader, then crotches him on the steel buckle. Shawn dives off the top and connects. Shawn tries a cross body, but Vader ducks, sending Shawn crashing to the floor.
Vader lays in body shots in the corner and continues the assault. Jim Cornette, confident, gets tagged in. Manwhile, Shawn tags in Jose who lays in some punches. Thumb to the eye by Cornette who tags in Vader. He whips Jose into Shawn who makes the tag. Ducks of clotheslines turned into a forearm and a patented elbow. Vader ducks Sweet Chin Music and clotheslines Shawn. Cover only gets a two.
After a commercial break, Vader sets up a Vader Bomb, but instead stalls, going for a moonsault, but changes his mind. Shawn gets his knees up, and lands some clotheslines. He manages to slam Vader and calls for Sweet Chin Music once more. He ducks a tennis racket from Cornette and tries to slam Vader, but Vader squashes. Powerbomb by Vader who then sets him up for another Vader Bomb, connecting. Cover and the three in a match that was a decent truncated version of the Summerslam match, sans the Shawn tantrum. Though Vader seemed a bit out of it in places, stalling an awful lot.
Vader tries a second Vader Bomb, but Sid comes in for the save. Goldust comes to aid Vader, but Shawn recovers. A brawl from all four men to end Raw.
This was a weird Raw. In-ring was all fine, with the highlight being the tag main event in which Shawn and Vader did all the work. I will say that already I find the Jim Ross and the fake Razor and Diesel angle a bit grating. There is some clever elements, like the fact that Ross admits he never said he signed Hall and Nash, but trying to blur the lines of shoot and story, basing on any legitimate gripes Ross would have for being fired twice doesn't make me want to boo him. Though his constant anger and annoyance does make me not want to hear him. As for the rest, it was a basic week of Raw. Leaving us with a business as usual episode as we get closer to Buried Alive. A C+ for Raw.
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