After a video package hyping up Shawn Michaels vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin, we open Raw with Vader taking on Phineas Godwinn. Kevin Kelly and Jim Ross hype up Jerry Lawler vs. Jake Roberts and an interview with Mr. Perfect later. Kevin Kelly also mentions that Vince is returning to Raw next week on commentary, to which Jim Ross actually makes reference to Kevin Dunn, the WWF's executive producer.
Vader immediately lays into Phineas before the bell with strikes in the corner and several clotheslines. Ross is less focused on the match and focused on laying into Kevin Dunn and Vince for their ego. Splash in the corner by Vader. After some more strikes, he lands another before Sid makes his presence ringside. This allows Phineas to hit a clothesline and a back suplex. Satisfied, Sid makes his leave. Clothesline over the ropes by Phineas. He brings Vader in and slams him. Slop drop attempt, but Vader catches the rope. Vader then collides into Phineas and hits a Vader bomb for the win in a decent opener. Not a total squash and full of energy.
Jim Ross is in the ring to interview Mr. Perfect, who is making his return to the ring next week on Raw against Hunter Hearst Helmsley. J.R. mentions how Perfect has been taking Helmsley's ring girls over the past couple months. Perfect segues to mention that there's only one Mr. Perfect and that there are no flaws in him. He never complains or backs down from a challenge. He'll be here live getting the job done. He lays into the new generation talent and says he's the greatest intercontinental champion of all time. Perfect runs the ring as we end the segment.
Up next is Jerry "The King" Lawler taking on Jake "The Snake" Roberts. But first, he has to crack wise. But Jim Ross is talking so much you can barely hear Lawler. Jake's music hits, but out comes a wobbly Jake, bottle in hand. Lawler continues to rag on Jake as Jake stumbles his way into the ring. Gorilla Monsoon heads to the ring to get an answer on Jake's condition, but Jake assures him that it's all a ruse. After the break, Jerry is still laying in on Jake, when Jake lands a DDT. Cover and the three.
Jake grabs the bottle and pours alcohol on Lawler before wrapping Revelations on him. Lawler escapes and gags as Jake celebrates in the ring.
Another segment with the "Real Double J" Jesse James, which if you saw the previous Nitro review, you know these are done to bury Jarrett for leaving to WCW. They recap how Roadie tripped Jeff at In Your House 2. He mentions that Jarrett gave Roadie the option to leave with him, so he did. We also get Roadie singing "With my Baby Tonight". This angle's interesting, but with Jarrett in WCW, there's no chance for payoff. It just feels like a petty dig. Yeah, I know. Vince being petty. How nouveau.
Freddie Joe Floyd takes on Hunter Hearst Helmsley next. More ragging on Kevin Dunn by Jim Ross. To ensure Mr. Perfect doesn't take his valet this week, Hunter handcuffs her to the ring. Headlock and shoulder block spot by Floyd, but Hunter recovers with a knee to the face. Hunter keeps on Floyd in the corner and land a knee to the ribs followed by a neckbreaker. Mr. Perfect arrives to ringside while Hunter is distracted. Floyd lands a back body drop. Hunter lands an inverted atomic drop and finally notices Mr. Perfect, but Perfect has a key to free the valet. He leaves with her as Hunter lands a pedigree, but turns his attention to Perfect. Perfect decks Hunter and walks off. Hunder writhes in the gold dust from last week.
Austin cuts a promo saying that he'll whip the man who whipped Bret Hart's ass later tonight.
Sunny arrives to the ring with what is essentially Rick Rude's old theme. She introduces the newest, hottest, sexiest thing going, her.
We then go from tittilation, to the final words from Mankind and Paul Bearer before the buried alive match. Mankind realizes that it won't be his body that will fill the hole in the earth, it'll be Undertaker. It's actually a well done segment, added with the rain for dramatic effect. Mankind promises Paul that he'll laugh himself to sleep after destroying Undertaker. Paul says that it's not his fault or Mankind's, it's the creatures of the night.
Alex "The Pug" Porteau takes on Faarooq next with Sunny at ringside. Sunny announces an amicable split between Faarooq and herself. Pug ducks a clothesline and goes for a back drop, but gets clotheslined regardless. Jim Ross returns to digging on Vince for putting Faarooq in an awful piece of headgear. Finally something I agree with. Faarooq catches Pug with a spinebuster. After a few more attacks, Faarooq lands a dominator (or Tiger Bite in this case) for the win in a quick squash.
We recap Livewire from Sunday as Faarooq made comments about Ahmed Johnson, saying that he'll have a better future out of wrestling. Ahmed says that it woke him up. Faarooq mentions that the two of them have similar lives. This seems like the earliest seeds to Faarooq's next gimmick.
Final promo for Undertaker, saying it's the quiet before the real storm. Who could have thought that it could have come to buried alive. Every time Mankind evaded the clutches of the purple fists, he became stronger and more evil. If it takes destroying Undertaker to destroy Mankind, that's what he'll do.
Up next is the main event, Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Shawn Michaels. We get an interview from Cornette during the match. Cornette plans on getting Vader to the main event of Survivor Series by going through Sid at Buried Alive. Some basic work earlier from both men until Shawn lands a fist to take Austin in the corner. Jim Ross, surprise surprise, is still talking about Vince instead of this match. Next to be interviewed is a giddy Sid who promises to bury Vader alive after their powerbomb match. Sid apologizes to Shawn because he'll be facing Shawn at Survivor Series after defeating Vader. Some roll ups by both men give nothing. Shawn tries for Sweet Chin Music, but Austin retreats to the outside. Austin returns to the ring and hits a stun gun to Shawn on the ropes. Stunner attempt, but Michaels retreats.
Vader interferes, causing a DQ. Savio tries the save and gets immediately stunnered. Sid makes the save as Vader and Austin retreats. We see "Razor" and "Diesel" up the ramp while Sid and Shawn argue. Vader and Austin try to attack again, only to be laid out as Raw ends.
This was a much better Raw in comparison to last week. A lot of things felt faster and took up less time. There was just enough build for the bigger matches on the PPV, and the main event, while ending in a screwy interference, at least gave us flashes of what's to come between Austin and Michaels. If I had any cons for this edition, Jim Ross got annoying, and there's something silly about how quickly Savio was disposed of. But for a go-home, this worked well enough. This Raw gets a B.
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