Raw Deal - Raw recap for September 16, 1996

Jake Roberts chases Jerry "The King" Lawler to the back before the first match of the night. However, Lawler comes back with Bob Backlund, The Iron Sheik and...The Sultan, who is making his debut on Raw. (It is revealed when the match begins that The Sultan was captured in the Middle East and had his tongue cut out for refusing to talk while being interrogated by the enemy. In reality, this is Fatu in a mask.)

The Sultan beats Jake "The Snake" Roberts with the Camel Clutch after Jerry "The King" Lawler tosses a vial of alcohol into the ring, distracting Roberts.

Owen Hart and Brian Pillman hype up the interview with Bret "The Hit Man" Hart at In Your House: Mind Games. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin shows up and says he's going to get his answers as to when Hart is coming back.

Sunny unleashes a large poster of herself to give the gentlemen in the audience something "a little larger than life."

The new fall season is as follows: Blast Off is on Saturdays at 9 AM Eastern on WGN Channel 9. WWF Livewire is on Saturdays at 10 AM Eastern/9 AM Central on USA Network. Check your local listings for WWF Challenge, airing on weekends. Superstars is on USA Network on Sundays at 11 AM Eastern, 10 AM Central. Raw airs at 8:57 PM Eastern, 7:57 Central as usual on Monday nights on USA Network.

Bob "Spark Plug" Holly and Alex "The Pug" Porteau gets an upset win on The Smoking Gunns (Billy and Bart Gunn) after the distraction from Camp Cornette (Owen Hart, The British Bulldog, Jim Cornette), as Owen celebrates early on the apron with a bottle of wine, allowing Porteau to roll up Billy Gunn with a schoolboy. During the match, Jim Ross reveals that Diesel and Razor Ramon are returning live on Raw next week. Also, Camp Cornette showed up to watch the match from up close and also ruin the match for the Gunns.

WWF President Gorilla Monsoon says his attention concerning the return of Diesel and Razor Ramon piqued. He says that Kevin Nash and Scott Hall will not be returning as they are currently under contract with another organization (making this the first time that Diesel and Razor Ramon's real names are uttered on WWF programming). He apologizes to everyone who feel they have been hoodwinked or misled by Jim Ross' statements, and says that he will remain in the studio for the rest of the program to make sure no other misleading statements made, and that he will invoke his presidential privilege to come down swiftly on the perpetrator if they are. (A metallic clang is heard as Monsoon is speaking, and it is revealed that Jim Ross has left the commentary table in disgust.) After Jim Ross leaves, we see that Jerry "The King" Lawler is interviewing Jim Cornette and Vader. Cornette says he has a lot on his plate, and finds it preposterous that the WWF put him in the ring with Jose Lothario. He says that Vader has taught him wrestling and how to unleash the beast in him so he can be ready for Lothario at In Your House: Mind Games. We then see a young competitor named Tony Williams, who will be Cornette's "partner" in his "public workout." He says that this will be the first time the crowd will see a real man like him in competition. We see Cornette do an arm bar and a headlock, but Tony Williams is able to keep up with him and reverse his moves, much to Lawler's chagrin. Tony Williams manages to make some headway with Cornette, however, and Cornette ties him up on the ropes before slapping and berating him.

Jim Ross is back on commentary for the next match, insisting he had no intention of hoodwinking or misleading anybody. Also, Pat Patterson guests on commentary for the next match as it is announced that Patterson will be special guest referee for the finals of the Intercontinental Championship tournament that take place next week. WWF President Gorilla Monsoon also interjects himself into commentary during the match, saying that nothing has come across his desk concerning the return of Kevin Nash and Scott Hall as Jim Ross insists that Diesel and Razor Ramon will return next week and continues to stand by his story and his sources.

"Wildman" Marc Mero beats Owen Hart with his own cast behind the referee's back to continue to the finals of the Intercontinental Championship next week.

We see footage of the South African tour, as well as what could be Bret "The Hit Man" Hart's final performance in the WWF. We see footage of Hart calling Brian Pillman a liar, saying he made no commitment to have an interview with him at In Your House, and calls his brother Owen Hart as bad a liar as Owen, and tells Owen not to speak to him anymore. He says the fans are wondering how he's doing, and says he doesn't know exactly what it is he wants to do quite yet. It is then announced that Brian Pillman will be on Livewire to answer a lot of questions this Saturday on Livewire, which is premiering this weekend.

To call in to LiveWire - the most fan-friendly show in the history of the WWF - when it airs, call 1-888-LIVE-WWF. To fax in questions, call 1-888-WWF-FAX1. To e-mail questions, send them in to WWFLivWire@aol.com.

Faarooq Asaad beats Sycho Sid by disqualification when Faarooq Asaad attacks Sid with a chair as Sunny runs interference only for Sid to kick out, and Sid counters by grabbing the chair and smacking Faarooq Asaad with it in full view of the referee. Faarooq Asaad continues to the finals of the Intercontinental Championship tournament next week. We see a message from Ahmed Johnson, where he tells Faarooq that he lit a forest fire after injuring him and that he will burn him up.

The Undertaker says he will never forget Goldust's name, as his name will be but the first of many to be destroyed on the way to Mankind and Paul Bearer. He tells Goldust this will be his final curtain and the premiere of the new Undertaker.

Paul Bearer tells "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels says he might be seeing him sweat from being in the boiler room, but Shawn will be sweating against Mankind at In Your House: Mind Games. Mankind ponders if taking the WWF Championship will make him a sexy boy, make the girls kiss him and whisper in his ear or if the women will run away in fear as he chokes himself with a rope.