Demolition is a professional wrestling tag team most prominent during the late 1980s / early 1990s in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) made up of Ax (Bill Eadie), Smash (Barry Darsow), and later Crush (Brian Adams). In WWF, Demolition were three-time Tag Team Champions, and hold the record for the single longest reign.^[9] In 2007, Ax and Smash reunited for several appearances at various independent shows and legends conventions.^[1]

[edit] Career

[edit] World Wrestling Federation (1987-1991)

[edit] Formation (1987)

Randy Colley and Bill Eadie created the Demolition gimmick and worked for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). They debuted as a heel tag team on the January 17, 1987 edition of Superstars, alongside manager Lucious Johnny V, defeating the team of Salvatore Bellomo and Mario Mancini.^[8] Demolition wore studded black outfits and black hockey masks to the ring, which they removed to reveal face paint usually comprised of some combination of either black, white, red, or gray colors, though other colors were sometimes included. After only a few matches, Colley was replaced with Barry Darsow. In a RF Video shoot interview with Eadie and Darsow, Eadie claimed that Colley was replaced because he was recognizable to the fans as the man who previously performed as Moondog Rex. The WWF pitched a few potential replacements to Eadie, but he felt fans would recognize the suggested replacements. Eadie felt that many WWF fans would not recognize Darsow, who left Jim Crockett Promotions following a dispute in order to take over the role of Smash.^[1][4][5][7]

[edit] The Beginning of Domination (1987)

On the March 14 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event, Demolition participated in a battle royal, won by Hercules Hernandez.^[10] Demolition became known for their aggressive style in the ring and the way that they dominated their matches. Their first feud was with the team of Ken Patera and Billy Jack Haynes, which started after Ax and Smash brutalized WWF jobber Brady Boone (cousin of Billy Jack Haynes^{[citation needed]}) during a televised match. Demolition claimed victories over all of the established face tag teams in the WWF at the time, including the Killer Bees (Jim Brunzell and B. Brian Blair), The Fabulous Rougeaus (Jacques and Raymond), British Bulldogs (Dynamite Kid and Davey Boy Smith),^[11] The Young Stallions (Paul Roma and Jim Powers),^[8] The Islanders (Haku and Tama),^[8] and Can-Am Connection (Rick Martel and Tom Zenk).^[11] Around that same period, Johnny Valiant (who left not too long afterwards) "sold" their contracts to Mr. Fuji who became their manager.

Demolition made their pay-per-view debut at Survivor Series in an elimination tag team match where 5 babyface teams faced 5 heel teams. Demolition were part of the heel group and the face team went on to win the match.^[12]

[edit] Demolition Domination (1988-1990)

Demolition proved to be a dominant tag team since their debut. At WrestleMania IV, Ax and Smash defeated Strike Force (Rick Martel and Tito Santana) to win their first WWF Tag Team Championship, thus starting their domination as champions.^[1][13][14] As champions, they easily defeated a number of the top teams of the WWF, which at the time had a very talent-rich and hotly contested tag division, most notably the British Bulldogs^[1][15] and Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart).^[1][16][17]

Their first big challenge came in the summer of 1988, when the Powers of Pain (The Warlord and The Barbarian) entered the WWF and challenged them for the Tag Team Championship. During the elimination tag team match at Survivor Series, Mr. Fuji attacked Demolition and joined forces with the Powers of Pain. A double turn took place as Demolition turned face while the Powers of Pain turned heel.^[18][19] Demolition defeated the Powers of Pain & Mr. Fuji in a tag team handicap match at WrestleMania V to retain the WWF Tag Team Championship.^[20] Prior to this, Ax and Smash also memorably squared off against each other as entrants #1 and #2 in the Royal Rumble match at Royal Rumble 1989 before being joined in the ring by the third entrant, André the Giant.^[21]

After WrestleMania V, Demolition started a feud with the Brain Busters (Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard), who were the members of the heel stable The Heenan Family. On the May 27, 1989 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event, the Brain Busters defeated Demolition by disqualification.^[22] Demolition became the longest reigning WWF Tag Team Champions after breaking the record of The Valiant Brothers (Jimmy and Johnny), and lasting a reign of 478 days.^[23] They finally dropped the titles to Brain Busters in a two out of three falls match on the July 29 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event.^[1][24] Demolition started a feud with André the Giant and the Twin Towers (Akeem and the Big Bossman). At SummerSlam, Jim Duggan and Demolition defeated André and the Twin Towers in a six man tag team match.^[25] Demolition focused on regaining the tag titles and restarted their feud with the Brain Busters. On the November 4 edition of Superstars (taped on October 2), Demolition defeated the Brain Busters to regain their tag titles and win their second WWF Tag Team Championship.^[1][8][26]

Demolition next feuded with the new Heenan Family team, the Colossal Connection (André the Giant and Haku). On the December 30 edition of Superstars (taped on December 13), Demolition lost the tag titles to the Colossal Connection.^[1][8] At WrestleMania VI, Demolition defeated the Colossal Connection to regain the titles and win their third and final WWF Tag Team Championship, and finally put an end to their feud with the Heenan Family.^[1][27][28]

[edit] Demolition trio (1990-1991)

Shortly after WrestleMania VI, Brian Adams debuted in WWF and joined the team as Crush.^[1][6][29] In kayfabe, this was related to their new "heel" attitude, but it was actually because Eadie had developed an allergy to shellfish (which he attributes to his constant trips to Japan) which hospitalized him, and WWF owner and head booker Vince McMahon wanted to add a third member to the team just in case the illness put Eadie out of action for an extended period of time.^[30]

Crush soon took a more active role, teaming with Smash while Ax faded into the background, becoming more of a manager. At this time Demolition used the "Freebird rule" to allow any two members to wrestle the matches. Smash and Crush defended the titles in the summer of 1990. On the July 28 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event, Smash and Crush defeated The Rockers (Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty) to retain the titles^[1][31] after Ax interfered on their behalf and attacked Michaels.^[32] The next month at SummerSlam, however, Demolition lost the titles to Hart Foundation in a historic two out of three falls match after interference by the Legion of Doom (Hawk and Animal),^[1][33][34] who had signed with the WWF a month earlier. They never recaptured the titles after this loss.

Soon after, due to the Legion of Doom (L.O.D.) now being on the WWF roster, Demolition's popularity began to decline, despite regaining the managerial services of Mr. Fuji in the fall of 1990. As a result of the interference by LOD, Demolition began feuding with the Ultimate Warrior and LOD. On the October 13 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event, Ax, Smash, and Crush lost to the Ultimate Warrior and LOD.^[1][35] At Survivor Series, The Perfect Team (Demolition and Mr. Perfect) were defeated by The Ultimate Warriors (the Ultimate Warrior, the Texas Tornado, and the Legion of Doom).^[1][36] Shortly after, Ax left the WWF, with the on-air explanation being an order from kayfabe WWF President Jack Tunney that there could only be two members of Demolition. Smash and Crush were the two remaining members, and went on to primarily lose to teams such as the Rockers and the Legion of Doom. The team lost a final match to Genichiro Tenryu and Koji Kitao at WrestleMania VII in March 1991 before they broke up and the members went their separate ways.^[37] As Crush went on a leave of absence from the WWF, Smash wrestled in singles matches (usually on the losing end) for several months before becoming Repo Man, a sneaky thief claiming to be a repossessor, in the fall of 1991. Crush would return in the spring of 1992 as a face, beginning a run as the popular "Kona Crush" (a surfer type). The two ended up facing off at SummerSlam 1992, with Crush getting the victory.^[38]

[edit] Post WWF

After leaving the WWF, Eadie began using the name Axis the Demolisher on the independent circuit and took in original "Smash" gimmick owner Randy Colley as well as Carmine Azzato under the name of Demolition Blast in an attempt to resurrect the Demolition name and gimmick.^[39][40] They were sent a cease and desist letter by the WWF once they found out.

In the mid 1990s, Bill Eadie filed a lawsuit against the WWF for the rights of the "Demolition" name and gimmick but lost. Smash recently inked a deal with Jakks Pacific to make a Demolition Legends action figure.

The team was referenced at SummerSlam 2006 when The McMahons performed their finishing move, The Demolition Decapitation, on Shawn Michaels during their tag match against D-Generation X.

On April 1, 2007, Darsow and Eadie reunited for the first time in 16 years at a "Meet the Legends" event in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.^[41]

On August 13, 2007, Brian Adams was found unconscious in his Tampa, Florida home. Adams' wife found him not breathing in his bed, and summoned paramedics. The wrestler could not be revived, and was pronounced dead at the scene. Police could not immediately determine a cause of death, but noted no signs of injury.^[42][43]

On September 29, 2007, Darsow and Eadie reunited as the tag team Demolition for the first time in 16 years in Orlando, Florida at a United States Xtreme Wrestling event. They once again became tag team champions, defeating the Christopher Street Connection (Buff-E and Mace) to win the UXW Tag Team Championship.^[41].

Demolition teamed with One Man Gang in the 28-team King of Trios tournament held by Chikara during the weekend of February 29 and March 1 and 2, 2008 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. While losing the three man tournament they did win the Tag Team gauntlet.^[44]

Demolition Smash and Ax appeared at IAW Clash at the Cove X on August 9, 2008. They faced Greg "The Hammer" Valentine and Brian "The Crippler" Costello. Demolition won the match when Valentine turned on Costello during the match.

On February 28, 2009, Demolition participated in a tag team match under the sanctioning body of Jersey All Pro Wrestling in Jersey City, New Jersey. During their match against the "Heavy Hitters," Ax (Bill Eadie) struck the referee with a folding chair, and Demolition was subsequently disqualified.

On October 10, 2009, Demolition defeated Shawn Blanchard and Lou Martin for the Keystone State Wrestling Alliance tag team championship in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania.

[edit] In wrestling

• Double-team finishing moves
  • Demolition Decapitation (Backbreaker hold / Diving elbow drop combination)^[1]

• Double-team signature moves
  • Tandem repeating double axe handle blows to a grounded opponent^[1]

• Managers
  • Mr. Fuji
  • Luscious Johnny V

• Theme music
  • Demolition used the entrance theme "Demolition," a rock track by Rick Derringer, which contained lyrics which introduced the original members of the team: "Here comes the Ax, and here comes the Smasher." The song was eventually released on Piledriver - The Wrestling Album 2. During the fall of 1990, the song was replaced with a dark, brooding instrumental track.

[edit] Championships and accomplishments

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated

• Ranked #59 of the 100 best tag teams during the "PWI Years" in 2003.

• Great Lakes Championship Wrestling

• GLCW Tag Team Championship (1 time, current)

• United States Xtreme Wrestling

• USXW Tag Team Championship (1 time, current)^[41]

• Keystone State Wrestling Alliance

• KSWA Tag Team Championship (1 time, current)

• World Wrestling Federation

• WWF Tag Team Championship (3 times, including longest reign in history)^{[9][14][26][28]}

[edit] See also

Professional wrestling portal

• Disciples of Apocalypse
• KroniK
• Stud Stable

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Demolition's OWW Profile