WWE Legends: Demolition
Eric Schomburg
May 07, 2006
During the 1980's professional wrestling aggrandized its popularity with stars such as Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair. Professional wrestling has and will always be about the single's wrestler; however, wrestling fans were also enthralled of the tag team division of wrestling?s elite.
Vincent Kennedy McMahon was acquiring talent from other organizations during the 1980's to help build what would be the juggernaut of all wrestling organizations: the World Wrestling Federation (now, World Wrestling Entertainment). The WWE filched a lot of talent, and even purchased an entire wrestling organization altogether. The WWE acquired teams such as the Hart Foundation [Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart], the British Bulldogs [Davey Boy Smith and Dynamite Kid], the Killer Bees [Brian Blair and Jim Brunzell], Strike Force [Tito Santana and Rick Martel], and the Rockers [Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty].
Vince McMahon sought out to acquire the Road Warriors from Jim Crockett's promotion of the NWA (WCW). Alas, the Road Warriors wouldn't be enticed by the deal due to a countervail by Jim Crockett Jr. Chagrined by this defeat, Vince McMahon would do what he should have done in the first place, make a team of his own. Enter Bill Eadie (Ax) and Randy Colley (Smash #1) better known as Demolition.
Bill Eadie was an employee of the WWE as the wrestler "Super Machine," a masked wrestler who was the tag team partner of the late Andre the Giant, and Mulligan. The gimmick of the "Machines" was they were a group of masked "known" wrestlers who were the opposition to Bobby "the Brain" Heenan's tag team of the late Big John Studd and King Kong Bundy. The reason for the opposition was former President of the WWE, Jack Tunney, suspended Andre the Giant; however, with the umbrage that Andre had for Bobby Heenan, John Studd, and King Kong Bundy, Andre was relentless in getting retribution from the "Heenan Family" even if it meant daunting a mask and calling himself by another name. Wrestling fans may remember this recycled gimmick when Hulk Hogan became "Mr. America."
Randy Colley had already established himself a nice illustrious career in the WWE as the wrestler Moondog Rex along with his partner Moondog Spot. The Moondogs were philistines that had barrel-chested physiques and literally gnawed on giant animal bones. Colley, Eadie, and McMahon formed a parley and together orchestrated a plan to form what would be the ominous tag team known as Demolition.
From a wrestling fan's perception, if anyone believes that Demolition was a "clone" or an emulation of the Road Warriors is DEAD WRONG. Of course at that time it could have been the idea or even a feigned attempt to emulate the Road Warriors, but they were certainly not a ripoff of the Road Warriors, or the WWE's version of the Road Warriors. Anyone who says that Demolition was a Road Warriors ripoff is, to quote Eric Bischoff, "drinking their own Kool-Aid and living in their own vacuum."
Demoltion wore black leather vests; wore S&M attire; wore leather chaps with spikes; wore leather gloves with spikes; wore full-faced make-up; wore solid black hockey masks; BOTH guys stuck their tongues out, and had THE BEST wrestling theme song EVER.
Demolition's first run with the WWE was post-WrestleMania III after Hulk Hogan body-slammed Andre the Giant in front of an alleged 93,173 people. Demolition as a tag-team wasn't getting over with the fans, because Demolition acquired the jocular of a manager, Johnny Valiant, and with a wisecracking manager at ring side Demolition was rubbed off as a travesty of a tag-team. Another mistake Vince and Demolition made early on was the forgot that the fans weren't callow about the fact that Randy Colley was Moondog Rex; therefore, Colley was ousted and Barry Darsow was in as Smash #2.
Barry Darsow was perfect for Smash, in fact that's what he's notable in the realm of professional wrestling for. Darsow was no stranger in the ring. He wrestled before as the Russian sympathizer Krusher Kruschev in the NWA. As Kruschev fans of wrestling recognized him with his bald head and his tattoo on his left arm. The WWE took precautions and grew Darsow's hair long and covered the tattoo with a black elbow pad. Demolition also ousted Johnny Valiant and went under the tutelage of the devious Mr. Fuji, combined that with Rick Derringer's powerful theme, Demolition were starting to mold themselves out of a gimmick and into a well-oiled machine of devastation.
Rick Derringer's "Pain and Destruction - the theme song for Demolition," is arguably the best theme song in wrestling history. A boisterous clash of heavy riffs, drums, and the strident sounds of Derringer's vocals is what made Demolition's persona more somber than the likes of the British Bulldogs and the Hart Foundation.
Teams like the hubris Hart Foundation were using wrestling holds like arm bar's and headlocks; Demolition would use a sinister form of hewing an opponent down until their faces were literally on the wrestling mat. Demolition didn't use a lot of flair and technical skills in the ring, but they did use a lot of smart tactics such for being one of the teams to be "smart enough" to "cut the ring in half," which is a saying for tag team wrestling for always having the opposition in the corner where your partner is; therefore, it would be difficult for your opponent to tag his partner in.
During the spring of 1988, Demolition's popularity grew and with their uncanny look and their fan favorite theme song, Demolition had their chance in becoming WWE World Tag-Team Champions at WrestleMania IV. Demolition vs. Strike Force (c). Oddly enough, Demolition would be cheered even though they were heels. The fans have spoken. The time was now. Demolition were champions.
Demolition would be the Stone Cold Steve Austin of the tag team division of the WWE; in other words, they were "bad guys," but the fans treated them as "good guys." During the summer of 1988, Demolition was the most dominate team in the WWE. However, a new team had arrived in the WWE, which also were two big guys in face paint, they were known as the Powers of Pain.
The Powers of Pain would feud with Demolition at the second annual Survivor Series. The Survivor Series is the "All-Star Game" of the WWE. At the time the Survivor Series was an elimination tag match in which two teams of four or five would battle each other until there is only one remaining team left. For the tag team version of the Survivor Series there would be a team of five (10 wrestlers on each side). For some strange reason, Demolition's manager, Mr. Fuji, would turn against Demolition and side with the Powers of Pain.
The feud between Demolition and the Powers of Pain would escalate into a WrestleMania match in which Demolition would be successful and retain the WWE World Tag-Team titles.
It was clear to Vince McMahon that Demolition was the best team he had on his roster; however, every fan of wrestling knows, eventually the belts had to change hands. After a record-breaking 478 days of being WWE Tag-Team Champions, Demolition would finally be beaten by the Brain Busters [Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson].
Demolition would soon get redemption and defeat the Brain Busters, but it wouldn't be long before Demolition would be defeated by Andre the Giant and Haku better known as the Colossal Connection. This heated rivalry between the Demo?s and the Colossal Connection would resolve at WrestleMania VI in which Demolition became the second team in WWE history to win the tag team titles more than two times. Demolition?s stock was rising, and it was apparent that they were the best team in wrestling let alone the WWE. However, a catastrophic disaster would occur. Bill Eadie's health was slowly starting to get the best of him.
Bill Eadie had cardiac problems along with back issues; this would influx the third member of Demolition, Crush [Brian Adams]. Crush and Smash were the champions and defended the titles on a number of occasions; however, fans weren't buying into the new member of Demolition. After all, the theme song specifies, "here comes the Ax, and here comes the Smasher!"
Not to besmirch Brian Adams, but Crush was still green by the time he was a member of Demolition, and because he was lethargic on the mic and even more lethargic in the ring, Demolition was no longer spontaneous and it showed. Smash was holding up pretty well, but with a young Crush just now learning how to wrestle Demolition wasn't menacing anymore.
In 1990, Vince McMahon finally acquired the Road Warriors [Hawk and Animal]. At that time Demolition were still the champions, but it was only a matter of time before Vince would hand over the belts to a new team. I'll give credit to Vince, at least he had enough class to not let Demolition lose the belts to an outside team like the Road Warriors. Instead, the Hart Foundation would be the team to defeat the dominating Demolition.
Demolition was as good as dead, but the WWE kept them for the Road Warriors to snack on. However, while the sycophants of the WWE would say that the Road Warriors were better than Demolition, I highly disagree. At that time, Hawk and Animal were at their prime and they fought a team in which could have been in their prime. If there was a match between Ax and Smash vs. Hawk and Animal in the WWE it would have been either a disaster or a catalyst for a legendary feud between two great teams. However, the world will never know that, because Hawk and Animal faced Smash and Crush. It was obvious that Demolition was doomed, and it's NOT because Vince had the Road Warriors. If anything, the Road Warriors were replacements for Demolition. Yes, I said it.
WrestleMania VII would be the last time Demolition would ever be wrestling at a WrestleMania. Demolition would lose to two Japanese wrestlers that weren't even long-lasting WWE Superstars. It was sad to see the greatest tag team in WWE history hewed into millions of pieces only to be forgotten.
In 1991, Bill Eadie sued Vince McMahon for the rights of the Demolition name, but alas, Eadie was defeated and Vince McMahon owns the rights to the Demolition name. Bill still wrestles independent shows under the Demolition gimmick, but his name varies from Axe, Axis, the Demolisher, or a combination of the three.
On a personal tirade, I have to say that Demolition is easily one of my favorite (if not THE favorite) tag teams of all time. However, I have watched the Road Warriors DVD in which the sycophants of the WWE, namely Jerry Lawler, claims that Demolition were a Road Warriors ripoff.
If anyone claims that Demolition was a Road Warriors ripoff, go ahead and say that Hulk Hogan was a Superstar Billy Graham ripoff; go ahead and say Ric Flair was a Buddy Rogers ripoff; go ahead and say Triple H is a Harley Race ripoff, and go ahead and say Vince McMahon ripped off Eric Bischoff (Think about it, wasn't Eric Bischoff the heel owner during the nWo's run before Vince was the "devil" to Stone Cold Steve Austin?) I will admit that Demolition may have had an idea from the Road Warriors, but as I said before, don't crucify them just because they may have used the same idea as the Road Warriors, and in this case made it better. Besides, I find it funny how no one ever mentions that the Powers of Pain looked more like the Road Warriors than Demolition
What else I find funny in the Road Warriors DVD is the sycophants of the WWE fail to tell the audience that the Road Warriors ripped off Demolition on a couple of things. Does Droz ring a bell? Demolition brought in Crush as a third member of Demolition, and years later the Road Warriors would bring in Darren "Puke" Drozdov as their third member of the Road Warriors. During a segment in the DVD it showed Animal and Hawk wearing biker helmets at WrestleMania 13. Could that have been borrowed from Demolition's black hockey mask look? If you're going to say Demolition took the spikes from Road Warriors, then YES, Road Warriors borrowed the masks from Demolition. Because while a hockey mask and a biker helmet are different as far as style, they still cover their faces, just like the Road Warriors giant spikes were different than the style of Demolition's smaller studded spikes.
It is obvious that Vince McMahon cherished Demolition more than the Road Warriors as well. Demolition were 3 times WWE Tag Champions compared to Road Warriors lackluster 2 time WWE Tag Champions. Demolition to this day holds the record of the longest tag team title reign of 478 days compared to the Road Warriors lackluster reign of 165 days. Demolition's worst storyline was having Johnny Valient as their manager compared to the Road Warrior's worst gimmick in having a talking dummy as their manager. Yikes!
Demolition was one of those teams that made the tag team division in the WWE a division to watch. Demolition had great matches with the Hart Foundation and the Brain Busters, but fate would turn its ugly head toward the tag team that was dominate and destructive against anyone who stood in their way.
It's a sad state in the wrestling industry that to this day not many people have even heard of Demolition. I have yet to see a WWE Legends action-figure of either Ax or Smash. I have yet to hear anyone claim that both Bill Eadie and Barry Darsow should be inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame. I have yet to hear Vince even make an attempt to make a DVD of Demolition.
Demolition was the best tag team in the WWE during the late-1980's, or for that matter in WWE history. It's hard to delible the fact that Demolition held the titles longer than any other team in WWE history.
I believe Vince McMahon is proud of what Demolition has accomplished; after all, it was a part of his creative idea. Vince may have only contributed one-third of the idea, but when anyone juxtapose the Road Warriors and Demolition it's hard to say that Demolition is inferior to the Road Warriors.
Demolition were the dominance of the WWE's Tag-Team division, and for that I salute both Darsow and Eadie for contributing to the WWE and the realm of professional wrestling. It's interesting that some people in the professional wrestling world say that they are a Road Warriors ripoff, but when it comes to who had more success in the "big daddy" as Hawk and Animal like to call the WWE, Demolition outshines the Road Warriors. Some ripoff.
Vincent Kennedy McMahon was acquiring talent from other organizations during the 1980's to help build what would be the juggernaut of all wrestling organizations: the World Wrestling Federation (now, World Wrestling Entertainment). The WWE filched a lot of talent, and even purchased an entire wrestling organization altogether. The WWE acquired teams such as the Hart Foundation [Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart], the British Bulldogs [Davey Boy Smith and Dynamite Kid], the Killer Bees [Brian Blair and Jim Brunzell], Strike Force [Tito Santana and Rick Martel], and the Rockers [Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty].
Vince McMahon sought out to acquire the Road Warriors from Jim Crockett's promotion of the NWA (WCW). Alas, the Road Warriors wouldn't be enticed by the deal due to a countervail by Jim Crockett Jr. Chagrined by this defeat, Vince McMahon would do what he should have done in the first place, make a team of his own. Enter Bill Eadie (Ax) and Randy Colley (Smash #1) better known as Demolition.
Bill Eadie was an employee of the WWE as the wrestler "Super Machine," a masked wrestler who was the tag team partner of the late Andre the Giant, and Mulligan. The gimmick of the "Machines" was they were a group of masked "known" wrestlers who were the opposition to Bobby "the Brain" Heenan's tag team of the late Big John Studd and King Kong Bundy. The reason for the opposition was former President of the WWE, Jack Tunney, suspended Andre the Giant; however, with the umbrage that Andre had for Bobby Heenan, John Studd, and King Kong Bundy, Andre was relentless in getting retribution from the "Heenan Family" even if it meant daunting a mask and calling himself by another name. Wrestling fans may remember this recycled gimmick when Hulk Hogan became "Mr. America."
Randy Colley had already established himself a nice illustrious career in the WWE as the wrestler Moondog Rex along with his partner Moondog Spot. The Moondogs were philistines that had barrel-chested physiques and literally gnawed on giant animal bones. Colley, Eadie, and McMahon formed a parley and together orchestrated a plan to form what would be the ominous tag team known as Demolition.
From a wrestling fan's perception, if anyone believes that Demolition was a "clone" or an emulation of the Road Warriors is DEAD WRONG. Of course at that time it could have been the idea or even a feigned attempt to emulate the Road Warriors, but they were certainly not a ripoff of the Road Warriors, or the WWE's version of the Road Warriors. Anyone who says that Demolition was a Road Warriors ripoff is, to quote Eric Bischoff, "drinking their own Kool-Aid and living in their own vacuum."
Demoltion wore black leather vests; wore S&M attire; wore leather chaps with spikes; wore leather gloves with spikes; wore full-faced make-up; wore solid black hockey masks; BOTH guys stuck their tongues out, and had THE BEST wrestling theme song EVER.
Demolition's first run with the WWE was post-WrestleMania III after Hulk Hogan body-slammed Andre the Giant in front of an alleged 93,173 people. Demolition as a tag-team wasn't getting over with the fans, because Demolition acquired the jocular of a manager, Johnny Valiant, and with a wisecracking manager at ring side Demolition was rubbed off as a travesty of a tag-team. Another mistake Vince and Demolition made early on was the forgot that the fans weren't callow about the fact that Randy Colley was Moondog Rex; therefore, Colley was ousted and Barry Darsow was in as Smash #2.
Barry Darsow was perfect for Smash, in fact that's what he's notable in the realm of professional wrestling for. Darsow was no stranger in the ring. He wrestled before as the Russian sympathizer Krusher Kruschev in the NWA. As Kruschev fans of wrestling recognized him with his bald head and his tattoo on his left arm. The WWE took precautions and grew Darsow's hair long and covered the tattoo with a black elbow pad. Demolition also ousted Johnny Valiant and went under the tutelage of the devious Mr. Fuji, combined that with Rick Derringer's powerful theme, Demolition were starting to mold themselves out of a gimmick and into a well-oiled machine of devastation.
Rick Derringer's "Pain and Destruction - the theme song for Demolition," is arguably the best theme song in wrestling history. A boisterous clash of heavy riffs, drums, and the strident sounds of Derringer's vocals is what made Demolition's persona more somber than the likes of the British Bulldogs and the Hart Foundation.
Teams like the hubris Hart Foundation were using wrestling holds like arm bar's and headlocks; Demolition would use a sinister form of hewing an opponent down until their faces were literally on the wrestling mat. Demolition didn't use a lot of flair and technical skills in the ring, but they did use a lot of smart tactics such for being one of the teams to be "smart enough" to "cut the ring in half," which is a saying for tag team wrestling for always having the opposition in the corner where your partner is; therefore, it would be difficult for your opponent to tag his partner in.
During the spring of 1988, Demolition's popularity grew and with their uncanny look and their fan favorite theme song, Demolition had their chance in becoming WWE World Tag-Team Champions at WrestleMania IV. Demolition vs. Strike Force (c). Oddly enough, Demolition would be cheered even though they were heels. The fans have spoken. The time was now. Demolition were champions.
Demolition would be the Stone Cold Steve Austin of the tag team division of the WWE; in other words, they were "bad guys," but the fans treated them as "good guys." During the summer of 1988, Demolition was the most dominate team in the WWE. However, a new team had arrived in the WWE, which also were two big guys in face paint, they were known as the Powers of Pain.
The Powers of Pain would feud with Demolition at the second annual Survivor Series. The Survivor Series is the "All-Star Game" of the WWE. At the time the Survivor Series was an elimination tag match in which two teams of four or five would battle each other until there is only one remaining team left. For the tag team version of the Survivor Series there would be a team of five (10 wrestlers on each side). For some strange reason, Demolition's manager, Mr. Fuji, would turn against Demolition and side with the Powers of Pain.
The feud between Demolition and the Powers of Pain would escalate into a WrestleMania match in which Demolition would be successful and retain the WWE World Tag-Team titles.
It was clear to Vince McMahon that Demolition was the best team he had on his roster; however, every fan of wrestling knows, eventually the belts had to change hands. After a record-breaking 478 days of being WWE Tag-Team Champions, Demolition would finally be beaten by the Brain Busters [Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson].
Demolition would soon get redemption and defeat the Brain Busters, but it wouldn't be long before Demolition would be defeated by Andre the Giant and Haku better known as the Colossal Connection. This heated rivalry between the Demo?s and the Colossal Connection would resolve at WrestleMania VI in which Demolition became the second team in WWE history to win the tag team titles more than two times. Demolition?s stock was rising, and it was apparent that they were the best team in wrestling let alone the WWE. However, a catastrophic disaster would occur. Bill Eadie's health was slowly starting to get the best of him.
Bill Eadie had cardiac problems along with back issues; this would influx the third member of Demolition, Crush [Brian Adams]. Crush and Smash were the champions and defended the titles on a number of occasions; however, fans weren't buying into the new member of Demolition. After all, the theme song specifies, "here comes the Ax, and here comes the Smasher!"
Not to besmirch Brian Adams, but Crush was still green by the time he was a member of Demolition, and because he was lethargic on the mic and even more lethargic in the ring, Demolition was no longer spontaneous and it showed. Smash was holding up pretty well, but with a young Crush just now learning how to wrestle Demolition wasn't menacing anymore.
In 1990, Vince McMahon finally acquired the Road Warriors [Hawk and Animal]. At that time Demolition were still the champions, but it was only a matter of time before Vince would hand over the belts to a new team. I'll give credit to Vince, at least he had enough class to not let Demolition lose the belts to an outside team like the Road Warriors. Instead, the Hart Foundation would be the team to defeat the dominating Demolition.
Demolition was as good as dead, but the WWE kept them for the Road Warriors to snack on. However, while the sycophants of the WWE would say that the Road Warriors were better than Demolition, I highly disagree. At that time, Hawk and Animal were at their prime and they fought a team in which could have been in their prime. If there was a match between Ax and Smash vs. Hawk and Animal in the WWE it would have been either a disaster or a catalyst for a legendary feud between two great teams. However, the world will never know that, because Hawk and Animal faced Smash and Crush. It was obvious that Demolition was doomed, and it's NOT because Vince had the Road Warriors. If anything, the Road Warriors were replacements for Demolition. Yes, I said it.
WrestleMania VII would be the last time Demolition would ever be wrestling at a WrestleMania. Demolition would lose to two Japanese wrestlers that weren't even long-lasting WWE Superstars. It was sad to see the greatest tag team in WWE history hewed into millions of pieces only to be forgotten.
In 1991, Bill Eadie sued Vince McMahon for the rights of the Demolition name, but alas, Eadie was defeated and Vince McMahon owns the rights to the Demolition name. Bill still wrestles independent shows under the Demolition gimmick, but his name varies from Axe, Axis, the Demolisher, or a combination of the three.
On a personal tirade, I have to say that Demolition is easily one of my favorite (if not THE favorite) tag teams of all time. However, I have watched the Road Warriors DVD in which the sycophants of the WWE, namely Jerry Lawler, claims that Demolition were a Road Warriors ripoff.
If anyone claims that Demolition was a Road Warriors ripoff, go ahead and say that Hulk Hogan was a Superstar Billy Graham ripoff; go ahead and say Ric Flair was a Buddy Rogers ripoff; go ahead and say Triple H is a Harley Race ripoff, and go ahead and say Vince McMahon ripped off Eric Bischoff (Think about it, wasn't Eric Bischoff the heel owner during the nWo's run before Vince was the "devil" to Stone Cold Steve Austin?) I will admit that Demolition may have had an idea from the Road Warriors, but as I said before, don't crucify them just because they may have used the same idea as the Road Warriors, and in this case made it better. Besides, I find it funny how no one ever mentions that the Powers of Pain looked more like the Road Warriors than Demolition
What else I find funny in the Road Warriors DVD is the sycophants of the WWE fail to tell the audience that the Road Warriors ripped off Demolition on a couple of things. Does Droz ring a bell? Demolition brought in Crush as a third member of Demolition, and years later the Road Warriors would bring in Darren "Puke" Drozdov as their third member of the Road Warriors. During a segment in the DVD it showed Animal and Hawk wearing biker helmets at WrestleMania 13. Could that have been borrowed from Demolition's black hockey mask look? If you're going to say Demolition took the spikes from Road Warriors, then YES, Road Warriors borrowed the masks from Demolition. Because while a hockey mask and a biker helmet are different as far as style, they still cover their faces, just like the Road Warriors giant spikes were different than the style of Demolition's smaller studded spikes.
It is obvious that Vince McMahon cherished Demolition more than the Road Warriors as well. Demolition were 3 times WWE Tag Champions compared to Road Warriors lackluster 2 time WWE Tag Champions. Demolition to this day holds the record of the longest tag team title reign of 478 days compared to the Road Warriors lackluster reign of 165 days. Demolition's worst storyline was having Johnny Valient as their manager compared to the Road Warrior's worst gimmick in having a talking dummy as their manager. Yikes!
Demolition was one of those teams that made the tag team division in the WWE a division to watch. Demolition had great matches with the Hart Foundation and the Brain Busters, but fate would turn its ugly head toward the tag team that was dominate and destructive against anyone who stood in their way.
It's a sad state in the wrestling industry that to this day not many people have even heard of Demolition. I have yet to see a WWE Legends action-figure of either Ax or Smash. I have yet to hear anyone claim that both Bill Eadie and Barry Darsow should be inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame. I have yet to hear Vince even make an attempt to make a DVD of Demolition.
Demolition was the best tag team in the WWE during the late-1980's, or for that matter in WWE history. It's hard to delible the fact that Demolition held the titles longer than any other team in WWE history.
I believe Vince McMahon is proud of what Demolition has accomplished; after all, it was a part of his creative idea. Vince may have only contributed one-third of the idea, but when anyone juxtapose the Road Warriors and Demolition it's hard to say that Demolition is inferior to the Road Warriors.
Demolition were the dominance of the WWE's Tag-Team division, and for that I salute both Darsow and Eadie for contributing to the WWE and the realm of professional wrestling. It's interesting that some people in the professional wrestling world say that they are a Road Warriors ripoff, but when it comes to who had more success in the "big daddy" as Hawk and Animal like to call the WWE, Demolition outshines the Road Warriors. Some ripoff.
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