Demolition© vs Twin Towers - Boston - 6/3/89
Demolition vs. Twin Towers
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VR: This is a rematch from the first match in Boston. Ronnie Garvin is the gust referee which was from Demos and Akeem wiping out the ref in the previous match.
Right away Demos attack the Towers and they are slugging it out. Bossman gets knocked out of the ring by Smash and Demolition beat down Akeem and the fans go nuts. Ax puts Akeem in a arm wringer. again I have to say how much I love Akeem's Fred Sanford selling.
Akeem rakes Ax across the eyes and tags in Bossman. He does not fare any better as Ax clubbers him and works over his arm. Smash is tagged in and Garvin shows his authority by breaking them up. Garvin does a great job as guest referee. He is not noticeable most of the time except when it counts. Smash clubbers Bossman and Bossman sells a preemptive clubber. But its does not look like a mistake as much as a guy flinching when he thinks he is getting hit.
Both Demos are in and they beat Bossman down to his knees then he does this great bop bag sell. This is at the point where Bossman went from good to great. A huge improvement over the year before and he was not bad then.
Fans are losing it over Demolition beating down Bossman. Bossman headbutts Ax in the gut and tags in Akeem. Love how excited Akeem is to work over somebody. Lays a few into Ax and tags out as soon as Ax fights back. I think the story here is the Towers have learned from the previous matches and are now working as a team. Lots of quick tags and teamwork.
Ax gets Smash in and they go for the double suplex but Akeem runs in and prevents it. Akeem got popped on the apron by Smash and he steals every scene with his selling. Not gonna go into this here but it really sucks a guy as great as One Man Gang disappeared from the wrestling scene after 1991.
Bossman catches Smash with a nice boot to the head. Smash is in the corner and Akeem hits him with great looking butt crashes that look like they are killing Smash. Hits Smash with some jabs then runs him over while Smash is draped across the second rope.
Now the Towers are in control using smart work keeping him away from Ax. Bossman hits the power spinebuster. But instead of pinning him, Bossman gloats. Damn Bossman doesn't he ever learn. Then Smash uses a inside cradle for 2. Its not pretty but Demolition has never done that. We get another false tag, with Akeem distracting the ref.
Smash finally gets to tag out. Now Ax is in the ring and he slams Akeem and I lost it for that. Both Demos are beating down the Towers. Akeem grabs the night stick and accidentally KO's Bossman giving Demolition the win. Now Akeem gets popped in the gut. This was the perfect conclusion to this feud with no loose ends. Demolition look great and the Towers still have heat. This match is one of the best I have seen so far.
MD: So when we last left Demolition and the Twin Towers, the nightstick got involved leading to a DQ (or double DQ depending on where and when you saw the match) and a beat down on the Demos by the Towers. Nothing was resolved. Thus, the WWF has provided the only referee that could handle the match for the rematch: Rugged Ronnie Garvin. We all know about the Valentine/Garvin feud so I won't waste time there. This is a great return match which feels totally different than the first matches in the series and has a great, great finish, literally one of the best I've ever seen, no lie. Right to it then.
First image: It's actually sort of cool to see the police officers escort Bossman down to the ring. All of them are in blue together. It's like he has a posse. They threaten Alfred which is funny. Bossman kicks high to warm up as Akeem jives. Ax and Smash come down to a super pop. This is, in my mind, the very height of Ax's face power. You're not going to find a match where he's a better face than he is here. Anyway, Demolition take the gear off on the outside, look at each other, nod, and then roll in to start brawling with the Towers from the get go. Ax ducks Akeem and clotheslines him. Smash hits this neat uppercut thing on Bossman and then elbows him out and they double clubber on Akeem. If in the Boston #1 match, the work was tighter and in MLG shortly thereafter, the character stuff was more evident, here it's sort of both and more. The character stuff is front and center. Akeem is selling like a man possessed. Literally. There is a demon in there, and it makes Akeem want to sell his groin in the funkiest way possible during an armbar. Yes it does. Ax stalks around Akeem, keeping him from his corner, drops him with a clothesline and does the mightiest face scream that you'll see this side of Conan the Barbarian. It's pretty awesome.
Smash tags in and makes Akeem eat this awesome clubbering to the face and I really have to stop commenting on every little thing but so much of it is great. Akeem is bouncing in his selling so much that he keeps going after the hitting stops. This one I'll blame on momentum. he's like a weeble wobble. Finally Akeem punches Ax right in the face and walks over to make the tag. It's not as cool as Bossman's reverse whip from MLG or his run to his corner while holding a Demo in the last Boston match, but it gets the job done. This is a differently structured match, after all.
Anyway, Bossman comes in and it's real back and forth. Highlights: 1.) You don't disrespect Ronnie Garvin. 2.) Bossman keeps selling during the clubbering that never comes and I can't pin this one on momentum. 3.) The superawesome teeter-totter agility sell by Bossman on his knees. 4.) No cool transition. Just a low-ish blow by Bossman. Ah well. Then he makes the hot tag and it's great listening to Alfred go on about how Akeem's strange jive punches seem to work for him. There have just been tons of character stuff out of the Towers here. This is much more of a back and forth match than the previous ones. Here, the Towers haven't come into this match overconfident. They've learned their lesson and they're using teamwork much better. Everytime it seems like one team has a good advantage, the guy getting beat on gets a quick shot in and makes a tag. Here Ax manages to tag into Smash and he just takes Bossman's head off with a clothesline. Then comes the double punch to the gut and it looks for a second like Demos are going to double suplex Bossman. Akeem comes in to break it up, though and bossman immediately hits a killer Mafia Kick on Smash and Towers retake the offensive.
Akeem hits four butt drops in the corner on Smash and then dances out and keeps jive punching him. Smash tries to fight back but to no avail. He ends up draped on the ropes so that Akeem can hit the charging butt splash. And NOW that they finally have a solid advantage, the Towers get overconfdient. Smash is playing a great FIP here, going for the corner and fighting back but Towers are using their girth to cut off the ring and are making smart tags. I swear that Akeem is a man possessed in this match compared to the last two. Bossman hits a nasty Spinebuster slam and parades around the ring cockily for a while, seemingly to setup for the slam-747. Smash hits a small package out of nowhere though. This angers Bossman and he kicks Smash onto the rope, telling Akeem to hold him from the outside so that he can go for a soaring butt guillotine of his own. Smash moves at the last second however and the foot comes real close to Akeem as Bossman crotches himself. Still, hot tags NEVER come easy in Demolitionland (never, ever. It's one thing they believed in religiously and good on them), so Akeem distracts Garvin at a key moment. This causes Ax to come in angry and THAT allows Akeem to hit a KILLER leg drop. But Smash ducks a clothesline a minute later and hits a killer extendo-arm clothesline of his own (like earlier in the match).
This time, with a MASSIVE hand slap Smash makes the hot tag and Ax comes in. AND HE SLAMS AKEEM and then puts his arms up and screams as if he just won Olympic gold. I had remembered Smash (who Alfred always points out is the power man of the team) doing this, not Ax, and it's all the more awesome that it's Eadie. In that moment, he ascends to babyface godhood, just the height of his face power.
Then comes the LIGHTNING finish. It's awesome and out of nowhere and you have NO idea what happened until they show the replay. And the execution of it is just amazing. It's like a reveal which makes you go "Oh shit! What happened?" And then when they show you what happened again, you love it. It comes out of nowhere and just the speed and suddenness of the execution is awesome.
But yeah, this is a great series of matches and this is just really good stuff. If you haven't watched any of the Towers matches yet, watch Boston #1 and then MLG, and then this one. You won't regret it.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Unitled Demolition Project Day 20
Demolition © vs Hart Foundation - 2/3 Falls - Summerslam 1990 - Philadelphia - 8/27/90
Demolition Vs The Hart Foundation 2 out of 3 Falls Tag Title
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VR: This is a 2 out of 3 falls match for the tag team titles. This is the last big match Demolition ever had. Demolition had turned heel over the summer and added a third member named Crush. I remember being really confused by Demolition turning heel because it was so sudden. In hindsight it should not have been they treated the Hart Foundation they they did the Brainbusters and Andre/Haku.
First thing I notice is the Hart Foundation are super over, The Spectrum explodes when they come out. Its going to be Crush and Smash tonight.
First Fall: Match starts with Bret and Smash. Smash tries to pull Bret into his corner for a double team. But Neidhart runs in and drives out Crush. Now the Harts hit Smash with a double back elbow. Basic story of the first fall is Hart Foundation out wrestling Demolition at every turn. Bret catches Smash with a surprise roll up. Followed by arm drags. He tags in Anvil and they work over the arm. This continues for a few minutes. I liked how Smash stopped it by slamming Bret even while Bret had his arm. Now Crush is tagged in.
Crush is really green here. He brings a few things to the table. He is really big. Demolition was always more about being super tough than being over sized or super powerful. Really nice spot for Bret comes running off the ropes fast for a crosbody and Crush catches him and very casually slams him.
Crush is also pretty good at working the crowd. A big minus is he is not too good at the clubbering. He charges Bret in the corner and eats a big boot from Bret. Vince and Piper put over how Crush is still standing when Bret does a great looking surprise roll up.
Bret crawls to Anvil. While Crush tags Smash. Which I think is a good sign of inexperience. I could not see the Ax/Smash Demolition doing that. Anvil runs over Smash. Tries it again but Crush kicks him in the back. Now we have a brief heat segment on Neidhart. We finally get our first clubbering with Smash nailing Neidhart in the back. Crush is back in. Whips Neidhart into the same corner he threw Bret but this time gets hit by one of Anvil's No Brakes clothslines
Again Crush tags out instead of stopping Neidhart. Also basically did the same sequence with Anvil as he did Bret.
Smash goes to meet Bret and its odd as Bret takes his time coming in with Smash waiting there. Bret cleans house on Smash and then hits Crush with a running dropkick. Bret starts doing the ten count punch on Smash then dives onto Crush and pounds him. Bret nearly gets the pin with a russian legsweep and crowd erupts.
Bret hits the elbow but Crush legdrops him and Demos get the first fall with Decapitator. Demolition gets a huge pop for this. Til the ref gets to 3 and the response is mixed between cheers and boos.
Fall 2
Demos keep beating up Bret and Crush hits a nice looking Bossman chokeslam. Smash comes in and hits on big ax handle in the belly. Followed by a back suplex. Smash seems pumped now. Tags in Crush who uses the Demo head twist on Bret. Smash gets tagged back and Bret hits the Hart Attack clothesline. Smash tries to prevent the tag but Neidhart is in. Taking out both Demos. Harts do their irish whip shoulderblock into Smash followed by the Hart Attack. I liked how Smash tried to fight out of it. Crush tackles HeBner which gets the DQ. Fans are booing Demolition now.
Crush knocks Bret out of the ring with a clothesline while Smash is still groggy from the Hart Attack. Meanwhile Ax runs to hide under the ring.
Third fall starts. Bret hits Smash with a sunset flip for a near fall.
Really neat sequence where Anvil whips Bret into Smash who moves but Bret stops himself, Anvil hits Smash with a big shoulderblock and power slams Bret onto Smash. Smash gets to the outside and swaps places with Ax. I love this so much. Ax is selling like is hurt but does it in a extra phony way from how he normally sells. Bret hits him and Ax chops him down. Bret whips him into the corner and Ax nails him with a big clothesline.
Vince is really indignant while trying not to call Hebner a blind idiot. Ax hits him with a leg sweep. Then tags in Crush who hits his tilt a wirl backbreaker. Anvil breaks up the pin and Ax swaps places with Smash again. But first they both beat up Bret. Crush beats up Neidhart and LOD pull Ax from under the ring. In the confusion Neidhart hits his springboard shoulderblock and Bret rolls up Crush for the win.
I really eenoyed this match but its not near the best Demolition match. I think the two out of three falls element hurt the match. With Brainbusters it served a purpose and built up a story but here it just detracted from the match. Wish they had done a regular match with Ax under the ring from the start.
MD: So if you brought up Demolition, the three matches people would want to talk about are the 1988 Survivor Series double-turn, the 1989 Royal Rumble, and the 1990 Summerslam 2/3 falls match. This is close to the last Demolition match I want to talk about. It's really just not that good. That isn't to say that the Harts and Demolition don't work hard. Smash does a hell of a job throughout (look at the way he tries to hammer out of the bearhug before eating the Hart Attack. Awesome). It's just structurally flawed and very frustrating. It's also more of a Harts match than a Demolition match (and past maybe Andre/Baba there aren't many Demolition matches you can say that about; they own every match that they're in). If you want to see a match that is a much better middle ground, well, we'll be doing the 1988 Summerslam match at the very end of the project.
This is vexing. Alright, here's the story, so much as there is one. Tunney decreed that only two Demos could be in this match. Harts were expecting Smash and Ax, the two "most experienced memebers." They went with Smash and Crush. Obviously Ax wasn't in 100% condition which is why they brought in Crush in the first place. We've talked about Crush briefly before. He gave Demos even more size and a few big power moves (like the tilt-a-whirl backbreaker) that they were lacking. It came at a fairly big cost when it came to ring presence and just general storytelling skill. Usually Eadie is there to direct traffic either on the Apron or outside as Coach Ax. For the first two falls of this match, he's not there at all.
It shows. I suppose the big question is whether it's part of the story of the match, of Crush being powerful but inexperienced and making stupid mistakes, or if it's just Adams being clueless. Vince and Piper certainly don't bring it up at all, so it's sort of hard to tell. From the work itself, you almost think it has to be the story, especially considering how clumsily the second fall ends, but it doesn't explain Crush just chilling outside of the ring towards the end of the first fall, letting Bret do whatever he wanted until it's finally his spot and time to come in. He often fails to cut off the ring and stay on his guy and lots of other stuff that make you wonder.
So Vic did a good job covering the ins and outs of the match so I'll just note a few things. I really hate the end of the first fall. Bret looks awesome fighting off both members of Demolition at once, fluidly going from one to the next, but it's all paced horribly with Neidhart outside the ring for a huge swath of time as if he was the odd guy out in a triple threat or something. Then Bret gets Crush out and instead of coming right back in or going to his corner, Crush just stands there on the floor like an idiot for a while, waiting for his timed spot to come on in and then when he comes in to set up the decapitation and the first fall the ref just allows it all. In the grand scheme of things it's not the worst sequence ever, but Demolition were usually so good at structuring matches where the key stuff at the end of that segment would have happened with Neidhart goaded and distracting the ref. It just would have had more logic to it.
There's a great hot tag between the at the start of the second fall, but the end of the fall is just silly. Harts hit the Hart attack on Smash and Crush is freed up to make the save. The problem is that he leaps right over Bret and gets the ref, leading to the DQ. I guess it protects Demolition a bit, but it doesn't make any sense. Are we just supposed to think he's too strong for his own good and leaped a few feet too far? I would have bought it a lot more if the ref was positioned between Crush and the pinfall. Eadie and Darsow were generally so good at making things make sense. Things were always so damn logical. It's one of those things that people don't generally notice until it goes away and it's far gone here.
Then Ax runs out and we get the Ax looks just like Smash switch which stretches believability too, but only a little, I guess. WWF refs are traditionally dumb, or something. The match really picks up once Ax gets there and it leads to an awesome bit of hamming when the LOD pull Ax out from under the ring by his feet. The end of the last fall is just chaos, however, with more focus given to the LOD than the Harts so that you barely see how the match ends. I know I've said more about the decisions than the interior work which goes against the mold of how I've done this from the get go, but this is blatant stuff that I would have called in any other match if it had happened. It just didn't usually happen in Demolition matches.
I mean it's not terrible or anything. It's just a mess and easily one of the worst matches we've looked at during this project. Vic thinks that this would be better as one fall. I can't imagine it being worse that way.
Demolition Vs The Hart Foundation 2 out of 3 Falls Tag Title
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VR: This is a 2 out of 3 falls match for the tag team titles. This is the last big match Demolition ever had. Demolition had turned heel over the summer and added a third member named Crush. I remember being really confused by Demolition turning heel because it was so sudden. In hindsight it should not have been they treated the Hart Foundation they they did the Brainbusters and Andre/Haku.
First thing I notice is the Hart Foundation are super over, The Spectrum explodes when they come out. Its going to be Crush and Smash tonight.
First Fall: Match starts with Bret and Smash. Smash tries to pull Bret into his corner for a double team. But Neidhart runs in and drives out Crush. Now the Harts hit Smash with a double back elbow. Basic story of the first fall is Hart Foundation out wrestling Demolition at every turn. Bret catches Smash with a surprise roll up. Followed by arm drags. He tags in Anvil and they work over the arm. This continues for a few minutes. I liked how Smash stopped it by slamming Bret even while Bret had his arm. Now Crush is tagged in.
Crush is really green here. He brings a few things to the table. He is really big. Demolition was always more about being super tough than being over sized or super powerful. Really nice spot for Bret comes running off the ropes fast for a crosbody and Crush catches him and very casually slams him.
Crush is also pretty good at working the crowd. A big minus is he is not too good at the clubbering. He charges Bret in the corner and eats a big boot from Bret. Vince and Piper put over how Crush is still standing when Bret does a great looking surprise roll up.
Bret crawls to Anvil. While Crush tags Smash. Which I think is a good sign of inexperience. I could not see the Ax/Smash Demolition doing that. Anvil runs over Smash. Tries it again but Crush kicks him in the back. Now we have a brief heat segment on Neidhart. We finally get our first clubbering with Smash nailing Neidhart in the back. Crush is back in. Whips Neidhart into the same corner he threw Bret but this time gets hit by one of Anvil's No Brakes clothslines
Again Crush tags out instead of stopping Neidhart. Also basically did the same sequence with Anvil as he did Bret.
Smash goes to meet Bret and its odd as Bret takes his time coming in with Smash waiting there. Bret cleans house on Smash and then hits Crush with a running dropkick. Bret starts doing the ten count punch on Smash then dives onto Crush and pounds him. Bret nearly gets the pin with a russian legsweep and crowd erupts.
Bret hits the elbow but Crush legdrops him and Demos get the first fall with Decapitator. Demolition gets a huge pop for this. Til the ref gets to 3 and the response is mixed between cheers and boos.
Fall 2
Demos keep beating up Bret and Crush hits a nice looking Bossman chokeslam. Smash comes in and hits on big ax handle in the belly. Followed by a back suplex. Smash seems pumped now. Tags in Crush who uses the Demo head twist on Bret. Smash gets tagged back and Bret hits the Hart Attack clothesline. Smash tries to prevent the tag but Neidhart is in. Taking out both Demos. Harts do their irish whip shoulderblock into Smash followed by the Hart Attack. I liked how Smash tried to fight out of it. Crush tackles HeBner which gets the DQ. Fans are booing Demolition now.
Crush knocks Bret out of the ring with a clothesline while Smash is still groggy from the Hart Attack. Meanwhile Ax runs to hide under the ring.
Third fall starts. Bret hits Smash with a sunset flip for a near fall.
Really neat sequence where Anvil whips Bret into Smash who moves but Bret stops himself, Anvil hits Smash with a big shoulderblock and power slams Bret onto Smash. Smash gets to the outside and swaps places with Ax. I love this so much. Ax is selling like is hurt but does it in a extra phony way from how he normally sells. Bret hits him and Ax chops him down. Bret whips him into the corner and Ax nails him with a big clothesline.
Vince is really indignant while trying not to call Hebner a blind idiot. Ax hits him with a leg sweep. Then tags in Crush who hits his tilt a wirl backbreaker. Anvil breaks up the pin and Ax swaps places with Smash again. But first they both beat up Bret. Crush beats up Neidhart and LOD pull Ax from under the ring. In the confusion Neidhart hits his springboard shoulderblock and Bret rolls up Crush for the win.
I really eenoyed this match but its not near the best Demolition match. I think the two out of three falls element hurt the match. With Brainbusters it served a purpose and built up a story but here it just detracted from the match. Wish they had done a regular match with Ax under the ring from the start.
MD: So if you brought up Demolition, the three matches people would want to talk about are the 1988 Survivor Series double-turn, the 1989 Royal Rumble, and the 1990 Summerslam 2/3 falls match. This is close to the last Demolition match I want to talk about. It's really just not that good. That isn't to say that the Harts and Demolition don't work hard. Smash does a hell of a job throughout (look at the way he tries to hammer out of the bearhug before eating the Hart Attack. Awesome). It's just structurally flawed and very frustrating. It's also more of a Harts match than a Demolition match (and past maybe Andre/Baba there aren't many Demolition matches you can say that about; they own every match that they're in). If you want to see a match that is a much better middle ground, well, we'll be doing the 1988 Summerslam match at the very end of the project.
This is vexing. Alright, here's the story, so much as there is one. Tunney decreed that only two Demos could be in this match. Harts were expecting Smash and Ax, the two "most experienced memebers." They went with Smash and Crush. Obviously Ax wasn't in 100% condition which is why they brought in Crush in the first place. We've talked about Crush briefly before. He gave Demos even more size and a few big power moves (like the tilt-a-whirl backbreaker) that they were lacking. It came at a fairly big cost when it came to ring presence and just general storytelling skill. Usually Eadie is there to direct traffic either on the Apron or outside as Coach Ax. For the first two falls of this match, he's not there at all.
It shows. I suppose the big question is whether it's part of the story of the match, of Crush being powerful but inexperienced and making stupid mistakes, or if it's just Adams being clueless. Vince and Piper certainly don't bring it up at all, so it's sort of hard to tell. From the work itself, you almost think it has to be the story, especially considering how clumsily the second fall ends, but it doesn't explain Crush just chilling outside of the ring towards the end of the first fall, letting Bret do whatever he wanted until it's finally his spot and time to come in. He often fails to cut off the ring and stay on his guy and lots of other stuff that make you wonder.
So Vic did a good job covering the ins and outs of the match so I'll just note a few things. I really hate the end of the first fall. Bret looks awesome fighting off both members of Demolition at once, fluidly going from one to the next, but it's all paced horribly with Neidhart outside the ring for a huge swath of time as if he was the odd guy out in a triple threat or something. Then Bret gets Crush out and instead of coming right back in or going to his corner, Crush just stands there on the floor like an idiot for a while, waiting for his timed spot to come on in and then when he comes in to set up the decapitation and the first fall the ref just allows it all. In the grand scheme of things it's not the worst sequence ever, but Demolition were usually so good at structuring matches where the key stuff at the end of that segment would have happened with Neidhart goaded and distracting the ref. It just would have had more logic to it.
There's a great hot tag between the at the start of the second fall, but the end of the fall is just silly. Harts hit the Hart attack on Smash and Crush is freed up to make the save. The problem is that he leaps right over Bret and gets the ref, leading to the DQ. I guess it protects Demolition a bit, but it doesn't make any sense. Are we just supposed to think he's too strong for his own good and leaped a few feet too far? I would have bought it a lot more if the ref was positioned between Crush and the pinfall. Eadie and Darsow were generally so good at making things make sense. Things were always so damn logical. It's one of those things that people don't generally notice until it goes away and it's far gone here.
Then Ax runs out and we get the Ax looks just like Smash switch which stretches believability too, but only a little, I guess. WWF refs are traditionally dumb, or something. The match really picks up once Ax gets there and it leads to an awesome bit of hamming when the LOD pull Ax out from under the ring by his feet. The end of the last fall is just chaos, however, with more focus given to the LOD than the Harts so that you barely see how the match ends. I know I've said more about the decisions than the interior work which goes against the mold of how I've done this from the get go, but this is blatant stuff that I would have called in any other match if it had happened. It just didn't usually happen in Demolition matches.
I mean it's not terrible or anything. It's just a mess and easily one of the worst matches we've looked at during this project. Vic thinks that this would be better as one fall. I can't imagine it being worse that way.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Unitled Demolition Project Day 19
Brainbusters © vs Demolition - MSG - 9-30-89
Demolition vs. Brain Busters
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MD: Honestly, I'm just glad this match exists. We're so lucky that WWF taped for the MSG Network and NESN and what have you. Imagine if we just had PPVs and CV tapes and PTWs to go off of? Anyway, we're lucky this match exists and it's a good one. This comes after the Busters won the title so the two teams know each other pretty well by now.
It starts with the Busters in the ring and Demos walking through the hallways. Yes, even with the masks on, it's easy to tell which one is Smash because of his hyped up body language. Sometimes I wonder if he has ADHD in all the best possible ways. Big brawl from the get go, even before Demos take off the masks. It leads to Arn and Tully tossed into each other with a big sell (and I always wish that heel Demolition sold that spot just a little better). Ends up being Arn and Smash. Arn hits a crisp sunset flip. Smash sinks down and punches him in the side of the throat repeatedly, nastily. Arn comes up and goes to tag Ax in groggily and if that doesn't bring a smile to your face when you see it, then you have no soul. Smash follows up the potatoing with an AWESOME big boot, which he never does in any other match I've seen. Tully's tagged in, trades blows with Smash, only to end up in a bearhug allowing Smash to walk him right into the corner for the Demolition Double-Team Turnbuckle Clubber. Ax tries to choke Tully, but Arn comes around to clobber him from the outside and then tries to get some shots in, but Ax reverses and clotheslines one and then the other in a straight line. Fast, fast pace for this opening segment with lots of neat stuff.
All of this stuff continues from the last few matches with the Demos being more than the Busters' match in the early going. The difference here, of course, is that the Busters have the belts now and that changes the dynamic somewhat. Anyway, a neck vice on Arn by Smash leads to a fun moment where Tully, hanging way over the middle of the ropes, makes a tag and the ref doesn't allow it. I swear that the Busters were playing these strangely earnest characters in the WWF. We get a few more minutes of Arn eating offense with Ax being particularly intense. He just has these bursts of real intensity throughout.
Arn finally makes a desperate tag and Tully comes right off the top. It's amazing how quick he can be. Busters are all over Smash in their corner, do a double whip since nothing else would contain him, and Arn hits the Spinebuster, but even that's not enough when the Demos are chasing the belts. He tries for a knee drop and Smash catches it and does his stand up into a flip and atomic drop into their corner. It's a cool variation on the last time he did it which was off a stomp and lead to just dropping Arn onto his butt. Smash does the triple fist pump/scream afterwards and the crowd goes nuts. Tully almost takes over with dirty tactics but he runs into Ax's foot from the outside and the Demos are cutting the Busters off at every turn. There's a moment here when Ax has Tully in a nasty chinlock that sums up the match: Tully tries to pull Ax's hair. Ax lets out a yelp of pain, and then he pulls right back on Tully's to maintain control. That's the match.
Finally, the Busters cheat to get ahead and it works, with Tully drawing Smash into the ring, the ref taking his life into his hands by grapping Smash's wrist to get him out (But if the Demos get DQed they can't get the belts, so there is that), and tully coming off the top again while Ax has the neck vice on. Busters cheat SO hard to keep ahead. With goading of Smash at every moment. Honestly, no one this side of the Young Stallions had to work so hard to get offense on Demolition but it works so well because the Busters are portrayed as doing everything right despite having such a hard time of it and Demolition as cheating just as much, and of course, they keep winning against Demolition in the end. Spoiler warning: they keep the belts.
Anyway, Tully locks a KILLER chinlock on Ax, one of the nastiest I've seen, but Ax stands up and it's portrayed as this awesome struggle. Busters double-team and stay on top, beating down Ax anyway imaginable over the next couple of minutes and Ax just eats the offense awesomely. Some of the best FIP stuff I've seen out of Ax, especially considering it only last a couple of minutes. That's just the pace of this match. Eventually, he fights back long enough to get Tully out of the way so it's one on one and while Arn has the advantage, they end up hitting heads off the ropes. But they delay the hot tag by having Tully RUN around the ring at a key moment. Arn then comes off the top only to eat the awesome clothesline counter (done by Ax instead of Smash as opposed to the 2/3 falls match). Tully comes in at a key moment again but it's too late. Perfectly time hot tag. Smash runs in, a total house of fire. He bullcharges through Tully, and slams Arn, tosses Tully's head into the corner post, crushes Arn's skull on the mat, catches Tully off the top with an inverted atomic drop, signals to the crowd and points at arn, and then clotheslines Tully over the top. This is like the best hot tag offense I've ever seen here. Then Smash lifts up Arn in a bodyslam position and drops him over the top rope with Ax assisting from the outside. It's just a killer finisher and you think there's going to be a title change but Arn pulls the ref out and it's a DQ. Great match. Maybe as good as the Rockers one. Maybe better. Watch this.
VR: On Saturday Nights Main Event The Brainbusters (Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson) defeated Ax and Smash of Demolition for the tag team titles. This is the big rematch in Madison Square Garden. Busters are managed by Bobby "The Brain" Heenan.
Champions are waiting in the ring when Demolition's music starts. I love the way guys are shown walking down the hall in MSG, really makes a match look like a big deal. Demolition walking to the ring with purpose. The Busters attack them before they can remove their hoods. Tully attacks Smash as he enters the ring and its on. Ax is in and the Brainbusters are getting their asses kicked. Demos whip the Busters into one another then double clubber Arn before removing their hoods.
The story here is the same as other Demos/Busters matches. The Brainbusters are no match for Demolitions power and Demolition have equal or greater team work. Arn goes for the Sunset flip and Ax starts punching him in the neck. One thing I enjoy about Demolition face matches are they modify old wrestling cliches. Here instead of hitting Arn once he just pummels him.
The Busters/Demos series is a bit like the old Wolf/Sheepdog cartoons. Busters are determined to steal some sheep but that sheepdog just punches him in the mouth each time.
I think Demolition were the perfect opponents for Tully and Arn. In his shoot Tully talked about how he liked to get a bare minimum of heat to keep the fans hooked in. So this works with Demolition. They get beaten on just enough to keep the fans hooked in.
Arn whips Ax into the ropes and Ax clotheslines both of them like dominoes.
This goes without saying but Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard are the greatest. Everything ARn does here is great. He does this selling that gets over Demolition as being super tough without making him look weak.
Arn gets knocked to the floor and Ax rams him into the ring and throws Tully into the turnbuckle. Busters finally gain the advantage when Arn hits a nice looking elbow in Smash's back. Liked Smash's spastic selling. Then Tully comes off the top with a flying elbow. Arn hits the spinebuster but does not go for the pin. He must be the one giving Big Bossman advice.
Arn goes for a knee drop and Smash blocks in and atomic drops Arn into an Ax boot. Tony Schiavonie and Hillbilly Jim make a really good announce team. Jim drops his schtick mostly and Tony has the smooth delivery and play by play he is good for.
Tully comes in and Ax knees him in the back as he bounces off the ropes. Ax then starts clubbering. Again I want to put over how great Tully Blanchard is.Everything he does looks fantastic. Everything he does looks like he means it.
Busters finally get the big heat segment on Demolition. Double teaming and choking Ax with the tag rope. Tully clamps on this chinlock that looks brutal like he is trying to rip Ax's head off. Ax starts powering out and Tully tags in Arn, Arn walks in and belts Ax with a hard one.
Busters are firmly in control and this is just great work between two master tag teams. I could watch these guys wrestle forever.
Ax gets the hot tag and Smash is a house of fire. He hits Tully with a brutal looking atomic drop. Then clotheslines him out of the ring. Demolition hits Arn with an assisted Stun Gun bjt Tully pulls the ref out before three drawing the DQ.
Demolition vs. Brain Busters
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http://www.sendspace.com/file/ukmp6v
MD: Honestly, I'm just glad this match exists. We're so lucky that WWF taped for the MSG Network and NESN and what have you. Imagine if we just had PPVs and CV tapes and PTWs to go off of? Anyway, we're lucky this match exists and it's a good one. This comes after the Busters won the title so the two teams know each other pretty well by now.
It starts with the Busters in the ring and Demos walking through the hallways. Yes, even with the masks on, it's easy to tell which one is Smash because of his hyped up body language. Sometimes I wonder if he has ADHD in all the best possible ways. Big brawl from the get go, even before Demos take off the masks. It leads to Arn and Tully tossed into each other with a big sell (and I always wish that heel Demolition sold that spot just a little better). Ends up being Arn and Smash. Arn hits a crisp sunset flip. Smash sinks down and punches him in the side of the throat repeatedly, nastily. Arn comes up and goes to tag Ax in groggily and if that doesn't bring a smile to your face when you see it, then you have no soul. Smash follows up the potatoing with an AWESOME big boot, which he never does in any other match I've seen. Tully's tagged in, trades blows with Smash, only to end up in a bearhug allowing Smash to walk him right into the corner for the Demolition Double-Team Turnbuckle Clubber. Ax tries to choke Tully, but Arn comes around to clobber him from the outside and then tries to get some shots in, but Ax reverses and clotheslines one and then the other in a straight line. Fast, fast pace for this opening segment with lots of neat stuff.
All of this stuff continues from the last few matches with the Demos being more than the Busters' match in the early going. The difference here, of course, is that the Busters have the belts now and that changes the dynamic somewhat. Anyway, a neck vice on Arn by Smash leads to a fun moment where Tully, hanging way over the middle of the ropes, makes a tag and the ref doesn't allow it. I swear that the Busters were playing these strangely earnest characters in the WWF. We get a few more minutes of Arn eating offense with Ax being particularly intense. He just has these bursts of real intensity throughout.
Arn finally makes a desperate tag and Tully comes right off the top. It's amazing how quick he can be. Busters are all over Smash in their corner, do a double whip since nothing else would contain him, and Arn hits the Spinebuster, but even that's not enough when the Demos are chasing the belts. He tries for a knee drop and Smash catches it and does his stand up into a flip and atomic drop into their corner. It's a cool variation on the last time he did it which was off a stomp and lead to just dropping Arn onto his butt. Smash does the triple fist pump/scream afterwards and the crowd goes nuts. Tully almost takes over with dirty tactics but he runs into Ax's foot from the outside and the Demos are cutting the Busters off at every turn. There's a moment here when Ax has Tully in a nasty chinlock that sums up the match: Tully tries to pull Ax's hair. Ax lets out a yelp of pain, and then he pulls right back on Tully's to maintain control. That's the match.
Finally, the Busters cheat to get ahead and it works, with Tully drawing Smash into the ring, the ref taking his life into his hands by grapping Smash's wrist to get him out (But if the Demos get DQed they can't get the belts, so there is that), and tully coming off the top again while Ax has the neck vice on. Busters cheat SO hard to keep ahead. With goading of Smash at every moment. Honestly, no one this side of the Young Stallions had to work so hard to get offense on Demolition but it works so well because the Busters are portrayed as doing everything right despite having such a hard time of it and Demolition as cheating just as much, and of course, they keep winning against Demolition in the end. Spoiler warning: they keep the belts.
Anyway, Tully locks a KILLER chinlock on Ax, one of the nastiest I've seen, but Ax stands up and it's portrayed as this awesome struggle. Busters double-team and stay on top, beating down Ax anyway imaginable over the next couple of minutes and Ax just eats the offense awesomely. Some of the best FIP stuff I've seen out of Ax, especially considering it only last a couple of minutes. That's just the pace of this match. Eventually, he fights back long enough to get Tully out of the way so it's one on one and while Arn has the advantage, they end up hitting heads off the ropes. But they delay the hot tag by having Tully RUN around the ring at a key moment. Arn then comes off the top only to eat the awesome clothesline counter (done by Ax instead of Smash as opposed to the 2/3 falls match). Tully comes in at a key moment again but it's too late. Perfectly time hot tag. Smash runs in, a total house of fire. He bullcharges through Tully, and slams Arn, tosses Tully's head into the corner post, crushes Arn's skull on the mat, catches Tully off the top with an inverted atomic drop, signals to the crowd and points at arn, and then clotheslines Tully over the top. This is like the best hot tag offense I've ever seen here. Then Smash lifts up Arn in a bodyslam position and drops him over the top rope with Ax assisting from the outside. It's just a killer finisher and you think there's going to be a title change but Arn pulls the ref out and it's a DQ. Great match. Maybe as good as the Rockers one. Maybe better. Watch this.
VR: On Saturday Nights Main Event The Brainbusters (Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson) defeated Ax and Smash of Demolition for the tag team titles. This is the big rematch in Madison Square Garden. Busters are managed by Bobby "The Brain" Heenan.
Champions are waiting in the ring when Demolition's music starts. I love the way guys are shown walking down the hall in MSG, really makes a match look like a big deal. Demolition walking to the ring with purpose. The Busters attack them before they can remove their hoods. Tully attacks Smash as he enters the ring and its on. Ax is in and the Brainbusters are getting their asses kicked. Demos whip the Busters into one another then double clubber Arn before removing their hoods.
The story here is the same as other Demos/Busters matches. The Brainbusters are no match for Demolitions power and Demolition have equal or greater team work. Arn goes for the Sunset flip and Ax starts punching him in the neck. One thing I enjoy about Demolition face matches are they modify old wrestling cliches. Here instead of hitting Arn once he just pummels him.
The Busters/Demos series is a bit like the old Wolf/Sheepdog cartoons. Busters are determined to steal some sheep but that sheepdog just punches him in the mouth each time.
I think Demolition were the perfect opponents for Tully and Arn. In his shoot Tully talked about how he liked to get a bare minimum of heat to keep the fans hooked in. So this works with Demolition. They get beaten on just enough to keep the fans hooked in.
Arn whips Ax into the ropes and Ax clotheslines both of them like dominoes.
This goes without saying but Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard are the greatest. Everything ARn does here is great. He does this selling that gets over Demolition as being super tough without making him look weak.
Arn gets knocked to the floor and Ax rams him into the ring and throws Tully into the turnbuckle. Busters finally gain the advantage when Arn hits a nice looking elbow in Smash's back. Liked Smash's spastic selling. Then Tully comes off the top with a flying elbow. Arn hits the spinebuster but does not go for the pin. He must be the one giving Big Bossman advice.
Arn goes for a knee drop and Smash blocks in and atomic drops Arn into an Ax boot. Tony Schiavonie and Hillbilly Jim make a really good announce team. Jim drops his schtick mostly and Tony has the smooth delivery and play by play he is good for.
Tully comes in and Ax knees him in the back as he bounces off the ropes. Ax then starts clubbering. Again I want to put over how great Tully Blanchard is.Everything he does looks fantastic. Everything he does looks like he means it.
Busters finally get the big heat segment on Demolition. Double teaming and choking Ax with the tag rope. Tully clamps on this chinlock that looks brutal like he is trying to rip Ax's head off. Ax starts powering out and Tully tags in Arn, Arn walks in and belts Ax with a hard one.
Busters are firmly in control and this is just great work between two master tag teams. I could watch these guys wrestle forever.
Ax gets the hot tag and Smash is a house of fire. He hits Tully with a brutal looking atomic drop. Then clotheslines him out of the ring. Demolition hits Arn with an assisted Stun Gun bjt Tully pulls the ref out before three drawing the DQ.
Unitled Demolition Project Day 18
Demolition vs Billy Jack Haynes/Brady Boone - Houston -12/11/87 (PTW 1-12-88)
Demolition vs Billy Jack Haynes & Brady Boone
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MD: More disclosure. This is a whole lot like the BJH/Patera match from Copps about two weeks later (though a good deal different from the last BJH/Patera match we looked at, so there's that). This match was aired and was the big revenge match for Boone, with the storyline being that Patera's injured arm was keeping him out of it. I, for one, can't wait to see Demolition pound on ol' Battle Kat some more, so let's get to it.
Brawl to start off with Brady flying around with a back elbow and an BJH-toss-cross body. Faces get advantage and start working on Smash's arm. Smash gets tossed around when BJH is is in there but keeps almost reversing everything Boone does. He's in the face's corner, however, and they stay on top of him. Billy Jack keeps working on Ax and Smash's arms with armdrags and arm bars while Mike McGuirk hurts my head with her announcing, but he eats an Ax kick from the outside while bouncing off the ropes and Demos take over. A toss to the outside allows for some Fuji intervention via the cane. Boone comes around to save and Fuji pokes him with it too in a pretty funny moment. Demos stay on top with clubbering and neck-vices until BJH blocks a Smash suplex and hits a big one of his own. Ax misses that awesome looking headbutt that he never-ever hits (It's his version of Barbarian's second rope-walk elbow), and we get the hot tag.
Boone comes in, hits some quick Lanny Poffo offense and then immediately runs into a killer punch/clothesline from Ax who just takes his head off. Demos clubber until they just chuck him out of the ring. BJH gets him back in and Ax clotheslines him again before putting on a nasty chinlock (which the Demos rarely used, they were far fonder of the neck vice). Boone fights to his feet, bridging up and Ax just plasters him in the chest and it's all quite enjoyable so far as manglings go. Boone hits a sunset flip but the Demos manage their trademark perfectly-timed tag. Basically, everything that Boone tries at this point just gets rejected and then he gets punished for even trying it. It's a lot of fun. Smash sure looks like he's having fun.
Unfortunately, Boone does this handstand cartwheel flip thing off of Smash's back and makes the hot tag. BJH comes in and powers through both Demos, hitting that running power slam. It's chaos in the ring at this point. Boone is on the ropes in the corner punching Smash and BJH comes over to kick him which just looks all wrong. Boone seems all in the wrong place for a double clothesline on Smash. Then they do it to Ax too. Then Boone takes forever to get up to the top rope and Smash walks up to him. Boone basically falls on Smash and lands on his own head. We'll call it a proto-flapjack and be kind. It's a painful looking landing though. Smash hits the killer hotshot on Boone and that's the match.
I'll be honest, the Patera/BJH Boston match is a whole lot better, but it's actually really enjoyable watching Demos mangle Boone. Right after this Demos feud with Strike Force for the titles and it's obvious why they started to get over as faces considering.
Demolition vs Billy Jack Haynes & Brady Boone
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MD: More disclosure. This is a whole lot like the BJH/Patera match from Copps about two weeks later (though a good deal different from the last BJH/Patera match we looked at, so there's that). This match was aired and was the big revenge match for Boone, with the storyline being that Patera's injured arm was keeping him out of it. I, for one, can't wait to see Demolition pound on ol' Battle Kat some more, so let's get to it.
Brawl to start off with Brady flying around with a back elbow and an BJH-toss-cross body. Faces get advantage and start working on Smash's arm. Smash gets tossed around when BJH is is in there but keeps almost reversing everything Boone does. He's in the face's corner, however, and they stay on top of him. Billy Jack keeps working on Ax and Smash's arms with armdrags and arm bars while Mike McGuirk hurts my head with her announcing, but he eats an Ax kick from the outside while bouncing off the ropes and Demos take over. A toss to the outside allows for some Fuji intervention via the cane. Boone comes around to save and Fuji pokes him with it too in a pretty funny moment. Demos stay on top with clubbering and neck-vices until BJH blocks a Smash suplex and hits a big one of his own. Ax misses that awesome looking headbutt that he never-ever hits (It's his version of Barbarian's second rope-walk elbow), and we get the hot tag.
Boone comes in, hits some quick Lanny Poffo offense and then immediately runs into a killer punch/clothesline from Ax who just takes his head off. Demos clubber until they just chuck him out of the ring. BJH gets him back in and Ax clotheslines him again before putting on a nasty chinlock (which the Demos rarely used, they were far fonder of the neck vice). Boone fights to his feet, bridging up and Ax just plasters him in the chest and it's all quite enjoyable so far as manglings go. Boone hits a sunset flip but the Demos manage their trademark perfectly-timed tag. Basically, everything that Boone tries at this point just gets rejected and then he gets punished for even trying it. It's a lot of fun. Smash sure looks like he's having fun.
Unfortunately, Boone does this handstand cartwheel flip thing off of Smash's back and makes the hot tag. BJH comes in and powers through both Demos, hitting that running power slam. It's chaos in the ring at this point. Boone is on the ropes in the corner punching Smash and BJH comes over to kick him which just looks all wrong. Boone seems all in the wrong place for a double clothesline on Smash. Then they do it to Ax too. Then Boone takes forever to get up to the top rope and Smash walks up to him. Boone basically falls on Smash and lands on his own head. We'll call it a proto-flapjack and be kind. It's a painful looking landing though. Smash hits the killer hotshot on Boone and that's the match.
I'll be honest, the Patera/BJH Boston match is a whole lot better, but it's actually really enjoyable watching Demos mangle Boone. Right after this Demos feud with Strike Force for the titles and it's obvious why they started to get over as faces considering.
Unitled Demolition Project Day 17
Demolition vs Billy Jack Haynes/Ken Patera - Boston - 11/7/87
Billy Jack Haynes & Ken Patera vs. Demolition
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MD: Full disclosure from the get go. This is a matinee match. There is an evening match in Philly for the same day. It's just about the exact same match but from a different camera angle and with worse announcers. There are things I am very impressed about that they were able to pull off the same match twice in the same day, certainly, but after seeing so many different Demolition matches against the same opponents that are in fact different, it was a little surreal to see this. I blame the faces so much as I blame everyone, which isn't much.
For one thing, the match works. This is the best post-jail Patera match I've ever seen. I haven't seen any of his earlier work, I'll be honest. People say it's good. I have a hard time believing it. He is up there with Dino Bravo,Boris Zhukov, and Kerry-With-One-Foot as my least favorite WWF guys from this era. He just doesn't fit in at all. I came in knowing next to nothing about Billy Jack, except for the crazy conspiracy theories. From what I understood, his work wasn't thought of highly. So I was not expecting much from this. And you know, it's actually pretty good, though it feels really quite weird for a Demolition match.
Also, and I know I need to get to the match, but one of the best things about the match is that Nick Bockwinkel is announcing. It is such a sad thing that he didn't keep on announcing WWF throughout the late 80s. Yes, the Duke of Dorchester is here too but even he can't hurt things much, not in the face of Mr.Bockwinkel
Ok, the match. Brawling to begin. Obviously, BJH and Patera want revenge from the demolishing they took on Superstars. Faces with advantage. Toss Demos into each other, shoddy kick by Patera and a nice high knee by BJH. Then a tag-in, leapfrog by BJH, terrible, terrible forearm to the head by Patera. Double Elbow-drop. Oregonians showing that they can use teamwork. Faces stay on top with Smash missing a good crash into the corner. Shortly thereafter there's a bit of criss-crossing with him and BJH and Smash actually does a drop down, which you almost never see. Anyway, Fuji hooks the leg with the cane and the heels take over with a great clothesline off the distraction.
Here we get an extended heat segment on BJH, who eats it quite well in a fiery A-List babyface sort of way. I presume he was on top in a territory at some point, because he has that sort of air in this match even if it is much lower on the card. Lots of work on the back/shoulder and Gorilla surmises it's to weaken the Full Nelson later on. Doubleteams, well-timed cut offs, clubbering. The usual. Ax misses a GIANT elbowdrop and BJH makes the hot tag. Patera fights off both guys including a crummy backbreaker and a quasi-garvin stomp and using his arm brace in the most Iron Mike Sharpe way possible. Smash does this great bit of selling in the ropes. Fairly quickly in, he eats an Ax kick while charging into the corner and Demos take over.
Second heat segment now as Demolition just dismantle Patera's injured arm. A good amount of cool stuff like Ax holding the arm down and Smash splashing it and an attempt to tear apart the brace (the existence of which Bockwinkel is great in questioning). Finally though, Patera ducks a shot and hits a brace-assisted clothesline and makes the second hot tag of the match. BJH comes in like a powerhouse, fighting off both Demos. He hits first a power-slam on Smash (in the Philly match it's this neat drop down to a knee out of a fireman's carry) and then a HUGE Suplex, which is something you never see guys do on Smash. Then he goes for the Full-Nelson but can't lock it. I'd love to say that this is because of the back/shoulder work earlier in the match but I think that might be overly generous. Anyway, Ax comes in, Patera comes in. Ref is distracted. Fuji clobbers Billy Jack with the cane. Patera throws the ref and it's a double DQ.
Post-Match, Ax dismantles Patera with the cane until BJH gets his hands on it and swings wild until Ax and Smash take a powder (with smash doing this really big drop down to get out of the ring). It's a pretty good match. I had no problem with Billy Jack. I would have rather had Matt Bourne in there if I can pick anyone with that sort of a look from the Portland area, but it was a lot more than I expected and somewhat unique for the WWF in that era in that it had two heat segments and hot tags. Another different sort of match out of Demolition.
Billy Jack Haynes & Ken Patera vs. Demolition
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MD: Full disclosure from the get go. This is a matinee match. There is an evening match in Philly for the same day. It's just about the exact same match but from a different camera angle and with worse announcers. There are things I am very impressed about that they were able to pull off the same match twice in the same day, certainly, but after seeing so many different Demolition matches against the same opponents that are in fact different, it was a little surreal to see this. I blame the faces so much as I blame everyone, which isn't much.
For one thing, the match works. This is the best post-jail Patera match I've ever seen. I haven't seen any of his earlier work, I'll be honest. People say it's good. I have a hard time believing it. He is up there with Dino Bravo,Boris Zhukov, and Kerry-With-One-Foot as my least favorite WWF guys from this era. He just doesn't fit in at all. I came in knowing next to nothing about Billy Jack, except for the crazy conspiracy theories. From what I understood, his work wasn't thought of highly. So I was not expecting much from this. And you know, it's actually pretty good, though it feels really quite weird for a Demolition match.
Also, and I know I need to get to the match, but one of the best things about the match is that Nick Bockwinkel is announcing. It is such a sad thing that he didn't keep on announcing WWF throughout the late 80s. Yes, the Duke of Dorchester is here too but even he can't hurt things much, not in the face of Mr.Bockwinkel
Ok, the match. Brawling to begin. Obviously, BJH and Patera want revenge from the demolishing they took on Superstars. Faces with advantage. Toss Demos into each other, shoddy kick by Patera and a nice high knee by BJH. Then a tag-in, leapfrog by BJH, terrible, terrible forearm to the head by Patera. Double Elbow-drop. Oregonians showing that they can use teamwork. Faces stay on top with Smash missing a good crash into the corner. Shortly thereafter there's a bit of criss-crossing with him and BJH and Smash actually does a drop down, which you almost never see. Anyway, Fuji hooks the leg with the cane and the heels take over with a great clothesline off the distraction.
Here we get an extended heat segment on BJH, who eats it quite well in a fiery A-List babyface sort of way. I presume he was on top in a territory at some point, because he has that sort of air in this match even if it is much lower on the card. Lots of work on the back/shoulder and Gorilla surmises it's to weaken the Full Nelson later on. Doubleteams, well-timed cut offs, clubbering. The usual. Ax misses a GIANT elbowdrop and BJH makes the hot tag. Patera fights off both guys including a crummy backbreaker and a quasi-garvin stomp and using his arm brace in the most Iron Mike Sharpe way possible. Smash does this great bit of selling in the ropes. Fairly quickly in, he eats an Ax kick while charging into the corner and Demos take over.
Second heat segment now as Demolition just dismantle Patera's injured arm. A good amount of cool stuff like Ax holding the arm down and Smash splashing it and an attempt to tear apart the brace (the existence of which Bockwinkel is great in questioning). Finally though, Patera ducks a shot and hits a brace-assisted clothesline and makes the second hot tag of the match. BJH comes in like a powerhouse, fighting off both Demos. He hits first a power-slam on Smash (in the Philly match it's this neat drop down to a knee out of a fireman's carry) and then a HUGE Suplex, which is something you never see guys do on Smash. Then he goes for the Full-Nelson but can't lock it. I'd love to say that this is because of the back/shoulder work earlier in the match but I think that might be overly generous. Anyway, Ax comes in, Patera comes in. Ref is distracted. Fuji clobbers Billy Jack with the cane. Patera throws the ref and it's a double DQ.
Post-Match, Ax dismantles Patera with the cane until BJH gets his hands on it and swings wild until Ax and Smash take a powder (with smash doing this really big drop down to get out of the ring). It's a pretty good match. I had no problem with Billy Jack. I would have rather had Matt Bourne in there if I can pick anyone with that sort of a look from the Portland area, but it was a lot more than I expected and somewhat unique for the WWF in that era in that it had two heat segments and hot tags. Another different sort of match out of Demolition.
Untitled Demolition Project Day 16
Demolition vs Boone/Casey - Milwaukee - 10/6/87 (Aired 10/31/87 Superstars)
Demolition in action
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VR: I want to thank Johnny Guitar for pointing me in the direction of this match/angle because its as awesome as he says. Ax and Smash look nearly identical at this point. Its not until Smash grows his hair out you can easily tell them apart.
This is your basic squash match seemingly. Boone gets hyped as Billy Jerk Haynes cousin. With Billy Jerk getting an insert promo. Boone gets beat on by Smash at the start. But he does this neat tumble over Smash to tag in Casey. Casey catches Smash with a dropkick. Tries another and misses. Now Demos are working over Scott Casey. Meanwhile Billy Jerk gets an insert promo.Putting over Boone's hard work.
Im glad I grew up in craphole Alabama so I only had to hear Fink ruin Superstars matches twice a year at most. Demolition are now fully Demolition. Lots of clubbering here. With them beating down Scott Casey. Ax pops Boone for sleeping on the apron.
Smash punches Casey into Boone who comes in and starts firing away on Smash. Hits some nice looking dropkicks and flying back elbows. He tries a hurracarana, but Smash drops him across the top rope. This looked brutal especially in 1987. This is it for Boone. He gets The Decapitator for 3. But Demos are not done they do it again. They do it a third time. Billy Jerk runs in for the save but Demolition beats him down. They hit the Decapitator again. Now Patera comes to the rescue and he gets beaten down with Ax hitting his broke arm with Fuji's cane. Demolition leave the ring now with their theme song kicking in showing the carnage left in the ring. This was an all time great badass moment.
MD: I find it neat that this is something people have strong memories about since I had no idea it existed. As best as I can tell, this is Demolition's first big program/angle and it's a really strong one, especially considering who they were up against. Brady Boone is incredibly laughable. He just has the silliest offense that you can find in the WWF in this era. He just does contrived dives and body movements and I very much wish that he was a heel an teamed up with Lanny Poffo because if that was the case, everyone would want to see them get pounded on so badly. I had no idea he was billed as BJH's cousin. Scott Casey is that guy who got subbed into that Survivor Series and confused everyone in 1988. I know him primarily as Steve Dane because I grew up with GWF.
This is a competitive squash at best, but that's okay. We're here for the post-match angle and really we haven't done any Demolition squashes and that was obviously a big part of their schick. Here Smash's clubbering on Boone looks great. Boone does this tumbling fly over a low Smash punch and tags Casey in who hits a laughable dropkick and misses a second in the ropes (which is actually a pretty neat visual). Ax comes in and hey, it's the Billy Jack insert. They probably should have timed that when Boone was in and looking okay, not when Casey was getting pounded on. Smash's clubbering really looks great in this match. They also keep nailing Boone on the outside just because they can.
Casey finally crawls over and makes the tag and Boone comes flying into the ring, feet first. Smash eats a bunch of his offense without falling, which is fairly believable all things considered. Boone tries to get revenge by dropkicking Ax on the outside, and follows that up with the Volkoff spinning kick and tries to go for the 'rana only to eat a particularly nasty elevated Smash hotshot. Decapitation. Pin. And then they do it again to him and no one in the world could possibly blame them. They hit it a third time and there's no wonder why they started to get over as faces here. I have no idea what Scott Casey is doing at this point. BJH finally takes offense to this and runs in. Say what you will about him but he plays a real good fiery babyface. Eventually, the numbers game gets him though and he gets decapitated for his trouble. And here's jailbird Ken Patera because he's from Oregon too. His arm has a brace on it and they start dismantling him with the cane from the get go. Then they calmly and cooly leave the ring and we have an instant feud. Good stuff. Demolition looked godlike here but they also made Boone seem like he was worth the trouble.
Demolition in action
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VR: I want to thank Johnny Guitar for pointing me in the direction of this match/angle because its as awesome as he says. Ax and Smash look nearly identical at this point. Its not until Smash grows his hair out you can easily tell them apart.
This is your basic squash match seemingly. Boone gets hyped as Billy Jerk Haynes cousin. With Billy Jerk getting an insert promo. Boone gets beat on by Smash at the start. But he does this neat tumble over Smash to tag in Casey. Casey catches Smash with a dropkick. Tries another and misses. Now Demos are working over Scott Casey. Meanwhile Billy Jerk gets an insert promo.Putting over Boone's hard work.
Im glad I grew up in craphole Alabama so I only had to hear Fink ruin Superstars matches twice a year at most. Demolition are now fully Demolition. Lots of clubbering here. With them beating down Scott Casey. Ax pops Boone for sleeping on the apron.
Smash punches Casey into Boone who comes in and starts firing away on Smash. Hits some nice looking dropkicks and flying back elbows. He tries a hurracarana, but Smash drops him across the top rope. This looked brutal especially in 1987. This is it for Boone. He gets The Decapitator for 3. But Demos are not done they do it again. They do it a third time. Billy Jerk runs in for the save but Demolition beats him down. They hit the Decapitator again. Now Patera comes to the rescue and he gets beaten down with Ax hitting his broke arm with Fuji's cane. Demolition leave the ring now with their theme song kicking in showing the carnage left in the ring. This was an all time great badass moment.
MD: I find it neat that this is something people have strong memories about since I had no idea it existed. As best as I can tell, this is Demolition's first big program/angle and it's a really strong one, especially considering who they were up against. Brady Boone is incredibly laughable. He just has the silliest offense that you can find in the WWF in this era. He just does contrived dives and body movements and I very much wish that he was a heel an teamed up with Lanny Poffo because if that was the case, everyone would want to see them get pounded on so badly. I had no idea he was billed as BJH's cousin. Scott Casey is that guy who got subbed into that Survivor Series and confused everyone in 1988. I know him primarily as Steve Dane because I grew up with GWF.
This is a competitive squash at best, but that's okay. We're here for the post-match angle and really we haven't done any Demolition squashes and that was obviously a big part of their schick. Here Smash's clubbering on Boone looks great. Boone does this tumbling fly over a low Smash punch and tags Casey in who hits a laughable dropkick and misses a second in the ropes (which is actually a pretty neat visual). Ax comes in and hey, it's the Billy Jack insert. They probably should have timed that when Boone was in and looking okay, not when Casey was getting pounded on. Smash's clubbering really looks great in this match. They also keep nailing Boone on the outside just because they can.
Casey finally crawls over and makes the tag and Boone comes flying into the ring, feet first. Smash eats a bunch of his offense without falling, which is fairly believable all things considered. Boone tries to get revenge by dropkicking Ax on the outside, and follows that up with the Volkoff spinning kick and tries to go for the 'rana only to eat a particularly nasty elevated Smash hotshot. Decapitation. Pin. And then they do it again to him and no one in the world could possibly blame them. They hit it a third time and there's no wonder why they started to get over as faces here. I have no idea what Scott Casey is doing at this point. BJH finally takes offense to this and runs in. Say what you will about him but he plays a real good fiery babyface. Eventually, the numbers game gets him though and he gets decapitated for his trouble. And here's jailbird Ken Patera because he's from Oregon too. His arm has a brace on it and they start dismantling him with the cane from the get go. Then they calmly and cooly leave the ring and we have an instant feud. Good stuff. Demolition looked godlike here but they also made Boone seem like he was worth the trouble.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Untitled Demolition Project Day 10
10. Demolition/Fuji vs Strike Force/Ultimate Warrior - Boston - 6/4/88
MD: This is a very different match from Bulldogs/Warrior vs Demolition/Fuji. It comes about a month before the other match and in some ways is more of what you'd expect and in some ways is just really quite odd. Demolition takes their good time getting their gear off but they're allowed being the new champs and all. Warrior being there is to help even the odds considering it was Fuji interference which had a big part to play at WM with the title changes. Warrior gets into a huddle and Fuji throws the ceremonial salt. In the Bulldogs match, he started out with Dynamite from the get go. Here he taunts Martel with a bow and immediately tags out to Smash with a big smirk on his face. He's going to pick his spots and be chickenshit here. Smash pounds on Martel and tags Fuji in, who thinks he has easy prey for some cheap shots. Martel's playing possum and Fuji gets hammered quick. Both the crowd and the Warrior, who does this crazy leg-lifting fist pump thing from the outside, love this. The biggest problem with this match, compared to the Bulldogs one, is the camera angle. We can't see what Warrior's doing most of the time. It's a travesty.
Anyway Fuji takes a few bumps before tagging Ax in and things look like they'll get back to normal, but Martel almost immediately runs to Warrior and it's crazytime again. Ax draws back to his corner for a conference because really (like in the Bulldogs match), what the hell does one do with the Ultimate Warrior? Bounce off of him a lot, for one. Ax marches around bemused, hammers him a few times as Warrior does this crazy bouncing selling, and then eats a clothesline after a duck under. Tag to Smash. Ax has had enough. I'll stop here because as fun as it is to do Warrior PBP, we already covered this ground in the Bulldogs match. Highlights to watch for: Warrior hits a nasty out of the corner short clothesline on Smash. Tito reaches for a tag and Warrior just keeps walking around the ring like a madman. Strike Force and Warrior do awesomely amusing double team arm offense, including this weird weird kick wind up to a big windmill punch by Warrior at the 8 minute mark that looks like he's having a seizure. Actually the arm work on Smash is good because Strike Force has learned their lesson by now and are just doing super quick tags so that they can double team him as much as possible. Warrior looks like he's having a blast.
Finally, though, he misses a corner splash which leads to Ax coming in, stomping the life out of Warrior, and the Demos double teaming and taking over. Warrior is such an odd FIP. Oh and here's the most surreal moment of the match: Fuji comes in just to hit the Banzai falling headbutt on Warrior. Warrior gets a foot up on a charging Ax, though, and does the Tommy Dreamer upside-down rope climb across the ring to make the hot tag. Tito gets in, hits the fivearm and slaps on the figure four. Now if this was a normal Strike Force match, this is where Fuji would hit the salt in the face of Tito and we'd go into the finish. The chaotic force of the Ultimate Warrior alters such a destiny tonight. He's there and clobbers Fuji out of nowhere. The salt flies. Fuji goes down. He does not get up. Ax makes it to the ropes but Tito keeps working the leg. Smash is completely focused on helping Fuji to the back as his partner gets mangled, which is hardly surprising given their relationship.
What this means is that suddenly we've got a 3 on 2 handicap with the third man on the face side being the freaking Ultimate Warrior and Ax having a bad wheel. Demolition is suddenly fighting for their lives. Ax reverses another Figure 4 and gets out and they take over on Tito with Smash dropping him neck first over the top rope. When they try to hammer him on the outside, however, the faces rush over. Demos can't get a break with these odds. Still, they double-team, keep things at their pace, make frequent tags and cut Tito off at every turn (including after a great non-flying forearm off the ropes). They don't take risks. They keep on top of him with neck vices and just beat the tar out of him. They infuriate Warrior allowing for illegal switches (including an awesome corner pummeling on Tito by Ax that looks just great). Finally Ax misses his falling headbutt(which yes, he never hits), and Smash misses an elbow on a cut off Tito, who finally uses his superior speed to get around Smash for the super hot tag. Well done segment there. Martel hits the Canadian hammer and puts in the Boston Crab but Ax hits him from behind. That might be a finish too, were Warrior not there to intervene. Now it's a 2 on 2 brawl with Tito recovering and Martel and Warrior totally fresh. Warrior goes out. Tito comes in. Tito goes out. Warrior goes to the top. Demos doubleteam Martel. Ax turns around with perfect timing and eats a Warrior double axe-handle from the top and that's the match. Very weird match that almost felt like two different ones with the Fuji injury being the split.
MD: This is a very different match from Bulldogs/Warrior vs Demolition/Fuji. It comes about a month before the other match and in some ways is more of what you'd expect and in some ways is just really quite odd. Demolition takes their good time getting their gear off but they're allowed being the new champs and all. Warrior being there is to help even the odds considering it was Fuji interference which had a big part to play at WM with the title changes. Warrior gets into a huddle and Fuji throws the ceremonial salt. In the Bulldogs match, he started out with Dynamite from the get go. Here he taunts Martel with a bow and immediately tags out to Smash with a big smirk on his face. He's going to pick his spots and be chickenshit here. Smash pounds on Martel and tags Fuji in, who thinks he has easy prey for some cheap shots. Martel's playing possum and Fuji gets hammered quick. Both the crowd and the Warrior, who does this crazy leg-lifting fist pump thing from the outside, love this. The biggest problem with this match, compared to the Bulldogs one, is the camera angle. We can't see what Warrior's doing most of the time. It's a travesty.
Anyway Fuji takes a few bumps before tagging Ax in and things look like they'll get back to normal, but Martel almost immediately runs to Warrior and it's crazytime again. Ax draws back to his corner for a conference because really (like in the Bulldogs match), what the hell does one do with the Ultimate Warrior? Bounce off of him a lot, for one. Ax marches around bemused, hammers him a few times as Warrior does this crazy bouncing selling, and then eats a clothesline after a duck under. Tag to Smash. Ax has had enough. I'll stop here because as fun as it is to do Warrior PBP, we already covered this ground in the Bulldogs match. Highlights to watch for: Warrior hits a nasty out of the corner short clothesline on Smash. Tito reaches for a tag and Warrior just keeps walking around the ring like a madman. Strike Force and Warrior do awesomely amusing double team arm offense, including this weird weird kick wind up to a big windmill punch by Warrior at the 8 minute mark that looks like he's having a seizure. Actually the arm work on Smash is good because Strike Force has learned their lesson by now and are just doing super quick tags so that they can double team him as much as possible. Warrior looks like he's having a blast.
Finally, though, he misses a corner splash which leads to Ax coming in, stomping the life out of Warrior, and the Demos double teaming and taking over. Warrior is such an odd FIP. Oh and here's the most surreal moment of the match: Fuji comes in just to hit the Banzai falling headbutt on Warrior. Warrior gets a foot up on a charging Ax, though, and does the Tommy Dreamer upside-down rope climb across the ring to make the hot tag. Tito gets in, hits the fivearm and slaps on the figure four. Now if this was a normal Strike Force match, this is where Fuji would hit the salt in the face of Tito and we'd go into the finish. The chaotic force of the Ultimate Warrior alters such a destiny tonight. He's there and clobbers Fuji out of nowhere. The salt flies. Fuji goes down. He does not get up. Ax makes it to the ropes but Tito keeps working the leg. Smash is completely focused on helping Fuji to the back as his partner gets mangled, which is hardly surprising given their relationship.
What this means is that suddenly we've got a 3 on 2 handicap with the third man on the face side being the freaking Ultimate Warrior and Ax having a bad wheel. Demolition is suddenly fighting for their lives. Ax reverses another Figure 4 and gets out and they take over on Tito with Smash dropping him neck first over the top rope. When they try to hammer him on the outside, however, the faces rush over. Demos can't get a break with these odds. Still, they double-team, keep things at their pace, make frequent tags and cut Tito off at every turn (including after a great non-flying forearm off the ropes). They don't take risks. They keep on top of him with neck vices and just beat the tar out of him. They infuriate Warrior allowing for illegal switches (including an awesome corner pummeling on Tito by Ax that looks just great). Finally Ax misses his falling headbutt(which yes, he never hits), and Smash misses an elbow on a cut off Tito, who finally uses his superior speed to get around Smash for the super hot tag. Well done segment there. Martel hits the Canadian hammer and puts in the Boston Crab but Ax hits him from behind. That might be a finish too, were Warrior not there to intervene. Now it's a 2 on 2 brawl with Tito recovering and Martel and Warrior totally fresh. Warrior goes out. Tito comes in. Tito goes out. Warrior goes to the top. Demos doubleteam Martel. Ax turns around with perfect timing and eats a Warrior double axe-handle from the top and that's the match. Very weird match that almost felt like two different ones with the Fuji injury being the split.
Untitled Demolition Project Day 15
Demolition© vs Powers of Pain - Milwaukee - 2/2/89 (aired PTW - Face-to-Face special 2/20/89)
Demolition vs Powers Of Pain-WWF Tag Team Titles
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MD: There are very few Powers of Pain/Demolition matches of any length available to us. They ran the feud for the better part of five or six months so I'm not sure if that was to extend it by just giving fans a taste or if the agents didn't have a lot of faith in Warlord and Barbarian or what. Of the matches we have available, this one is basically a set up for WM V but still has its share of fun stuff. Warlord would be a whole lot better by 1991. Barbarian is of course pretty good at what he does.
So we all know the story. Fuji turned on the Demos with the double-turn at Survivor Series 1988. Obviously, it would have made more sense to do so in a title match later, but whatever. Demos are angry and want revenge on Fooj the Stooge. Powers of Pain think they have the advantage with Fuji and want the belts. Brawl to start. Ax is already all but shoving the referee even as the bell rings. Warlord starts off hammering on Smash but Ax disrupts things and Smash takes over, clubbering away. This is going to be a big brawl for the most part. A double clothesline leads to Ax putting the neck vice on Warlord, which allows him to yell at Fuji. The point here is obviously to set up the handi-cap tag at Mania and there's a lot of Fuji interaction.
Demolition stays on top until Smash misses a charge into the corner. Warlord does a good job selling the damage as he stumbles into his corner allowing Barbarian to take over with the Powers own brand of clubber and a nasty big boot. Barbarian goes back to the well and Smash catches the foot, tossing Barb down allowing Demolition clubbering to begin anew. Smash really makes a great face. He just brings an energy to things. Pretty good back and forth stuff so far. Demolition maintains control with a quick tag or two until Ax, while fighting off both Powers in their corner, eats a cane hook trip from Fuji and goes down, allowing Fuji to choke him with it a moment later. THIS is followed up by Warlord holding him so Fuji can clobber with the cane. Tony and Lord Alfred use this to sell WM. Fuji won't have the cane in the match after all.
Powers on top. Chokes, clubbering, quick exchanges. It's a bit surreal to see Demolition get such a taste of their own medicine. Barbarian hits a great shoulder-breaker followed up by a nerve hold on the shoulder. This leads to a really good visual of Ax and Smash JUST not able to reach one another to make the tag. Totally believable. Warlord comes illegally in after Smash is goaded and has the wherewithal to go to the shoulder too. Ax never just sits there in these holds. He's trying to struggle out. He can't make it though. There's a brief cut here and Ax is leaning outside against the post with Fuji watching on and you can imagine how he got there. They're still keeping on the shoulder (including a really good looking Barbarian headbutt there), but Warlord puts his head down and Ax is able to make the hot tag.
Great hot babyface segment. Smash goes after both. SLAMS both. Clotheslines Barb over the top rope which looks incredibly nasty, and then hits the hotshot on Warlord. Barbarian makes it back in to break up the tag, tosses Ax, and clubbers Smash, setting up the Powers of Pain's nameless doubleteam which you've probably never seen before. Warlord picks Smash up in a big bearhug (though Smash is still fighting back) and Warlord comes off the top rope with a clothesline. Ax breaks it up, clobbers Fuji, takes the cane, and starts clobbering the Powers with it. He must get 25 cane shots out in less than 30 seconds. Fuji shows up with the salt, however, and blinds him, allowing the Powers to really decimate the Demos. Powers lose by DQ but get the last laugh in the lead up to WM 5. Very functional match and actually pretty good on top of that. Demos were good enough at selling that watching them in a situation like this never feels like you're just waiting for their comeback, like with some monster face teams.
VR: I knew starting this we would need to hit upon the Powers of Pain matches.
The match starts with both teams brawling. Ax gets the better of Barbarian while Warlord actually beats down Smash. This is one of the rare times Demolition does not have a over whelming power advantage. They might be slightly weaker. Smash gets the advantage back tags in Ax and they hit Warlord with a Double clothesline that would of killed two Rougeaus and a Killer Bee. Ax slaps on a neck wrench and berates Fooj the Stooge.
Demolition keep the advantage with superior team work. Warlord gets the tag dodging a Smash charge and now Barbarian is in the ring and is clubbering Smash. He hits the Big Boot. Tries a second one and Smash catches it. Well this is when it was a big boot and not the KICK OF FEAR. Now its Smash clubbering.
Ax tags in and here is where the Powers gain the advantage. With Fuji hitting Ax in the thigh with his cane. Now Ax is the victim of classic Demolition triple teaming. Demolition has such great chemistry with Fooj, they were able to slide into the victim role easily.
Now Powers have the advantage. Im not going to say Warlord was good but he was competent at his role. Real basic tag wrestling with Ax as the Demo in peril. This did not happen often. Ax ends up on the outside of the ring and taste the cane a few times. Basically Demolition are playing faces in a early 88 heel Demolition match. Powers of Paui are no Demolition but Demolition are better than the Bees, Ragus or Strike Force.
Smash comes in on the hot tag and starts cleaning house on the Powers of Pain. Nice to see a guy take a clothesline over the top rope properly. Smash hits the Stun Gun on Warlord and Barbarian saves. Powers doubleteam Smash and hit a flying clothesline bearhug combo but Ax saves. Fooj gets on the apron and Ax nails him and takes the cane and goes nut on both Powers. Fuji tosses the salt at Ax and Powers are DQed though honestly Demolition should of been disqualified.
Demolition vs Powers Of Pain-WWF Tag Team Titles
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MD: There are very few Powers of Pain/Demolition matches of any length available to us. They ran the feud for the better part of five or six months so I'm not sure if that was to extend it by just giving fans a taste or if the agents didn't have a lot of faith in Warlord and Barbarian or what. Of the matches we have available, this one is basically a set up for WM V but still has its share of fun stuff. Warlord would be a whole lot better by 1991. Barbarian is of course pretty good at what he does.
So we all know the story. Fuji turned on the Demos with the double-turn at Survivor Series 1988. Obviously, it would have made more sense to do so in a title match later, but whatever. Demos are angry and want revenge on Fooj the Stooge. Powers of Pain think they have the advantage with Fuji and want the belts. Brawl to start. Ax is already all but shoving the referee even as the bell rings. Warlord starts off hammering on Smash but Ax disrupts things and Smash takes over, clubbering away. This is going to be a big brawl for the most part. A double clothesline leads to Ax putting the neck vice on Warlord, which allows him to yell at Fuji. The point here is obviously to set up the handi-cap tag at Mania and there's a lot of Fuji interaction.
Demolition stays on top until Smash misses a charge into the corner. Warlord does a good job selling the damage as he stumbles into his corner allowing Barbarian to take over with the Powers own brand of clubber and a nasty big boot. Barbarian goes back to the well and Smash catches the foot, tossing Barb down allowing Demolition clubbering to begin anew. Smash really makes a great face. He just brings an energy to things. Pretty good back and forth stuff so far. Demolition maintains control with a quick tag or two until Ax, while fighting off both Powers in their corner, eats a cane hook trip from Fuji and goes down, allowing Fuji to choke him with it a moment later. THIS is followed up by Warlord holding him so Fuji can clobber with the cane. Tony and Lord Alfred use this to sell WM. Fuji won't have the cane in the match after all.
Powers on top. Chokes, clubbering, quick exchanges. It's a bit surreal to see Demolition get such a taste of their own medicine. Barbarian hits a great shoulder-breaker followed up by a nerve hold on the shoulder. This leads to a really good visual of Ax and Smash JUST not able to reach one another to make the tag. Totally believable. Warlord comes illegally in after Smash is goaded and has the wherewithal to go to the shoulder too. Ax never just sits there in these holds. He's trying to struggle out. He can't make it though. There's a brief cut here and Ax is leaning outside against the post with Fuji watching on and you can imagine how he got there. They're still keeping on the shoulder (including a really good looking Barbarian headbutt there), but Warlord puts his head down and Ax is able to make the hot tag.
Great hot babyface segment. Smash goes after both. SLAMS both. Clotheslines Barb over the top rope which looks incredibly nasty, and then hits the hotshot on Warlord. Barbarian makes it back in to break up the tag, tosses Ax, and clubbers Smash, setting up the Powers of Pain's nameless doubleteam which you've probably never seen before. Warlord picks Smash up in a big bearhug (though Smash is still fighting back) and Warlord comes off the top rope with a clothesline. Ax breaks it up, clobbers Fuji, takes the cane, and starts clobbering the Powers with it. He must get 25 cane shots out in less than 30 seconds. Fuji shows up with the salt, however, and blinds him, allowing the Powers to really decimate the Demos. Powers lose by DQ but get the last laugh in the lead up to WM 5. Very functional match and actually pretty good on top of that. Demos were good enough at selling that watching them in a situation like this never feels like you're just waiting for their comeback, like with some monster face teams.
VR: I knew starting this we would need to hit upon the Powers of Pain matches.
The match starts with both teams brawling. Ax gets the better of Barbarian while Warlord actually beats down Smash. This is one of the rare times Demolition does not have a over whelming power advantage. They might be slightly weaker. Smash gets the advantage back tags in Ax and they hit Warlord with a Double clothesline that would of killed two Rougeaus and a Killer Bee. Ax slaps on a neck wrench and berates Fooj the Stooge.
Demolition keep the advantage with superior team work. Warlord gets the tag dodging a Smash charge and now Barbarian is in the ring and is clubbering Smash. He hits the Big Boot. Tries a second one and Smash catches it. Well this is when it was a big boot and not the KICK OF FEAR. Now its Smash clubbering.
Ax tags in and here is where the Powers gain the advantage. With Fuji hitting Ax in the thigh with his cane. Now Ax is the victim of classic Demolition triple teaming. Demolition has such great chemistry with Fooj, they were able to slide into the victim role easily.
Now Powers have the advantage. Im not going to say Warlord was good but he was competent at his role. Real basic tag wrestling with Ax as the Demo in peril. This did not happen often. Ax ends up on the outside of the ring and taste the cane a few times. Basically Demolition are playing faces in a early 88 heel Demolition match. Powers of Paui are no Demolition but Demolition are better than the Bees, Ragus or Strike Force.
Smash comes in on the hot tag and starts cleaning house on the Powers of Pain. Nice to see a guy take a clothesline over the top rope properly. Smash hits the Stun Gun on Warlord and Barbarian saves. Powers doubleteam Smash and hit a flying clothesline bearhug combo but Ax saves. Fooj gets on the apron and Ax nails him and takes the cane and goes nut on both Powers. Fuji tosses the salt at Ax and Powers are DQed though honestly Demolition should of been disqualified.
Unitled Demolition Project Day 14
Demolition© vs Twin Towers - Boston - 4/22/89
Demolition vs. Twin Towers
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VR: This is the first Demolition/Twin Towers match. So its going to be the beta version of the Copps match two weeks later. The big difference here is there is little stooging by the Towers. Otherwise its the same basic structure. Smash tries running over Bossman but nothing happens. Bossman takes his turn to run over Smash but nothing. Smash gets the advantage after Bossman misses a avalanche in the corner.
Now Demolition start working over Bossman. Just like Copps they are going after the arm. It goes a little longer here and Bossman's selling is less comedic.
Bossman picks up Smash and runs across the ring to tag Akeem. I loved this spot because it gets across how the Towers are not going to be ran over like any other team.
Akeem is much more serious in this match. Less Fred Sanford selling. Working like the One Man Gang and mauling Smash.
Demos regain the advantage and return to the arm work and some double teaming. Soon Akeem punches Ax in the throat and tags Bossman. One thing I love about Demolition is how they continue fighting back while in trouble. Some guys just look like they are selling until its their turn.
Bossman catches Ax in a bear hug and Akeem runs into him making a Ax sandwich.
Akeem charges Ax while he is draped on the ropes then Bossman does. Now the Towers do the double avalanche which should have been a finisher. Bossman does not bother going for the pin. Towers go for it again but Ax moves and Bossman gets crushed by the African Dream. Now we go into the sequence from Ontario. Only difference is its not as smoothly executed. Demos and Akeem wipe out the ref and Bossman clocks them with the nightstick. Might be camera work but it a lot more painful.
MD: I have to admit, this match had me real worried. We did the Toronto match first, and that match came about a week and a half later and served the EXACT same purpose as this one, to set up a later rematch with Garvin as the ref. There was every reason to believe that this was going to be the same match done the same way and totally throw off the "One Towers match a week" plan we had. Well, there are differences and there are similarities, and to me, it's sort of fascinating to see the differences and to see how the match evolved in the week or two between this match and the MLG match as they worked it in front of different crowds to figure out what worked and what didn't. It's a wonderfully fascinating experiment in comparing and contrasting, actually. So instead of my normal write up, I'll be doing a lot of call-backs to that match.
Announcers are Tony and Lord Alfred. Alfred was really good all the way up to 91 or so. Never let anyone tell you otherwise. Here he mentions from the get go that he doesn't know what the Demos will do against the Towers as well as the fact that Akeem was wearing his lucky boots. The Towers pre-match ritual is a bit different here. Akeem jives and Bossman shows off his agility by stretching his leg out on the top rope.
In the MLG match, things went like this: Bossman started out with Smash, tried things over-confidently, got them countered, and immediately started to eat the arm-work selling in a wibbly-wobbly sort of way for a few minutes until he reversed an irish whip to Akeem who ate more non-arm clubbery offense before the Towers took over after an eye rake.
HERE it goes like this: It starts out with Bossman and Smash and it's a lot more even to begin with. Smash hits Bossman with a back elbow off the ropes and Bossman no-sells it, leading to a Demos conference. Bossman hits Smash with one off the ropes and Smash no sells it, leading to a Towers conference, and the crowd eats it up. Bossman eats a foot on a corner splash, walks into back and forth Ax and Smash punching and then the arm work begins. Less wibbly-wobbly selling. More using the ropes by the Demos. Less vehemence in general. It's a bit more about control here. It goes on for a while until Bossman picks up smash in a bear-hug type position and runs to his corner with him. It looks just as neat as the Irish Whip reversal in the MLG match.
Akeem comes in and Smash dodges HIS avalanche in the corner. Smash is actively outquicking them here. Demos take over on Akeem using arm work on him as well, which they don't do in the later match. Akeem sells in a jive sort of way which is sort of what you see Bossman do in the other match but not here. Double back elbow by Demolition, which will get a call-back later. Ax with a neck-vice on Akeem. In the Toronto match, Akeem gets out with an eye-rake. Here he uses a jab to the throat and the Towers take over. I really do appreciate the subtle differences.
Ok, in the MLG match, Ax took a boot to the back from the outside, and then ate a ton of offense for a few minutes before the Towers hit the double avalanche, running slam, 747 combo, which Smash broke up, leading on towards the hot tag (after the roll up out of Akeem's dance) and the finish. Here, almost immediately after Bossman comes in he reverses a whip into the corner and Ax ends up eating a Bearhug/Avalanche, then the slam, and then a slightly better 747. Smash breaks up the pin, but here we have a lot of match left. They were given a few more minutes in this earlier Boston match and it shows. Instead of leading to the hot tag. Akeem hits what Wikipedia so convenient calls the "leapfrog body guillotine" or what I call "you know, that move where Bossman runs across the ring and sits on the guy hanging in the ropes." Then Bossman comes in and hits it too.
Now the Towers really take over, clubbering and double-teaming and grinding down and using the ring-rope and goading Smash. There's a double back elbow that calls back to what the Demos did before and some hope spots from Ax that get cut off. All of this leads to the double avalanche. Towers go to the well once too often and miss a second one. No dancing roll-up here, but great timing all around to make it look like a believable near miss with Ax getting out of the way at the last second. Hot tag, ref bump, double stun gun, and Bossman comes in with the nightstick, doing a number on both Demos. The ref makes it seem as if he was counting when he was really calling for the DQ against the Towers. The later match was a double DQ with the Demos getting some licks in before getting beaten down post match. This one was more direct with the Demos getting less in at the end but picking up the win.
Watching the two matches together was very interesting to me. They were only a couple of weeks apart and had the same purpose and mostly the same finish, setting up the rematch. The earlier Boston match had a couple more minutes and that meant that it could have a little more interesting structure and they could do more things when pounding on Ax including a more great usage of the double avalanche, but the MLG match had more distinct selling by Bossman and the roll up out of Akeem's dancing which led to the hot tag. I'm curious if you would have seen two matches trying to do the exact same thing between two other teams, if they wouldn't have been even more alike. I tend to be under the impression that they would be.
Demolition vs. Twin Towers
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VR: This is the first Demolition/Twin Towers match. So its going to be the beta version of the Copps match two weeks later. The big difference here is there is little stooging by the Towers. Otherwise its the same basic structure. Smash tries running over Bossman but nothing happens. Bossman takes his turn to run over Smash but nothing. Smash gets the advantage after Bossman misses a avalanche in the corner.
Now Demolition start working over Bossman. Just like Copps they are going after the arm. It goes a little longer here and Bossman's selling is less comedic.
Bossman picks up Smash and runs across the ring to tag Akeem. I loved this spot because it gets across how the Towers are not going to be ran over like any other team.
Akeem is much more serious in this match. Less Fred Sanford selling. Working like the One Man Gang and mauling Smash.
Demos regain the advantage and return to the arm work and some double teaming. Soon Akeem punches Ax in the throat and tags Bossman. One thing I love about Demolition is how they continue fighting back while in trouble. Some guys just look like they are selling until its their turn.
Bossman catches Ax in a bear hug and Akeem runs into him making a Ax sandwich.
Akeem charges Ax while he is draped on the ropes then Bossman does. Now the Towers do the double avalanche which should have been a finisher. Bossman does not bother going for the pin. Towers go for it again but Ax moves and Bossman gets crushed by the African Dream. Now we go into the sequence from Ontario. Only difference is its not as smoothly executed. Demos and Akeem wipe out the ref and Bossman clocks them with the nightstick. Might be camera work but it a lot more painful.
MD: I have to admit, this match had me real worried. We did the Toronto match first, and that match came about a week and a half later and served the EXACT same purpose as this one, to set up a later rematch with Garvin as the ref. There was every reason to believe that this was going to be the same match done the same way and totally throw off the "One Towers match a week" plan we had. Well, there are differences and there are similarities, and to me, it's sort of fascinating to see the differences and to see how the match evolved in the week or two between this match and the MLG match as they worked it in front of different crowds to figure out what worked and what didn't. It's a wonderfully fascinating experiment in comparing and contrasting, actually. So instead of my normal write up, I'll be doing a lot of call-backs to that match.
Announcers are Tony and Lord Alfred. Alfred was really good all the way up to 91 or so. Never let anyone tell you otherwise. Here he mentions from the get go that he doesn't know what the Demos will do against the Towers as well as the fact that Akeem was wearing his lucky boots. The Towers pre-match ritual is a bit different here. Akeem jives and Bossman shows off his agility by stretching his leg out on the top rope.
In the MLG match, things went like this: Bossman started out with Smash, tried things over-confidently, got them countered, and immediately started to eat the arm-work selling in a wibbly-wobbly sort of way for a few minutes until he reversed an irish whip to Akeem who ate more non-arm clubbery offense before the Towers took over after an eye rake.
HERE it goes like this: It starts out with Bossman and Smash and it's a lot more even to begin with. Smash hits Bossman with a back elbow off the ropes and Bossman no-sells it, leading to a Demos conference. Bossman hits Smash with one off the ropes and Smash no sells it, leading to a Towers conference, and the crowd eats it up. Bossman eats a foot on a corner splash, walks into back and forth Ax and Smash punching and then the arm work begins. Less wibbly-wobbly selling. More using the ropes by the Demos. Less vehemence in general. It's a bit more about control here. It goes on for a while until Bossman picks up smash in a bear-hug type position and runs to his corner with him. It looks just as neat as the Irish Whip reversal in the MLG match.
Akeem comes in and Smash dodges HIS avalanche in the corner. Smash is actively outquicking them here. Demos take over on Akeem using arm work on him as well, which they don't do in the later match. Akeem sells in a jive sort of way which is sort of what you see Bossman do in the other match but not here. Double back elbow by Demolition, which will get a call-back later. Ax with a neck-vice on Akeem. In the Toronto match, Akeem gets out with an eye-rake. Here he uses a jab to the throat and the Towers take over. I really do appreciate the subtle differences.
Ok, in the MLG match, Ax took a boot to the back from the outside, and then ate a ton of offense for a few minutes before the Towers hit the double avalanche, running slam, 747 combo, which Smash broke up, leading on towards the hot tag (after the roll up out of Akeem's dance) and the finish. Here, almost immediately after Bossman comes in he reverses a whip into the corner and Ax ends up eating a Bearhug/Avalanche, then the slam, and then a slightly better 747. Smash breaks up the pin, but here we have a lot of match left. They were given a few more minutes in this earlier Boston match and it shows. Instead of leading to the hot tag. Akeem hits what Wikipedia so convenient calls the "leapfrog body guillotine" or what I call "you know, that move where Bossman runs across the ring and sits on the guy hanging in the ropes." Then Bossman comes in and hits it too.
Now the Towers really take over, clubbering and double-teaming and grinding down and using the ring-rope and goading Smash. There's a double back elbow that calls back to what the Demos did before and some hope spots from Ax that get cut off. All of this leads to the double avalanche. Towers go to the well once too often and miss a second one. No dancing roll-up here, but great timing all around to make it look like a believable near miss with Ax getting out of the way at the last second. Hot tag, ref bump, double stun gun, and Bossman comes in with the nightstick, doing a number on both Demos. The ref makes it seem as if he was counting when he was really calling for the DQ against the Towers. The later match was a double DQ with the Demos getting some licks in before getting beaten down post match. This one was more direct with the Demos getting less in at the end but picking up the win.
Watching the two matches together was very interesting to me. They were only a couple of weeks apart and had the same purpose and mostly the same finish, setting up the rematch. The earlier Boston match had a couple more minutes and that meant that it could have a little more interesting structure and they could do more things when pounding on Ax including a more great usage of the double avalanche, but the MLG match had more distinct selling by Bossman and the roll up out of Akeem's dancing which led to the hot tag. I'm curious if you would have seen two matches trying to do the exact same thing between two other teams, if they wouldn't have been even more alike. I tend to be under the impression that they would be.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Untitled Demolition Project Day 13
Demolition© vs British Bulldogs - Milan, Italy - 10/88 - Non-Title
Demolition vs. British Bulldogs Non-Title
Uploaded by rland1987. - Watch feature films and entire TV shows.
VR: This was from an Italy only ppv or tv special. Demolition attacks the Bulldogs right at the bell with little of the messing around you usually see in tag team matches. Demolition are unusual for WWF heels, because they are not afraid to kick a guys ass right from the start.
The Bulldogs get spurts of offense but Demolition regains control quickly.
Eventually they get Dynamite cornered and work over his back with Boston crabs and bear hugs. Just great tag team wrestling from Demolition. They always feel like they are a real team. Its not just the matching s&m gear. They are always very fluid tagging in and out and using team work. It looks like second nature.
For his part Dynamite is good at playing face in peril. Occasionally getting on offense but not taking the chance to tag. Or getting the chance to tag and Demolition making sure the ref is distracted.
When Davey Boy gets in he takes it to Ax and Smash but its not long til they start pummeling Davey Boy in the corner. Giving Dynamite Kid the chance to hit Ax with a nice looking flying body press for the three. Bulldogs take the belts but Referee Tim White tells them it was non title.
Really enjoyed this match and one of the better Demos/Bulldogs matches.
MD: I would have to double check to see if there are more taped Strike Force/Demolition matches or Bulldogs/Demolition matches, but my gut has me leaning towards the latter. There are a bunch of them, and this is the first one we've done save for the kah-razy Warrior six-man. For me, there's something of a reason for that. For starters, it's sort of painful to watch the Bulldogs in 1988. Dynamite's destroying his body and in a good deal of pain. I read Pure Dynamite years ago. It sucks to have to see it play out. The main reason, however, is that more than any other Demolition opponent, there was a formula to matches with the Bulldogs. The Demos have gone on record saying that they loved wrestling the Bulldogs because Dynamite would sell SO much and make them look so good. Well, that led to formula. So when looking at Bulldogs matches, you look for novelty, whether it's Warrior, or the Italian setting for this match, or the outdoor setting for the Wrestlefest one, or the differences to be found in the 1987 Tag Tournament one. In general though, from what I've seen, if you've seen one Demos/Bulldogs match, you've seen most of them. That's not to say they aren't good. Let's get to it.
So the Italian crowd is weird and the ring is super mic'ed. Vic and I really feel like Ax and Smash were working this match very broadly, very openly, very widely. There was a language and culture barrier so they were working the match big. Big movements. There's also a lot more grunting and noise from Demolition. I think these were conscious decisions to connect with the crowd. I really do. When they take the masks off, there's a big grunt from them and the crowd responds in kind. Ax and Davey start out with Ax immediately clubbering him down and hitting a big slam before eating a Davey comeback with big selling and a stuck out tongue. Smash comes in with two hands over his head to show what he's about to do only to get cut off as Davey takes over. Lots of broad stuff here.
Dynamite comes in shortly thereafter and hits some offense, going for a pin only to get chucked halfway across the ring by Smash's kick out, landing right in Demolition's side of the ring, allowing Ax to get some stomps in from the outside. That's the transition to Demos taking over and it's actually pretty cool in its simplicity. This takes us into Standard Demolition/Bulldogs fare, working over Dynamite's back. Lots of clubbering and double clubbering and contorting and a pretty good looking nerve hold to wear him down. Anytime Dynamite fights back, doubleteams or sneaky tactics(like drawing Davey into the ring to allow for illegal double-beatings) keep him down. Davey was always good in his role in the team. Good for the opening shine stuff. Goadable guy on the apron. Good at hot tag offense. But we'll get to that.
Dynamite finally fights back long enough to pin Ax. This time, Ax tosses him right outside the ring with his kick out. Smash with a nice suplex back in followed up by a Boston Crab, which I've never seen him do on anyone but Dynamite. Davey breaks it up, but that allows a phantom switch for Demos and they start doing nasty bearhugs on Dynamite, including one where Ax whips him right into Smash's arms. You feel bad for Dynamite's back. You just do. Davey breaks it up again and the Demos do a phantom switch again, but this time Dynamite hits a move off the ropes and goes in for the hot tag. The ref is distracted, however, and you swear that the Italian crowd is going to riot. Such a great reaction that I'm curious why they don't do it two or three more times, unless they were, in fact, afraid of things getting out of hand. Still, it means that when Dynamite actually does make the tag a minute later, the crowd is pretty molten.
Davey comes in, hitting a lot of great crisp offense, headbutts and dropkicks and clotheslines. Dynamite comes in. They toss the Demos into each other (which is a spot which never looks all that great, unfortunately), but Ax tosses Dynamite out (which does look great). The finish is a bit like the two 88 Six-Mans we went over, as Dynamite quickly climbs the ropes from the outside and hits Ax with a flying body press after he turns around from where they were double-teaming Davey. That gets the three count. Good little match if a bit formulaic.
Demolition vs. British Bulldogs Non-Title
Uploaded by rland1987. - Watch feature films and entire TV shows.
VR: This was from an Italy only ppv or tv special. Demolition attacks the Bulldogs right at the bell with little of the messing around you usually see in tag team matches. Demolition are unusual for WWF heels, because they are not afraid to kick a guys ass right from the start.
The Bulldogs get spurts of offense but Demolition regains control quickly.
Eventually they get Dynamite cornered and work over his back with Boston crabs and bear hugs. Just great tag team wrestling from Demolition. They always feel like they are a real team. Its not just the matching s&m gear. They are always very fluid tagging in and out and using team work. It looks like second nature.
For his part Dynamite is good at playing face in peril. Occasionally getting on offense but not taking the chance to tag. Or getting the chance to tag and Demolition making sure the ref is distracted.
When Davey Boy gets in he takes it to Ax and Smash but its not long til they start pummeling Davey Boy in the corner. Giving Dynamite Kid the chance to hit Ax with a nice looking flying body press for the three. Bulldogs take the belts but Referee Tim White tells them it was non title.
Really enjoyed this match and one of the better Demos/Bulldogs matches.
MD: I would have to double check to see if there are more taped Strike Force/Demolition matches or Bulldogs/Demolition matches, but my gut has me leaning towards the latter. There are a bunch of them, and this is the first one we've done save for the kah-razy Warrior six-man. For me, there's something of a reason for that. For starters, it's sort of painful to watch the Bulldogs in 1988. Dynamite's destroying his body and in a good deal of pain. I read Pure Dynamite years ago. It sucks to have to see it play out. The main reason, however, is that more than any other Demolition opponent, there was a formula to matches with the Bulldogs. The Demos have gone on record saying that they loved wrestling the Bulldogs because Dynamite would sell SO much and make them look so good. Well, that led to formula. So when looking at Bulldogs matches, you look for novelty, whether it's Warrior, or the Italian setting for this match, or the outdoor setting for the Wrestlefest one, or the differences to be found in the 1987 Tag Tournament one. In general though, from what I've seen, if you've seen one Demos/Bulldogs match, you've seen most of them. That's not to say they aren't good. Let's get to it.
So the Italian crowd is weird and the ring is super mic'ed. Vic and I really feel like Ax and Smash were working this match very broadly, very openly, very widely. There was a language and culture barrier so they were working the match big. Big movements. There's also a lot more grunting and noise from Demolition. I think these were conscious decisions to connect with the crowd. I really do. When they take the masks off, there's a big grunt from them and the crowd responds in kind. Ax and Davey start out with Ax immediately clubbering him down and hitting a big slam before eating a Davey comeback with big selling and a stuck out tongue. Smash comes in with two hands over his head to show what he's about to do only to get cut off as Davey takes over. Lots of broad stuff here.
Dynamite comes in shortly thereafter and hits some offense, going for a pin only to get chucked halfway across the ring by Smash's kick out, landing right in Demolition's side of the ring, allowing Ax to get some stomps in from the outside. That's the transition to Demos taking over and it's actually pretty cool in its simplicity. This takes us into Standard Demolition/Bulldogs fare, working over Dynamite's back. Lots of clubbering and double clubbering and contorting and a pretty good looking nerve hold to wear him down. Anytime Dynamite fights back, doubleteams or sneaky tactics(like drawing Davey into the ring to allow for illegal double-beatings) keep him down. Davey was always good in his role in the team. Good for the opening shine stuff. Goadable guy on the apron. Good at hot tag offense. But we'll get to that.
Dynamite finally fights back long enough to pin Ax. This time, Ax tosses him right outside the ring with his kick out. Smash with a nice suplex back in followed up by a Boston Crab, which I've never seen him do on anyone but Dynamite. Davey breaks it up, but that allows a phantom switch for Demos and they start doing nasty bearhugs on Dynamite, including one where Ax whips him right into Smash's arms. You feel bad for Dynamite's back. You just do. Davey breaks it up again and the Demos do a phantom switch again, but this time Dynamite hits a move off the ropes and goes in for the hot tag. The ref is distracted, however, and you swear that the Italian crowd is going to riot. Such a great reaction that I'm curious why they don't do it two or three more times, unless they were, in fact, afraid of things getting out of hand. Still, it means that when Dynamite actually does make the tag a minute later, the crowd is pretty molten.
Davey comes in, hitting a lot of great crisp offense, headbutts and dropkicks and clotheslines. Dynamite comes in. They toss the Demos into each other (which is a spot which never looks all that great, unfortunately), but Ax tosses Dynamite out (which does look great). The finish is a bit like the two 88 Six-Mans we went over, as Dynamite quickly climbs the ropes from the outside and hits Ax with a flying body press after he turns around from where they were double-teaming Davey. That gets the three count. Good little match if a bit formulaic.
UNtitled Demolition Project Day 12
Demolition© vs Brainbusters 2/3 Falls - Worcester, MA - 7/18/89 (Aired SNME #22 - 7/29/89)
Demolition vs Brainbusters SNME 22
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MD: This is a great, great match. I love the first fall so much. This match makes the WWF tag titles as important as I can ever remember them being. Some things to note pre-match. This is obviously a follow up from the SNME #21 match where the Busters cheated so much that Demolition got themselves disqualified. It's 2/3 falls, with the titles able to change hand so long as the final fall is a pinfall or a DQ. No one ever mentions this but Arn and Tully played slightly different characters in the WWF. They remind me of Kurt Angle's initial character a little bit. Very earnest in what they say and very underhanded in what they do. Demolition get the pre-match promo and blame Heenan for the last loss. That'll come into play later.
The pace of the first fall is intense, but not in the same way of the Rockers match. It's obvious that Demolition really wants to get their hands on Arn and Tully but they're a bit wary after the last loss and that Arn and Tully realize after the last match, where they came in overconfident and quickly learned better, that they have to give 110% if they want to defeat Demolition. Tully and Ax to begin with Tully attacking Smash on the apron, escaping to the outside from Ax and then getting tossed back in by Smash, leading to back and forth Demos punches and Tully begging off, which is a lure into his corner so Arn can get his licks in too. This leads to a great visual which sums up the first fall nicely. Arn pulls Ax out and Tully tries to whip him into an Arn clothesline. Ax reverses the whip and and Tully ducks Arn's clothesline only for Smash to appear from out of nowhere and clobber Tully. The Busters try to cheat and Demolition fight it off, again and again with irate fury. At one point Smash just chokes the life out of Arn which is not something you see often out of Face Demolition. When Arn tries to get free and stomp Smash, Smash CATCHES the foot, gets up with it, flips him onto his back, and then yanks him away quickly because he ended up too close to his corner. They're something of an unstoppable force of nature at this point even if they are up against one of the best teams ever.
Eventually, the dirty tactics start to stick a bit and the Busters take over on Smash. They can't keep him down for long, though. He keeps fighting back in that believable Demolition way, where he never forgets to sell the damage and gets cut off every time. Arn hits the Spinebuster (much to Heenan's joy) but he takes just a bit too long to make the cover. The fall ends shortly thereafter in another great visual spot. Arn and Tully are going for a double clothesline on Smash. Smash ducks it. Ax grabs Tully from the apron by the hair and he falls. Smash hits Arn with the hot shot. Ax kicks Tully in the skull, once and only once to keep him from breaking up the pin (and then walks away confidently), and the Demos are up 1-0. By this point you can't really imagine them losing the belts.
The start of the second fall doesn't hurt that opinion. Now that they're on top they start wrestling a very different match, more focused on keeping the pace slow and grinding the Busters down, including using an extended neck vice. This lasts until Arn gets Ax in the throat and the Busters take over. They're fevered now, stomping and kicking and choking and goading Smash and doubleteaming at every turn, with Heenan FINALLY getting in on the act and getting a few cheap shots in. When Ax finally makes it over to tag, Smash is irate and out of control, press-slamming Tully (and he never does that) and running Heenan into the pole. Ax is in by now too and they furiously double-team Arn as the ref counts, finally hitting the Decapitation, but they were in too long and the Busters goaded them into a disqualification making it 1-1. When Heenan goes down, Andre shows up.
The third fall is fairly quick but it's interesting to watch Ax and Smash try to control themselves, working a more reserved style than before, even letting the ref push them around a bit more than usual and making switches without double-teaming. There's an awesome moment where the Busters take over where Tully gives Ax an eye-poke and then slams Ax's head right into an unsuspecting Arn, who was just reaching for the tag, even as Andre looks on confused. Arn comes in a moment later but keeps on selling this, right up until the point where he eats an atomic drop, bounces off the turnbuckle and collides with Ax's head again. Good stuff that leads to the last hot tag of the match and a cluster with all four men in and out of the ring. It ends with Smash catching Arn with an axe handle as Arn came off the top rope and the ref getting distracted with Ax and Heenan. The distraction allows Andre to toss a chair to Tully who just clobbers Smash with it allowing the Busters to pick up the pin and win the third fall and the title.
The post-match celebration is great. You'll never see anyone happier to win a title than the Heenan family. Great match that builds smartly both upon itself and the previous SNME match.
VR: This is the rematch from the previous Saturday Night's Main Event. In that match the Brain Busters were able to get Demolition disqualified allowing the Brain Busters a rematch and to pick a stipulation. The match will be 2 out of 3 falls.
Even walking to the ring Demolition look very anxious, like they really want to hurt the Brain Busters. The Brain Busters are continuing their plan from the previous match which was to infuriate Demolition. Tully tags Smash while he was sleping on the apron. Tries to sneak outside but Smash is one step ahead. The Brain Busters are in over their head here. They are not able to Out team, out wrestle and especially out fight Demolition. What they can do is out cheat Demolition. In the first fall its taking everything they have to contain Smash. After Smash survives the Spinebuster, the Busters get frustrated and pay for it. With Arn taking a stun gun giving Demolition the first fall.
The second fall begins with the BUsters in serious trouble. Arn is the one taking most of the punishment. Arn finally tags out to Tully and the Brain BUsters take control. The Brain Busters manager Bobby "The Brain" Heenan takes the chance to slap Ax which causes Smash to go to the floor distracting the ref. This is continuing the plan from the first match. which was to lather Demolition into a rage. When Smash is finally tagged in he goes berzerk beating up the Busters and ramming Heenan into the ring post which looked sick. Ax is back in and they are pounding Tully into pulp. Heenan getting decked brings out Andre the Giant. Demolition hits the Demo Decaptator but its too late since they are disqualified for being in the ring too long.
Its the third fall and Andre is at ringside. Both teams are exhausted but Ax goes on the attack again. I get the feeling the reason the Busters asked for two out of three falls was the belief they had greater endurance. Tully thumbs Ax in the eye and throws him into Arn's skull which looked brutal. Both teams look like they have been in a fight. Ax and Arn are exhausted hitting each other. Smash gets in and it all breaks down. Busters get the win thanks to Andre. I think Jesse said that Bobby had a A, B, C and D plan. Well Heenan had plan E in Andre.
Get back from commercial and the Heenan Family is celebrating. The Family looked like a great bunch of guys always really supportive of one another. You can tell Andre had a lot of fun. This also meant Heenan was in control of the Intercontinental ("Ravishing" Rick Rude) and the tag belts with the Brain Busters.
This was a really good match. Also foreshadowed the Andre/Demolition feud. You were left wondering could Demolition take the giant.
Demolition vs Brainbusters SNME 22
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MD: This is a great, great match. I love the first fall so much. This match makes the WWF tag titles as important as I can ever remember them being. Some things to note pre-match. This is obviously a follow up from the SNME #21 match where the Busters cheated so much that Demolition got themselves disqualified. It's 2/3 falls, with the titles able to change hand so long as the final fall is a pinfall or a DQ. No one ever mentions this but Arn and Tully played slightly different characters in the WWF. They remind me of Kurt Angle's initial character a little bit. Very earnest in what they say and very underhanded in what they do. Demolition get the pre-match promo and blame Heenan for the last loss. That'll come into play later.
The pace of the first fall is intense, but not in the same way of the Rockers match. It's obvious that Demolition really wants to get their hands on Arn and Tully but they're a bit wary after the last loss and that Arn and Tully realize after the last match, where they came in overconfident and quickly learned better, that they have to give 110% if they want to defeat Demolition. Tully and Ax to begin with Tully attacking Smash on the apron, escaping to the outside from Ax and then getting tossed back in by Smash, leading to back and forth Demos punches and Tully begging off, which is a lure into his corner so Arn can get his licks in too. This leads to a great visual which sums up the first fall nicely. Arn pulls Ax out and Tully tries to whip him into an Arn clothesline. Ax reverses the whip and and Tully ducks Arn's clothesline only for Smash to appear from out of nowhere and clobber Tully. The Busters try to cheat and Demolition fight it off, again and again with irate fury. At one point Smash just chokes the life out of Arn which is not something you see often out of Face Demolition. When Arn tries to get free and stomp Smash, Smash CATCHES the foot, gets up with it, flips him onto his back, and then yanks him away quickly because he ended up too close to his corner. They're something of an unstoppable force of nature at this point even if they are up against one of the best teams ever.
Eventually, the dirty tactics start to stick a bit and the Busters take over on Smash. They can't keep him down for long, though. He keeps fighting back in that believable Demolition way, where he never forgets to sell the damage and gets cut off every time. Arn hits the Spinebuster (much to Heenan's joy) but he takes just a bit too long to make the cover. The fall ends shortly thereafter in another great visual spot. Arn and Tully are going for a double clothesline on Smash. Smash ducks it. Ax grabs Tully from the apron by the hair and he falls. Smash hits Arn with the hot shot. Ax kicks Tully in the skull, once and only once to keep him from breaking up the pin (and then walks away confidently), and the Demos are up 1-0. By this point you can't really imagine them losing the belts.
The start of the second fall doesn't hurt that opinion. Now that they're on top they start wrestling a very different match, more focused on keeping the pace slow and grinding the Busters down, including using an extended neck vice. This lasts until Arn gets Ax in the throat and the Busters take over. They're fevered now, stomping and kicking and choking and goading Smash and doubleteaming at every turn, with Heenan FINALLY getting in on the act and getting a few cheap shots in. When Ax finally makes it over to tag, Smash is irate and out of control, press-slamming Tully (and he never does that) and running Heenan into the pole. Ax is in by now too and they furiously double-team Arn as the ref counts, finally hitting the Decapitation, but they were in too long and the Busters goaded them into a disqualification making it 1-1. When Heenan goes down, Andre shows up.
The third fall is fairly quick but it's interesting to watch Ax and Smash try to control themselves, working a more reserved style than before, even letting the ref push them around a bit more than usual and making switches without double-teaming. There's an awesome moment where the Busters take over where Tully gives Ax an eye-poke and then slams Ax's head right into an unsuspecting Arn, who was just reaching for the tag, even as Andre looks on confused. Arn comes in a moment later but keeps on selling this, right up until the point where he eats an atomic drop, bounces off the turnbuckle and collides with Ax's head again. Good stuff that leads to the last hot tag of the match and a cluster with all four men in and out of the ring. It ends with Smash catching Arn with an axe handle as Arn came off the top rope and the ref getting distracted with Ax and Heenan. The distraction allows Andre to toss a chair to Tully who just clobbers Smash with it allowing the Busters to pick up the pin and win the third fall and the title.
The post-match celebration is great. You'll never see anyone happier to win a title than the Heenan family. Great match that builds smartly both upon itself and the previous SNME match.
VR: This is the rematch from the previous Saturday Night's Main Event. In that match the Brain Busters were able to get Demolition disqualified allowing the Brain Busters a rematch and to pick a stipulation. The match will be 2 out of 3 falls.
Even walking to the ring Demolition look very anxious, like they really want to hurt the Brain Busters. The Brain Busters are continuing their plan from the previous match which was to infuriate Demolition. Tully tags Smash while he was sleping on the apron. Tries to sneak outside but Smash is one step ahead. The Brain Busters are in over their head here. They are not able to Out team, out wrestle and especially out fight Demolition. What they can do is out cheat Demolition. In the first fall its taking everything they have to contain Smash. After Smash survives the Spinebuster, the Busters get frustrated and pay for it. With Arn taking a stun gun giving Demolition the first fall.
The second fall begins with the BUsters in serious trouble. Arn is the one taking most of the punishment. Arn finally tags out to Tully and the Brain BUsters take control. The Brain Busters manager Bobby "The Brain" Heenan takes the chance to slap Ax which causes Smash to go to the floor distracting the ref. This is continuing the plan from the first match. which was to lather Demolition into a rage. When Smash is finally tagged in he goes berzerk beating up the Busters and ramming Heenan into the ring post which looked sick. Ax is back in and they are pounding Tully into pulp. Heenan getting decked brings out Andre the Giant. Demolition hits the Demo Decaptator but its too late since they are disqualified for being in the ring too long.
Its the third fall and Andre is at ringside. Both teams are exhausted but Ax goes on the attack again. I get the feeling the reason the Busters asked for two out of three falls was the belief they had greater endurance. Tully thumbs Ax in the eye and throws him into Arn's skull which looked brutal. Both teams look like they have been in a fight. Ax and Arn are exhausted hitting each other. Smash gets in and it all breaks down. Busters get the win thanks to Andre. I think Jesse said that Bobby had a A, B, C and D plan. Well Heenan had plan E in Andre.
Get back from commercial and the Heenan Family is celebrating. The Family looked like a great bunch of guys always really supportive of one another. You can tell Andre had a lot of fun. This also meant Heenan was in control of the Intercontinental ("Ravishing" Rick Rude) and the tag belts with the Brain Busters.
This was a really good match. Also foreshadowed the Andre/Demolition feud. You were left wondering could Demolition take the giant.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Untitled Demolition Project Day 11
Where is Day 10? We are in contract negotiations. Hopefully they are completed before the day is over.
Demolition/Crush vs Legion of Doom/Ultimate Warrior - MSG - 9/21/90
Ultimate Warrior & Legion of Doom vs Demolition
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MD: And lo, there shall come a Crush. I'm very reluctant for us to cover anything post Ax's departure, but perfectly fine with matches where he's even on the floor playing coach. So this is two years later from the last Demos vs Warrior six man tags, and lots have changed. Warrior is on top of the world. The Demos, despite just having the belt a month before, are in decline with Eadie not in the best physical shape and Bryan Adams there to help carry the load. By this point there's no question of that. In some way's it's interesting though, because it allows them to play a slightly different role than they have before and so long as Ax is still part of the picture, they're quite effective in that role.
This match, more than all but a few Demolition matches, has a real WWF main event feel to it and all of them, even Crush, were able to carry their end of the match in there against WWF Champion Warrior and the Roadies. This was the LOD's first WWF appearance in MSG so the crowd is sufficiently crazy for all of it as you may well imagine. There's not a lot of room coming down to the ring at MSG and Warrior is awesome in his run, literally taking out poor bystanders at ringside. I'm not a huge fan of Adams, but Crush did two things for Demolition immediately. 1) He gave them some power moves that they were lacking. Smash had a great stun gun and they could always kick out a suplex or a bodyslam, but they just didn't do power moves. Crush did. 2) He gave them added size. In general, that wouldn't matter. But when they were facing off against the Road Warriors it's important visually.
There's a lot of back and forth in this match, which is generally what you see in any LOD match that isn't a squash. Smash starts out smashing animal. Animal comes back with an early powerslam and big elbow drop. Tag to Crush and Hawk and lots of locking up and pushing. Crush hits a rib breaker/backbreaker and it's not the most painful looking move ever. He hits a forearm to Hawk's back after Hawk bounces out of the turnbuckle which looks a little better. A double clothesline does nothing to either man, then a dropkick and flying shouldertackle and fistdrop by Hawk. The match is staying very even. Warrior is still manic but it's controlled now, at least. He's focused on getting the crowd behind his partners, not just in being completely and utterly insane. Crush takes some chops right in the face at least. We'll give him that.
An eyerake allows Crush to tag Ax in and Hawk immediately tags Warrior in and AX BEGS OFF. This isn't the first time I've seen Ax beg off but it's very, very rare. He's done it against the Harts and not too many other times. He certainly didn't do it against Warrior back in 88. Range I say. Range. Anyway, Warrior dismantles all 3 Demos, slamming them all before missing the body splash on Ax by a mile and landing on his face, which he sells by rolling back and forth all over the ring until Ax comes in to pound on him. Warrior plays FIP again, getting knocked out of the ring and doubleteamed by the two Demos who were on the apron, fighting back but getting swarmed. This is actually a pretty good segment of Warrior getting double-teamed and outnumbered and fighting back at every chance he gets. He had come a long way in two years. They go for the decapitator but Animal has had enough and breaks it up.
That allows Warrior to get the hot tag and Animal comes on in. Animal thrashes all 3 Demos and goes for the Doomsday Device only to have Crush cut it off. Nice callback to what just happened there. Anyway, Hawk recovers and turns it into a hammer off the top. Animal gets tagged in and Demos take over on him, wearing him down however they can, including a nice high bear hug by Crush, goading illegal doubleteams using the tag rope and a RARE back suplex by Smash which has him end up in the Warriors corner, forcing him to sprawl back quickly and comedically. Animal finally starts to power out but they cut him off. Demolition was always very good at knowing when to let the hot tag finally come and they were able to hold it back even here vs the Warriors. They cut off animal once or twice more and it always looks like he's fighting and just coming up short. Very well done. Eventually, he gets the clothesline out of the corner,and finally makes the molten tag. Warrior comes in. hits five or six clotheslines. LOD come in to cut off the Demos. And Warrior hits the shoulder tackle/splash on Smash and gets the win. It was a bit of an abrupt finish but very much what the crowd wanted and they did a good job building heat in the lead up to it.
VR: This a big match. One of a handfull of matches between Demolition and the Road Warriors. One of the only times Demolition works as a three man team. Road Warriors have recruited the Ultimate Warrior as a third man. Visually this is a cool as hell match.
Early on their is this funny moment where you can see LOD is not impressed with Warrior while you see Ax not caring for LOD.
First part of the match with Crush was rough. He was not clicking with either Roadies or Ultimate Warrior. But Ax is tagged in. Now we are ready to go. Hawk tags in Warrior and Ax starts begging off. Like Matt said Ax did not do this for everybody. I can't remember him doing it to this extent for anybody but Warrior.
Warrior gets Ax in the corner and starts working him over. Whip and a clotheline followed by a slam. Smash tries to help and gets slammed. Crush comes in and gets a box of assorted chocolates, ait its a slam. He tries to finish Ax with the slam but Ax is long gone.
Now Demolition start working over Warrior. The story here is no one person is going to fight all of Demolition alone and win. Outside he grabs Smash and Crush by the hair for the double coconut but Ax grabs him from behind. Now we have classic Demolition double teaming with Warrior in trouble. Crush is doing much better now tagging in and out.
Warrior is a much better wrestler now than he was in 1988. But I can't help but notice the better he became as a wrestler the more charisma he lost. He had this uncontrollable wild animal charisma thats not really present by late 90.
Demos get Warrior propped up for the three man clubber but Hawk runs into save him. Smash knocks him out of the ring and sets up the DEcapitator but now Animal is in to save Warrior. Warrior tags Animal who starts fighting all three Demos. He tries to put AX in the Doomsday Device but Smash saves.
Now Animal is in peril. Some good basic tag work by Demolition cutting off Animal from the tag. Keeping him in the right corner. Animal catches Crush with a clothesline and tags in Warrior. Warrior takes out Smash and Ax. Crush tries to ave but is taken out by LOD. Warrior has Smash in the ring along and bounces off the ropes building momentum for a big shoulder block to get the win.
Really would of enjoyed a Warrior/Demoition feud. They worked really well together.
Demolition/Crush vs Legion of Doom/Ultimate Warrior - MSG - 9/21/90
Ultimate Warrior & Legion of Doom vs Demolition
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MD: And lo, there shall come a Crush. I'm very reluctant for us to cover anything post Ax's departure, but perfectly fine with matches where he's even on the floor playing coach. So this is two years later from the last Demos vs Warrior six man tags, and lots have changed. Warrior is on top of the world. The Demos, despite just having the belt a month before, are in decline with Eadie not in the best physical shape and Bryan Adams there to help carry the load. By this point there's no question of that. In some way's it's interesting though, because it allows them to play a slightly different role than they have before and so long as Ax is still part of the picture, they're quite effective in that role.
This match, more than all but a few Demolition matches, has a real WWF main event feel to it and all of them, even Crush, were able to carry their end of the match in there against WWF Champion Warrior and the Roadies. This was the LOD's first WWF appearance in MSG so the crowd is sufficiently crazy for all of it as you may well imagine. There's not a lot of room coming down to the ring at MSG and Warrior is awesome in his run, literally taking out poor bystanders at ringside. I'm not a huge fan of Adams, but Crush did two things for Demolition immediately. 1) He gave them some power moves that they were lacking. Smash had a great stun gun and they could always kick out a suplex or a bodyslam, but they just didn't do power moves. Crush did. 2) He gave them added size. In general, that wouldn't matter. But when they were facing off against the Road Warriors it's important visually.
There's a lot of back and forth in this match, which is generally what you see in any LOD match that isn't a squash. Smash starts out smashing animal. Animal comes back with an early powerslam and big elbow drop. Tag to Crush and Hawk and lots of locking up and pushing. Crush hits a rib breaker/backbreaker and it's not the most painful looking move ever. He hits a forearm to Hawk's back after Hawk bounces out of the turnbuckle which looks a little better. A double clothesline does nothing to either man, then a dropkick and flying shouldertackle and fistdrop by Hawk. The match is staying very even. Warrior is still manic but it's controlled now, at least. He's focused on getting the crowd behind his partners, not just in being completely and utterly insane. Crush takes some chops right in the face at least. We'll give him that.
An eyerake allows Crush to tag Ax in and Hawk immediately tags Warrior in and AX BEGS OFF. This isn't the first time I've seen Ax beg off but it's very, very rare. He's done it against the Harts and not too many other times. He certainly didn't do it against Warrior back in 88. Range I say. Range. Anyway, Warrior dismantles all 3 Demos, slamming them all before missing the body splash on Ax by a mile and landing on his face, which he sells by rolling back and forth all over the ring until Ax comes in to pound on him. Warrior plays FIP again, getting knocked out of the ring and doubleteamed by the two Demos who were on the apron, fighting back but getting swarmed. This is actually a pretty good segment of Warrior getting double-teamed and outnumbered and fighting back at every chance he gets. He had come a long way in two years. They go for the decapitator but Animal has had enough and breaks it up.
That allows Warrior to get the hot tag and Animal comes on in. Animal thrashes all 3 Demos and goes for the Doomsday Device only to have Crush cut it off. Nice callback to what just happened there. Anyway, Hawk recovers and turns it into a hammer off the top. Animal gets tagged in and Demos take over on him, wearing him down however they can, including a nice high bear hug by Crush, goading illegal doubleteams using the tag rope and a RARE back suplex by Smash which has him end up in the Warriors corner, forcing him to sprawl back quickly and comedically. Animal finally starts to power out but they cut him off. Demolition was always very good at knowing when to let the hot tag finally come and they were able to hold it back even here vs the Warriors. They cut off animal once or twice more and it always looks like he's fighting and just coming up short. Very well done. Eventually, he gets the clothesline out of the corner,and finally makes the molten tag. Warrior comes in. hits five or six clotheslines. LOD come in to cut off the Demos. And Warrior hits the shoulder tackle/splash on Smash and gets the win. It was a bit of an abrupt finish but very much what the crowd wanted and they did a good job building heat in the lead up to it.
VR: This a big match. One of a handfull of matches between Demolition and the Road Warriors. One of the only times Demolition works as a three man team. Road Warriors have recruited the Ultimate Warrior as a third man. Visually this is a cool as hell match.
Early on their is this funny moment where you can see LOD is not impressed with Warrior while you see Ax not caring for LOD.
First part of the match with Crush was rough. He was not clicking with either Roadies or Ultimate Warrior. But Ax is tagged in. Now we are ready to go. Hawk tags in Warrior and Ax starts begging off. Like Matt said Ax did not do this for everybody. I can't remember him doing it to this extent for anybody but Warrior.
Warrior gets Ax in the corner and starts working him over. Whip and a clotheline followed by a slam. Smash tries to help and gets slammed. Crush comes in and gets a box of assorted chocolates, ait its a slam. He tries to finish Ax with the slam but Ax is long gone.
Now Demolition start working over Warrior. The story here is no one person is going to fight all of Demolition alone and win. Outside he grabs Smash and Crush by the hair for the double coconut but Ax grabs him from behind. Now we have classic Demolition double teaming with Warrior in trouble. Crush is doing much better now tagging in and out.
Warrior is a much better wrestler now than he was in 1988. But I can't help but notice the better he became as a wrestler the more charisma he lost. He had this uncontrollable wild animal charisma thats not really present by late 90.
Demos get Warrior propped up for the three man clubber but Hawk runs into save him. Smash knocks him out of the ring and sets up the DEcapitator but now Animal is in to save Warrior. Warrior tags Animal who starts fighting all three Demos. He tries to put AX in the Doomsday Device but Smash saves.
Now Animal is in peril. Some good basic tag work by Demolition cutting off Animal from the tag. Keeping him in the right corner. Animal catches Crush with a clothesline and tags in Warrior. Warrior takes out Smash and Ax. Crush tries to ave but is taken out by LOD. Warrior has Smash in the ring along and bounces off the ropes building momentum for a big shoulder block to get the win.
Really would of enjoyed a Warrior/Demoition feud. They worked really well together.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Untitled Demolition Project Day 9
Demolition + Fuji vs British Bulldogs + Ultimate Warrior MLG 7-24-88 (PTW 8-1-88)
Bulldogs-Warrior vs Demolition-Fuji
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MD: Demolition is at the very height of their heel powers. Dynamite Kid has returned from his "back injury" and is pretty much immobile. Ultimate Warrior is about to break out at Summerslam and is batshit insane. Fuji is wildly underrated in this role and in general. Actually, let me stop there for a second. It drives me MAD to see that Fuji won the "worst manager of the year" WON award so many times in this era, an era where Frenchie Martin and Coach John Tolos were running around. Fuji may have been as scummy as they come in real life (or so the stories go) and was playing a downright racist character years after that was totally okay but he was a great manager and REALLY played his character. He could inflict damage. He could take bumps. He was a former champion and played the ultimate evil Mr. Miyagi. He could stooge and do comedy. He could project hatred. You got the idea that he wanted his men to hurt people. And he could come into the ring, do his little headbutt to the groin and piss off the fans.
I know we're talking about Demolition here, but I won't lie. The story of this match is that the Ultimate Warrior is a madman lunatic and it's awesome. Early on the announcers note that he is not built for tag work. He doesn't have the patience, and it shows. Oh man, does it show. The Bulldogs come to the ring with him and he shakes the ropes and Dynamite just points at him, smiling like an idiot, as if he's watching the greatest thing ever. Then comes the pep talk huddle, with Warrior bringing in the Bulldogs close and talking to them and shaking them, paranoidly looking over to Demolition every 3.5 seconds or so. And then, once Dynamite convinces the Warrior to let him start the match off (looking in pain already), the ref has to stop things, because Warrior's randomly gone to the neutral corner and is standing on the ropes beating on his chest.
Ok, this is taking every bit of self-contro lI can muster, but I will try to focus on the match itself. Broken Down Dynamite and Fuji start off and that's a pretty good pairing at this point. Dynamite hits an anemic crossbody and a good slam and Fuji quickly tags out to Ax who slowly walks through the ropes with menace in his gait. He carefully helps Fuji back in before turning to his opponents. But Dynamite quickly slips out of Ax's grasp and makes the tag to Warrior. Dynamite points towards Ax as if trying to contain his insane partner and... it's all for naught. Warrior starts running the ropes as if the match just started and it's as if the world just stops. Finally, they lock up and go for shoulder tackles and Ax bounces off the Warrior, which allows Eadie to walk around the ring looking bemused and a bit confounded. Nice subtle reaction. Just what is he going to do with this lunatic? Well, he's going to smartly rake him in the eyes and start clubbering. Warrior reverses it quickly and Ax ends up on his knees in his corner, frustrated and at his wits end. Great body language throughout as he finally gives a tag to Smash and lets him try to make sense of Warrior.
Smash goes for the eyes again and hammers Warrior only to meet the same out-of-the-corner reversal clothesline that Ax met a minute before. Warrior is befuddling. Thankfully, as we come back from commercial break, Warrior tags to Davey Boy and things calm down. Some good back and forth stuff, including a nice-looking delayed headscissors takedown by Davey Boy and a reversal into a bodyslam. Smash gets him into the corner however and the FIP segment begins. Smash sets up the Bombs Away/Pearl Harbor headbutt for Fuji and Warrior is outside on the ropes acting like a total nut. Deliberate strikes from Fuji, quick tags, power moves, clubbering, nerve holds. Davey finally fights back but Ax does another one of those really great looking sneak tags, this time to Fuji and they cut him off. Fuji goes to the top for some sort of unfortunate seated senton and Smash seems so excited that Master Fuji is going to have his moment of glory. There are about a thousand examples showing that Smash sees him as a father figure and this is just one of them. Suffice to say, he misses and Davey makes the hot tag to Warrior and the world goes mad!
Warrior is all over the place, clotheslining and bodyslamming and ending up on the announce table somehow before climbing to the top rope and hitting Smash with a double axe-handle in the midst of the chaos to get the pin. It's actually something on an inspired finish in the midst of all the bedlam. Anyway, this match has to be watched just to see the Warrior's antics. As it pertains to Demolition, they show of their range even MORE in this match, playing heels who are mystified and daunted by the Warrior. Ax was especially great in that role.
VR: I watched this match as a boy in the year of our lord nineteen hundred and eighty eight. One of those matches that sticks out to me for whatever reason.
I remember being really excited about seeing Warrior tangle with Demolition. They were big and wore facepaint. In a kid world thats a dream match. I was confused by Fuji wrestling. As a 7 year old I did not understand Fuji was not always a manager.
Match starts with Fuji and Dynamite. Fuji gets the best of Dynamite with a chop or two. But Dynamite takes him down with a crossbody block. Dynamite then gives Fuji a nice looking slam. Thats enough for Fuji who tags out to Ax. Ax beats down Dynamite instantly. Dynamite tags out to Warrior. Now here is what I want to see. Warrior starts running laps in the ring. I do not want to say Ax is scared. But he is certainly bewildered. He has no idea what to make of him. Ax runs into him and Warrior no sells. Ax looks surprised. Now he rakes the eye but Warrior reverses a whip into the corner and clotheslines Ax.
He tags in Smash to see if he can fare any better. Smash starts laying in rights to the Warrior followed by chops and knee lifts in the corner. Smash tries the whip and gets mowed down by Warrior. Warrior tags in Davey Boy. Who keeps the advantage briefly. Smash gets him in the Corner and all three men work him over. Fuji is old and broke down but he is experienced enough to bull shit his way thru a six man tag. He slides into the Demolition dynamic seamlessly.
Fuji drops a headbutt on the lower abdomen of Davey Boy. Now Demos are in full clubbering mode. Fuji comes back in and misses the Flying Legdrop on Davey Boy. Warrior is tagged in and he is going nuts. So excited he has no idea who to attack first. He gets Fuji. Smash tosses him out. Now Demos are beating down Dynamite and Warrior comes off the top with a flying ax handle for the win.
Watching this you can tell the WWF has big plans for Warrior because nobody else has gotten anything on Demolition at this point.
Bulldogs-Warrior vs Demolition-Fuji
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MD: Demolition is at the very height of their heel powers. Dynamite Kid has returned from his "back injury" and is pretty much immobile. Ultimate Warrior is about to break out at Summerslam and is batshit insane. Fuji is wildly underrated in this role and in general. Actually, let me stop there for a second. It drives me MAD to see that Fuji won the "worst manager of the year" WON award so many times in this era, an era where Frenchie Martin and Coach John Tolos were running around. Fuji may have been as scummy as they come in real life (or so the stories go) and was playing a downright racist character years after that was totally okay but he was a great manager and REALLY played his character. He could inflict damage. He could take bumps. He was a former champion and played the ultimate evil Mr. Miyagi. He could stooge and do comedy. He could project hatred. You got the idea that he wanted his men to hurt people. And he could come into the ring, do his little headbutt to the groin and piss off the fans.
I know we're talking about Demolition here, but I won't lie. The story of this match is that the Ultimate Warrior is a madman lunatic and it's awesome. Early on the announcers note that he is not built for tag work. He doesn't have the patience, and it shows. Oh man, does it show. The Bulldogs come to the ring with him and he shakes the ropes and Dynamite just points at him, smiling like an idiot, as if he's watching the greatest thing ever. Then comes the pep talk huddle, with Warrior bringing in the Bulldogs close and talking to them and shaking them, paranoidly looking over to Demolition every 3.5 seconds or so. And then, once Dynamite convinces the Warrior to let him start the match off (looking in pain already), the ref has to stop things, because Warrior's randomly gone to the neutral corner and is standing on the ropes beating on his chest.
Ok, this is taking every bit of self-contro lI can muster, but I will try to focus on the match itself. Broken Down Dynamite and Fuji start off and that's a pretty good pairing at this point. Dynamite hits an anemic crossbody and a good slam and Fuji quickly tags out to Ax who slowly walks through the ropes with menace in his gait. He carefully helps Fuji back in before turning to his opponents. But Dynamite quickly slips out of Ax's grasp and makes the tag to Warrior. Dynamite points towards Ax as if trying to contain his insane partner and... it's all for naught. Warrior starts running the ropes as if the match just started and it's as if the world just stops. Finally, they lock up and go for shoulder tackles and Ax bounces off the Warrior, which allows Eadie to walk around the ring looking bemused and a bit confounded. Nice subtle reaction. Just what is he going to do with this lunatic? Well, he's going to smartly rake him in the eyes and start clubbering. Warrior reverses it quickly and Ax ends up on his knees in his corner, frustrated and at his wits end. Great body language throughout as he finally gives a tag to Smash and lets him try to make sense of Warrior.
Smash goes for the eyes again and hammers Warrior only to meet the same out-of-the-corner reversal clothesline that Ax met a minute before. Warrior is befuddling. Thankfully, as we come back from commercial break, Warrior tags to Davey Boy and things calm down. Some good back and forth stuff, including a nice-looking delayed headscissors takedown by Davey Boy and a reversal into a bodyslam. Smash gets him into the corner however and the FIP segment begins. Smash sets up the Bombs Away/Pearl Harbor headbutt for Fuji and Warrior is outside on the ropes acting like a total nut. Deliberate strikes from Fuji, quick tags, power moves, clubbering, nerve holds. Davey finally fights back but Ax does another one of those really great looking sneak tags, this time to Fuji and they cut him off. Fuji goes to the top for some sort of unfortunate seated senton and Smash seems so excited that Master Fuji is going to have his moment of glory. There are about a thousand examples showing that Smash sees him as a father figure and this is just one of them. Suffice to say, he misses and Davey makes the hot tag to Warrior and the world goes mad!
Warrior is all over the place, clotheslining and bodyslamming and ending up on the announce table somehow before climbing to the top rope and hitting Smash with a double axe-handle in the midst of the chaos to get the pin. It's actually something on an inspired finish in the midst of all the bedlam. Anyway, this match has to be watched just to see the Warrior's antics. As it pertains to Demolition, they show of their range even MORE in this match, playing heels who are mystified and daunted by the Warrior. Ax was especially great in that role.
VR: I watched this match as a boy in the year of our lord nineteen hundred and eighty eight. One of those matches that sticks out to me for whatever reason.
I remember being really excited about seeing Warrior tangle with Demolition. They were big and wore facepaint. In a kid world thats a dream match. I was confused by Fuji wrestling. As a 7 year old I did not understand Fuji was not always a manager.
Match starts with Fuji and Dynamite. Fuji gets the best of Dynamite with a chop or two. But Dynamite takes him down with a crossbody block. Dynamite then gives Fuji a nice looking slam. Thats enough for Fuji who tags out to Ax. Ax beats down Dynamite instantly. Dynamite tags out to Warrior. Now here is what I want to see. Warrior starts running laps in the ring. I do not want to say Ax is scared. But he is certainly bewildered. He has no idea what to make of him. Ax runs into him and Warrior no sells. Ax looks surprised. Now he rakes the eye but Warrior reverses a whip into the corner and clotheslines Ax.
He tags in Smash to see if he can fare any better. Smash starts laying in rights to the Warrior followed by chops and knee lifts in the corner. Smash tries the whip and gets mowed down by Warrior. Warrior tags in Davey Boy. Who keeps the advantage briefly. Smash gets him in the Corner and all three men work him over. Fuji is old and broke down but he is experienced enough to bull shit his way thru a six man tag. He slides into the Demolition dynamic seamlessly.
Fuji drops a headbutt on the lower abdomen of Davey Boy. Now Demos are in full clubbering mode. Fuji comes back in and misses the Flying Legdrop on Davey Boy. Warrior is tagged in and he is going nuts. So excited he has no idea who to attack first. He gets Fuji. Smash tosses him out. Now Demos are beating down Dynamite and Warrior comes off the top with a flying ax handle for the win.
Watching this you can tell the WWF has big plans for Warrior because nobody else has gotten anything on Demolition at this point.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Untitled Demolition Project Day 8
Demolition vs Rougeau Brothers Boston 3/5/88
Demolition vs. The Rougeau Brothers
Uploaded by sir-roddick. - More professional, college and classic sports videos.
VR: This is a match I have been wanting to see for a long time. Well actually I wanted to see heel Rougeaus vs Demolition. But you take what you can get.The Rougeau Brothers are one of the most underrated teams ever. They were suppose to get a tag team title run in 1989 but Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson got it instead. Its hard to complain since the Brainbusters/Demolition series was great. But I wish they could of ran a few heel Rougeaus vs face Demolition matches.
This match is two weeks before Demolition wins the tag team titles at Wrestlemania IV. At this point the face tag roster was really stale. You had Strike Force, the Killer Bees The Rougeaus and The Bulldogs. Except for the Bulldogs none of them are very over. By the end of this match the fans are really into it. But its clear the WWF had to shake things up by turning the Hart Foundation and signing the Powers of Pain.
The match starts off with Jacques getting beat up by Smash. Ax joins in and Raymond attempts a save but he gets beaten up too. They get some brief offense with double teams. It does not last as Smash just kicks the poop out of Jacques and tags in Ax who beats him down.
Liked it when Jacques started kicking Ax's knee. The Ragu Sisters work over the leg. One swift kick to the head puts Ax back in control. I really hate how Raymond takes a body slam. He lands on his feet first. On the floor Raymond gets nailed with a cane shot from Fuji.
I really love how the Rougeaus sell in this match. It looks like they are getting mugged by Demolition. When they fight back it has this look of somebody just swinging blind. A great moment when Raymond blocks Ax's attempted suplex, and hits his own. Really comes across as a struggle. It also looks like it wiped out Raymond to do it.
Ray gets the big tag to Jacques, who promptly goes to town on the Demos. He hits that flying back elbow I love. But Ax breaks it up. Ray attacks Ax and it breaks down. Referee Dave Hebner goes to separate the men in the ring illegally. Jacques puts Smash in the Boston crab. Hebner finally gets Ray in the corner allowing Ax to kick Jacques in the head and Demolition wipe him out with a brutal looking double clotheline. You believe it can end a match.
MD: I'm from Boston and by the time I started to go to shows at the Garden a couple of years later, they covered up the parquet floor so it's always neat to see it showcased around ringside like this. Anyway, this is a pretty interesting match. As Vic said, it's right in run up to the Demos title win and it shows. Demolition look pretty unstoppable here. I really wish we had more Rougeaus/Demolition matches to watch but this seems to be the only one of any length that we have readily available, and this is pretty good for what it is. Please note that I will occasionally make like Monsoon with this match and get the two Rougeaus confused. I blame the powder blue tights.
Here's the story of the match in a nutshell. The Rougeaus try everything they can think of. None of it works. The match starts with a double team beating on Ray. When Jacques tries to save, HE gets a double team beating for his effort. The Rogs turn it around quickly with surprise offense and superior speed, but they can't maintain offense. First they try the ol' "contain them with armwork" trick, including a neat little Irish Whip out of an arm-wringer into a double boot in the corner, but it's futile. They try some strikes and kicks too but there's no hope. Smash takes a bit of damage and then powers Jacques into their corner and makes the tag. He's just too strong.
The beating lasts until Jacques heroically gets some shots into Ax's leg. He makes the tag and the Rougeaus try to work on that for a while. One neat thing about this match is that the Demo on the outside is always lurking and peeking his head in as if he's about to strike. Anyway, Ax lures Jacques into getting a painful looking kick to the back of his head and that's the end of the legwork. Ax misses a killer falling headbutt, however, allowing Ray to come in. He immediately tries something new only to learn that you really, truly do not try to monkey flip Ax. It will not end well. The beating commences including the Demos and Fuji making the Rogs look like idiots on the floor using superior positioning to allow a bunch of cheapshots and cane shots. A lot of times they didn't have the managers for these shows so it's nice that they actually use Fuji like this when they have him. We settle in with lots of painful looking neck wrenching and illegal switches and an awesome performance by Smash who miraculously manages to tag Ax in the midst of a sunset flip.
Ray finally manages to somehow hit a suplex and that earns him a hot tag to Jacques, who finally gets some traction being such a fresh man in the match using Hot Tag Face Offense. He hits a big flying back elbow for a phantom pin but Ax has the ref distracted. He puts on the Boston Crab but Ax takes his head off with a boot. Just nasty. Then the Demos hit one of the meaner double clotheslines you'll ever see and that's the match. Good stuff. I wish there was more of it.
Demolition vs. The Rougeau Brothers
Uploaded by sir-roddick. - More professional, college and classic sports videos.
VR: This is a match I have been wanting to see for a long time. Well actually I wanted to see heel Rougeaus vs Demolition. But you take what you can get.The Rougeau Brothers are one of the most underrated teams ever. They were suppose to get a tag team title run in 1989 but Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson got it instead. Its hard to complain since the Brainbusters/Demolition series was great. But I wish they could of ran a few heel Rougeaus vs face Demolition matches.
This match is two weeks before Demolition wins the tag team titles at Wrestlemania IV. At this point the face tag roster was really stale. You had Strike Force, the Killer Bees The Rougeaus and The Bulldogs. Except for the Bulldogs none of them are very over. By the end of this match the fans are really into it. But its clear the WWF had to shake things up by turning the Hart Foundation and signing the Powers of Pain.
The match starts off with Jacques getting beat up by Smash. Ax joins in and Raymond attempts a save but he gets beaten up too. They get some brief offense with double teams. It does not last as Smash just kicks the poop out of Jacques and tags in Ax who beats him down.
Liked it when Jacques started kicking Ax's knee. The Ragu Sisters work over the leg. One swift kick to the head puts Ax back in control. I really hate how Raymond takes a body slam. He lands on his feet first. On the floor Raymond gets nailed with a cane shot from Fuji.
I really love how the Rougeaus sell in this match. It looks like they are getting mugged by Demolition. When they fight back it has this look of somebody just swinging blind. A great moment when Raymond blocks Ax's attempted suplex, and hits his own. Really comes across as a struggle. It also looks like it wiped out Raymond to do it.
Ray gets the big tag to Jacques, who promptly goes to town on the Demos. He hits that flying back elbow I love. But Ax breaks it up. Ray attacks Ax and it breaks down. Referee Dave Hebner goes to separate the men in the ring illegally. Jacques puts Smash in the Boston crab. Hebner finally gets Ray in the corner allowing Ax to kick Jacques in the head and Demolition wipe him out with a brutal looking double clotheline. You believe it can end a match.
MD: I'm from Boston and by the time I started to go to shows at the Garden a couple of years later, they covered up the parquet floor so it's always neat to see it showcased around ringside like this. Anyway, this is a pretty interesting match. As Vic said, it's right in run up to the Demos title win and it shows. Demolition look pretty unstoppable here. I really wish we had more Rougeaus/Demolition matches to watch but this seems to be the only one of any length that we have readily available, and this is pretty good for what it is. Please note that I will occasionally make like Monsoon with this match and get the two Rougeaus confused. I blame the powder blue tights.
Here's the story of the match in a nutshell. The Rougeaus try everything they can think of. None of it works. The match starts with a double team beating on Ray. When Jacques tries to save, HE gets a double team beating for his effort. The Rogs turn it around quickly with surprise offense and superior speed, but they can't maintain offense. First they try the ol' "contain them with armwork" trick, including a neat little Irish Whip out of an arm-wringer into a double boot in the corner, but it's futile. They try some strikes and kicks too but there's no hope. Smash takes a bit of damage and then powers Jacques into their corner and makes the tag. He's just too strong.
The beating lasts until Jacques heroically gets some shots into Ax's leg. He makes the tag and the Rougeaus try to work on that for a while. One neat thing about this match is that the Demo on the outside is always lurking and peeking his head in as if he's about to strike. Anyway, Ax lures Jacques into getting a painful looking kick to the back of his head and that's the end of the legwork. Ax misses a killer falling headbutt, however, allowing Ray to come in. He immediately tries something new only to learn that you really, truly do not try to monkey flip Ax. It will not end well. The beating commences including the Demos and Fuji making the Rogs look like idiots on the floor using superior positioning to allow a bunch of cheapshots and cane shots. A lot of times they didn't have the managers for these shows so it's nice that they actually use Fuji like this when they have him. We settle in with lots of painful looking neck wrenching and illegal switches and an awesome performance by Smash who miraculously manages to tag Ax in the midst of a sunset flip.
Ray finally manages to somehow hit a suplex and that earns him a hot tag to Jacques, who finally gets some traction being such a fresh man in the match using Hot Tag Face Offense. He hits a big flying back elbow for a phantom pin but Ax has the ref distracted. He puts on the Boston Crab but Ax takes his head off with a boot. Just nasty. Then the Demos hit one of the meaner double clotheslines you'll ever see and that's the match. Good stuff. I wish there was more of it.
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