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.
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