Professionalism was a key ingredient in Demolition’s WWE success.
It was announced last week that Demolition — Bill Eadie & Barry Darsow — will finally be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame over WrestleMania 42 weekend. They spoke with Bill Apter about the news and addressed how their team was able to maintain its success while other tag teams broke apart.
“We were both easy-going guys,” Eadie said. “I mean, we both knew that it was a job. We were enjoying it, we were getting paid well, and we knew it was going to be successful. So why not ride the wave?”
“I think both Bill and I had — our job as Demolition was our number one thing on the road,” Darsow added. “We didn’t go out and party and do everything. It was the gym, then wrestling, and finish the tour and go home with our families. And I think that’s what made it last so long.”
When asked to name their favorite opponents, Demolition said it would be too difficult to narrow it down that much since they had fun every single night they were in the ring. They did list The British Bulldogs, Hart Foundation, Killer Bees, Brainbusters, The Warlord & Barbarian, Tito Santana & Rick Martel, and The Rockers as some of the teams they enjoyed facing most.
Demolition were three-time WWF Tag Team Champions in the 1980s-1990s. For a long time, they held the record as the longest-reigning champions in history until that was eventually surpassed by The New Day.
A Hall of Fame induction did not happen for Demolition until now due to them being on the outs with the company over lawsuits they had been involved in against WWE. But after Vince McMahon’s exit, they were brought back into the fold and signed to WWE Legends contracts.
The 2026 Hall of Fame ceremony is taking place in Las Vegas on Friday, April 17 and will also include AJ Styles and Stephanie McMahon being inducted. More inductees are still to be announced in the coming weeks.
On a new Wrestling Weekly, Les Thatcher and Vic Sosa look at the fallout from last weekend’s WWE Elimination Chamber and some creative team shakeups this week in the company.
The guys also talk about the newest members of the WWE Hall of Fame and a rough night for Kevin Knight and Jet Set Rodeo this past Wednesday in AEW.
Updated coverage on SummerSlam and early word on Survivor Series is the lead story on this week’s issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
We look at the location, the time of the show and why they are limited in time, the new stadium, talk about top matches plus more on Dwayne Johnson and WrestleMania, Survivor Series and a plan for an August Takeover.
Also in this issue:
Dominion, the Shingo Takagi title win, with match-by-match coverage, star ratings, poll results, business notes and booking direction.
Plans for a WWE draft, a WWE TV show on verge of being canceled, Bret Hart documentary, Stephanie McMahon talks WWE business, WWE ticket sales, Miz talks injury, UK & Canada viewing numbers, WWE looks a changes in how it does house hows, WWE autograph new rules, most watched WWE videos of the past week and WWE market value.
The next two WWE major events with lineups, notes about the Takeover crowd, matches announced and not yet announced for Hell in a Cell and more.
Full coverage of this past Saturday’s UFC show.
Cyber Fight show combining NOAH, DDT, Ganbare Pro and Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling. We look at Keiji Muto’s title loss, why he got the title in the first place, why Marufuji wasn’t the guy who should have won, plus match-by-match coverage with star ratings.
The death of controversial wrestler Angel o Demonio.
More into detail on the ratings than any other source, how many different viewers the shows had which is very different from the television number, breakdown of who watches the shows, how they watch, DVR numbers and how long the average fan watches.
Results of the major pro wrestling events of the past week.
ORDERING INFO: Order the print Wrestling Observer right now and get it delivered via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to [email protected] or by going to www.paypal.com directing funds to [email protected].
Rates in the United States are $14.50 for 4 issues, $35.50 for 12, $70 for 24, $116 for 40 and $149.50 for 52.
In Canada and Mexico, the rates are $16 for 4, $27 for 8, $38.50 for 12, $76 for 24, $126 for 40 and $162.50 for 52.
For the rest of the world, rates are $18 for 4, $48.50 for 12, $93 for 24, $155 for 40 and $201.50 for 52.
If you order by mail with a check, cash or money order to P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228, you can get $1 off in every price range.
FRIDAY NEWS UPDATE
Garrett Gonzales and I will be previewing the weekend and covering the news of the past week tonight on Wrestling Observer Radio. Bryan and I will be doing shows tomorrow after UFC, Sunday after Takeover and Monday after Raw.
Want to wish our best to Bill Eadie, best known under names like Demolition Ax, Masked Superstar, Super Machine and Bolo Mongol, who was one of the top names in pro wrestling in the late 70s and through the 80s, who is suffering from heart-related issues.
Smackdown tonight has Chad Gable & Otis vs. Street Profits, Kevin Owens & Big E vs. Apollo Crews & Sami Zayn and Bayley interviewing Seth Rollins. For 205 Live is Ari Sterling & Asher Hale vs. Tony Nese & Ariya Daivari and Sunil Singh vs. Grayson Walker (formerly Matty Walhberg in Australia who played Ric Flair in an episode of Young Rock).
AEW at 10 p.m. Eastern on TNT tonight:
Appearing are Don Callis, Cody Rhodes and The Pinnacle
Lance Archer vs. ?
Nyla Rose vs. Leyla Hirsch
Adam Page & 10 vs. Brian Cage & Powerhouse Hobbs
Christian Cage vs. Angelico
Miro vs. Evil Uno for TNT title
Young Bucks & Brandon Cutler vs. Penta & Pac & Eddie Kingston
Bellator tonight at 9 p.m. Eastern on Showtime:
Demarques Jackson (170) vs. Mark Lemminger (170.5)
Aaron Pico (145.75) vs. Aiden Lee (145)
Paul Daley (175) vs. Jason Jackson (175)
Douglas Lima (169.75) vs. Yaroslav Amasov (170) for the welterweight title
On paper this looks like a very exciting show with Pico, Daley and Lima all high-action fighters and Amasov as a challenger for the title comes in at 25-0.
Invicta runs an eight-woman one-night tournament for an Atomweight title shot on AXS tonight. It will also air on YouTube live:
First round matches as voted by the fans are:
Paulina Granados (105.9) vs. Marisa Messer-Belenchia (105.4)
Jillian DeCoursey (105.5) vs. Linda Mihalec (105.9)
Lindsey VanZandt (105.8) vs. Katie Perez (105.3)
Jessica Delboni (105.6) vs. Samantha Seff (105.9)
UFC 263 is tomorrow from Phoenix:
ESPN+ at 6 p.m. Eastern:
Carlos Felipe (262.5) vs. Jake Collier (264.5)
Fares Ziam (156.5) vs. Luigi Vendramini (155.5)
Chase Hooper (145.5) vs. Steven Peterson (148.5) – Peterson forfeits 20 percent of his purse for missing weight
Matt Frevola (155) vs. Terrance McKinney (155.5)
Pannie Kianzad (135.5) vs. Alexis Davis (134.5)
ESPN at 8 p.m. Eastern:
Movar Evloev (145.5) vs. Hakemm Dowodu (145.5)
Lauren Murphy (125.5) vs. Joanne Calderwood (125)
Eryk Anders (205) vs. Darren Stewart (204.5)
Drew Dober (154) vs. Brad Riddell (155)
PPV at 10 p.m. Eastern:
Paul Craig (204.5) vs. Jamahal Hill (205.5)
Demian Maia (170.5) vs. Belal Muhammad (170.5)
Leon Edwards (170.5) vs. Nate Diaz (170) in five round non-title fight
Deiveson Figueiredo (125) vs. Brandon Moreno (125) for flyweight title
Israel Adesanya (183.5) vs Marvin Vettori (184.5) for middleweight title
Lauren Murphy tweeted that everyone was told that if they so much as touch their opponent with anything more than a fist bump, handshake or high five at the ceremonial weigh-ins that they will be pulled from the show, fined and suspended. So no more pushing and shoving.
AEW in Canada tonight is on TSN 2 even though it is listed in some cable guides as WNBA Basketball in the time slot. So this could hurt ratings since the wrong show is listed.
Stardom runs Ota Ward Gym in Tokyo with a PPV show which starts at 3 a.m. tomorrow morning Eastern time. This will be the first time they’ve offered PPVs from Japan in English. You can order the show at this link.
Utami Hayahishita vs. Syuri for the Wonder of Stardom title
Cinderella tournament finals
Mayu Iwatani & Starlight Kid & Rin Kadokura & Hanan & Koguma vs. Natsuko Tora & Konami & Saki Kashima & Fukigen Death & Ruaka
Giulia & Natsupoi vs. Momo Watanabe & AZM vs. Tam Nakano & Mina Shirakawa
Himeka vs. Saya Kamitani in a Cinderella tournament semifinal
Maika vs. Unagi Sayaka in a Cinderella tournament semifinal
Rina vs. Hina vs. Lacy C
CMLL has the first of three weeks of the Torneo Increíbles de Parejas, with the idea of tag teams of guys who usually feud with each other at Arena Mexico tonight. The teams tonight are Cuatrero & Dark Panther, Hechicero & Stuka Jr., Gran Guerrero & Mistico, Cancerbero & Espiritu Negro, Atlantis & Negro Casas, Volador Jr. & Templario, Titan & Dragon Rojo Jr. and Valiente & Gemelo Diablo I.
New Japan Strong at 10 p.m. tonight on New Japan World:
Jordan Clearwater & Misterioso vs. Fred Yehi & Wheeler Yuta
Alex Coughlin vs. Hikuleo
Rocky Romero & Lio Rush vs. The DKC & Clark Connors
Impact Against All Odds takes place tomorrow night on Impact+ and FITE TV with Kenny Omega vs. Moose for the Impact title as the main event plus Deonna Purrazzo vs. Rosemary for the Knockouts title.
PWInsider reported Ronda Rousey was filming and hosting episodes of the ESPN+ show “Peyton’s Place” at the 2300 Arena with Paul Heyman and Devon Dudley talking about ECW history.
WWE
Even though the A&E Biography series on WWE has concluded the Most Wanted Treasures show will air this weekend but a two-hour show at 8 p.m. featuring two AEW names, Mark Henry and Paul Wight, with the idea that they are looking for Andre the Giant items.
PWInsider reported that Shawn Daivari has been hired by WWE as a producer. He had worked this past week with Billy Corgan’s NWA as a producer and formerly held the job with WWE prior to the pandemic cuts.
Cesaro talked to the Hindustan Times where he said that while there are guys who can lift heavier weights in the gym than he can, that he is the strongest guy in WWE when it comes to strength inside the ring. (thanks to Mike Kuzmuk)
Steve Austin will be doing a signing with Highspots and American Icon Autographs the first week of August in California.
The Milwaukee Brewers announced a WWE Night for their 9/25 game against the New York Met. Fans attending will get a Bob Uecker Bobblehead. Uecker was a mediocre player who became famous for being a funny announcer, and has a wrestling tie-in since he announced at WrestleMania III and was put in the WWE Hall of Fame in 2010.
AEW
Taz underwent undisclosed surgery earlier today.
OTHER NOTES
ROH TV this weekend has Tracy Williams & Rhett Titus defending the tag titles against Dragon Lee & Kenny King.
United Wrestling Coalition on Saturday in Wrightstown, NJ at Kelly’s Bar with shows at 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. outdoors.
CWE returns to Saskatchewan for the first time in 17 months with shows on 7/21 in Prince Albert, SK, 7/22 in Saskatoon, 7/23 in Regina and 7/24 in Weyburn.
Innovate Wrestling Fire on the Mountain on 8/14 in Kingsport, TN at the Civic Auditorium.
Showtime will be airing the Floyd Mayweather vs. Jake Paul exhibition fight tomorrow night.
AAW tonight on Fite TV from 115 Bourbon Street in Merrionette Park, IL is headlined by Mance Warner vs. Jake Something for the AAW title and Kris Statlander vs. The Hyan for the women’s title. The show starts at 8:30 p.m. Eastern time. AAW also has announced they return to the Logan Square Auditorium in Chicago on 9/2 and that the Jim Lyman Memorial tournament will be 10/29 and 10/30.
AIW on 6/18 in Cleveland at the Odeon Concert Club with Matt Cardona, Brian Myers, Mark Sterling and Swoggle.
Pro Wrestling Phoenix tonight in Omaha, NE at the Waiting Room Lounge.
DAZN and Matchroom have signed a deal where they will air a series of boxing shows live from Mexico with Canelo Promotions, with the first show on 6/26 from Guadalajara.
Pro Wrestling Australia on Sunday has a live show on FITE with Aussie Open vs. Robbie Eagles & Mat Diamond and PWWA champion Jessica Troy against Sam Osborne.
Aramis defends his Warrior Wrestling Lucha title on 7/17 in Chicago Heights, IL against Daga, his trainer, plus Lance Archer vs. Robert Ego Anthony managed by Frank the Clown. Those under 16 are admitted free.
DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Audio Show: FREE EDITION! Tell your friends! Today is a mailbag show with a wide range of questions and topics including:
The pioneers of wrestling what referees were in the days of Frank Gotch, Ed “Strangler” Lewis, and Joe Stecher. The conversation also includes how state atheletic commissions played into things during the pioneer era and how wrestling pioneer William Muldoon figured into things.
Why is Demolition not in the WWE Hall of Fame? Despite being one of the longest reigning tag teams in WWF/WWE history, Demolition has been all but erased from the record books. They are viritually never mentioned. Well, that’s not entirely true. Demoltion Smash (Barry Darsaw) has been brought back for a few projects and even an appearance as the Repo Man so I tell you why that might be and how it probably also includes a member of the Moondogs.
There is a great and super informative email about the drawing power of Jim Londos defending him as legitimately one of the biggest draws in wrestling history. I learned a lot myself from this one.
This is a free show today so tell your friends to give it a listen! If you would like to order a Super Stern Stick Flashdrive please check out my website http://www.dragonkingkarl.com
