R.I.W Wrestling Legend: Earthquake

Posted on April 22, 2025 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to Rotten Ink. As you can see, we find ourselves once more here at the Rotten Ink Arena with another “R.I.W Wrestling Legend” update event that has a true monster heel in the main event and that wrestler is Earthquake, who worked for the WWF as well as companies like WCW, All Japan and CMLL and was a draw for many of them as a top star. The snack bar is packed tonight, and Mr. X has the Old Grave Digger as back up as they are selling some Quakeburgers and I heard they are made out of python meat! So let’s grab a burger and a drink and find our seats as the ground is starting the shake with tremors and the house lights are going down and that must mean the matches are about to start. So let’s grab our snacks and get our seats as this is going to be one heck of an event.

John Tenta started his Pro Wrestling career in 1987 and was trained by Giant Baba, Terry Gordy, Jumbo Tsuruta and Great Kabuki. Due to his past in Sumo Wrestling, he was a Baby Face from the start and for a man his size, he could work quickly around the ring. Tenta would find himself working for All Japan Pro Wrestling in 1987 and would stay with them until 1989 and was a big draw as he was booked strong from the start and would team with names like Giant Baba, Tiger Mask and Great Kabuki and would have matches against names like Tiger Jeet Singh, Jason The Terrible, Brady Boone, The Moondogs and The Road Warriors, to name a few. In 1989 Tenta would sign with the WWF and would become the monster heel known as Earthquake (first called Canadian Earthquake) and would be managed by Jimmy Hart. The Earthquake would also team with Dino Bravo and would quickly rise up the card as one of the company’s monster heels and would have feuds with the likes of Ultimate Warriors, Jake Roberts and Hulk Hogan, even at one point crushing Damien, the snake of Jake Roberts and then cooking it as hamburgers! During this time he would get shots at the WWF Heavyweight Title and would also send many of his opponent’s to the back on stretchers. In 1991 Earthquake would join forces with Typhoon (formerly Tugboat) to become the massive heel tag team called The Natural Disasters that would later turn baby face and would win Tag Team Gold and would have some great matches against teams like The Rockers, Road Warriors and Money Inc. By late 1993 Earthquake would leave WWF for a short time and work briefly for CMLL in Mexico and WAR in Japan before returning again to WWF in 1994 working as a baby face against the likes of Yokozuna, Adam Bomb and Bam Bam Bigelow before leaving once more that year to return to WAR.

Later in 1994 Earthquake would find himself signed to WCW and would go by the named Avalanche and be a member of the heel team The Three Faces Of Fear along with Kevin Sullivan and The Butcher. During this time he would feud with Hulk Hogan, Sting and Randy Savage! He would then become The Shark and be part of the stable called The Dungeon Of Doom whose main goal was to end the career of Hulk Hogan and he would be joined by such names as Kevin Sullivan, Meng, The Zodiac and Kamala to name a few. In 1996, The Shark would be no more and he would go back to work under his real name John Tenta and would become a baby face and would have matches against the likes of The Giant and Big Bubba Rogers. It was clear at this point Tenta’s star was starting to fade as he would find himself sinking lower down the card and losing matches to the companies top and mid-card heels. By 1997, John Tenta would leave WCW and would only wrestle for them one more time in his career in 1999 in a dark match against Lash LeRoux. But in 1998-1999 Tenta would return to the WWF and be the masked wrestler Golga, who was part of the stable called The Oddities that were sideshow performers and would be managed by musicians ICP and he would carry a South Park Eric Cartman plush to ring when the group went from heels to baby faces and would have a feud with the companies heel teams like The Headgbangers. And the reason John Tenta was Golga and not Earthquake during this return is cause he had lost lots of weight. After leaving WWF in 1999, John Tenta would find himself working the indies, and in 2001 he would work two matches for the WWF and would end his in ring career in All Japan Pro Wrestling. During his career he would win some titles and would be a draw as well as a good solid mid-carder as both a baby face and a heel. Plus his star never faded in Japan as all the way up to his retirement he was a main eventer. Sadly John Tenta would pass away on June 7, 2006 at the age of 42 from cancer. And as of this update’s posting John “Earthquake” Tenta is now in the WWE Hall Of Fame class of 2025 and that’s really were he should be.

Earthquake was a great monster heel in the WWF during his first run as his massive size and speed made him seem very dangerous to his opponents that he would squash with his sitting splash. Two things that Earthquake did during his time with the company that stand out is when he crushed Damien who was in a bag and the look of sadness and horror on Jake Roberts face was great story telling. I also remember his feud with Hulk Hogan when he squashed Hogan on the set of the Brother Love show. Oh and let us not also forget when Earthquake attacked Andre The Giant and broke his leg or when he would stomp around his downed opponent and the commentators would call it Tremors…classic stuff! So as you can see, Earthquake was a great heel that was still great when he and Typhoon first started teaming up as the Natural Disasters. I was never a fan of when Earthquake would turn into a baby face as I feel he was just lost in the shuffle of all the big names in the WWF during that time, and let’s be honest his run in WCW as both heel and baby face was a little lacking as I feel they just did not know how to book him right and did not use him to his full potential of being a good heel. In the late 90’s when he would be Golga at first I was wanting to see what they would do with this masked man who was part of a group of misfits, but quickly they turned him into a generic baby face who carried around a doll and was aimed towards kids to cheer as he danced around. I think the WWF also really missed the boat by not having Earthquake feud with The Undertaker as I think it could have been an interesting series of matches, and it would have been cool to see The Dead Man rise after taking an Earthquake Splash. In fact if they had kept The Oddities as heels, it would have also been cool to see them go after The Undertaker as they could become obsessed with him and want him to join them. And I am not the only one that when looking at Earthquake thought he was much older than he was right? When people talk about some of the best Big Men in wrestling names like Vader, Bam Bam Bigelow and Andre The Giant are spoken about, but I feel that Earthquake is often over looked and should be on that list of hard working guys who put asses in the seats and feuded with some of the industry’s top names. I was really bummed when I heard of Earthquake’s passing in 2006, but while he is gone, his matches live on thanks to the WWE Network, Home Media and Grey Market sets.

We are now at the point of this review where we will be taking a look at the DVD set and reviewing some of the matches on the discs, like always between 4 to 8. I want to thank Coliseum Of Wrestling & Boxing for having this set in stock and also want to thank Earthquake for his hard work in the world of wrestling. I also want to remind you that I will only be breaking down randomly selected matches from this set and will be breaking down the match and will be rating the matches on a 5 Star rating system. I also only choose from single matches, as I want to break down his matches that showcase his style. Here is what the stars mean ½ Means a really terrible match, * Means a bad match, ** Means a below average match, **1/2 Means a good average entertaining match, *** Means a good match, **** Means a great match, ***** Means an epic match. So if you are ready, let’s step into the ring with Earthquake.

Best Of Earthquake

Match 1: Earthquake vs. Koji Kitao

At the start of the match the two start to lockup in a test of strength but Earthquake is able to grab Koji into a headlock, once out of the hold the two finally lock up in the test of strength that ends with Earthquake getting Koji into a reverse bear hug and then gets him into a takedown move that makes Koji roll out of the ring and throw a table around. Once back into the ring after locking up Koji starts to work on the wrist of Earthquake who breaks the hold by smacking him in the face, tensions are high as they smack off each others move attempts and then just stare at each other both with anger in their eyes. The two then end up throwing kicks and punches at each other before the referee breaks them apart. Koji tries to poke both or Earthquakes eyes and ends up getting kicked in the leg for his troubles before once more they square up ready to start throwing punches, but then stand and stare at each other while Earthquake yells at his opponent. Koji then kicks the referee hard causing him to fall and ring for the bell as Earthquake wins the match by DQ. This is a match that turns into a shoot as Koji starts stiff kicks and tries to go for the eyes of Earthquake who defends himself with some kicks and slaps. This is pretty much a brawl and is more of a contest that falls apart and has two wrestlers in the ring ready to throw down staring daggers at each other, and oddly it is kind of entertaining as it seems like the tow have mega heat with each other and the fans in attendance seem to be really into it. The DQ ending also is fitting as I am sure neither guy would have wanted to loose this shoot.

Grade: **

Match 2: Earthquake vs. Executioner

When the bell rings Executioner hits the ropes and tries a pair of clotheslines that do nothing, Earthquake then hits a clotheslines and sidewalk slam style move that floors Executioner. Earthquake then tries to take the mask off Executioner then pokes Earthquake in the eyes and quickly climbs to the top rope and is then thrown across the ring by Earthquake who then walks over and hits a belly to belly suplex on Executioner and then hits a leg drop on the downed masked man. Earthquake then hits a power slam, a dropping elbow and then his Earthquake Splash finisher to get the win via pin. This is pretty much a squash match as Earthquake tosses and smashes Executioner in the ring as the fans cheer, and while Executioner tries to fight back, he is just over powered and out skilled by his much bigger opponent. Earthquake for his size is very fast moving and hits some big power moves that end this match fast. Over all a good jobber match that entertained me and the fans in the crowd as this really was the execution of the Executioner.

Grade: **1/2

Match 3: Earthquake vs. Yokozuna

The two big man size each other up as the bell rings and then a shoving match breaks out as they each are showing that they are a big man. Earthquake takes the momentum at first with some jumping kicks and then a headlock and then hits a series of clotheslines that knock Yokozuna down to one knee, but Yoko changes the tide quickly with a back elbow and a shoulder tackle that takes Earthquake down to the mat and then hits a leg drop. Earthquake is in big trouble as he struggles to get to his feet and when he does he eats some chops and a big splash in the corner and when Earthquake is down on the mat Yokozuna climbs the ropes and hits the Banzai Drop and gets the win via pin. This is the battle of two of the WWF’s biggest men at the time that was a great way to build up Yokozuna as the monster heel that was climbing the card and heading towards World Title shots. And while clearly Earthquake was being used as an enhancement talent in this match, they still allowed him to take the lead of the match early own showing his power and strength, and I feel Earthquake did a great job of selling the beating from Yokozuna who was able to showcase his size and power. The Banzai Drop at the end is a move that could put any superstar away and this was a match to prove that to the fans and his future opponents. Over all this is a good quick match that both guys did a great job of entertaining the fans as well as telling the story of the rising Yokozuna.

Grade: **1/2

Match 4: Earthquake vs. Tito Santana

As the match starts Earthquake uses his power and size to throw Tito off him every time he tries to lockup and even after getting Earthquake in a headlock he is just picked up and tossed. Tito is finally able to use his speed and fast punches to land some good hits on his more massive opponent and then starts working over his arm. Tito cannot keep up the pressure as Earthquake takes the momentum with a body slam, but a missed elbow drop gives Tito the chance to fight back and once more goes to work on the big mans arm. But Earthquake quickly shakes it off and continues to beat up on Tito and locks him in a massive bear hug, once free the two exchange hits and holds and Tito even hits his Flying Forearm and only gets a one count. Earthquake slams Tito and then drops and elbow and starts to go for the Earthquake Splash but Tugboat comes from the back to stop it and then Dino Bravo, The Honky Tonk Man and Greg Valentine enter the ring and start beating up on the baby faces that is until Hacksaw Jin Duggan comes out with his 2X4 and chases off all the heels. The match ends in a no contest as the match got so out of hand by the end with run-ins. This for the most part was a very slow paced match with lots of rest holds and moments of sizing each other up and both use pretty basic moves. It was nice to see that the match was not a total squash as it was clear they were building Earthquake as that monster heel as he shrugs off many moves and hits, but they still allowed Tito to seem like a contender, even though his signature move the Flying Forearm barely phased the big man and at no point did it seem like he was going to win the match. The finish was a little silly as before Earthquake could hit his finisher Tugboat comes lumbering out to get the match thrown out, but in reality Earthquake should have won by DQ. Over all an ok match that was entertaining but not the best match these guys could have had and because of the terrible finish I have to Grade this match a little lower.

Grade: **

Match 5: Earthquake vs. Jake “The Snake” Roberts

Right as the bell rings and Jake enters the ring Earthquake goes on the attack and only after a knee to the head is Jake able to get distance between them. Every time Jake goes after the arm of Earthquake the big man breaks the hold with a smashing forearm and as Earthquake poses Jake turns him around and lands many punches to the big man’s face and continues his attack with some knees in the corner, but Earthquake uses his size to knock Jake to the mat and then stomps on him until Jake falls out of the ring. Earthquake goes after Jake’s new snake Lucifer and Jake saves his pet with a knee that rocks Earthquake and he continues his attack on the big man once they get back in the ring unleashing lots of knees, but Earthquake is able to take back over the momentum by going after the knee of Jake and works it over for a bit. Earthquake goes for his finisher sit down splash but Jake rolls out of the ring, Earthquake goes back after Lucifer the snake and before he can splash the animal Jake is able to trip him and it causes Earthquake to crash onto the mat hard. Jake then lets the snake out of the bag and Earthquake leaves the ring and the referee give him the win by DQ. This is a true grudge match as this takes place after the killing of the snake Damien and Jake unleashes lots of punches and knees to his opponent, but do to the size of Earthquake the match goes south for the baby face as the big heel works over his knee and keeps him down and weak on the mat. This is pretty much a brawl and the story told in the ring is good as the fans were really into it as Earthquake kept acting as if he was going to squash the new python. It’s strange as no big moves are thrown and lots of selling and staling takes place, but yet it is an entertaining match and ends with a DQ so that the WWF could keep this feud going and it makes sense as the emotions of Jake Roberts would be out of control.

Grade: **1/2

Match 6: Earthquake vs. Hillbilly Jim

Before the bell rings Earthquake tries to sneak attack Hillbilly Jim who dodges the big man’s charge and lands some hits of his own including ramming his head against the turnbuckles. Earthquake turns the tide when he rakes the eyes of Hillbilly and then lands some punches and shoulders but Hillbilly starts fighting back and this causes Jimmy Hart the manager of Earthquake to distract Hillbilly by trying to steal his lucky horseshoe and this causes Earthquake to be able to hit a big corner splash and then a dropping elbow before hitting the Earthquake Splash and this gives him the win via pin. Even after the match Earthquake keeps hitting splashes and elbows as Jimmy Hart laughs and the referee is powerless to stop the attack, and after the beating stops Hillbilly Jim is taken out on a stretcher. This is a very quick match and does a great job of showcasing Earthquake as a rising heel as he defeats Hillbilly Jim and then after the match destroys him and uses him powerful impact moves. And during the match Hillbilly Jim does not look like a jobber as he takes control of the match throughout its short runtime, and if not for him paying attention to his opponent and being more focused on his horseshoe he was in charge of it’s pace. This is of course more of a brawling match and is by no means a technical masterpiece, but I will say it was a entertaining match that does it’s job of building Earthquake and was one of the final full time matches for Hillbilly Jim.

Grade: **1/2

Match 7: Earthquake vs. Top Gun

The masked man Top Gun rushes Earthquake before the bell rings and hits him with some big forearm smashes, Earthquake shrugs off the attack and makes Top Gun pay for this as Earthquake hits him with an atomic drop, clothesline and then a dropping elbow. Earthquake before he can hit his sit down splash gets distracted for a moment when Big Bubba Rogers and Jimmy Hart try to break his attention from the match, but Earthquake does not take the bait and hits his splash and gets the win after the three count is made. This is a very short squash match that took place in WCW and Earthquake was of course wrestling under his real name John Tenta and hits all his classic moves from the dropping elbow and the sit down splash and he looks like he has gained some weight but is still moving fast. Top Gun does not stand a chance as his forearm smashes are all he is able to fire off and those do no damage and he quickly finds himself counting the lights. This is a short squash match and for some reason I enjoyed as the masked Top Gun is a great jobber and seeing Earthquake being the monster wrestler was cool, so over all this was entertaining for me.

Grade: **1/2

Match 8: Earthquake vs. Ultimate Warrior

Earthquake attacks Warrior before the bell rings and is hitting him in the back with axe handle blows, the Warriors moves around the ring and then tries to run the ropes and clash into Earthquake who does not budge, but after a shoulder tackle Earthquake is taken off his feet and has to roll out of the ring and Warrior follows him as he goes after Jimmy Hart, this gives Earthquake the chance to attack Warrior from behind. Once back in the ring, Earthquake keeps his attack going on Warrior even kicking him in the back and getting him into the corner to choke him as well as knee him and keep him hurt and weakened. Earthquake keeps up the attack and then starts trying to injure the back of Warrior even getting him in a bear hug that he holds for a long time. Earthquake tosses Warrior to the mat and then drops an elbow and then hits his finisher the Earthquake splash and goes for the pin and Warrior kicks out at two and then fires himself up by the cheers of the fans and the power of the warriors. Warrior then hits a series of clotheslines, a shoulder tackle and then body slams Earthquake and is able to get the win via pin after a big splash. This is a standard Ultimate Warrior match that has him getting beat by the heel only to get the power of the warriors to bring him back into the match and this allows him to hit his finishing combo moves the clotheslines, shoulder tackle and splash in order to get the win and while he does a good job of making Earthquake look good he also at the same time ruins the monster heel build of Earthquake as he kicks out of his finisher and then beats him in seconds after doing so. And it was clear at this time that Ultimate Warrior was being built for the top of the card and Earthquake was finding himself as an upper mid-card heel who was slated to help get over Warrior even more. And while this is a paint by numbers Warrior match I for one am a fan and enjoy his matches and while I wish they would have made this match feel a little bigger I still found it entertaining as did the fans in attendance who were 100% behind Warrior and cheered very loudly for him throughout.

Grade: **1/2

Earthquake is one of those wrestlers who really did make his mark on the sport as he had many very high profile matches and feuds and even had a good tag team run with his partner Typhoon and was an icon in Japan. It’s a shame he passed away at such a young age as who knows what he would have gone on to do and where he would have wrestled. And as the house lights come up and the clean up crew are coming out, this marks the end of this update event and also marks the final in our WWE WrestleMania Month. As we make our way out of the arena, I would like to take a few moments to let you know that our next update will take us out of the Squared Circle and into the world of DC Comics as we will be talking about Plastic Man! So until next time, read a comic or three, watch a wrestling match or two and as always support your local wrestlers. See you next time for a stretchy silly good time.

R.I.W Wrestling Legend: Kamala

Posted on October 12, 2023 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to the Rotten Ink Arena. As you can see, the Halloween decorations are hanging, the arena is packed to the rafters and the snack bar has candy corn, caramel apples and monster punch in stock as this “R.I.W Wrestling Legend” update will be all about our main event monster heel that was from the jungles of Uganda who gave the likes of Hulk Hogan, Kerry Von Erich, The Undertaker and Andre The Giant a run for their money throughout the 80’s and 90’s. A wrestler who was managed by the likes of Skandor Akbar, Freddie Blassie, Slick, Mr. Fuji, The Wizard and Kim Chee and by know I am sure you figured out that it’s Kamala we are talking about one of the best big men in the business and one heck of a monster heel who terrorized his opponents and fans alike as they were all unsure of what he was capable of! So let’s find our seats as this Halloween Countdown R.I.W event is in full swing, and let’s see what Kamala has in store for us this spooky holiday season.

Kamala started wrestling in 1978 and was trained by Bobo Brazil and Tim Hampton and would originally work under the name Sugar Bear Harris and would work the Southern territories and would also work in Germany and England and worked under names like Ugly Bear Harris, Big Jim Harris and The Mississippi Mauler. And in 1982 he would find himself in Continental Wrestling Association and here is were he would become Kamala a Ugandan headhunter and would be managed by JJ Dillon and would go after Jerry Lawler and his AWA Southern Heavyweight Title that he would win and hold for a small amount of time. Late 1982 he would leave Continental and would sign to Mid-South Wrestling and this time would be managed by Skandor Akbar and would be apart of the Devastation Inc. stable and would have a high profile match against Andre The Giant as well a Junkyard Dog. In Mid-South he would be one of the companies heel draws and would also scare younger fans as they thought he was going to get them as he played the Wildman part well and never broke character in public. In 1983 he would head to World Class Championship Wrestling in Texas and would even get a NWA World Heavyweight title shot against Harley Race and would have a long time feud with the Von Erich’s and would have big profile matches against Kerry, Kevin and David. And would even face The Great Kabuki at the David Von Erich Memorial Parade Of Champions in 1984. He would stay around in WCCW until 1985. But while a big heel and draw in WCCW he was still also working other territories and one being WWF were he would be built as a monster heel and would beat names like B. Brian Blair, Chief Jay Strongbow and Salvatore Bellomo and then would have a series of matches against Hulk Hogan for the WWF Heavyweight title! And after his run with Hogan he would have a feud with Andre The Giant and after a battle royal in late 1984 he would be done with the WWF for his first run. After WWF he would head to AWA and would be booked like always as a monster heel and would have matches against the likes of Sgt. Slaughter, Jerry Blackwell and Rick Martel. In 1985 Kamala would find himself working for Jim Crockett Promotions and would take on NWA United States Heavyweight Champion Magnum T.A., and from their he would have small runs in All Japan Pro Wrestling and International Wrestling from Canada.

In 1986 Kamala would return to WWF and would be managed by Kim Chee and The Wizard and once more was booked as a major monster heel and would once more go after Hulk Hogan for the WWF World Heavyweight title, and after not winning the title he would start a feud with Jake “The Snake” Roberts who found out Kamala had a fear of snakes. During 1987 The Wizard would sell Kamala’s contract to Mr. Fuji but shortly after this Kamala would leave the WWF once more. Starting in 1988 Kamala would once more work for WCCW and working with the Von Erich brothers and would stay until 1989 when the company would close for good. He would also head to All Japan again as well as would head to CMLL in Mexico and have big matches against Mil Mascaras, and would also work for other Japanese companies W*ING and Super World Of Sports. In 1990 he would work for USWA and once more would go after Jerry Lawler and this time would challenge him for the USWA Unified World Heavyweight title. Kamala would leave USWA in 1992 and would return to the WWF once more. Kamala would be managed by Kim Chee as well as Harvey Wippleman and would have big matehs against many of the companies top faces including Randy Savage, Ultimate Warrior, Bret Hart and Texas Tornado Kerry Von Erich. And would have many matches against The Undertaker and would even loose a Coffin Match to the dead man. In 1993 Kamala would turn baby face and would be managed by Reverend Slick who was trying to teach him the ways of the modern world and that kindness was the way. While a face he would have matches against the likes of Bam Bam Bigelow, Mr. Hughes, Kim Chee and Papa Shango. The WWF would start working Kamala mostly on house shows and then would let him go in late 1993. After this WWF run Kamala would go into semi-retirement and become a truck driver and would pick up Indie matches from time to time as well as matches for USWA and would even travel to India to tag with Dusty Wolfe to become the IAW Tag Team champs.

In 1995 Kamala was talked out of retirement and would head to WCW to become a member of the Hulk Hogan hating team “The Dungeon Of Doom” that would be lead by Kevin Sullivan and made up of wrestlers who’s sole purpose was to stop Hulkamania once and for all. Kamala would get wins in WCW over the likes of Hacksaw Jim Duggan and Chris Kanyon and after The Dungeon Of Doom would loose to Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage at Fall Brawl 1995 his small run with the company would be over. After leaving WCW Kamala would find himself back working Indies like USWA, JCW and would even work a few matches back in the WWF as at WWF WrestleMania X-7 in 2001 as apart of the gimmick battle royal and in 2005 on WWF Smackdown Kamala would have a match against Randy Orton. Kamala’s last match would be for JCW as he would team with The Weedman and he would retire from wrestling in 2010. After wrestling Kamala’s health would turn for the worse and he would battle complications from diabetes and would end up loosing his legs. Sadly in 2016 he would be one of many wrestlers on the class action lawsuit over head injuries that was thrown out in 2018 and hurt Kamala into getting into the WWF Hall Of Fame. In 2017 he had to have emergency surgery to clear fluid from around his heart and lungs and was even put on life support at the time, he would recover. Sadly on August 5, 2020 Kamala would pass away from Covid-19 and diabetes at the age of 70.

Kamala The Ugandan Giant is a wrestler that I have been a fan of sense I was a kid as he was a great big man wrestler who played his gimmick well and when he would pat his belly, groan and even made surprise faces he would make me mark out and even laugh at times when he would run away from things that scared him. Plus his matches against The Undertaker and Hulk Hogan always seemed larger then life and came off as big deal matches, and that’s one other thing I liked is when Kamala would face other similar themed wrestlers like Papa Shango, Andre The Giant, The Great Kabuki, Kendo Nagasaki, Bruiser Brody and George “The Animal” Steele to name a few. And one thing that I think people never gave Kamala credit for is the fact he was very agile for a man his size and was also pretty fast and would not tire as easy as many of the wrestling big men at the time. Plus he was a true journeyman of wrestling as he worked all over the world and for almost every big promotion from WWF to WCW and was a top draw and a star every territory he went and while he was a heel most of his career he could even pull off being a loved baby face. When I was younger I can remember classmates of mine who watched wrestling being scared of Kamala and talking about how he was a cannibal and a savage and to me that fear he struck them with showed that he was doing his job and was great at it. Kamala was also a wrestler who won very little titles during his run, but he never needed them in order to be a draw as his matches always seemed like an attraction and a belt around his waist was not needed. One thing that always annoyed me as well as a kid was all the Kamala knock-off wrestlers who would dress, act and even sometimes steal his name, and no matter how hard they tried none of them could hold a candle to the real Kamala. And while Kamala might be on the bad side of the WWF over joining that lawsuit, it’s a shame that they have not inducted him into their Hall Of Fame as he is one name that should have been in years ago. Say what you will, but for me Kamala The Ugandan Giant will always be one of my favorite wrestlers from the 80’s and was one heck of a heel who played his gimmick well and did his job putting butts in the seats and selling the tickets when his name was on the card.

We are now at the point of this review were we will be taking a look at the DVD set and review some of the matches on the discs like always between 4 to 8. I want to thank Coliseum Of Wrestling & Boxing for having this set in stock and also want to thank Kamala for his hard work in the world of wrestling. I also want to remind you that I will only be breaking down randomly select matches from this set and will be breaking down the match and will be rating the matches on a 5 Star rating system. I also only choose from Single matches, as I want to break down his matches that showcase his style. Here is what the stars mean ½ Means a really terrible match, * Means a bad match, ** Means a below average match, **1/2 Means a good average entertaining match, *** Means a good match, **** Means a great match, ***** Means an epic match. So if you are ready lets step into the ring with Kamala.

Best Of Kamala

Match 1: Kamala vs. El Silenico

As the bell rings Kamala goes after El Silenico and just starts hitting him with massive chops to the top of his masked head. Kamala then body slams him and just stays on him not allowing El Silenico to even try and make a comeback. Kamala knocks Silenico to the mat and delivers a series of big splashes to his back, crushing the masked man. He then goes for the pin and gets it. After the match Kamala goes after the mask of El Silenico and gets it off and takes it almost as if it was a trophy. This was a total squash match as El Silenico was there to get beat up by Kamala and in the end even get damasked. Kamala hits big power moves in the match with his chops and splashes being his trademark moves that seem to almost frighten the fans at ringside. El Silenico is a total jobber who does not even get one move off in the match and just gets beaten up and pinned. Over all a good squash match as it did its job to build Kamala up as a monster heel and a major threat to any baby face.

Grade: **1/2

Match 2: Kamala vs. King Cobra

As the bell rings Kamala charges Cobra who dodges his attack twice and even is able to land a dropkick that stumbles the big man. King Cobra tries to unload some punches on Kamala and he shakes it off and gets his hands on him and the beating starts. Kamala lands some of his big chops to the top of King Cobra’s skull hurting him and knocks him to the mat and starts choking him. And as Cobra’s on the mat Kamala lands a series of big splashes and goes for the pin and gets the three count and the win. While this is another quick squash match at least King Cobra tries to fight back and is able to land a few dropkicks that staggered Kamala and is even able to land a few punches even if they had no effect. Plus for enhancement talent you could see that King Cobra was a skilled worker even if he was paid to loose. Kamala like always comes off as a great monster heel as he hits big power moves and shrugs off the attack from his opponent. His splashes look like a finishing move and his aggressive in ring work really does make him a big threat. Over all a great quick squash match that helped build Kamala as a big star.

Grade: **1/2

Match 3: Kamala vs. Hulk Hogan

The start the match off running the ropes and bumping into each other in the middle of the ring and neither man budges, they do this a couple of times and its Kamala who ends up knocking down The Hulkster. The two lock up and Hogan does for a body slam but he is cut off by Kamala who clubs him in the back causing him to drop him and not land the slam and this allows Kamala to use his chops and clubbing hits to keep Hogan down. But Hogan is not down for long as he pops up from the mat and starts landing his big punches on Kamala, but when Hogan is distracted by Kamala’s manager he looses the momentum of the match as Kamala attacks him from behind and get a nerve hold on Hogan that takes him down to the mat. Kamala then breaks the hold and hits a big splash, and Hogan kicks out at one, Kamala keeps on attacking that is until Hogan starts Hulking Up and takes the fight to Kamala and lands a big boot, a body slam and the atomic leg drop! Hogan goes for the pin and gets the three count as well as the win. This is your normal 80’s Hulk Hogan wrestling a big monster heel match that has Hogan selling for the heel only to comeback from the beating and land his finishing move the leg drop and get the victory all the while the fans are loosing their minds as Hulk Hogan was the biggest thing in the world of wrestling. And that’s the thing while Hogan gets the win and at one point when he Hulks Up he no sells for Kamala he still makes the big man look great throughout the match and sells well for him. While the match is very paint by numbers and when I says it’s your normal Hogan match during this time I mean it. Best way to sum this match up is big moves, monster crow pops and Kamala getting a match with the world’s biggest superstar makes this a pretty good entertaining match.

Grade: ***

Match 4: Kamala vs. Yokozunna

This is a battle of two big men and when the bell rings the two charge and crash into each other with neither man moving, but Yoko is a little rocked as Kamala watches the big sumo wrestler rock on his feet, the two crash again and Yoko once more gets rocked and when he tries to hit Kamala he is able to dodge and kick Yoko in the gut. Kamala then uses his chops to attack Yoko who is still feeling the effects of the kick, but Yoko turns the tide when he uses a cheap shot to the throat of Kamala and then starts dealing out his own punishment and even knocks Kamala off his feet. Kamala is able to make a small comeback using his chops to Yoko’s head, but Yoko takes back over with a big splash in the corner and then lands the Banzai Drop and gets the pin and the win. This is a good match that was really just an enhancement match as Kamala was feed to Yokozuna who was the companies biggest heel at the time and it made sense to have him win the match as he was about to have a big match against Hulk Hogan and at this point Kamala was not being pushed at a big superstar. The match is pretty much just big man moves with both men selling for each other and making each other look good, and the fans are behind Kamala who was a baby face at the time. Yokozuna you can tell had respect for Kamala and he does a good job of not making this look like a squash match. And the Banzai Drop looks painful and Kamala sells the effects really good after the match. While the match is nothing special it does have a good pace and was a almost passing of the torch of monster heels. Also it was cool to see Mr. Fuji around as he was the manager of Yokozuna at this time and in the 80’s he managed Kamala.

Grade: **1/2

Match 5: Kamala vs. The Undertaker

As the bell rings Kamala rushes The Undertaker and it was a big mistake as Taker starts landing big shots on him causing him to fall back into the corner and starts choking him. The Undertaker then walks the rope “Old School” and works on the arm of Kamala and keeps up his attack, and at this point Kamala has not be able to get the match momentum going his way that is until he knocks Taker off the top rope. Kamala then starts landing some chops and punches of his own and knocks Undertaker out of the ring, Taker then goes after Kamala’s managers and this causes him to have to exit the ring to save them and Kamala starts beating up Taker around the ringside. Once back in the ring The Undertaker hits Kamala with a choke slam and a flying clothesline and just as he is about to get Kamala in the Tombstone Piledriver one of his managers Kim Chee jumps into the ring and strikes The Undertaker causing the match to be thrown out and The Undertaker wins by DQ. After the match Kamala attacks The Undertaker and hits him with big splashes and when The Undertaker sits up after the attack Kamala gets scared and runs away. This is a great match that features two of the WWF’s best monster style gimmicks against each other in a match that is big man paced and showcases the classic slow moving Undertaker style. And while the match is short under four minutes neither guy looks weak with both having moments to shine and each are able to hit some of their trademark moves. And the stuff after the match that has Kamala beating down The Undertaker and then being scared when the Dead Man sits up is classic Kamala stuff as he gets scared and runs away. While the matches end is a let down as it was a DQ I do understand why as they seen more life in the feud and wanted both men to come out with neither having a pin loss to the other. Great stuff if you are a fan of classic Undertaker matches and if you like the style of Kamala at this stage of his career, and keep in mind this match is not for everyone as it is very slow paced and is a typical big man match from the early 90’s, but I for one enjoyed it.

Grade: **1/2

Match 6: Kamala vs. Tito Santana

Kamala charges Tito as the bell rings but cannot catch him, as he is much faster and is able to dodge his attack, and even when Kamala is able to get his hands on him he is able to use his speed to get away. Tito is able to get Kamala in an arm bar and when the big man gets out of it Tito is able to land some big punches to his head and rocks him for a few moments and allows Tito to get the arm bar back on. Kamala breaks free and misses a big splash and this gives Tito a chance to once more lock in the arm bar. But Kamala is able to take the momentum of the match and starts using his chops to break down Tito and even locks in a massive bear hug that crushes the life out of Tito. Once out of the bear hug Tito tries to make a comeback but it is cut off by Kamala who uses a kick to the face to knock Tito down and then as he is going to big splash for the win he sees The Undertakers manager Paul Bearer wheel down a casket and this causes him to run away from the ring and get counted out, giving Tito the win. This match is filled with lots of rest holds as arm bars and a over long held bear hug brings down the pace of the match and it’s a shame as both super stars are way more skilled then what they show in this match. And the ending of Kamala getting counted out by running into the crowd to escape the casket also does not help the match that was already not that great due to all the rest holds. Kamala does well in the match but does not shine like he normally does, and while Tito Santana starts off with quick moves he quickly falls into using the arm bar for way to long multiple times. Not much to really say about this one besides it was kind of a letdown as I am a big fan of both superstars and they just did not have a good match, and more the most part the crowd as well seemed really dead for this one.

Grade: **

Match 7: Kamala vs. Great Kabuki

As the bell rings Kabuki spits the green mist into the air and Kamala looks unsure of what he has just seen, and as the two lock up its Kamala that gets the upper hand and starts hitting him with big chops. Kamala then grabs Kabuki by his neck and lifts him in the air chocking him and causes Kabuki to spew the green mist and this makes Kamala let him go. But Kamala stays on the attack but Kabuki is able to fight back with a spinning kick to his gut and then to the chin knocking the big man down. The two end up locking up in a test of strength that Kamala wins and turns it into a bear hug on Kabuki and holds the move on tight, and Kanuki is only able to escape when he chops the ears of Kamala at the same time. The two end up trading blows until Kamala once more goes for a nerve hold that takes Kabuki down to the mat. Kabuki is able to use his speed and kicks to escape and land some movies on Kamala hurting the big man. The two once more trade punches back and fourth and Kabuki is able to land a good kick to Kamala’s face rocking him and just then both wrestlers managers (Skandor Akbar and Gary Hart) enter the ring and the match is a double DQ. This was a really good match between two great “monster heel” wrestlers one who uses power moves and one who uses quickness and martial arts and their styles worked well together. Kamala uses his power to try and ground Kabuki and does a great job at keeping his kicks and green mist at bay. While Kabuki uses his kicks to rock and hurt his bigger opponent, and his quick kicks to Kamala’s face are awesome and look good. The crowd is clearly on the side of Kabuki for the match as they pop for some of his moves and in the end when he gets the last shot in the match. The downside is that the match does not have a winner as the managers entering the ring cause it to be thrown out and that stinks, as is the fact they have Gary Hart get a few kicks off on Kamala. A good match for sure that is ruined by a bad finish.

Grade: ***

Match 8: Kamala vs. Andre The Giant

Kamala attacks Andre right as he is entering the ring and is landing big chops to the giant’s skull, and Andre starts fighting back with big chops of his own across the chest of Kamala. Andre then hits a big headbutt that dazes Kamala who exits the ring and does not want to get back in with the angry giant, and when he finally gets back in the ring he second guesses himself and gets right back out. Kamala finally gets the courage and gets back in the ring only to be choked by Andre as well as clubbed on with his massive fists. Kamala once more flees the ring in pain, and when back in the ring Andre continues to beat up on Kamala even landing a big boot to his face. But Kamala is able to make a comeback when he starts landing his chops to the top of Andre’s skull once more knocking the giant into the ropes and causing him to get his arms tangled and this allows Kamala to really unload on him. Once free Andre uses the ropes to choke Kamala and give himself a moment to catch his breath. Andre once more starts beating up on Kamala who once more gets out of the ring and has to be forced back into the ring by his managers. Andre beats Kamala in a test of strength and then steeps on his toes with all his weight, Andre then gets Kamala into the corner and crushes him with his size and weight. Kamala is in trouble and his managers know it so they enter the ring and attack Andre and get Kamala disqualified and this gives Andre The Giant the win. This is a true battle of the Big Men and Andre being the biggest as he even makes Kamala look small! The match is your normal big man fight with no technical moves used and it was all big man brawling power moves that the two threw at each other. Both men look great in the match with Andre of course coming off the stronger of the two and he was being showcased as the man who made Kamala even afraid due to his massive size and power. Andre is slow moving in the match as Kamala is the one who does lots of the bumps and work in the match, and what is really surprising while they took lots of breaks in the Kamala out of the ring bits they did not over use rest holds. And while Andre is clearly the one being pushed in the match they do a great job of still making Kamala look strong and this is a time when a DQ finish is needed so neither man has to take a pin or submission loss. Over all a slow brawl that has two giant going to war with each other and is a good entertaining match that Kamala really does shine in by making Andre look even better in the ring.

Grade: ***

Kamala really was one of my favorite wrestlers growing up and was one that I knew I had to cover on one of these “R.I.W Wrestling Legend” updates as I had to share is story and matches with you readers and friends. As you can see, he was a wrestler who could work his gimmick and have some good to great matches with many of the times top wrestlers. But as you can see, the lights are going out and the clean up crew is coming out here at the Rotten Ink Arena and the staff knows that I could talk Kamala for many more paragraphs, but I won’t as I am sure they are wanting to leave and you guys as well have things to do, so as we make our way to the exit I would like to take a few moments to let you know that the next update will be another spooky themed one as our Countdown to Halloween continues with a look at a Horror Host that made his home in the basement of the Grand Ole Opry House and I am talking about Sir Cecil Creape! So until next time read a comic or three, watch a wrestling match or two and as always support your local wrestlers. So you next time for a spooky good time.

R.I.W Wrestling Legend: Demolition

Posted on April 22, 2023 by bloodlinematt

The doors of the Rotten Ink Arena are open and this “R.I.W Wrestling Legend” update event is going to be a big one as our main event star tag team love Pain And Destruction and even claim that it’s their middle names! And of course we are talking about Demolition whose members in the WWF were Ax, Smash and Crush and was one of the companies biggest heel teams as well as baby face when they made the turn. And if you look around this is a packed house for sure and almost all of the fans in attendance are wearing Demolition t-shirts and are even holding up signs to show them support. And over at the snack bar Mr. X is selling some cheap beer and popcorn and I say we grab some snacks and find out seats as this is one wrestling tag team that I have been waiting to cover here at Rotten Ink Arena and as you hear their theme has started so let’s get ready to cheer for this iconic team.

Demolition was a tag team that started in 1987 for the WWF and the members were Ax (Masked Superstar) and Smash (Moondog Rex) and they were managed by Luscious Johnny V and were major heels who wrestled a very still wrestling style. They wore leather-studded outfits and hockey masks and when the masks came off they reveled face paint, and they had a rough attitude of dealing out destruction on the ring. And fans at the start of their tag career was very intimidated by them and kids even where a little scared as they would beat down their opponents and seemed to love doing so. But soon Moondog Rex was replaced by Barry Darsow, and the Smash we all know became the gimmick, as the fans seen through the face paint and knew it was Rex and WWF didn’t like this so the switch was made. Demolition would find themselves working House Shows as well as would be in Battle Royals and would be getting wins against teams like The Can-Am Connection, The Rougeau Brothers, The Killer Bees and The Islanders. And quickly Demolition would rack up the wins and even at this time the fans would be mixed as many would boo them as they were heels others would cheer them as they found them to be one of the companies best tag teams at the time and they stayed very busy in ’87 and would even get chances to work bigger teams like The British Bulldogs and The Hart Foundation. Their first major feud was against the team of Ken Patera and Billy Jack Hayes, and the two would trade victors with the end going to Demolition. At the 1987 Survivor Series Demolition would be apart of a 5 Heel Tag Team side and would be eliminated by DQ after the shoved the referee. In 1988 Demolition would win the WWF World Tag Team Titles from Strike Force (Tito Santana & Rick Martel) at WrestleMania IV and this would be the first of three title runs.

Demolition throughout 1988 would defend the titles successfully against many top teams like Hart Foundation, British Bulldogs, Strike Force and The Brain Busters. Their next major feud was with The Powers Of Pain (Warlord & Barbarian) that would end up having Demolition turn baby face when there then manager Mr. Fuji would turn on them at the 1988 Survivor Series and instead join the Powers Of Pain that would turn heel. After a long run and defending the titles against Powers Of Pain the moved onto having a series of matches against The Twin Towers (Big Boss Man & Akeem) and as well would hold them off. But in 1989 on WWF Saturday Night’s Main Event 22 they would loose the titles to Arn Andersaon and Tully Blanchard known as The Brain Busters. And the two teams would go to war with each other and they would finally win the belts back on an episode of WWF Superstar and this would lead to them having matches against members of the Heenan Family that included members Andre The Giant, Arn Anderson and Haku and they would end up loosing the titles this time to Andre and Haku. And during this time as well Demolition had been in Survivor Series matches as well as have been on many other WWF pay-per views. In 1990 Demolition would win their titles back after a ling feud with Andre and Haku at WrestleMania VI.

After getting the titles back Demolition would turn heel again and would add a third member to the team Crush (Brian Adams) and this shocked the fans as the team had been one of the companies most popular babyface teams and now they were cheating to win and turned their backs on the fans. The three would use the Freebird Rule when defending the belt and that means that any two members could be the ones in the match and this made it hard for opponents to prepare for the matches. And they would defend and retain the titles against The Rockers (Shawn Michaels & Marty Jannetty) but would loose them to the Hart Foundation at the 1990 SummerSlam, and this would start a feud with The Legion Of Doom (Hawk & Animal) and this would also have them back to being managed by Mr. Fuji, but later that year Ax would leave the company and this would leave Smash and Crush as Demolition and their spot on the card started to drop as they were used to put over other teams. They would also work for Super World Of Sports out of Japan as the WWF and them had a talent exchange. And in 1991 the team would end for the time being and their final match for WWF was on September 18, 1991 as they lost to George and Shunji Takano. Demolition started out being WWF’s biggest and baddest team, but sadly after adding Crush and the company signing the Legion Of Doom their time was up as they started to be booked to loose and even fans started to turn on them. But one thing about Demolition is that they for the longest time held the company’s longest total reign as champions 478 days a record they held until New Day broke it with a 483 days reign in 2015.

After Demolition was no more in the WWF they all went on to do different things like Ax would change his name to Axis The Demolisher and would work the indies with two new partners Smash (Moondog Rex) and Blast (Richard Charland) and he tried to use the Demolition name on the indies only to be shut down by the WWF. Smash would go on to become Repo Man in the WWF before leaving and working for WCW under names like The Black Top Bully and his real name Barry Darsow. Crush would end up staying in WWF for a while and would first turn into a babyface Hawaiian beach guy, then he would turn heel and paint his face again and be managed by Mr. Fuji, he then would join the teams Nation of Domination and the DOA before leaving the company in 1997. Crush under his real name Brian Adams would then sign with WCW and become a member of the NOW as well as later team with Bryan Clark to become KroniK. Sadly Brian Adams aka Crush would pass away on August 13, 2007 of an accidental overdose, he was only 43 years old.

Demolition Ax and Smash (Darsow) would come back together on the Indies starting in 2007 and once more captured the fans cheers as they became draws for the companies and would even start to capture Tag Team Gold again. They would work for companies like Chikara, IWC, KSWA, TWA and PWX and would also be making appearances at Wrestling, Comic and Horror conventions and proved that they still were one of the biggest and most loved tag teams in history. The reunion would end in 2017 when they wrestled their final match as a team at a NCWA event when they also teamed with George South and lost to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express and Bobby Fulton. And a little latter after that match Ax would retire for in ring work and Smash would shortly follow him into retirement. Say what you will but Demolition was a tag team that often got compared to The Legion Of Doom, but they broke that notion and proved that they as well were a dominating tag team who fans loved to cheer or boo depending on being a Heel or Baby Face team.

Demolition was a tag team that I was a fan of from the start as they were awesome brawlers who had a cool look of spiked out ring attire and standout face paint with Smash mostly rocking a flame theme and Ax using lots of silver. I always liked them better as a heel team and liked when Mr. Fuji was their manager and watching them cheat in matches and seeing the fans get fired up with anger was awesome, plus they in matches seemed like they were always ready for a fight and would be so happy to beat up their opponents. The feud in the WWF that I enjoyed the most was with the Powers Of Pain as it was two power brawling teams beating the hell out of each other, but I also always liked watching them work with The Rockers as their styles clashed and yet worked really well together. Ax was always the team leader in my eyes and Smash and Crush were the ones that followed his orders as Ax just always had that vibe of being the mastermind behind their path of destruction, Smash was always the more popular one on the playground as my fellow classmates who watched wrestling always seemed to have his Hasbro action figure and he would be the one they talked about. Speaking of Hasbro figures I can remember when I got Demolition I thought the toys were so cool and I can remember bringing them to school to have them wrestle with other figures during recesses. One thing that has been said about Demolition over the decades was that they were the WWF’s answer to the Road Warriors (Legion Of Doom) as they could not signed them so Vince created his own, and I find this to be insulting to Demolition as they where more then just a clone and they created their own style and own mark on the world of wrestling. And I also have to say while I liked Ax and Smash better when it was just Smash and Crush they still were pretty dang cool. Back in 2016 while at a HorrorHound Weekend with Baron Von Porkchop I even had the honor of meeting Ax and Smash of Demolition and they were both awesome guys and even took a moment to take a picture with me. To sum it up, Demolition is awesome and if you have never watched any of their matches make sure to do so.

We are now at the point of this review were we will be taking a look at the DVD set and review some of the matches on the discs like always between 4 to 8. I want to thank Coliseum Of Wrestling & Boxing for having this set in stock and also want to thank Demolition for there hard work in the world of wrestling. I also want to remind you that I will only be breaking down randomly select matches from this set and will be breaking down the match and will be rating the matches on a 5 Star rating system. Here is what the stars mean ½ Means a really terrible match, * Means a bad match, ** Means a below average match, **1/2 Means a good average entertaining match, *** Means a good match, **** Means a great match, ***** Means an epic match. So if you are ready, let’s step into the ring with Demolition.

Best Of Demolition

Match 1: Demolition vs. British Bulldogs

Smash starts the match for Demolition and Davey Boy for the British Bulldogs and they two lock up and Smash ends up using ax handle smashes to beat Davey up, but Davey is able to tag in Dynamite Kid who takes the lead and starts beating up on Smash with lots of fast paced power moves as the two go back and fourth. Smash is able to tag in Ax who starts pounding on Dynamite and Ax starts working over his arm and Dynamite reverses the arm hold and makes the tag to Davey and the Bulldogs make quick tags as they work on Ax’s arm, but Smash comes in and cheap shots Dynamite from behind and the two start working over the injured wrestler with Smash even locking in a big bear hug. Dynamite is finally able to get a tag when he is able to boot Smash in the face and leap to Davey who comes into the match a house of fire and but weird enough Dynamite tags back in and quickly starts getting beat up again and tossed out of the ring. Once out of the ring Demolition’s manager Mr. Fuji starts kicking Dynamite, and this angers Davey and along with Dynamite they chase Fuji to the back. When the Bulldogs return they have a broken cane and start hitting Demolition with it, they also shove down the referee and this causes Demolition to win by DQ. This is a fun and yet clunky match that has The Bulldogs making lots of silly decisions in the ring, like Dynamite tagging back into the match seconds after being beat up, rushing the ring with a broken cane to attack and as well knocking down the referee makes them come off as dumb. Demolition pretty much dominate the match with a brawling style and are in control for most of it with both Ax and Smash beating up Dynamite Kid. The fans are into the match and are behind The Bulldogs, but you can also hear some cheers for Demolition who clearly was the team being pushed in the match as they were the Tag Team Champions. Smash works most of the match with Ax being his backup and they both look good in the match. Davey is the powerhouse of the Bulldogs with Dynamite being the one who takes the beating for the most part. Over all a good TV match that was quick and to the point and gave Demolition a win.

Grade: **1/2

Match 2: Demolition vs. Powers Of Pain

As soon as the bell rings Demolition and the Powers Of Pain start beating the hell out of each other, and in this match Demolition are the baby faces and Mr. Fuji is now the manager of Powers Of Pain! Once order is restored Smash and Warlord start the match and Warlord is in trouble as Demolition keep tagging in and out keeping him down and away from tagging his partner. Smash misses a corner splash and this allows Warlord to make the tag to Barbarian who exchanges moves with Smash who is able to get a tag to Ax who uses ax handle smashes to take Barbarian down to the mat, but behind the referees back Mr. Fuji uses his cane on Ax’s knee and this allows the Powers Of Pain to take control of the match, Barbarian even hits a massive shoulder breaker, and they continue to beat up Ax who finally is able to fight back and gets the tag to Smash who rushes in and starts punching both Warlord and Barbarian, but the Powers end up double teaming Smash and even hit him with the Doomsday Device! But Ax makes the save and while the referee is distracted by Mr. Fuji he takes the cane and hits the Powers Of Pain with it, but Fuji then enters the ring and throws powder into the eyes of Ax and the referee has had enough and decides to DQ Powers of Pain and give the match to Demolition. This is a 100% a Hoss fight as both Demolition and Powers Of Pain are going out to try and hurt one another buy using big brawling power moves, and both teams look strong during the match as its 50/50 throughout it with both teams showing that they want to win! The Doomsday Device that the Powers Of Pain hit looks really good and impactful, and its clear that the fans want Demolition to win as they cheer for them loudly throughout the match. The DQ finish is a little of a letdown as it’s odd that the referee ended up giving Demolition the win after the salt in the eyes, but the referee before that seen Ax several times hit Barbarian with the cane and did nothing about it. This was a fun brawl match that entertained the fans and did a good job of keeping the feud between these two teams going.

Grade: **1/2

Match 3: Demolition vs. The Rockers

Ax starts the match for Demolition as Shawn Michaels does for the Rockers and from the start its clear that Ax is the strongest of the two and he starts dealing out some damage to Shawn, but Shawn uses his speed to frustrate Ax who tags in Smash and this is Shawn’s cue to tag in Marty Jannetty and it goes the same as Smash uses his power to try to take the tide its Marty’s speed that keeps it from going one sided. Demolition is so frustrated they try and get advice from their manager Mr. Fuji on what to do all the while the fans are loving it. And the speed of the Rockers still keep Demolition off guard with them doing quick tags and even quicker strikes on the much bigger opponents. But Ax turns the tide when he hits a headbutt on Marty that rocks him, and then it’s Demolition’s turn to hit big power moves as well as kick tag in and out. Marty hits a back elbow on Smash and tags in Shawn who once more uses his speed to get big punches landed on Smash’s head, and as Shawn hits the ropes Ax pulls it down and causes Shawn to fall out of the ring. Once back in the ring Shawn is injured and Smash tries to get him to quit by placing him in a Boston Crab, Shawn will not give up and Ax is tagged in and he starts working over the back of Shawn, and they tag in and out just tormenting Shawn who is finally able to make a small comeback and get the tag to Marty who unleashes on Smash as series of punches and moves. Marty almost gets the three count after landing a top rope splash to Smash that is broken up by Ax. And the match ends when Ax cheap shots Marty and Smash is able to get the win via pin. This was a match that had the live fans cheering like crazy for The Rockers and booing Demolition as they cheated their way to a victory. Both teams looked great in this match and they told a great story of a smaller team using their speed to stand toe to toe with the much larger opponents. Both teams also make the other look like a million bucks as they both sell for one another and they both show that they are masters of the art of tag team as they psychology that both teams show is fantastic. The energy of the fans really helps bring out the excitement of this match and once more the match was used to put over Demolition but also used to help build The Rockers as Marty and Shawn work hard. A good match the mixed speed and power and these two teams work really well together.

Grade: ***1/2

Match 4: Demolition vs. Andre The Giant & Giant Baba

This match takes place in Japan and the fans are hot and cheering so loud and Smash starts the match off with Giant Baba who drops his opponent with a massive chop! Baba keeps the heat on Smash and tags in Andre who chops, kicks and steps on him. Smash escapes the attack when Andre misses sitting on him and give him a chance to tag in Ax. The match tide changes for a moment as Ax keeps pounding on Andre and Demolition makes quick tags and keep just punching and keeping him down on the mat. Andre is able to choke Ax and at the same time roll to tag in Baba who stomps on the gut of Ax as the fans cheer. Demolition then starts double teaming Baba who fights his way out of their corner and hits Smash with a swinging neck breaker, Ax breaks up the pin attempt and Baba then tags in Andre who beats up both Demolition with chokes and punches. But when Demolition start double teaming Andre this makes Baba also enter the ring and all four men start brawling. In the end Baba hits Smash with a big boot and then Andre drops an elbow on him and gets the pin and the win. Demolition carry this match as both Andre The Giant and Giant Baba seem to be moving in slow motion as they both are not in great physical shape. It’s Demolition who do most of the selling and moving around the ring and they come off strong and make the two aging Giants look like powerhouses still. The fans are so into this match as they are 100% behind The Giants as they cheer for all they do, and when they win the places roof comes off. Andre and Baba mostly lumber around the ring and punch, kick, chop and choke and while they are limited in the ring they still are still true superstars. This is more of an attraction match as its not technical at all but the story the four men tell in the ring and the energy of the fans make this match feel big.

Grade: **1/2

Match 5: Demolition vs. S.D. Jones & B. Brian Blair

For this match S.D. Jones is a temporary member of the Killer Bees and Blair and Ax start the match off and it’s clear that Ax is the stronger of the two but it’s Blair’s speed that allows him to take Ax down to the mat. And when Smash and Jones get into the ring they also find that Jones is fast as well as strong and he shows his skills as the fans are behind Special Delivery. The Bees move fast and hit moves and quick tag as they work over Smash who is cut off from his corner and land an atomic drop on him as well as elbows. But Ax cheats and knees Blair in the back and turns the tide of the match as he also gets tagged in and gets a chin lock on Blair and this slows down his speed, and they also keep him away from Jones and tag in and out just beating him up. Finally Blair is able to tag in Jones who starts fighting off Demolition, but Ax hits Jones with a cheap shot to the back of the head and Smash is able to get the win by pin. This is a pretty one sided match as it was clear that the WWF was building up Demolition as most of the match they just beat the hell out of Brian Blair and its mostly S.D. Jones who is the one who gets the offense on the Killer Bees side. Demolition look very strong in the match and while they do sell for the Killer Bees it was clear that the heels were going over. It was great seeing the fans cheer for S.D. Jones and even at times you can hear some fans cheer for Demolition. Over all a good enhancement match that just showcases the early brawling style of Demolition and just how far the Killer Bees had fallen down the card.

Grade: **1/2

Match 6: Demolition vs. Tito Santana & Mil Mascaras

Ax and Tito start off the match and Tito’s speed comes in handy, as he is able to fire off and land some strikes before Ax himself fires off some ax handle hits. Tito is able to hit a flying body press on Ax and gets a one count. Ax tags in Smash who starts to unload on Tito who in turn tags in Mil who starts working over the arm of Smash and even lands his trademark dropkick before tagging back in Tito who starts off good but quickly finds himself on a beating at the hands of Demolition. And when Tito finally can make the tag to Mil he as well starts off good but soon finds himself being double teamed by Demolition and they even toss him out of the ring, and Ax even behind the referee’s back uses the cane of Mr. Fuji to choke Mil. Demolition continues to tag in and out and keep Mil from getting the tag to Tito and they cut off many of his comeback attempts. But when Mil is able to make the tag he and Tito hit a double drop kick on Ax and knock him to the ground, Mil tags back in and locks in a Camel Clutch that is broken by Smash. In the end the referee watches Mr. Fuji trip Tito and he gives he and Mil the win by DQ. What a strange and very entertaining match as its Lucha Libre meets the Brawling Big Man WWF Style in a match that should have had a better finish then a DQ ending. Demolition comes off strong and much of the match has them in control of the match, but yet Tito and Mil as well come off as major opponents who when they turn the tide in the match give Demolition a run for their money. The fans in attendance where very much into the match as they wanted to see Mil and Tito pick up the victory and even cheer when the team does win with the lame DQ finish. Mil’s dropkicks look great, Demolition look strong and the fans were into the match what more could you ask for. While not a Five Star match it was an entertaining one.

Grade: ***

Match 7: Demolition vs. The Gladiator & Dave Pullman

Ax starts the match off just beating the hell out of Pullman and then tags in Smash who does the same thing by just punching him over and over again. Ax tags back in and rams Pullman’s face into the boot of Smash who tags back in and allows Pullman to tag in his partner Gladiator who does no fare well as Smash and Ax just tag in and out and beat him up, with Smash dropping Gladiator throat first onto the top rope and tags in Ax and they hit The Demolition Decapitation on Gladiator and get the win via pin. This was 100% a one sided squash match as Demolition just dominate and destroy Pullman and Gladiator who never even get to land a hit. The match does its job of making Demolition look like a powerful tag team who where rough and mean brawlers even though they were the baby faces in the match. The Gladiator is a masked wearing worker and he cracked me up as he from the moment he gets into the match is just beat up and pinned fast. This was a fun and one sided squash match that was entertaining because Demolition are awesome and the jobbers are awesomely cheesy.

Grade: **

Match 8: Demolition vs. The Intruder & Tim Patterson

Smash and Tim start the match and things don’t go well for Tim who is backed into the corner and Smash lands some big punches. When Ax tags in they place Tim on the ropes and they both just land some big forearm smashes on him, and then Ax puts his boot on the neck of Tim and starts trying to cut off his air and even starts working on his neck causing him lots of pain. When Smash tags in he allows Tim to tag in The Intruder who tries to hit Smash with no effect and is then thrown out of the ring for effort. Once back in the ring Ax tags in and Intruder is beat up on with some stiff clothesline and then hit with The Demolition Decapitation and they win the match. This is yet another squash match and Demolition just destroy and demolish these jobbers with Tim not even getting a hit off with The Intruder at least throwing a few punches that have no effect at all. Demolition look vicious in the match as they double team and even stomp put boots to neck. This is pretty much a normal squash match that is a fast easy win for the star team, and the losers are purely being used as enhancement. The Demolition Decapitation looks great in the match and masked wrestler The Intruder is super short and does not look like a pro wrestler from that time, but with that said I would love to see more matches of his! Over all a squash match that is entertaining.

Grade: **1/2

Demolition is one of the greatest Tag Teams from the WWF in the 80’s and early 90’s as they had a great look and could brawl and beat up with the best of them. But as you can see, the event is over and the lights have been turned on so that is our cue to head out and as we make our way to the doors I want to say that I hope that you readers are enjoying these wrestling updates as much as I am writing them. And I should also note that our next update will take us away from the squared circle and to the world of home video game consoles as I will breakdown the Best Horror Games for the Atari 2600! So until next time, read a comic or three, watch a wrestling match or two and as always support your local wrestlers. See you next time for some 8-Bit Terror brought to us all by Atari.