Magazine

April 1988-November 1989

Mr. Fuji's notorious wrecking crew of Ax and Smash, together known as Demolition, has promised they will end the tag team title reign of Strike Force in Wrestlemania IV.

"We'll blast Strike Force," growls Ax. "It'll be like a wrecking ball bashing an old building," snarls Smash. "There won't be nothing left of [Rick] Martel and [Tito] Santana but pieces. Little bitty pieces."

Demolition talks big. But Ax and Smash have what it takes to back up their bluster. Strike Force is in for the challenge of their life when teh WrestleMania IV bell signals the beginning of their championship defense.

It's not just a matter of strength and skill. Belt changes happen for many reasons, including injury, stamina, and timing.

Living Legend Bruno Sammartino explains: "A lot of fans believe that a title change occurs because the victor is superior to the loser in every way. This isn't entirely true, especially with the high caliber of athletes in the WWF. Champions continually come across opponents equal to them on almost every level. So what determines who leaves the ring with the belt? Often, it's timing. When it's your time to take the glory, you claim it."

Exhausting schedules, endless assaults by hungry contenders and the pressure of holding on to the title can tax champions, shifting the odds in favor of the challenger. Ring observers note this could well make the timing right for Demolition to lift the title from Strike Force. Martel and Santana have been facing some of the most brutal competition ever--the Islanders and the Hart Foundation, for example. They could be worn down.

Mr. Fuji takes note of this fact. "Demolition will win. Santana and Martel, you can do nothing to change that. It is fate."

Santana and Martel have heard such predictions from adversaries before and appear unworried.

"When you have this belt around your waist, people take strange pleasure in telling you all the reasons you're going to lose," says Martel. "Tito and I have defended the title for several months now. We've taken on the toughest opponents and beaten everybody."

Ax and Smash, however, are not "everybody." This vicious combo brings muscle, brawn and cruelty to the ring. Demolition is known for moves as slick as their black leather garb and sharp as the points of steel studs that adorn it. They do not simply defeat the opposition. They brutalize. Under Fuji's guidance, they seem invincible.

"I never lie to myself about opponents," says Ax. "I know that Martel and Santana are good. But I also know they are tired. We're fresh and ready to destroy. We'll roll over those two pretty bous and grind them into baby powder."

Santana counters that point of view by saying that defending the belts has made Strike Force a better tag team than before. "It's trial by fire, man. One loss, and it's the end of the road. Rick and I know that and thrive on the pressure. We've wrestled a wide range of teams and have adapted our styles each time. We'll do it with Demolition."

Indeed, Strike Force employed great speed to overcome the Hart Foundation--aerial tactics and power moves to match the Islanders and brawling skills to beat the Bolsheviks. They are the epitome of adaptability.

Demolition, on the other hand, brings a predictable array of weapons into the ring. Ax and Smash never change their style. Why should they? Their savage power has worked each time.

Ax and Smash have strong-armed the Killer Bees, Ken Patera adn Billy Jack Haynes, and the Young Stallions. Their potent onslaught seems just too much for anybody to handle.

Strike Force is confident they can stop Mr. Fuji's two bulldozers. "Demolition calls us pretty boys," says Martel. "Maybe we've got good looks, but that doesn't mean we're not tough as nails."

"What can Ax and Smash do?" asks Santana. "They punch, they kick and they slam. Guess what? Rick and I can do the same thing. But we're also going to dazzle them with dropkicks, flying tackles and Boston crabs."

But what about Demolition's feared finishing move--when one of the leather-clad brutes bends the opponent over a knee and the other hits from the turnbuckle with an elbow to the neck? Santana admits that could mean the end. But, he adds, "The sign of a true champion is not letting that kind of thing happen to you. We'll have to concentrate on what w're doing every second."

That could be difficult, given that Mr. Fuji will be prowling at ringside. He could be the final edge in Demolition's favor.

"Fuji is evil," says Santana. "Everybody he has managed has learned not just to go into the ring to wrestle, but to hurt. Just once, I'd like to forget the rules and get Fuji in a corner."

The Mexican's reaction is completely in sync with Mr. Fuji's strategy. Smash calls Fuji "our secret weapon." Other managers can needle opponents from ringside. They distract. They interfere. But Fuji can get under the opposition's skin even before the match. Opponents know he's out there scheming. They know he's foul. This knowledge threatens the very concentration Santana admits is so important to victory.

Fuji has made every effort to stick it to Strike Force from afar. The added media exposure he has received with the approach of WrestleMania IV has given him plenty of chances.

He has called Strike Force every name in teh book. "Weaklings." "Infants." "Scum." He has scoffed at their record. "They lucky," Fuji has charged. "But luck run out against Demolition. Maybe Strike Force never wrestle again after WrestleMania IV."

Fuji definitely is primed for Wrestlemania IV. He will bring Demolition to the ring ready to chew nails. He will foster their brutish instincts. To survive, not to mention keep their belts, Strike Force will not be able to afford a single mistake. And they will have to resist fearsome punishment. Martel and Santana know this. "We're going to show Demolition how to wrestle and how to brawl," says Santana. "And in WrestleMania IV, baby, we're going to crack their wrecking ball."