WWE has announced that the tag team Demolition, consisting of Ax and Smash, will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2026.
The induction ceremony will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada, during WrestleMania 42 Weekend. WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker had the honor of informing Ax and Smash about their induction.
It is believed that Demolition’s approval for the Hall of Fame is linked to the departure of former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, who had significant control over the selection process. Last year, the former WWE Tag Team Champions signed Legends contracts with the company.
Demolition has long been regarded as one of the biggest snubs in WWE Hall of Fame history. They held the WWF Tag Team Championship three times, with their first reign lasting an impressive 478 days—a record that stood for over fifteen years. Bill “Ax” Eadie had previously worked for the WWWF under the names Bolo Mongol and the Masked Superstar, where he challenged for the WWWF Championship several times and found success across Georgia and other wrestling territories.
Barry “Smash” Darsow wrestled earlier in his career as Krusher Kruschev in the Mid-Atlantic and Mid-South territories, portraying a Russian sympathizer alongside Ivan and Nikita Koloff. While Demolition was undeniably created as the WWF’s answer to the Road Warriors, Ax and Smash made the concept their own, establishing themselves as a dominant force in the ring capable of fitting either the babyface or heel roles in any tag team division.
Bryan “Crush” Adams joined Demolition during its final months due to health issues that Ax was experiencing, which affected his ability to compete regularly.
After leaving the WWF, Ax filed a lawsuit against the company over the rights to the Demolition name, resulting in years of litigation and lingering animosity.
