Thank you for asking my question! I met both Ax and Smash at an autograph signing about 10 years ago. Both were very down to earth and seemed like genuinely nice guys. Hopefully WWE puts aside whatever grudge they’re holding and inducts this legendary team into their rightful position in the WWE Hall of Fame!
Great athlete for his size. The Masked Superstar would be 40-50lbs heavier than his opponents yet Bill was just as mobile and agile as his smaller competitors.
The story of "The Original "Smash" being replaced" reminds me of why Demolition stopped using Luscious Johnny Valiant as a permanent manager. The combination didn't look well together.
So, a totally different reason for that then, and the only connection is 'Demolition' and not 'somebody whose gimmick was too well-known in the territories'
Not really. Only a few people did, but Barry at the time cut his mullet and changed persona so drastically that it would be really hard to distinguish that Smash and Repo Man were the same.
I had the great privilege of working Bill Edie at the Chesterfield County fairgrounds outside of Richmond Virginia, in late summer of 1999. He worked his old gimmick of the Masked Superstar. He was such a professional guy inside, and outside of the ring.
I actually had the pleasure of being in attendance for DEMOLITION'S DEBUT match @ the SPRINGFIELD CIVIC CENTER in Springfield, Massachusetts, & I was only 11 YEARS OLD at the time, so I'm not going to lie, & say that "I" knew right away that it was Randy Colley , however I do remember people around Me, & My Dad shouting "MOONDOG" "MOONDOG" And so I asked someone, & they told Me that the people believe that it's "MOONDOG REX" & I used to faithfully watch SUPERSTARS OF WRESTLING, & WRESTLING CHALLENGE, & of course CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING (BEFORE IT TURNED TO SUPERSTARS OF WRESTLING) & REX was gone for quite a long time at this point. And so the more I thought about it, & even My Dad pointed out His eyes, & I PERSONALLY believe that the make-up made it even MORE noticeable! BUT they WERE, & are ABSOLUTELY My #1 ALL-TIME FAVORITE Tag Team next to the BRAIN BUSTERS, & THE HART FOUNDATION!! And it was SO SO VERY COOL to be able to say that I was there!!
@@murray1978 Do You mean Scott Casey? Not sure if Casey would be right, but I'm thinking maybe Rick Hunter who also was the Gladiator!? Dave Barbie, He had a great build. But, I'm TRULY thinking that Korporal Kirchner! Except for the fact that if You shave HIS head, & put on make-up, He's got the same KRAZEE AZZ eyes that Rex had! As a matter of fact, Kirchner had Camouflage paint on during one of His Vignettes!
I met Demolition at Galaxycon Richmond VA last year. Two of the nicest famous people I’ve ever met. Most wrestlers are, I noticed. Especially the toughest ones 💪🏾
I recognized Barry right away. They tried to hide his identity with growing his hair out and wearing an arm pad over his tattoo. The arm pad slipped down exposing his known tattoo.
If they were going to go with someone who worked in the territory before, they should have gone with someone who had previously worked under a mask rather than someone who was that easily recognizable. But I'm glad they went with Barry. He fit the team like a well-fitted glove.
There's footage of Randy Colley after his last WWF run wrestling with the Demolition gimmick as "Detroit Demolition" in the Continental and Puerto Rico territories.
I wish Ax would reveal the names of those four considered for the role of Smash. Other than Vince, Ax may be the only person who knows that information.
He said something 'Barry can confirm when you talk to him about this' but I'm not sure if he just means Barry knew the search was difficult, or he knew who the four 'finalists' were
@@j2alomar are those your educated guesses or have you heard those names mentioned? Based on the roster at the time, I thought Hercules, Corporal Kirschner, and Billy Jack Haynes could be three of them given their look. We agree on two of those names.
They took the Moondogs finisher too. I never see that mentioned. Spot would often use that in a few tag matches, one with Barry O, which you can see on UA-cam.
Makes sense as Darsow was coming from another territory all together. Did Barry ever wrestler for WWF with a different gimmick before Demolition? I think he came straight from NWA from being Krusher Kruschev with Ivan and Nikita.
That's not Randy Colley in the thumbnail. That's Barry Darsow. He still had only stubble because he had been shaven headed as Kruscher Kruschev only a few weeks earlier. Randy Colley still had quite thick hair as Smash mk1. He carried on his version of Smash as Detroit Demolition in the Continental area.
I think Ax misinterpreted the question about Nikita Koloff. The interviewer meant was Nikita was being considered being a member even though he was COMING IN. Ax thought the question was for people who were already there.
WCW used Barry Darsow as himself once. No gimmick or fake name and I thought it was some of his best work. I really liked it and wanted to see him get beat.
Hey James,Get Bill to discuss his program with the Mighty Igor cigar in the eye angle.Them Boys carried on with any kind of match ever invented up and down the East Coast.The Mighty Igor is an hours long podcast by hisself.Ask Bill.
Barry is perfect smash. He fit the name perfectly. When i think about intense dude who'd start yelling and smashing things, i think about barry in his ring attire and facepaint 😄
I remember when Demolition was first mentioned on an episode of Pro Wrestling This Week but they hadn't appeared on television yet. This probably when Culley was Smash. It wouldn't be until after the first of the year that they would appear on TV with Darsow in the Smash role.
The 4 he is talking about were 1) Jimmy Jack Funk. 2) Hercules Hernandez 3) Steve Lombardi 4) Corporal Kirschner Don't ask how I know this, you wouldn't believe me anyway. These were the 4 that were seriously considered. Corporal Kirschner was the most seriously considered.
Hennig was marketed as Mr. Perfect Curt Hennig when he came to the WWF. They shortened it later. His gimmick wasn't a character, but just a version of himself.
The thing is that everybody knows that "Smash" isn't anyone's real name. It's a wrestler playing that role. Randy played the role of Rex. He wasn't one of the original Moondogs. If they had gone on with Randy playing Smash, fans would have gotten over the Moondog history just as fast as they got over the Moondogs.
Lol! The big problem I had with Demolition was the execution. Their paint, gear and overall look was sloppy. It was like they looked at the roster and picked 2 guys at random and off they went. The masks were definitely cool but the rest of it was lacking.
Shane, as I think with Randy they could have kept him as "Smash" as by the time the gimmick got over, people would have stopped chanting "moondog" at him.
Thank you for asking my question! I met both Ax and Smash at an autograph signing about 10 years ago. Both were very down to earth and seemed like genuinely nice guys. Hopefully WWE puts aside whatever grudge they’re holding and inducts this legendary team into their rightful position in the WWE Hall of Fame!
The grudge the WWE holds? Darsow and Eady tried to sue the WWE so if there's anyone holding a grudge it's them.
Axe is such a gentleman.
💯
He identifies as a female.
He took me to my prom and was a complete gentleman until the night ended when he forced himself on me. I haven’t walked the same since…..good times!!
My arse sold the guy out who's idea it was
This man as the masked superstar was amazing to watch in the ring. Fantastic wrestler!
His neckbreaker was treated like career ending move which was great.
Great athlete for his size. The Masked Superstar would be 40-50lbs heavier than his opponents yet Bill was just as mobile and agile as his smaller competitors.
The best...a true Pro! He could brawl, mat wrestle, or use scientific wrestling holds. My favorite!
He also wrestled as Super Machine.
Demolition was my favorite tag team back in the early 90's.
I loved his promos as The Masked Superstar. He spoke in the exact same tone.
always good to see these things happen with no bad feelings.
Absolutely but this man lost millions by having his gimmick essentially stolen from him. I’d be curious to see what he thinks about it
The story of "The Original "Smash" being replaced" reminds me of why Demolition stopped using Luscious Johnny Valiant as a permanent manager.
The combination didn't look well together.
So, a totally different reason for that then, and the only connection is 'Demolition' and not 'somebody whose gimmick was too well-known in the territories'
Jonny valiant. Jimmy was the boogie woogie man in Crockett
Oops, ty. @@johnmp3828
Fuji was hands down a better fit. Johnny managing Demolition was like Bobby trying to manage The HonkyTonk Man. Just didn’t look right.
Whats funny is smash became repo man and everyone knew it was Barry lol
Not really. Only a few people did, but Barry at the time cut his mullet and changed persona so drastically that it would be really hard to distinguish that Smash and Repo Man were the same.
I had the great privilege of working Bill Edie at the Chesterfield County fairgrounds outside of Richmond Virginia, in late summer of 1999. He worked his old gimmick of the Masked Superstar. He was such a professional guy inside, and outside of the ring.
I was there also 😂 damn!!
I actually had the pleasure of being in attendance for DEMOLITION'S DEBUT match @ the SPRINGFIELD CIVIC CENTER in Springfield, Massachusetts, & I was only 11 YEARS OLD at the time, so I'm not going to lie, & say that "I" knew right away that it was Randy Colley , however I do remember people around Me, & My Dad shouting "MOONDOG" "MOONDOG" And so I asked someone, & they told Me that the people believe that it's "MOONDOG REX" & I used to faithfully watch SUPERSTARS OF WRESTLING, & WRESTLING CHALLENGE, & of course CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING (BEFORE IT TURNED TO SUPERSTARS OF WRESTLING) & REX was gone for quite a long time at this point. And so the more I thought about it, & even My Dad pointed out His eyes, & I PERSONALLY believe that the make-up made it even MORE noticeable! BUT they WERE, & are ABSOLUTELY My #1 ALL-TIME FAVORITE Tag Team next to the BRAIN BUSTERS, & THE HART FOUNDATION!! And it was SO SO VERY COOL to be able to say that I was there!!
I want to find out who the other 4 guys were that Ax was talking about to be smash, wish he would of told us it,s driving me crazy lol,
@@mikeblakeslee3753 I wonder if they were jobbers like Sean Casey or Brooklyn Brawler.
@@murray1978 Do You mean Scott Casey? Not sure if Casey would be right, but I'm thinking maybe Rick Hunter who also was the Gladiator!? Dave Barbie, He had a great build. But, I'm TRULY thinking that Korporal Kirchner! Except for the fact that if You shave HIS head, & put on make-up, He's got the same KRAZEE AZZ eyes that Rex had! As a matter of fact, Kirchner had Camouflage paint on during one of His Vignettes!
I met Demolition at Galaxycon Richmond VA last year. Two of the nicest famous people I’ve ever met. Most wrestlers are, I noticed. Especially the toughest ones 💪🏾
He shoulda brought back the Masked “ Superstar “ Gimmick
He kept working that in Japan
I had no idea about this. Thank you so much. I am a fan since 85 and learn new things everyday
I recognized Barry right away. They tried to hide his identity with growing his hair out and wearing an arm pad over his tattoo. The arm pad slipped down exposing his known tattoo.
Not long after Randy Colley was replaced, he dawned a mask and became one half of the Shadows with Jose Luis Rivera
And Detroit Demolition in the southeastern territories
From moon dog to Krusher Krushev. I liked Demolition, and for decades never new who Ax really was. 😂
The guy in the thumbnail is Barry Darsow, lol. The Smash everyone knows.
The original one didn’t get much pictures.
Everyone could clearly see that it was Moondog Rex, that's why
If they were going to go with someone who worked in the territory before, they should have gone with someone who had previously worked under a mask rather than someone who was that easily recognizable. But I'm glad they went with Barry. He fit the team like a well-fitted glove.
oh that’s right. I forgot Randy was a moondog. as soon as Bill mentioned the moondogs, I knew what he was going to say. i’ve heard this story before.
There's footage of Randy Colley after his last WWF run wrestling with the Demolition gimmick as "Detroit Demolition" in the Continental and Puerto Rico territories.
I wish Ax would reveal the names of those four considered for the role of Smash. Other than Vince, Ax may be the only person who knows that information.
He said something 'Barry can confirm when you talk to him about this' but I'm not sure if he just means Barry knew the search was difficult, or he knew who the four 'finalists' were
I thought Piper, Andre, and Hogan were considered for Smash. Oh wait…They were the Machines! 😂
The 4 - Jimmy Jack Funk, Hercules Hernandez, Steve Lombardi and Corporal Kirschner
@@j2alomar are those your educated guesses or have you heard those names mentioned? Based on the roster at the time, I thought Hercules, Corporal Kirschner, and Billy Jack Haynes could be three of them given their look. We agree on two of those names.
Guess at Terry Gibbs, Mike Sharpe and Mike Rotundo?
These clips are 👍 great.
They took the Moondogs finisher too. I never see that mentioned. Spot would often use that in a few tag matches, one with Barry O, which you can see on UA-cam.
I said that about Barry Darsow, recognized him right away
he really did still look like Moon Dog. He was too familiar looking, unlike with the Masked Superstar.
Similar to Matt Bloom being Tensai when they were chanting Albert
Makes sense as Darsow was coming from another territory all together. Did Barry ever wrestler for WWF with a different gimmick before Demolition? I think he came straight from NWA from being Krusher Kruschev with Ivan and Nikita.
That's not Randy Colley in the thumbnail. That's Barry Darsow. He still had only stubble because he had been shaven headed as Kruscher Kruschev only a few weeks earlier. Randy Colley still had quite thick hair as Smash mk1. He carried on his version of Smash as Detroit Demolition in the Continental area.
Once a Moondog, always a Moondog. 😆
Nikita would have been a better Crush due to better chemistry with Darsow
I think Ax misinterpreted the question about Nikita Koloff. The interviewer meant was Nikita was being considered being a member even though he was COMING IN. Ax thought the question was for people who were already there.
There is an interview out there where Nikolai Volkov was mentioned as a Smash replacement
Nikolai was Never considered.
Demolition is awesome one of my favorite tag teams 😎
Guy in the thumbnail is Barry Darsow.
The pic is barry darsow .....
Thumbnail shows Barry Darsow as Smash
WCW used Barry Darsow as himself once. No gimmick or fake name and I thought it was some of his best work. I really liked it and wanted to see him get beat.
Good morning James Mr. Sir I hope you're having an awesome day!! Can't wait for you to have Jerry Saggs on the show 😼
I always see Brian knobs but rarely jerry
Everybody knew who Randy Colley was. Barry Darsow did a great job with it.
So they went from the Moon Dog to the Repo Man. It worked.
Hey James,Get Bill to discuss his program with the Mighty Igor cigar in the eye angle.Them Boys carried on with any kind of match ever invented up and down the East Coast.The Mighty Igor is an hours long podcast by hisself.Ask Bill.
Bill Eadie should be in the WWE Hall Of Fame.
Barry is perfect smash. He fit the name perfectly. When i think about intense dude who'd start yelling and smashing things, i think about barry in his ring attire and facepaint 😄
They really refined the look with the face paint and everything. Barry had a better face for painting and I think it helped that he was younger.
I think a demo tag team would freshen up the tag teams in WWE? Anyone knew
Ummm, that is still Smash in the thumbnail pic, just with a shorter haircut. I know Randy Colley was the original Smash, but that’s not him.
I liked Ax better when he was the Masked Superstar. He was more mysteriousl
Is this podcast on pandora?
Randy Culley went to CWF and become Detroit Demolition.
Loved him better as the Superstar
THAT is BARRY DARSOW UN THAT PICTURE
I remember when Demolition was first mentioned on an episode of Pro Wrestling This Week but they hadn't appeared on television yet. This probably when Culley was Smash. It wouldn't be until after the first of the year that they would appear on TV with Darsow in the Smash role.
i never knew there was a first smash :O
So, was the eventual Smash still pretty new to wrestling when he got picked to replace Moondog?
hed been wrestling for 3 or 4 years in nwa as krusher krushchev but most wwf fans wouldnt have seen him before
Poor Randy Colley. That really had to suck for him.
Like we didn’t recognize Krusher khrusev
The 4 he is talking about were 1) Jimmy Jack Funk. 2) Hercules Hernandez
3) Steve Lombardi 4) Corporal Kirschner
Don't ask how I know this, you wouldn't believe me anyway. These were the 4 that were seriously considered. Corporal Kirschner was the most seriously considered.
I also heard that Scott Norton had a great chance of becoming smash of demolition.
All bs aside,I really think Nikita as a member of Demolition would've worked.Just imagine him wearing the gear and the face paint in your head.
And yet...everybody knew Mankind was Cactus Jack, and Curt Hennig was Mr. Perfect, and it didn't seem to hurt them.
Hennig was marketed as Mr. Perfect Curt Hennig when he came to the WWF. They shortened it later. His gimmick wasn't a character, but just a version of himself.
Many WWF fans had never seen Cactus Jack.
@@richardstephens5570yeah it was a bit different when changing territories.
Looks like Stevie Wonder did Randy's makeup lol
The thumbnail was funny who the fuck is that
Barry grew his hair out and covered his bicep tattoo with an elbow pad . Or he might have been noticed too .
Ah yes Moondog Rex
I knew it was barry before I knew it was randy
The thing is that everybody knows that "Smash" isn't anyone's real name. It's a wrestler playing that role. Randy played the role of Rex. He wasn't one of the original Moondogs. If they had gone on with Randy playing Smash, fans would have gotten over the Moondog history just as fast as they got over the Moondogs.
I always new rhat Ax was the Masked Superstar. The voice is a dead give away.
And thank Mouth of the South Jimmy Hart for providing the vocals on Demolition’s amazing entrance music.
did anybody yell, that's Krusher Kruschev? That fake Russian
Geez, they really wanted those damned 'Russians' playing the Smash gimmick! 😂
Moon dog
Lol! The big problem I had with Demolition was the execution. Their paint, gear and overall look was sloppy. It was like they looked at the roster and picked 2 guys at random and off they went. The masks were definitely cool but the rest of it was lacking.
I yelled “Repo Man, Repo Man!!” when Barry Darsow was introduced as Smash. Don’t ask me how I knew, I just knew.
No you didn’t. Repo Man was after Demolition
@@MikeHart72 I still knew from the beginning.
@@119Agent So you knew when Barry was introduced as Smash that years later he would be going by Repo Man. Yeah ok whatever
He totally knew. I've seen video proof. The hard evidence exists, MikeMike, so 119Agent wins today.
Which was the "Janetty" of Demolition? Smash or Crush?
Shane, as I think with Randy they could have kept him as "Smash" as by the time the gimmick got over, people would have stopped chanting "moondog" at him.
Darsow was better