The road to WrestleMania just got a massive shot of nostalgia, and it comes straight from the Phenom himself. While the WWE Universe eagerly awaits the spectacle of WrestleMania 42, the Hall of Fame ceremony is shaping up to be a can’t-miss event with the announcement of its latest inductees.
For years, a legendary duo held a record that seemed untouchable. Before The New Day broke it in 2016, the longest-reigning tag team champions in WWE history were a pair of intimidating, face-painted warriors who dominated the late 1980s. Now, after decades of waiting, Ax and Smash of Demolition are finally getting their flowers.
The news broke in the coolest way possible. The Undertaker, who has traded in collecting souls for delivering major announcements, took to social media to personally welcome the iconic team to the Class of 2026.
“Congratulations to Ax & Smash of Demolition and welcome to the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2026,” Taker wrote, sharing the news with his signature gravitas.
It’s a moment that has been 35 years in the making for the pair, who haven’t competed together in WWE since 1991. For a generation of fans, Demolition was the gold standard of tag team brutality. For younger fans who came up during The New Day’s historic title run, they became a piece of history worth researching.
Demolition wasn’t just another team; they were an event. After finalizing their lineup with Bill Eadie as Ax and Bill Darsdow as Smash, they exploded onto the scene in 1987, remaining undefeated for months. Their crowning achievement came at WrestleMania IV, where they defeated The Powers of Pain to kick off a record-shattering 478-day reign with the WWF Tag Team Championships. They would go on to hold the titles two more times before disbanding.
While their initial WWE run was relatively brief, their impact was anything but. They were the definition of dominance in their era. Although they reunited on the independent scene years later, it’s their original, iconic run that cemented their legacy.
This WrestleMania season, as the spotlight shines on the future of WWE, it will also take a moment to honor its powerful past. Ax and Smash are no longer just a footnote in the record books; they are officially Hall of Famers.
The Deadman Delivers: Undertaker Personally Welcomes Dominant Tag Team to Hall of Fame
The road to WrestleMania just got a massive shot of nostalgia, and it comes straight from the Phenom himself. While the WWE Universe eagerly awaits the spectacle of WrestleMania 42, the Hall of Fame ceremony is shaping up to be a can’t-miss event with the announcement of its latest inductees.
For years, a legendary duo held a record that seemed untouchable. Before The New Day broke it in 2016, the longest-reigning tag team champions in WWE history were a pair of intimidating, face-painted warriors who dominated the late 1980s. Now, after decades of waiting, Ax and Smash of Demolition are finally getting their flowers.
The news broke in the coolest way possible. The Undertaker, who has traded in collecting souls for delivering major announcements, took to social media to personally welcome the iconic team to the Class of 2026.
“Congratulations to Ax & Smash of Demolition and welcome to the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2026,” Taker wrote, sharing the news with his signature gravitas.
It’s a moment that has been 35 years in the making for the pair, who haven’t competed together in WWE since 1991. For a generation of fans, Demolition was the gold standard of tag team brutality. For younger fans who came up during The New Day’s historic title run, they became a piece of history worth researching.
Demolition wasn’t just another team; they were an event. After finalizing their lineup with Bill Eadie as Ax and Bill Darsdow as Smash, they exploded onto the scene in 1987, remaining undefeated for months. Their crowning achievement came at WrestleMania IV, where they defeated The Powers of Pain to kick off a record-shattering 478-day reign with the WWF Tag Team Championships. They would go on to hold the titles two more times before disbanding.
While their initial WWE run was relatively brief, their impact was anything but. They were the definition of dominance in their era. Although they reunited on the independent scene years later, it’s their original, iconic run that cemented their legacy.
This WrestleMania season, as the spotlight shines on the future of WWE, it will also take a moment to honor its powerful past. Ax and Smash are no longer just a footnote in the record books; they are officially Hall of Famers.
