Demolition’s Journey to the Hall of Fame: A Testament to Fan Power – Following the announcement of their WWE Hall of Fame induction, Demolition has experienced a surge of support from fans and fellow wrestlers.
Bill “Ax” Eadie and Barry “Smash” Darsow discussed the outpouring of appreciation on a recent episode of their DemoPod, crediting fan support as a key factor in their long-awaited induction into the 2026 class.
Darsow highlighted the contributions of figures like Kevin Nash, stating, “He’s been pushing for us getting into the Hall of Fame for years. We need to thank him.”
Darsow also recounted a humorous anecdote about a premature congratulatory call from Ric Flair last year. “Ric Flair called me up last year and said, ‘Congratulations, you’re getting into the Hall of Fame.’ I said, ‘Ric, no, not yet, we’re not there.’ [Flair said], ‘Oh, I thought you were going in.’”
The duo noted receiving congratulatory messages from numerous stars, including The Hardy Boyz, The Dudleyz, Arn Anderson, and Tully Blanchard. Their return to a working relationship with WWE, solidified by signing WWE Legends contracts last year, followed years of being distanced from the company due to legal issues.
“It’s nice to be back in the frat house. We were in the fraternity for years, but we weren’t allowed in the frat house for some reason,” Eadie remarked. “But now we’re back in the house.”
The Undertaker’s Surprise Announcement
The team revealed they were completely surprised by the induction announcement, initially believing a Zoom call was about new merchandise and action figures.
“When you gain the call from the Undertaker and he says ‘Hey I want to get you guys inducted into the Hall of Fame,’ that’s a pretty huge deal,” Smash stated.
Ax explained the surprise unfolded as follows: “The Zoom call originally was for showing us new merchandise that’s coming out – action figures, apparel, and things of that nature. And then all of a sudden, Undertaker butted in and surprised us and that’s when he made the announcement”.
A Snowstorm and a Change of Plans
WWE had originally planned to announce the induction live in Montreal earlier in the year, but a significant snowstorm disrupted travel plans.
“We were invited to go to Montreal,” Smash explained. “They were going to talk about the Royal Rumble in Montreal. This was before they went to Saudi Arabia. So we were all set—we were doing a show up in Atlanta—so we were all set to go right after that show to go to Montreal and that’s when that big snowstorm hit. So they were going to do all of this live in Montreal during that show and we had to cancel because we couldn’t get there”.
The Power of the Fans
Both men emphasized the role of fans in keeping their legacy alive through appearances at conventions and signings over the years.
“I think that the powers that be listen to the fans and they’re swayed by the fans,” Ax said. “We just appreciate all the support over these years. Like you said, every time we’re at a convention or a signing, people arrive up to us and we have no control over it, but we’re happy that it’s transpired”.
Demolition joins Stephanie McMahon and AJ Styles in the 2026 Hall of Fame class. The ceremony will be held in Las Vegas on Friday, April 17, 2026, during WrestleMania 42 festivities.
Demolition React to WWE Hall of Fame Induction