1987 to 1991 is arguably the most talent-filled period for WWE's tag team division. So for one team to dominate in that time says a lot about their skills. When Demolition debuted, they were dismissed as nothing but Road Warrior wannabes with makeup, leather outfits and spiked shoulder pads. But when they won the titles in 1988, they had the longest reign ever, a record that stood over two and a half decades and beating every other team out there.

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Ax and Smash were not only better at holding the belts than the Road Warriors but became hugely popular and one of the most successful teams of their time. They had three reigns as champions and while adding Crush later on was a tricky move, it paid off. Demolition were never great workers, but against the right team, they had some good matches. These are ten of the best Demolition bouts to remind fans why they were more than just Road Warrior ripoffs but an amazing team in their own right.

10 Vs. Strike Force - WrestleMania 4

This is probably the biggest moment of Demolition’s career, which automatically makes it an important match. Even with some wins, they were still dismissed as Road Warrior wannabes as they challenged Tito Santana and Rick Martel for the titles.

The bout showed the power of Demolition against Strike Force’s technical skills, even if the crowd was a bit dead thanks to the overlong tournament going on. The Demos used Mr. Fuji’s cane to knock out Rick Martel, win the titles and begin one of the longest championship reigns in history. It may not be a great match, but a major one for the team.

9 1988 Survivor Series

While this may be a wild match, it is a vital moment for Demolition. They were the heels leading their team, showing how huge the tag division was that they could have twenty guys for this match. The bout was going along well until Fuji suddenly pulled down the ropes to cause Smash to fall out.

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He and Ax argued with Fuji, who hit Ax with his cane so they slammed him down. Fuji then helped the Powers of Pain win the match and became their new manager. A rough bout but it was a huge move to turn Demolition face.

8 1989 Royal Rumble

In 1989, the Royal Rumble had just become a PPV and folks weren’t sure what to expect from it. So it was shocking when Ax drew number one, and Smash was number two. Rather than spend the first two minutes talking strategy, the tag team champions threw themselves at each other in a fight, each coming close to eliminating the other.

When Andre the Giant entered at #3, they dropped it to become a unit again. Smash was dumped first with Ax lasting longer, but they provided the first case of the Rumble being “every man for himself.”

7 1989 Survivor Series

While it’s tricky judging Survivor Series matches, Demolition had to be part of one of the best teams ever. In the 1989 installment, the tag champs teamed up with Hulk Hogan and Jake Roberts against Ted DiBiase, Zeus and the Powers of Pain. Demolition did a good job in the match, letting Hogan do most of the work, but Ax and Smash were fine tagging in and out to help pound on DiBiase and set him up for attacks.

Related: 10 Things WWE Fans Should Know About Survivor Series 1989

Ax was beaten down and then tripped by Fuji to be eliminated by the Powers. That was followed by Smash getting pinned following a flying clothesline. The Powers were then disqualified for double-teaming as Hogan ended up getting the win. However, the fact Demolition were on equal par with Hogan made this a terrific Survivor Series team and a high point in Demolition’s career.

6 Vs. Ultimate Warrior & Legion of Doom - Madison Square Garden, 1990

After years of being held as a dream match, the Road Warriors finally joined WWE in 1990 to feud with Demolition. They would team with WWE Champion Ultimate Warrior for this October 1990 Madison Square Garden show which is on a few WWE videotape sets.

It’s not some technical classic but a wonderful full-on brawl with Warrior fitting in well with the LOD, and Demolition showing some spark too. There’s great back and forth, some hot tags and just pure all-out fighting before the Warrior got the pin. The feud may not have lived up to expectations but this was a good clash of the originals vs the copycats.

5 Vs. Hart Foundation - SummerSlam 1988

The first big test for Demolition as champions came against the newly face Hart Foundation at the inaugural SummerSlam. Demolition had Jimmy Hart in their corner for backup, as there were some good power matchups. Bret did a fine job selling his shoulder injury going into the post as he was the face-in-peril, getting mostly beat up by Smash.

Related: How WWE SummerSlam Has Changed Since 1988 (& How It's The Same)

He got the tag to Neidhart to spark things up as he broke down for a brawl. Bret was set to piledrive Smash, only for Ax to hit him with Jimmy’s megaphone and let the champs retain. They’d have a much better match later on but this was a good clash also.

4 Vs. Brainbusters - Saturday NIght’s Main Event 21

Fresh from their long run in the NWA, Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson were proving themselves as the Brainbusters. They got their first shot at the belts against Demolition in this April 1989 SNME edition. Demolition came in hot with some good double-teaming that Blanchard sold brilliantly.

It was a big battle that took out Bobby Heenan at one point as Demolition seemed even better than usual against Tully and Arn. The back-and-forth action devolved into a brawl that disqualified both teams, yet paved the way for another great match later.

3 Vs. Brainbusters - Saturday Night’s Main Event 22

After more house show battles, Demolition and the Brainbusters had their rematch in this July SNME for an even better battle. It was a two-out-of-three falls match, meaning more action. Demolition dominated the first fall with double teaming to pin Arn. However, their tempers got the best of them in the second fall, ignoring the ref telling them to stop attacking, so they were disqualified.

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The third was a back-and-forth fight before Andre the Giant threw in a chair, allowing the Brainbusters to end Demolition’s record reign. Notable as the first-ever SNME title change and the high point of the Brainbusters in WWE.

2 Vs. The Rockers - Saturday Night’s Main Event #27

This was the first showcase for Crush on the team, as he'd go on to replace Ax. Demolition had just returned to being heels as they took on The Rockers, guaranteeing a good match. It was filled with amazing double-teaming by The Rockers and while Crush was still raw, the other guys made up for it.

Jannetty played the face-in-peril before the hot tag to Shawn, who cleaned house with superkicks. The Rockers were on the verge of winning before Demolition used some cheating to retain, and a post-match beatdown was broken up by the Hart Foundation and Legion of Doom.

1 Vs. Hart Foundation - SummerSlam 1990

The last gasp of the classic Demolition was also a fantastic two-out-of-three falls matchup. Demolition took the first fall with some chicanery only to be disqualified for the second. The third was a terrific war between the two teams, the Foundation on fire and Demolition matching them.

They tried to swap Ax and Smash around only for the Legion of Doom to come out and even up the odds. Neidhart hit a flying shoulder block on Crush, and Bret pinned him for the title. An incredible battle to rank as Demolition’s best ever.