At Survivor Series 1988, WWE implemented one of the most legendary and rare “double turns” in professional wrestling history, transforming Demolition from heel champions into fan-favorites while flipping The Powers of Pain into villains. Only recently, on their “DEMOPOD” podcast, Demolition members Ax and Smash disclosed they were informed of this major storyline twist mere hours before their match aired, catching them completely off-guard[1].

Bill Eadie (Ax) explained that WWE’s creative team told them about the double turn only on the night of the show. “If I remember correctly… we didn’t hear about it till the evening just before the match went on,” Eadie recalled[1]. Up until that moment, Demolition were a dominant heel tag team, feuding intensely with The Powers of Pain (The Warlord and The Barbarian). Yet, the choice to flip both teams was largely unplanned until late in the process.

Eadie believes the impetus for the turn stemmed from WWE management misreading the live crowd’s reactions. Though Demolition was officially heel, fans had begun cheering them—not necessarily because they were “good guys,” but out of respect for their powerful presence and exciting style in the ring. “The people that make the decisions listen to the crowd… They were cheering for us, but it wasn’t because we were good guys,” Eadie noted[1]. The WWE office concluded that since Demolition was gaining cheers, they should be turned babyface, while The Powers of Pain were made the villains through the betrayal angle involving their manager, Mr. Fuji.

This double turn began when Mr. Fuji betrayed Demolition by aligning with The Powers of Pain during the tag team battle royale at Survivor Series. The shocking heel turn of Mr. Fuji and subsequent attack on Demolition secured their heel turn, while Demolition’s regrouping and comeback in the match converted them into fan favorites almost instantly[1][4].

Scott Keith of Blog of Doom, reflecting on the historical context, has noted that The Powers of Pain were struggling as babyfaces before the turn, having received mixed fan reactions despite expectations they would be big draws. Conversely, Demolition was naturally gaining positive fan reactions, making the turn a logical creative move to refresh the feud and boost audience engagement[2]. The simultaneous shift of two major tag teams during a flagship event like Survivor Series was a risky but ultimately genius decision.

In a 2014 fan forum discussion, longtime wrestling enthusiasts debated whether this was the first-ever double turn in wrestling history. While some recall the Austin/Bret “double turn” at WrestleMania 13 more prominently, Survivor Series 1988’s Demolition and Powers of Pain turn is widely credited as among the earliest and most effective examples of this storytelling innovation[3].

In video interviews, The Warlord himself reflected on the difficulty of executing a major character switch so abruptly. He recalled that they found out about the turn only upon arriving at the arena and that many fans did not immediately grasp the changes in alignment until weeks later when TV matches clearly portrayed the new dynamic. The Powers of Pain struggled initially with being heels, as fans continued to cheer Demolition despite the official roles. This confusion lasted for several weeks before the storyline fully settled in the minds of the audience[5].

Survivor Series 1988 thus stands as a landmark moment for WWE’s tag team division, not only for the quality of the in-ring action but for the innovative narrative device of the double turn, which instantly reshaped fan perceptions and elevated both teams’ profiles. According to WWE.com historical retrospectives, the event helped solidify Demolition’s legacy as one of the most iconic teams in wrestling history[4].

Sources close to WWE creative reportedly confirmed that this double turn was part of an evolving plan shaped in response to live crowd reactions rather than a fully developed angle in advance. Insider reports from Fightful and other wrestling media echo similar sentiments—WWE often makes swift adjustments to character alignments in reaction to crowd energy, particularly at major events with high stakes such as Survivor Series[1][2].

This retrospective insight from Demolition is a rare glimpse behind the scenes at the fluid nature of WWE storylines and character development. Learning they would switch roles so late must have been a shock for Ax and Smash—yet the move is widely seen as a masterstroke that breathed new life into their characters and extended their stardom for years to come.

Key Highlights:

• Demolition learned about their babyface turn at Survivor Series 1988 only on show day, as revealed by Ax on the DEMOPOD podcast[1].

• WWE’s decision was based largely on fans cheering Demolition despite their heel status, causing confusion at the creative office[1].

• Mr. Fuji’s betrayal of Demolition and alliance with The Powers of Pain triggered the unprecedented double turn at the event[1][4].

• The Powers of Pain struggled as new heels initially due to lingering babyface fan support for Demolition[2][5].

• Survivor Series 1988’s double turn is credited as one of wrestling’s earliest major double turns, influencing storytelling in the genre[3].

• WWE insiders confirm the switch was a last-minute adjustment based on live crowd reaction rather than an initial plan[1][2].

• The turn helped elevate Demolition’s legacy into WWE history and solidified their place as fan favorites for years afterward[4].

This unforgettable Survivor Series moment remains a seminal example of WWE’s ability to adapt storylines on the fly to maximize crowd engagement and narrative impact. According to sources close to the product, such bold moves have continued to shape WWE’s dynamism into the modern era.