Dynamite Demolition

It’s often implied that the villains in pro wrestling are “sadistic,” as if they take some pleasure from the pain they’re dishing out.  No tag team was more blatant about being into pain than “Demolition,” who came to the ring in freaky fetish gear — all studded leather and spikes — looking like it would hurt if you just touched them.  Proudly wearing these outrageous outfits, normally reserved for S & M sessions behind closed doors, was like a public announcement that they REALLY DO get off on hurting their opponents.  They’re apparently into pain and suffering based on their kinky clothing!

Bondage gear isn’t really my thing (no really, it’s not), but I know there are plenty of dudes who get a charge out of this “Leatherman” look, who probably were quite excited to see a tag team strutting to the ring in those butch costumes.

I always found it fairly risque and certainly not Politically Correct to feature a Tag Team who are clearly into bondage on TV.  Who thought this was appropriate for young viewers and permitted it??!   Did they realize that the whole leather fetish subculture is primarily a gay lifestyle?  Did they know the “Leatherman” is a homomasculine archetype??  These outfits are all about male bonding, S and M, and homoeroticism, so I think it was shocking to see this sexual fetish displayed in plain sight on national television each week by a mainstream wrestling federation.

The British Bulldogs, on the other hand, had clean-cut good looks and incredibly thick physiques — just the sort of guys that the fans love to see hurting and getting beaten up in the ring.  For some reason, people really enjoy seeing powerful bodies on display, and then witnessing the power overwhelmed and outmatched.

Here is a match featuring Demolition dishing out some punishment on the beloved Brits.  The Leathermen immediately take control of the ring, and it’s implied that they take the sexual power from the Bulldogs as well, due to the dominance symbolized by their hyper-masculine gear.

You just knew Davy “Boy” and his partner Dynamite “Kid” (which are very submissive Baby-face names left over from their rookie days) are going to take a beating from these sadistic freaks.  You almost expected Demolition to bring leather leashes and dog collars to the ring, forcing the “Bulldogs” to crawl around on all fours.  This is the message and symbolism encoded in their team names and costumes.

Demolition of course focuses their bondage and domination on the cuter Bulldog — the Dynamite Kid.  One member of Demolition watches the suffering from outside the ring (presumably enjoying what he sees based on their obvious attachment to the Leatherman lifestyle) as his partner applies a crushing Bearhug.  They tag in and out without mercy, taking turns hurting the poor Kid for their mutual pleasure.

Is this a pro wrestling match we’re watching here, or some kind of kinky S and M video?  It must be pro wrestling because it’s on national television.

A common theme in wrestling is the draining of strength, the powerful man subdued.  This is especially true when the victim, the Baby-face hero, has a strong, spectacular body.  The bigger and thicker the wrestler (e.g., Dynamite Kid), the more he is shown drooping and slowly growing limp, collapsing, weakened, his super-human strength sapped.

That is clearly the intent of the relentless and repeated Bearhugs used by Demolition to turn the Kid into a ragdoll.  Just like seeing Superman’s powers eliminated by some Kyptonite — it’s human nature to enjoy seeing the powerful Alpha Male defeated, suffering, and forced to admit he’s vulnerable.