You did this before Bret/Austin comments?

[jblcenafan]

Everyone always points at Wrestlemania 13 Bret vs Stone Cold as the first double turn in WWF history. But at Survivor Series 2 , you and Smash turned face as Powers Of Pain turned heel and went with Fuji , any thoughts on this night?

[Masked Superstar]

What can I say. Nothing really new in wrestling but new faces doing old proven ideas.
Thanks for the comment!!!

[mtd]

I remember Survivor Series '88 very well because of this double turn of Demolition & Powers of Pain. When it occurred, I (like 60% of the PPV audience and those who attended it live) thought that Fuji actually turned face. I realize shortly there after that wasn't the intention. But the crowd reaction was mixed at best. In my opinion, it didn't work very well. I knew it was glaring to me.

Superstar: were you, Smash, Fuji, Warlord, and Barbarian realize when you were doing the double-turn that the crowd wasn't reacting like you expected? When you returned to the locker room, did the WWE backstage people tell you anything similar?

Even the Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazine had an article on this double-turn and basically acknowledged that it didn't work as intended. The article even explained that Demolition had to face a couple of heel teams and the Powers of Pain had to brutalize the Young Stallions (and I think the Rockers too) in early December to get the message across to everybody on who to cheer and who to boo.

I also learned at that time that the WWE dubbed the audience reactions, as when they finally showed the replay of the double-turn on the TV shows, they put in the boos when the Powers of Pain were lifting up Fuji on their shoulders, and then "loud cheers" emerge when Demolition came back into the ring to clean house.

I'm figuring this was an example (and probably the Bret/Austin double-turn too) why it is rare to do double-turns in wrestling because it is kind of difficult for fans to interpret.

[Masked Superstar]

The fan reaction at the live event the evening of the switch was good. They of course didn't know at first how to react. I believe it took all in the building by surprise. I remember the only ones that really knew were us involved. It took some of the other wrestlers by surprise as well. with reference to the reaction of accepting us by the fans was pretty much as we had thought.

As to the placement of fan reactions and sound additions into the tape I never heard of that. Can't say it's correct or not but. The fans accepted us quickly. You must realize that the office wouldn't have thiought to make the switch if we weren't being cheered during the regular matches. We could basically do anyting to our opponenets and still be cheered. The matches the Powers Of Pain had shortly after that were as to be expected. Now they have Fuji and he is set on revenge and changes them into a much more meancining team. Isn't that what you would expect. Us, we of course not have to go against bad guy teams but remember we didn't ever change or style. Now we simply came from the other dressing room to the ring.

The office decided to make the switch. We could have waited but we didn't have the say so.
As the move played out I think the fans liked it. They had a team that could take care of business , be a bit mean and nasty and still feel good about being behind.
Hope that helps.