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David "Davey Boy" Smith (November 27, 1962 – May 18, 2002) was a British professional wrestler. Born in Golborne, Smith is best known for his appearances in the United States of America with the World Wrestling Federation under his own name and under the ring name The British Bulldog.

Smith was trained by Ted Betley in Winwick, England before relocating to Calgary, Alberta, Canada to further his training under Stu Hart. While training with Hart, Smith met Stu and Helen Hart's youngest daughter Diana, whom he later married in 1984 and had two children with, Harry (born in 1985) and Georgia (born in 1987).

Career

Smith got his start in Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling and eventually moved on to the World Wrestling Federation along with brothers-in-law Bret Hart, Owen Hart, and Jim Neidhart.

World Wrestling Federation (1985-1992)

He began his WWF career by forming a Tag-Team with his cousin Tom Billington, The Dynamite Kid, and they were fittingly dubbed "British Bulldogs." Bulldog's power-based wrestling provided a great mesh with Dynamite's high-flying, before-its-time style, and the pair were well received by fans. Captain Lou Albano managed the team, and they were often accompanied to the ring by their mascot, a miniature bulldog named Matilda. Their biggest victory came when they defeated "The Dream Team" of Brutus Beefcake and Greg Valentine for the World Tag Team Championship at Wrestlemania 2. They held the belts for nearly 10 months before dropping them to The Hart Foundation in January 1987. The storyline surrounding the title loss was memorable in that Dynamite had suffered a back injury that would eventually contribute to ending his career, and as a result, worked an angle were he was knocked out for the entire match. Their other memorable feuds included The Islanders & Bobby Heenan and The Rougeau Brothers.

Smith broke out on his own as "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith in 1990, feuding with various muscled midcarders such as The Warlord and the Barbarian. He defeated The Warlord at Wrestlemania VII, the only Wrestlemania in which he competed as a solo wrestler, and teamed with his brother-in-law Hart for the first time at the 1991 Survivor Series on Roddy Piper's team.

He reached what was arguably the pinnacle of his storied career on August 29, 1992 at SummerSlam, when he pinned Bret Hart in front of over 80,000 fans at Wembley Stadium in England to win the WWF Intercontinental Championship. Hart revealed in his 2005 DVD release that he had convinced Vince McMahon to allow the match to close the show as their workrate, combined with Smith's popularity, would make the match a rousing success. The image of Bulldog, Hart, and Diana Hart-Smith embracing in the ring is still used today as a symbol of Smith's career.

Smith dropped the title to Shawn Michaels on November 8, 1992 in a match aired on Saturday Night's Main Event. Smith was released from the company for providing Ultimate Warrior contact information for a doctor who could provide growth hormone or similar substances. Warrior was released at that time for using performance enhancing drugs, and he told WWF management who had given him the doctor's contact information *. Smith worked for All Japan Wrestling for a short while before signing with World Championship Wrestling.

World Championship Wrestling (1993)

Smith had an eventful run in WCW in 1993, engaging in feuds with Sid Vicious and Big Van Vader, who he challenged for the WCW World Heavyweight Title at Slamboree 1993, and formed a mildly successful alliance with Sting. He was known simply as Davey Boy Smith, as the WWF had copyrighted the "British Bulldog" moniker. In 1993, he was reportedly involved in an altercation with a man at a bar who was making advances towards his wife. As a result of the altercation (and the ensuing legal issues that followed), WCW released him from his contract. According to his son he had merchandising issues which led to his departure. He worked for some independents in Great Britain before returning to WWF.

World Wrestling Federation (1994-1997)

Smith returned to the WWF in 1994 as an audience member of the Hart family in a steel-cage match between Bret Hart and Owen Hart at SummerSlam 1994. Smith ended up getting involved at the end of the match, helping Bret fend off Owen and ally Jim Neidhart. Smith would return to active competition shortly after, working a reduced schedule initially while letting some nagging injuries heal. In the television debut of this comeback, he briefly turned to the crowd while performing well during his match and smiled, eliciting a round of welcoming cheers that complemented a successful return. He was in the corner of Bret Hart when Bob Backlund defeated Bret Hart for the WWF Title at Survivor Series 1994. He was knocked out after hitting the steel steps while chasing Owen Hart, allowing Owen to take position of Bret Hart's towel and ultimately cost him the match. The 1994 Survivor Series also marked the resumption of his full-time competition schedule with WWF.

Smith competed in the 1995 Royal Rumble match, entering at #2 and lasting all the way to the end before being eliminated by Shawn Michaels, the #1 entrant. The two would renew their old rivalry following the match and wrestle on house shows leading up to Wrestlemania XI. At Wrestlemania XI, Bulldog formed a team with Lex Luger, dubbed the Allied Powers. With their main-event credibility, many expected them to capture the tag team straps. Luger would leave the company shortly after SummerSlam 1995, however, effectively dissolving the team.

Smith found himself at a crossroads following Luger's departure; he was a main-event level superstar, but the company was loaded with faces above him in Kevin Nash, Michaels, Hart, Scott Hall, and others. As a result, in a surprising development, Smith reinvented himself as a heel, turning on Nash in a tag team contest and aligning himself with Jim Cornette's stable of Owen Hart, Yokozuna, and Vader. In another memorable move, he cut his trademark long hair and began sporting a buzz-cut. He received a WWF title match against Nash at In Your House 4 in October 1995, and he defeated the champion by DQ following interference from Bret Hart, who attacked Smith upon provocation. He recevied a rematch for the strap at In Your House 5 in December 1995, and was defeated by Hart. This match is regarded by some as a hidden gem, equal to, if not greater than their SummerSlam 1992 encounter in terms of technical ability.

In early 1996, the Bulldog would team with stablemates Vader and Owen Hart to battle Yokozuna, Ahmed Johnson, and Jake Roberts. Smith, in particular, feuded with Johnson over who was the stronger of the two. He would become involved with his old nemesis Shawn Michaels over (storyline) accusations that Michaels had come on to his wife. The two battled to a draw at an In Your House event in May 1996 (both men were caught with their shoulders pinned to the mat in a back suplex attempt). Michaels defeated Smith in the rematch at King of the Ring 1996.

Smith captured gold again in September 1996 when he and Owen Hart defeated The Smoking Gunns to capture the WWF Tag Team Championship. They also left Cornette and briefly took on Clarence Mason as their manager before Mason left them to focus entirely on the Nation of Domination. Around early-1997, however, Bulldog and Owen engaged in a heated rivalry over who was the superior teammate. The feud intensified when Smith defeated Hart in Germany on February 26, 1997 to become the inauguaral WWF European Champion. The two would feud bitterly, culminating in a match for Smith's European Championship. Their feud would be diffused, however, when the newly anti-American Bret Hart interrupted a match between the two on an April edition of RAW, urging them to put aside their differences and come together as family, ending the long-standing Hart family feud, and reuniting them all as the new Hart Foundation.

Hart would go on to win the Intercontinental Championship on April 28, 1997. With Smith still being the reigning European Champion and the two together being the Tag Team Champions, the team, and thereby the Hart Foundation, controlled all of the titles in the WWF except the WWF Championship. Smith and Hart remained Tag Team Champions until dropping the belts to the unlikely team of Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin on May 26, 1997. When Michaels went down with an injury, they failed to regain the titles from Austin and new partner Mick "Dude Love" Foley. As such, Smith focused on his European Championship in singles action, defending the title almost exclusively on European tours (where he remained a huge draw). He was also involved in a somewhat bizarre feud with Ken Shamrock that included a "Loser Eats Dog Food" match at SummerSlam 1997.

Smith would drop his European Championship in controversal fashion at the WWF's British-only PPV One Night Only in September 1997. Smith was booked in the main event to defend the belt against Shawn Michaels, and the story goes that Michaels convinced McMahon that he should go over, as it would create build-up not only for his impending rematch with Bret Hart, but also for a rematch against Smith at the next British PPV. Smith reluctantly agreed, and fans at the event, who gave Smith a hero's ovation, voiced their displeasure by booing Michaels out of the arena and littering the ring with garbage. This marks the only time Smith lost on a WWE card in the United Kingdom.

Shortly after dropping the belt, the infamous Montreal Screwjob took place, and Smith, along with Jim Neidhart, left the WWF for WCW in support of Hart. (It is perhaps worth noting that Smith was the sole survivor of his team in a Survivor Series match earlier that evening.)

World Championship Wrestling (1998)

Smith joined WCW and immediately began a feud with Steve McMichael, who was complaining about all the wrestlers coming from "Up North". Smith and Neidhart later formed a tag team, but were only featured sparingly on WCW Thunder. They challenged for the WCW World Tag Team Championship on several occasions, but failed to win the titles.

Smith suffered a knee injury in April 1998 that sidelined him for a month. He suffered another injury on September 13, 1998 at WarGames during his match with Neidhart against the Dancing Fools, Disco Inferno and Alex Wright. While taking a bump, Smith landed awkwardly on a trapdoor that had been set in the ring to enable The Warrior to make a dramatic entrance. The result was a spinal infection that nearly paralysed Smith, hospitalising him for six months. While recuperating, Smith received a FedEx informing him that his WCW contract had been terminated.

World Wrestling Federation (1999-2000)

Smith returned to the WWF in September 1999 following the death of Owen Hart in an in-ring accident. Owen had always looked up to the Davey Boy, sometimes even putting on bad matches just to please him, which he always did. Bret Hart was angered by Smith's return to the WWF, labelling it "akin to a dog rolling around in its own feces." In keeping with the company's new "Attitude" era, Smith began wrestling in jeans instead of his usual Union Jack-adorned tights. On the September 7, 1999 episode of SmackDown! in Albany, New York, Smith defeated Big Boss Man for the WWF Hardcore Championship. He forfeited the title later that evening, giving the belt to Al Snow. Smith then began pursuing the WWF World Heavyweight Championship, eventually turning heel and beginning a feud with The Rock. Smith headlined the Unforgiven 1999 show as part of a six-man WWF Championship Match that was won by Triple H. After losing to The Rock at No Mercy 1999, Smith was moved down the card.

Smith defeated D-Lo Brown for the WWF European Championship on WWE SmackDown! on October 26, 1999. He lost the title to Val Venis in a triple threat match at Armageddon 1999 on December 12, 1999 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

On May 6, 2000 in London, Smith defeated Crash Holly for the WWF Hardcore Championship. In one of Smith's last televised appearances, Holly regained the title from him in New Haven, Connecticut on the May 11, 2000 episode of SmackDown!.

In early 2000, Smith's wife Diana divorced him, with Smith being given shared custody of their children. At the same time, Smith entered a drug rehabilitation clinic at the behest and expense of Vince McMahon due to his problems with prescription painkillers though they were not the only drug he was using. He was released from the WWF shortly thereafter.

Death

Smith died at the age of 39 on May 18, 2002 after suffering a heart attack while holidaying in Invermere, British Columbia with his girlfriend, Bruce Hart's estranged wife Andrea Redding. An autopsy revealed that past anabolic steroid use might have played a part in his death, however no certain reason was found. Before his death, Smith had been training with the intent of resuming his wrestling career, and had wrestled in three tag team matches with his son Harry the previous weekend.

Finishing and signature moves

Championships and accomplishments

  • 1-time Stampede British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Champion
  • 4-time Stampede International Tag Team Champion (2-time with Bruce Hart, 2-time with The Dynamite Kid)
  • 2-time Stampede North American Heavyweight Champion
  • 1985 Tag Team of the Year (with The Dynamite Kid)
  • 1997 Feud of the Year (with Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Jim Neidhart and Brian Pillman, versus Steve Austin)

Championship succession

WWF European Championship Preceded by:
First ever champion First Succeeded by:
Shawn Michaels Preceded by:
D-Lo Brown Second Succeeded by:
Val Venis WWF Hardcore Championship Preceded by:
The Big Boss Man First Succeeded by:
Al Snow Preceded by:
Crash Holly Second Succeeded by:
Crash Holly WWF Intercontinental Championship Preceded by:
Bret Hart First Succeeded by:
Shawn Michaels WWF World Tag Team Championship Preceded by:
The Dream Team First, with The Dynamite Kid Succeeded by:
The Hart Foundation Preceded by:
The Smokin' Gunns Second, with Owen Hart Succeeded by:
Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin

References

External links

1962 births | 2002 deaths | Drug-related deaths | Dungeon graduates | English professional wrestlers | Hart wrestling family | Natives of Greater Manchester | Stampede Wrestling alumni

David Smith (Wrestler) | デイビーボーイ・スミス

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Davey Boy Smith".

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