The British Bulldog

Real name: David Smith
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 270 lbs.
Date of birth: November 27, 1962
Date of death: May 18, 2002
From: Manchester, England
Pro debut: 1978
Trained by: Ted Betley
Finishing move: Running Powerslam

Biography

– Smith made his wrestling debut at the tender age of 15, for Max and Shirley’s Joint Promotions in England.
– In 1982, Davey Boy captured the Stampede British Commonwealth Mid Heavyweight title from his cousin, the Dynamite Kid.
– Later in the year, Smith team up with Bruce Hart, another son of Stu and Helen Hart’s, to defeat Duke Myers and Kerry Brown to win the Stampede International tag team title.
– Smith made his Japanese debut in 1983, as the Masked Vampire.
– Smith captured the Stampede International tag team title four times, with four different partners, including a reign with the Dynamite Kid in 1988.
– Davey Boy defeated Badnews (Brown) Allen for the Stampede North American Heavyweight title on June 18, 1984. The company was eventually sold to Vince McMahon.
– The Dynamite Kid and Davey Boy Smith formed the tag team the British Bulldogs.
– On August 2, 1984 in Tokyo, Japan, the British Bulldogs beat Isamu Teranishi and Animal Hamaguchi.
– The British Bulldogs captured the WWF World Tag Team title at Wrestlemania II, defeating the Dream Team (Greg “The Hammer” Valentine and Brutus Beefcake).
– On January 26, 1987, the British Bulldogs lost the WWF Tag Team title to the Hart Foundation, Bret Hart and Jim “the Anvil” Neidhart, when heel referee Danny Davis allowed both Hart and Neidhart to remain in the ring together.
– The British Bulldogs beat Danny Kroffat and Doug Furnas on December 6, 1989.
– On December 12, 1991, Davey Boy Smith and Ashura Hara beat Haku and Yoshiaki Yatsu in Tokyo, Japan.
– Smith defeated Bret Hart at the 1992 Summerslam before 75,000 fan at the Wembley Stadium in London, England, for the Intercontinental title.
– McMahon fired Smith when negative publicity regarding steroids plagued the WWF.
– On November 21, 1992, Smith defeated Jack Hammer for the WWWA Intercontinental title in Barnesville, PA.
– Smith arrived in WCW for a few years, but left over a contract dispute.
– Smith returned to wrestle in England, before McMahon rehired him.
– Owen Hart and Smith won the WWF Tag Team title from the Smoking Gunns on September 22, 1996, in Philadelphia, PA.
– On February 26, 1997, Smith was crowded the first ever WWF European champion, defeating tag team partner Owen Hart in the tournament finals.
– Bret Hart prevented a split between the Bulldog and Owen, and reformed the Hart Foundation with himself, Davey Boy, Owen, Jim Neidhart, and Brian Pillman.
– The unlikely pairing of Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin was too much for Hart and Smith to over come, and the tag team belts changed hands on the May 25, 1997, on Raw.
– Following the infamous double cross perpetrated by McMahon on Bret Hart at the 1997 Survivor Series, Davey Boy bought himself out of his WWF contract. The price, a mere $150,000.
– Smith and Jim Neidhart both headed for WCW.
– On September 13, 1998, at the Fall Brawl PPV, Alex Wright powerslammed Smith on a ring with a hidden trap door underneath (for the Warrior disappearing trick). In the process, Smith suffered a serious back injury.
– In December 1998, Smith entered rehab to overcome an addiction to painkillers.
– Smith signed with the WWF on August 12, 1999.
– Smith defeated Al Snow for the Hardcore title on September 7, 1999.
– On October 26, 1999, Smith defeated D-Lo Brown for the European title in Springfield, Mass.
– Smith defeated Crash Holly for the Hardcore title on May 6, 2000 at the UK pay-per-view Insurrextion in London.
– On April 1, 2008, The British Bulldogs were inducted into the GERWECK.NET Hall of Fame.
– Smith was announced for the 2020 class of the WWE hall of fame.