British Bulldogs
Encyclopedia
The British Bulldogs were the team of cousins Davey Boy Smith
and Tom Billington (better known as the Dynamite Kid
), professional wrestlers who competed through most of the 1980s in both North America, England, and Japan and is by many considered one of the top tag-teams in history.
by talent scout Bruce Hart
. During their time in Stampede, Dynamite and Davey Boy began a heated feud as Dynamite provoked Smith by saying he was a test-tube baby.
The Dynamite / Davey Boy feud would continue in New Japan Pro Wrestling
, where they became involved in a three way feud that also involved The Cobra
over the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship
. After they settled the feud, the two started to team as the British Bulldogs both in NJPW and Stampede Wrestling. In March 1984, the Bulldogs would win the Stampede International Tag Team Championship for the first time. In 1984, the Bulldogs left NJPW to go to its bitter rival All Japan Pro Wrestling
, effectively severing all ties to New Japan to this day.
bought out Stampede Wrestling. The buyout meant that the British Bulldogs joined the World Wrestling Federation
along with Smith’s brother-in-law Bret Hart
and Jim Neidhart
(The Hart Foundation). Initially the Bulldogs still toured with AJPW, but soon after they became WWF-exclusive.
The British Bulldogs' first and probably most well known feud was with the Hart Foundation, whom they knew well from their Stampede days, and thus were able to produce a series of outstanding matches that helped elevate both teams in the WWF. The Bulldogs next major feud was with the then-WWF World Tag Team Champions, "The Dream Team
" of Greg Valentine
and Brutus Beefcake. The Bulldogs wrestled Valentine and Beefcake for close to a year, coming close to but never winning the tag titles. The stage was set for a "final" tag title match at WrestleMania 2
. With "Captain" Lou Albano
and Ozzy Osbourne
in their corner, the duo won the WWF World Tag-Team titles.
The Bulldogs continued their feud with the Dream Team and also defended regularly against the former championship team of The Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff
. In December 1986, Dynamite Kid suffered a serious back injury during a match in Hamilton, Ontario
, forcing him out of the ring for a longer period of time (during this period Davey Boy Smith would defend the titles with various replacement partners). On January 26, 1987, the British Bulldogs lost the titles to the Hart Foundation in a match that saw Dynamite Kid so debilitated that he was carried to the ring by Davey Boy Smith and saw little physical action. The match would air on February 7 on WWF Superstars of Wrestling
.
After being given time off to recuperate, the Bulldogs returned to the ring to continue their feud with the Hart Foundation and “Evil Referee” Danny Davis
(who, in the storyline, cheated to help the Hart Foundation win the title). The teams met at WrestleMania III
, where the Bulldogs teamed with Tito Santana
to take on the trio.
When the Bulldogs returned, they were given a real, live Bulldog (Matilda) that would accompany them to the ring and even be the center of the Bulldogs' feud with The Islanders when they “dognapped” it (according to the storyline).The Bulldogs last pay per view was at 1988 Survivor Series
. The Bulldogs competed in a 10 tag team match where Mr. Fuji
attacked Demolition
and joined forces with the Powers of Pain
, who won the match by eliminating the heel
team Los Conquistadores. The Bulldogs left the WWF after the 1988 Survivor Series
, quitting the federation after backstage altercations between Dynamite Kid and Jacques Rougeau
.
After losing the titles to Karachi Vice on December 30, 1988, Dynamite Kid turned heel by re-igniting the feud with Davey Boy Smith, joining forces with his former manager J.R. Foley and his future British Bruisers
partner Johnny Smith
. Despite the split in Stampede, The British Bulldogs remained as a tag team in AJPW, at the request of Giant Baba.
In September 1990, Davey Boy Smith abruptly withdrew the Bulldogs from AJPW's annual Real World Tag League Tournament by returning to the WWF, and fabricating to the All-Japan office that Dynamite was in a serious car accident and couldn't compete. Since Davey Boy Smith had trademarked the term "The British Bulldog" during the Bulldogs' previous run in the WWF, he decided to return to the WWF as The British Bulldog and would send people to the United Kingdom
to warn the promoter every time a flyer was distributed promoting Dynamite Kid as a "British Bulldog." As a result of these actions, Dynamite passionately despised Smith for a long time. Johnny Smith would end up taking Davey Boy Smith's spot in the Real World Tag League tournament, and the duo (known as The British Bruisers
) continued to compete in All-Japan Pro Wrestling. The duo managed to capture the AJPW All-Asia Tag Team Championship, but the partnership was short-lived; the years of steroid abuse, working a high-impact style and cocaine usage caught up with "the Dynamite Kid" Thomas Billington as he suddenly announced his retirement on December 6, 1991.
Davey Boy Smith died on 18 May 2002, and Dynamite Kid
now uses a wheelchair.
Davey Boy Smith
Davey Boy Smith was a British professional wrestler, better known as "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith, who was born in Golborne in North West England, United Kingdom. Smith is known for his appearances with Stampede Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling...
and Tom Billington (better known as the Dynamite Kid
Dynamite Kid
Thomas Wilton Billington , best known by the ring name Dynamite Kid, is a retired British professional wrestler who competed in the World Wrestling Federation, Stampede Wrestling, All Japan Pro Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling in the mid- to late-1980s...
), professional wrestlers who competed through most of the 1980s in both North America, England, and Japan and is by many considered one of the top tag-teams in history.
Early years (1983-1984)
In the 1970s, Dynamite Kid and Davey Boy Smith both began their careers in England, teaming up because of their family relations. The two were soon invited to join Stampede WrestlingStampede Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling is a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta and was for nearly 50 years one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies...
by talent scout Bruce Hart
Bruce Hart (wrestler)
Bruce Dennis Luis Hart is a retired Canadian professional wrestler. The second son of Stu Hart, Hart is a member of the large Hart wrestling family.Hart substitute teaches for the Calgary Board of Education.-Career:...
. During their time in Stampede, Dynamite and Davey Boy began a heated feud as Dynamite provoked Smith by saying he was a test-tube baby.
The Dynamite / Davey Boy feud would continue in New Japan Pro Wrestling
New Japan Pro Wrestling
is a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
, where they became involved in a three way feud that also involved The Cobra
George Takano
George Takano is a professional wrestler who hailed from Uganda under the alias The Cobra, a masked wrestler persona...
over the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship
NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship
The NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world championship and secondary title in the National Wrestling Alliance that was for the lighter wrestlers. It started in 1945 and still exists today. The title was unified with the National Boxing/Wrestling Association's...
. After they settled the feud, the two started to team as the British Bulldogs both in NJPW and Stampede Wrestling. In March 1984, the Bulldogs would win the Stampede International Tag Team Championship for the first time. In 1984, the Bulldogs left NJPW to go to its bitter rival All Japan Pro Wrestling
All Japan Pro Wrestling
is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972. All Japan Pro Wrestling still remains one of the most popular puroresu promotions still in operation.-The Giant Baba Era :...
, effectively severing all ties to New Japan to this day.
World Wrestling Federation (1984-1988)
In 1984, Vince McMahonVince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
bought out Stampede Wrestling. The buyout meant that the British Bulldogs joined the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
along with Smith’s brother-in-law Bret Hart
Bret Hart
Bret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
and Jim Neidhart
Jim Neidhart
James Henry "Jim" Neidhart is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances in the 1980s and 1990s in the World Wrestling Federation as Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart. Jim is the father of WWE Diva Natalya...
(The Hart Foundation). Initially the Bulldogs still toured with AJPW, but soon after they became WWF-exclusive.
The British Bulldogs' first and probably most well known feud was with the Hart Foundation, whom they knew well from their Stampede days, and thus were able to produce a series of outstanding matches that helped elevate both teams in the WWF. The Bulldogs next major feud was with the then-WWF World Tag Team Champions, "The Dream Team
The Dream Team (professional wrestling)
The Dream Team was a World Wrestling Federation tag team from 1985 to March 29, 1987 consisting of Brutus Beefcake and Greg Valentine managed by ”Lucious” Johnny Valiant...
" of Greg Valentine
Greg Valentine
John Wisniski, Jr. is an American professional wrestler, better known as Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. He is the son of wrestler Johnny Valentine.-Training:...
and Brutus Beefcake. The Bulldogs wrestled Valentine and Beefcake for close to a year, coming close to but never winning the tag titles. The stage was set for a "final" tag title match at WrestleMania 2
WrestleMania 2
WrestleMania 2 was the second annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation...
. With "Captain" Lou Albano
Lou Albano
Louis Vincent "Captain Lou" Albano was an Italian-American professional wrestler, manager and actor. He was active as a professional wrestler from 1953 until 1969, then he became a manager, until 1995....
and Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
in their corner, the duo won the WWF World Tag-Team titles.
The Bulldogs continued their feud with the Dream Team and also defended regularly against the former championship team of The Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff
Nikolai Volkoff
Josip Nikolai Peruzović , better known by his ring name of Nikolai Volkoff, is a professional wrestler who is best known for his performances for the World Wrestling Federation...
. In December 1986, Dynamite Kid suffered a serious back injury during a match in Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, forcing him out of the ring for a longer period of time (during this period Davey Boy Smith would defend the titles with various replacement partners). On January 26, 1987, the British Bulldogs lost the titles to the Hart Foundation in a match that saw Dynamite Kid so debilitated that he was carried to the ring by Davey Boy Smith and saw little physical action. The match would air on February 7 on WWF Superstars of Wrestling
WWF Superstars of Wrestling
WWF Superstars of Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It debuted on September 6, 1986...
.
After being given time off to recuperate, the Bulldogs returned to the ring to continue their feud with the Hart Foundation and “Evil Referee” Danny Davis
Dan Marsh
Dan Marsh is a former professional wrestling referee and wrestler most famous as Danny Davis of the World Wrestling Federation. He also competed in the WWF for several years as Mr. X, a masked wrestler....
(who, in the storyline, cheated to help the Hart Foundation win the title). The teams met at WrestleMania III
WrestleMania III
WrestleMania III was the third annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . The event was held on March 29, 1987 at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan....
, where the Bulldogs teamed with Tito Santana
Tito Santana
Merced Solis better known by his ring name Tito Santana, is an American professional wrestler whose heyday spanned from the late 1970s to the early 1990s, though he continues to appear on the independent circuit. He is best known from his time in the World Wrestling Federation...
to take on the trio.
When the Bulldogs returned, they were given a real, live Bulldog (Matilda) that would accompany them to the ring and even be the center of the Bulldogs' feud with The Islanders when they “dognapped” it (according to the storyline).The Bulldogs last pay per view was at 1988 Survivor Series
Survivor Series (1988)
Survivor Series was the second annual Survivor Series pay-per-view professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation...
. The Bulldogs competed in a 10 tag team match where Mr. Fuji
Harry Fujiwara
Harry Fujiwara is an American former professional wrestler and manager, best known by his ring name Mr. Fuji. He was infamous for often throwing salt in the eyes of face wrestlers...
attacked Demolition
Demolition (professional wrestling)
Demolition is a professional wrestling tag team most prominent during the late 1980s / early 1990s in the World Wrestling Federation made up of Ax , Smash , and later Crush . In WWF, Demolition were three-time Tag Team Champions, and hold the records for both the single longest tag title reign...
and joined forces with the Powers of Pain
Powers of Pain
The Powers of Pain are an on-and-off professional wrestling tag team. They are best known for their tenure in Jim Crockett Promotions and the World Wrestling Federation.-Jim Crockett Promotions:...
, who won the match by eliminating the heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
team Los Conquistadores. The Bulldogs left the WWF after the 1988 Survivor Series
Survivor Series (1988)
Survivor Series was the second annual Survivor Series pay-per-view professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation...
, quitting the federation after backstage altercations between Dynamite Kid and Jacques Rougeau
Jacques Rougeau
Jacques Rougeau Jr. is a retired French-Canadian professional wrestler from Saint-Sulpice, Quebec, best known for his appearances in the 1980s and 1990s with the World Wrestling Federation under his own name, and as The Mountie. Rougeau has held fifteen championships during his career...
.
Stampede Wrestling and All Japan Pro Wrestling (1988-1990)
After leaving the WWF, the Bulldogs returned to their old “home” in Stampede Wrestling and also resumed touring with All Japan Pro Wrestling, where they had moderate success as a tag team, but it was not as magical seeing these two wrestle there, as years of steroid abuse made them too large, physique-wise, and Dynamite Kid’s back injury from years prior had made his previously exciting moveset more limited. They had feuds with the Cuban Commandos and Karachi Vice in Stampede and won the Stampede International Tag-Team titles for the second time on December 12, 1988.After losing the titles to Karachi Vice on December 30, 1988, Dynamite Kid turned heel by re-igniting the feud with Davey Boy Smith, joining forces with his former manager J.R. Foley and his future British Bruisers
The British Bruisers
The British Bruisers were a professional wrestling tag team that competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling. The team consisted of The Dynamite Kid and Johnny Smith...
partner Johnny Smith
John Hindley
John Hindley is a retired British professional wrestler best known by his ring name Johnny Smith.-Early years in the U.K. :...
. Despite the split in Stampede, The British Bulldogs remained as a tag team in AJPW, at the request of Giant Baba.
In September 1990, Davey Boy Smith abruptly withdrew the Bulldogs from AJPW's annual Real World Tag League Tournament by returning to the WWF, and fabricating to the All-Japan office that Dynamite was in a serious car accident and couldn't compete. Since Davey Boy Smith had trademarked the term "The British Bulldog" during the Bulldogs' previous run in the WWF, he decided to return to the WWF as The British Bulldog and would send people to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to warn the promoter every time a flyer was distributed promoting Dynamite Kid as a "British Bulldog." As a result of these actions, Dynamite passionately despised Smith for a long time. Johnny Smith would end up taking Davey Boy Smith's spot in the Real World Tag League tournament, and the duo (known as The British Bruisers
The British Bruisers
The British Bruisers were a professional wrestling tag team that competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling. The team consisted of The Dynamite Kid and Johnny Smith...
) continued to compete in All-Japan Pro Wrestling. The duo managed to capture the AJPW All-Asia Tag Team Championship, but the partnership was short-lived; the years of steroid abuse, working a high-impact style and cocaine usage caught up with "the Dynamite Kid" Thomas Billington as he suddenly announced his retirement on December 6, 1991.
Davey Boy Smith died on 18 May 2002, and Dynamite Kid
Dynamite Kid
Thomas Wilton Billington , best known by the ring name Dynamite Kid, is a retired British professional wrestler who competed in the World Wrestling Federation, Stampede Wrestling, All Japan Pro Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling in the mid- to late-1980s...
now uses a wheelchair.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Gorilla Press and Diving Headbutt (Both)
- Fireman's Carry and Super Diving Headbutt (Both)
- Diving headbutt (Dynamite)
- Running Powerslam (Davey)
- Snap Suplex (Dynamite)
- Superplex (Dynamite)
- Signature moves
- Delayed vertical suplex (Davey)
- Snap Clothesline (Dynamite)
- Gorilla press (Davey)
- Front dropkick (Dynamite)
- Shoulder block (Davey)
- Hooking clothesline (Dynamite)
- Running powerbombPowerbombA powerbomb is a professional wrestling throw in which an opponent is lifted up and then slammed back-first down to the mat. The standard powerbomb sees an opponent first placed in a standing headscissors position...
(Davey) - ManagerManager (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
s - Lou AlbanoLou AlbanoLouis Vincent "Captain Lou" Albano was an Italian-American professional wrestler, manager and actor. He was active as a professional wrestler from 1953 until 1969, then he became a manager, until 1995....
Championships and accomplishments
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- Ranked #5 in the top 100 tag teams of the "PWI Years" in 2003
- Stampede WrestlingStampede WrestlingStampede Wrestling is a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta and was for nearly 50 years one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies...
- Stampede International Tag Team Championship (2 times)
- World Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
- WWF World Tag Team Championship (1 time)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
- Best Wrestling Maneuver (1984) Power clean dropkick
- Tag Team of the Year (1985)
See also
- Owen Hart and The British BulldogOwen Hart and The British BulldogOwen Hart and The British Bulldog were a professional wrestling tag team in World Wrestling Federation.-Winning the World Tag Team Championship:...
- The British BruisersThe British BruisersThe British Bruisers were a professional wrestling tag team that competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling. The team consisted of The Dynamite Kid and Johnny Smith...