History Wrestling / DaveyBoySmith

David "Davey Boy" Smith[[note]]Claims that Smith's middle name was "Boy" as a result of one of his parents mistaking the name field on Smith's birth certificate for the gender field are incorrect, since British birth certificates are not completed by the parents; plus Smith's gender would have been written as "male" instead of "boy", anyway. One can look his entry in the England and Wales Births Register, which lists him as David Smith, without a middle name.[[/note]] (27 November 1962 – 18 May 2002) was a British professional wrestler. Smith became one of the biggest names in British wrestling and one of the most famous foreign stars in American pro wrestling from late 80's to late 90's under his wrestling name, '''The British Bulldog'''. Starting off in Creator/{{ITV}}'s Saturday afternoon and evening show ''Series/WorldOfSport'', Smith's career would take him through Stampede, Wrestling/AllJapanProWrestling, Wrestling/{{WWE}} and Wrestling/{{WCW}} as a successful tag and singles wrestler, notching up numerous title runs along the way.

Smith was most famous for the main event at ''Wrestling/{{SummerSlam}} 92'' where he pinned Wrestling/BretHart to become the [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwe/ic.html Intercontinental Champion]] in front of 80,000 fans of his home nation at the legendary Wembley arena. Besides of this he was 1x IWA Heavyweight Champion, 2x [[https://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/ab/stampede/ab-na-h.html NWA Stampede North-America Heavyweight Champion]], 2x [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/ab/stampede/ab-int-t.html NWA Stampede International Tag Team Champion]] (1x with Bruce Hart and 1x with Wrestling/DynamiteKid), the inaugural and former 2x [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwe/wwf-eu-h.html WWF European Champion]] (Holding the record for the longest title's reign), 2x [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwe/wwe-world-t.html WWF Tag Team Champion]] (1x with The Dynamite Kid and 1x with Wrestling/OwenHart) and 2x [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwe/wwf-hc.html WWF Hardcore Champion.]]

A long standing wrestler within [=WWE=] in the 90's along with several stints in [=WCW=] of varying success, Smith's demons would eventually take their toll as years of painkiller and steroid abuse were responsible for his death by heart failure on the 18 May 2002. Despite that, Smith is largely remembered fondly for his role in the ring and extensive career.

* ArchEnemy: The Dynamite Kid, [[Wrestling/JimmyHart the]] [[Wrestling/BretHart Hart]] [[Wrestling/JimNeidhart Foundation]], the [[Wrestling/GregValentine Dream]] [[Wrestling/BrutusBeefcake Team]], [[Wrestling/{{Meng}} the]] [[Wrestling/TheTongaKid Islanders]], the Fabulous [[Wrestling/JacquesRougeau Rougeaus]], the Warlord, [[Wrestling/JohnNord the Bearzerker]], [[Wrestling/{{Vader}} Big Van Vader]], [[Wrestling/SidEudy Sid Vicious]], Lord Steven Regal, [[Wrestling/CurtHennig Mr. Perfect]], Wrestling/ShawnMichaels, [[Wrestling/KevinNash Diesel]] and [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]].

* CaptainErsatz: Both The British Bulldogs get them in ''Videogame/FireProWrestling'', Davey Boy got them in '''The Raider''' and '''Dr. Jones'''.

* CaptainErsatz: The British Bulldogs get them in ''Videogame/FireProWrestling Returns''

* FaceHeelTurn: After his infamous turn in 1995, he was mostly heel[[PunchClockVillain -ish]] for the rest of his career. [[note]]The reason? No one in either Wrestling/{{WWE}} or Wrestling/{{WCW}} wanted to give him a [[ItsPersonal well-deserved title shot.]][[/note]]

** Despite his nickname, he was not very well known for performing the maneuver called "Bulldog".[[note]]Scarcely, and only as a counter... but how about each and every variation of "Gorilla press"?[[/note]]

* {{Ambadassador}}: ...of British Wrestling, along with Dynamite Kid and [[Wrestling/WilliamRegal Lord Steven Regal]].
* {{Animal Motif|s}}: It's not salamanders, chaps!

David "Davey Boy" Smith[[note]]Claims that Smith's middle name was "Boy" as a result of one of his parents mistaking the name field on Smith's birth certificate for the gender field are incorrect, since British birth certificates are not completed by the parents; plus Smith's gender would have been written as "male" instead of "boy", anyway. One can look his entry in the England and Wales Births Register, which lists him as David Smith, without a middle name.[[/note]] (27 November 1962 – 18 May 2002) was a British professional wrestler. Smith became one of the biggest names in British wrestling and one of the most famous foreign stars in American pro wrestling from late 80's to late 90's under his wrestling name, '''The British Bulldog'''. Starting off Creator/{{ITV}}'s Saturday afternoon and evening show ''Series/WorldOfSport'', Smith's career would take him through Stampede, Wrestling/AllJapanProWrestling, Wrestling/{{WWE}} and Wrestling/{{WCW}} as a successful tag and singles wrestler, notching up numerous title runs along the way.

David "Davey Boy" Smith[[note]]Claims that Smith's middle name was "Boy" as a result of one of his parents mistaking the name field on Smith's birth certificate for the gender field are incorrect, since British birth certificates are not completed by the parents; plus Smith's gender would have been written as "male" instead of "boy", anyway. One can look his entry in the England and Wales Births Register, which lists him as David Smith, without a middle name.[[/note]] (27 November 1962 – 18 May 2002) was a British professional wrestler. Smith became one of the biggest names in British wrestling and one of the most famous foreign stars in american pro wrestling from late 80's to late 90's under his wrestling name, '''The British Bulldog'''. Starting off in the World of Sport, Smith's career would take him through Stampede, Wrestling/AllJapanProWrestling, Wrestling/{{WWE}} and Wrestling/{{WCW}} as a successful tag and singles wrestler, notching up numerous title runs along the way.