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Davey Boy Smith Appreciation Thread


IANdrewDiceClay

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I love that pic with Davey, Stu and Bret with the belt!!!

 

Davey was great back in the day. Part of the boom period that got me hooked and he was also the first wrestler that I ever met! It was during his town hall tour of 1994. I had a broken ankle at the time and my Dad got me in for a photo ahead of the que cause I was on crutches. Davey Boy signed my cast!!! What a guy!!

 

Its crazy to think that he went from wrestling in the main event at the biggest crowd the WWF had ever drawn (forget the WM III bollocks) to wrestling in front of around 200 people in dodgy UK venues in about 18 months!!!!

 

Such is the nature of the business!

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Not to break up the Bulldog love, but there absolutely were people supporting Bret at Wembley. I'd estimate a good 20% or so. If you watch the tape, there's even a duelling chant, not in the modern "let's show tribute to both performers" style but in classic "You want X to win, I want Y to win."

 

Nomination for underrated series: Bulldog vs Warlord, which took place in some form on every PPV in 1991, with good singles matched at Mania and Tuesday In Texas. And unlike Barbarian, Warlord was normally SHIT.

 

I was there and me and loads of people in my section were cheering Bret. I never was a massive Bret fan but i preferred him to Bulldog.

 

Great post though Ian.

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I love that pic with Davey, Stu and Bret with the belt!!!

 

Davey was great back in the day. Part of the boom period that got me hooked and he was also the first wrestler that I ever met! It was during his town hall tour of 1994. I had a broken ankle at the time and my Dad got me in for a photo ahead of the que cause I was on crutches. Davey Boy signed my cast!!! What a guy!!

 

Its crazy to think that he went from wrestling in the main event at the biggest crowd the WWF had ever drawn (forget the WM III bollocks) to wrestling in front of around 200 people in dodgy UK venues in about 18 months!!!!

 

Such is the nature of the business!

I think they did crowds of more than 200 for that All-Star tour. 2000 is more like it, it was advertised in national newspapers.

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I love that pic with Davey, Stu and Bret with the belt!!!

 

Davey was great back in the day. Part of the boom period that got me hooked and he was also the first wrestler that I ever met! It was during his town hall tour of 1994. I had a broken ankle at the time and my Dad got me in for a photo ahead of the que cause I was on crutches. Davey Boy signed my cast!!! What a guy!!

 

Its crazy to think that he went from wrestling in the main event at the biggest crowd the WWF had ever drawn (forget the WM III bollocks) to wrestling in front of around 200 people in dodgy UK venues in about 18 months!!!!

 

Such is the nature of the business!

I think they did crowds of more than 200 for that All-Star tour. 2000 is more like it, it was advertised in national newspapers.

He never toured for ASW, He was advertised but sadly died before hand. He did 2 tours for RWS Promotions (Crabtree & Relwyskow) & generally did amazing business (rumoured to be

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Just getting a quick one in while skyving at work....

 

Davey boy was my absolute favourite wrestler growing up, and my memories are pretty much in line with everything Ian posted. He still is my favourite guy to watch, even now. I loved everything about him ; the way he wrestled his best matches, the Bulldog mascots, his physique, his wrestling attire (he looked the fucking business draped in Union flag colours)....just everything. He's the only wrestler whos merchandise I continued to collect, even after I stopped watching wrestling for a period around 1994, whenever I saw something regarding Smith, I got it and subsequently acquired a decent little collection.

 

I have always imagined that he seemed like one of those guys who could always cheer you up, no matter how down you may be. Always having a laugh.

 

Hell, he had such an effect on me that I even bought a Bulldog in 1994, and I have had another three since then.

 

He was also the reason that I started going to the gym, an activity that I started in 1999, and I still do so, right up to this day.

 

RIP, Big fella.

 

"It was the fookin' bat the whole time!!"

 

hellosailorvu2.jpg

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The Bulldog for me is a legend in an ironic sense. His dismal skills on the mic have made him a comic hero to me. He was absolately fuckin terrible and hilarious.

 

As someone else said he was great at saying two sentences too many and ending his promos on an anti-climax. Funny as.

 

Does anyone know where the 'BECAUSE I'M BIZOOOOR!!!!' slogan came from and if he used it for any length of time after the Royal Rumble?

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Without a doubt the greatest opening post in an appreciation thread that I have ever seen.

 

Like most I absolutley loved the Bulldog and he was one of my favourites back in the day and although his promo's have made him comedy gold these days he really did have some belters.

 

"Shawn Michaels, that WWF world championship is gonna be mine, in just a few short hours away!"

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I got into wrestling quite late on but I did have the British Bulldog action figure as a kid again I think it had something to do with the cartoon that aired in the late 80s cause we didnt have Sky tv so I wouldnt have been able to watch any wrestling. Anyway my cousin gave away some of wrestling tapes when he heard I was into it and one was Summerslam 92 and it was watching the Bret/Bulldog match that got me more into wrestling cause of how good it was. I remember, again because I was still new to wrestling thinking Bulldog turning up at Insurrection to win the Hardcore title in 2000 was pretty cool too though nothing really happened after that.

 

Course the coolest bit is a year later when I met the Bulldog and got his autograph admittedly outside Asda in Sheffield but it was still cool and I remember how nice he was to all the fans he met that day, top guy. Oh and when GPW did a tribute to Bulldog in 2005 with the Mikey Whiplash/TJ Wilson match I ended up meeting some of his family too, really nice people.

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I never really liked him that much in the early 90s. Took until 1996 for me to really like him.

 

On his awful promos, I recall one, and I still often sneak the word into a conversation (about wrestling) these days. It may even have been at Summerslam '92. He's going on and on and then says he's challening for the "World Continental Title"

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For me, the now legendary debut of the Shockmaster during one of those Flair for the gold segments, was funny for more than just the hilarious debut. When Sting and Davey boy came out and sat on the couch, and Ric Flair is screaming at the top of his voice as usual, I think Davey must've thought that it was a screaming contest when he unleashed the "EVERYBODY'S COOKIN" thing, it's funny to see Sting trying to get him to pack it in, and even pats him on the back in the end because Davey gets so carried away.

 

At the end of the day, yes he was a massivley talented guy with all the physical attributes and could do anything when he wanted to, yes he was a massive star, but for me, if I had to sum up everything what Davey Boy Smith meant to me, in one word, would be just FUN. Always brings a smile to my face or warm memory.

 

One thing that I think always seems to get overlooked due to his enormous popularity in the UK, was how popular he was in America. During all of his babyface runs, he was always over and recieved loud reactions wherever he went. Same goes for the rest of the world.

 

I also think he was a very effective heel, but I, myself, could never dislike him.

 

I still haven't got over the events of One Night Only in Birmingham back in 1997. :angry:

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Great opening post! Davey Boy was the first guy I ever really marked out for and Battle Royal at the Albert Hall was the first wrestling video I ever heard - fantastic booking and that finish is amazing. Loved all of his stuff - whether he was a face or a heel - and while I admit he wasn't a great promo guy, as others have said, he just seemed to be having FUN pretty much all of the time.

 

Really liked the Royal Rumble when him and Shawn were the first and last in, as well.

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