Do You Remember This Day in 2002? ?

By Ryan Joy
Updated: May 18, 2022
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Newsletter #86 – Do You Remember This Day in 2002?

May 18, 2022

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Today marks 20 years since the wrestling world said goodbye to the late British Bulldog Davey Boy Smith.

My first memory of Davey came from watching a VHS tape of WrestleMania IV where Smith competed in a six-man tag alongside partners Koko B. Ware and Dynamite Kid against The Islanders and Bobby “the Brain” Heenan.

This particular feud centered around Bobby Heenan’s objection to his opposition having animals at ringside (Matilda the Bulldog and Frankie the Macaw) instead of legal (human) managers. As laughable as the storyline would be in 2022, it was a lot of fun in those days.

Smith lost that night as he did other notable matches that easily come to my mind when I think back on his career.

I remember Shawn Michaels throwing Smith over the top rope to win the 1995 Royal Rumble, and I also remember Michaels eliminating Smith again the next year as one of the final participants.

The Saturday Night’s Main Event in November (filmed in October) 1992 also comes to mind. That’s where Shawn Michaels beat Davey Boy Smith to win the Intercontinental Championship.

The Intercontinental Championship. Now that reminds me of a happier (maybe the happiest) Davey Boy Smith memory.

SummerSlam 1992.

Wembley Stadium.

Davey Boy Smith challenges Bret Hart for the WWF Intercontinental Championship in the main event. Smith wins the title from his brother in-law (only to lose it a couple of months later to Shawn Michaels as already mentioned).

At the time of Davey’s death, the Wrestling Observer reported that in 1992 “He (Smith) was the biggest drawing card in Europe, with popularity on par with Steve Austin and Rock at their peak. To this day, WWE has never done, even in Austin’s heyday, merchandise, most of which was for Bulldog, like they did on that night where he won the (Intercontinental) title from Bret.”

That’s an incredible statement. As an American, it’s hard to fathom Davey being as popular as arguably the two biggest wrestling stars of all time, but the Wrestling Observer isn’t the only place I’ve heard those things.

Davey continued a successful career teaming with Owen Hart and as a key member of the white hot heel Hart Foundation stable in the late 90’s.

The British Bulldog’s legacy lives on through the work that Georgia Smith does to preserve Davey’s memory and through Davey’s son Harry who started wrestling as a teenager.

I know Davey Boy Smith’s family waited a long time to see him inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame. I’m so glad that happened and that the family was able to celebrate that occasion last year.

Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter. In addition to the abeove letter, read on for some great wrestling resources.

Thanks,

Ryan

P.S. – I spoke to Anna Diaz on this week’s episode of CCW Insider. She has a great story of battling epilepsy and she is the co-host of Fangin N Bangin with Gangrel! You can check it out through any of the links below.