Hey yo bromigoes and bromigas,
Community is a weird show. Annie is wicked hot.
Community is a weird show. Annie is wicked hot.
 |
| Ogle Ogle Ogle Ogle |
I totally forgot today was the ten-year anniversary of the passing of the “British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith and figured what the hell lets do a review for him. Davey Boy was actually from Britain (always a big draw there) and got his big break as one-half of the British Bulldogs with the Dynamite Kid in Stampede Wrestling up in Calgary. Dynamite Kid, who was Chris Benoit’s idol, was a hard-hitting, high-impact wrestler, but on the smaller side. Smith was the bigger of the two and possessed incredible power, but impressive agility for a man his size. Stampede Wrestling was run by Stu Hart, patriarch of the famous Hart clan and it was there the Bulldogs caught the eye of Vince McMahon and the WWF. However, while up there Davey Boy became smitten with one of the Hart girls: Diana and ended up marrying her.
In the WWF, The British Bulldogs captured their World Tag Team Titles at Wrestlemania II and embarked on great feuds with likes of fellow Stampede alumni, the Hart Foundation, Bret “The Hitman” Hart and Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart, both of who were his brothers in -law. Bret was Diana’s brother and the Anvil married another Hart girl by the name of Ellie. The Bulldog eventually branched off into singles wrestling as the Dynamite Kid, an ornery son of a bitch, entered a downward spiral of alcohol and drugs.
In my opinion, the British Bulldog was an over-achiever, as he was not not gifted in the promo department, but he was an exceptional talent in the ring, agile for a man his size. However, the hallmark of a great wrestler is he can wrestle a great match with anybody. All of the Bulldog’s great matches occurred against either Bret, Owen Hart (RIP Owen) or Shawn Michaels. With a week of training, I could have a great match against one of those three in their primes. Yet Bulldog headlined many PPV’s, but never did capture the big one. His biggest moment was at Summerslam 1992 at Wembley Stadium in London, England in front of 80,000 of his countrymen he main evented his first PPV against his brother in-law, Bret “The Hitman” Hart challenging for the Intercontinental Championship.
WWF Intercontinental Champion Bret “The Hitman” Hart vs “British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith
Summerslam 1992 London, UK
They are hanging from the rafters, Gorilla! A decidedly split reaction for the ultra-white meat babyface Bret Hart. Tons of Union Jacks in the audience to support the Bulldog. Diana is shown in the crowd and The Brain immediately thinks she will support whoever wins. Vince says that Diana must very conflicted about this confrontation. Vince asserts that Hart is just as popular as Bulldog, in any country, definitely McMahon. The Brain wonders if Hart is kissing the championship goodbye as Hart gives out his shades to a lucky kid in the front row. They stand toe-to-toe and lock eyes. Shove by Bret to establish “Boo me!” as if the fans needed any help with the Bulldog donning Union Jack tights.
Collar elbow tie-up, Bulldog wins both and grabs a side headlock. They do a criss-cross spot and huge shoulderblock sends Hart to the outside. Nice bump. The Brain wonders why Davey Boy lets Whoopi Goldberg do his hair. Smith has his hair braids with red, white, and blue beads in them. Smith’s power game has been established. Hart proves he is the superior chain wrestler grabbing a side-headlock. Hart escapes the press slam and a series of flash near-falls for Bret. He slows down Bulldog with a side-headlock. The Brain posits that they are on an equal footing because neither is too bright. Smith escapes smoothly into a hammerlock and drives the knees into Hart’s exposed arm. Hart regains his vertical base and applies a standing armbar. Very smooth and well-executed by both men so far as it is power vs technique. Smith uses his agility to escape the armbar and grab his own. Criss-cross spot and Davey boy catches him and catapults Hart into the corner. Back onto the arm, nice leverage moves by Smith as he lifts Hart by one arm. The fans are chanting Bulldog. Nice crucifix pin by Bulldog gets two and its right back on the armbar as Diana looks on concerned. Hart tries to get out of the armbar by slamming the Bulldog, but Bulldog hangs onto the hold. Davey Boy is relentless on the arm. Reviewing things help notice new things, Bret sets up a lot of spots in this match by running the ropes. British crowd has airhorns to rev up and co-ordinate the chant for Bulldogs while Bulldog is in the chinlock. Atomic drop as the fans are hot for the Bulldog; Bret blocks the crucifix pin with a slam and we go back to the chinlock. Another criss-cross pot, this time British Bulldog wins with a monkey flip. Bulldog connects with a headbutt. When Bret gets his foot up in the corner to stop the charging Bulldog, the crowd boos like mad. Bret sets him up for the first of his FIVE MOVES OF DOOM: the bulldog out of the corner.
In a move out of the Flair playbook, Bulldog press slams
Bret off the top rope, but Bret moves out of the way of a high-risk move by the
Bulldog. In 1992, Vince was already describing Bret a wily veteran. Good Bret
spot is when it looks like the opponent is going to get a victory roll and he
slides down sending his opponent to crash and burn on the outside. The crowd
HATES Bret. Bret with a nasty pescado on the Bulldog by hooking his neck on the
way down. He picks up the Bulldog an drams his back first into the steel
ringpost. Bret has chosen his body part.
Bret sends Bulldog hard into the turnbuckles, now a headbutt to the small of the back. Side Russian Legsweep, the second of the Five Moves of Doom gets a two-count. Davey Boy may be out on his feet as Bret is pummeling him with Europen uppercuts finally gets his off his feet with a dropkick. Big back body drop only gets two for Bret. This actually some really good heel work for Bret as he is working the crowd into a frenzy, Bulldog should get some credit for selling. Crowd is rabid for the Bulldog, one of the hottest crowds ever. Nice snap suplex only gets two, which is the third Move of Doom. Bulldog reverses a European uppercut into a backslide popping the crowd. Backbreaker and in combination with a second rope elbow completes the Five Moves of Doom and still the Bulldog kicks out at two. Hart, now goes into a full-on dick heel mode, pulling up Bulldog by his braids drawing the ire of the partisan British crowd. The Brain notes you could never do that to Bret because his hair is coated with oil slicks. HA!
Bret is clearly frustrated now so he goes back to the chinlock. Wild swing by the Bulldog is reversed into a sleeper by the Hitman. Vince, annoyingly, declares it is over which means it isn’t. Vince sucked on commentary. Bulldog gets to the ropes and Bret breaks at 4. Off the ropes they go and Bret slaps on another sleeper. They do the “three arm” drops spot and Bulldog powers out at two. Bulldog breaks the hold by ramming Bret into the turnbuckle. Slugfest, baby! In a spot I think that went awry, Bulldog goes for a press slam and drops Bret into the ropes and Bret gets all tangled. Huge clothesline by the Bulldog on Bret out of the corner as the crowd comes alive for Smith. Only gets two for Davey Boy, who now hits a press slam for two count. Smith is in disbelief and goes for a delayed vertical suplex. That is one of the Bulldog’s best spots, but only gets two. Bret takes the Bret bump into the turnbuckles, but that only gets a two. Bulldog signals for the Running Powerslam and I notice there is a Confederate flag in the crowd. WTF?!?! Running Powerslam only gets two and is a tremendous false finish. Hart is selling like a champ by using the ropes to hold him up and Smith just nudges his head and he collapses.
Hart reverses a vertical suplex into bridging German suplex for only a two count and the crowd is bonkers and I am coughing up a storm due to all this excitement. Bret hooks him for a suplex, but Bulldog sets him up on the top rope. Huge superplex by Smith and he drapes the arm over Hart and only gets two. Double clothesline and both men are out. Even though they had some restspots we are near the 25 minute mark and this had been a pace that kills. From their backs, Hart is attempting to apply the Sharpshooter, his finishing subsmission hold. The crowd is nervous as their hero seems doomed for defeat. Full applied and Vince declares it to be all over. Vince is ultimate negative nelly. But Bulldog gets to the ropes and Bret sends him off the ropes. Bulldog sits down on a sunset flip attempt and gets a three count and the INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP. The pop is HUGE and it lasts for minutes as the stadium is RAUCOUS! The Bret teases exiting as the crowd boos before they finally embrace to huge cheers as The Brain suggests he waffle him.
A stellar contest for the Intercontinental title as it was the Bret show. A brilliant performance by him on offense and then bumping to make the Bulldog look like a million bucks that is heralded as one the most impressive singular performances. Bulldog hit his spots well and together they wrestled a damn near perfect match. *****
The British Bulldog would go on to main PPV’s against Bret, Diesel and Shawn for the WWF title and win the tag team titles with brother in-law, Owen, one of the most terrific tag teams of the 90s. Davey Boy passed in 2002. His greatest achievement will be that one summer night in Wembley when he set London ablaze with his Intercontinental title victory. Rest In Peace, Davey Boy.
Bret sends Bulldog hard into the turnbuckles, now a headbutt to the small of the back. Side Russian Legsweep, the second of the Five Moves of Doom gets a two-count. Davey Boy may be out on his feet as Bret is pummeling him with Europen uppercuts finally gets his off his feet with a dropkick. Big back body drop only gets two for Bret. This actually some really good heel work for Bret as he is working the crowd into a frenzy, Bulldog should get some credit for selling. Crowd is rabid for the Bulldog, one of the hottest crowds ever. Nice snap suplex only gets two, which is the third Move of Doom. Bulldog reverses a European uppercut into a backslide popping the crowd. Backbreaker and in combination with a second rope elbow completes the Five Moves of Doom and still the Bulldog kicks out at two. Hart, now goes into a full-on dick heel mode, pulling up Bulldog by his braids drawing the ire of the partisan British crowd. The Brain notes you could never do that to Bret because his hair is coated with oil slicks. HA!
Bret is clearly frustrated now so he goes back to the chinlock. Wild swing by the Bulldog is reversed into a sleeper by the Hitman. Vince, annoyingly, declares it is over which means it isn’t. Vince sucked on commentary. Bulldog gets to the ropes and Bret breaks at 4. Off the ropes they go and Bret slaps on another sleeper. They do the “three arm” drops spot and Bulldog powers out at two. Bulldog breaks the hold by ramming Bret into the turnbuckle. Slugfest, baby! In a spot I think that went awry, Bulldog goes for a press slam and drops Bret into the ropes and Bret gets all tangled. Huge clothesline by the Bulldog on Bret out of the corner as the crowd comes alive for Smith. Only gets two for Davey Boy, who now hits a press slam for two count. Smith is in disbelief and goes for a delayed vertical suplex. That is one of the Bulldog’s best spots, but only gets two. Bret takes the Bret bump into the turnbuckles, but that only gets a two. Bulldog signals for the Running Powerslam and I notice there is a Confederate flag in the crowd. WTF?!?! Running Powerslam only gets two and is a tremendous false finish. Hart is selling like a champ by using the ropes to hold him up and Smith just nudges his head and he collapses.
Hart reverses a vertical suplex into bridging German suplex for only a two count and the crowd is bonkers and I am coughing up a storm due to all this excitement. Bret hooks him for a suplex, but Bulldog sets him up on the top rope. Huge superplex by Smith and he drapes the arm over Hart and only gets two. Double clothesline and both men are out. Even though they had some restspots we are near the 25 minute mark and this had been a pace that kills. From their backs, Hart is attempting to apply the Sharpshooter, his finishing subsmission hold. The crowd is nervous as their hero seems doomed for defeat. Full applied and Vince declares it to be all over. Vince is ultimate negative nelly. But Bulldog gets to the ropes and Bret sends him off the ropes. Bulldog sits down on a sunset flip attempt and gets a three count and the INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP. The pop is HUGE and it lasts for minutes as the stadium is RAUCOUS! The Bret teases exiting as the crowd boos before they finally embrace to huge cheers as The Brain suggests he waffle him.
A stellar contest for the Intercontinental title as it was the Bret show. A brilliant performance by him on offense and then bumping to make the Bulldog look like a million bucks that is heralded as one the most impressive singular performances. Bulldog hit his spots well and together they wrestled a damn near perfect match. *****
The British Bulldog would go on to main PPV’s against Bret, Diesel and Shawn for the WWF title and win the tag team titles with brother in-law, Owen, one of the most terrific tag teams of the 90s. Davey Boy passed in 2002. His greatest achievement will be that one summer night in Wembley when he set London ablaze with his Intercontinental title victory. Rest In Peace, Davey Boy.
No comments:
Post a Comment