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Dynamite Kid
Birthdate: December 5th, 1958 Signature Moves: Career History: One of the most exciting and innovate wrestlers of the early 80s, few were as crisp and fluid in the ring as the Dynamite Kid. Hailing from England, Dynamite Kid first found success in Canada and then Japan, but he really hit it big when he entered the WWF and won the Tag Team Championships at WrestleMania II. Unfortunately, Dynamite Kid's career was cut short due to all the bumps he took in his career and the effect that using steroids and other drugs took on his body. While Dynamite Kid is universally considered an unpleasant person to deal with, there is little doubting his ability in the squared circle and the high number of wrestlers that he influenced during his relatively short in-ring career. After beginning his career wrestling in his native England, Dynamite Kid would leave for Calgary in the late 70s and would immediately find success. After only a few years as a pro, Dynamite Kid wrestled Tatsumi Fujinami when he was only 21 years old. After having success in Calgary and getting to know the Hart family Dynamite would leave Canada for tours in Japan starting in 1980. During his time in Calgary and Japan he became an influence to many other young wrestlers, including Bret Hart and Chris Benoit. When hardcore wrestling fans talk about the best feuds in wrestling history, more then likely the names of Dynamite Kid and Tiger Mask will be frequently mentioned. In terms of pure athleticism, innovation, and fluidness, no one had ever seen two men wrestle like them. Awing the crowd whenever they wrestled, Tiger Mask and Dynamite Kid greatly increased the popularity of the junior heavyweight division. Among the moves that Dynamite Kid invented and/or popularized during this time were the top rope suplex, diving headbutt, and the snap suplex. Even though Tiger Mask usually had the better of Dynamite Kid, the overall impact their series of matches had on wrestling is impossible to measure. Still wrestling in Stampede Wrestling while touring Japan, Dynamite Kid teamed with Davey Boy Smith to form the British Bulldogs. As the British Bulldogs, they wrestled in Japan, Canada, and even in the AWA (including having a match against the Midnight Express). When Vince McMahon purchased Stampede Wrestling in the mid-80s, the British Bulldogs went to the WWF. Still at the top of their game, the British Bulldogs soon were the WWF Tag Team Champions as they defeated the Dream Team at WrestleMania II for the titles. Taking on all comers, the British Bulldogs would hold the titles until losing them to the Hart Foundation in early 1987. Unfortunately, that would be the last time that Dynamite Kid held gold around his waist. Due to a combination of factors (including injuries from years of taking brutal bumps, using steroids and other drugs which wore down his body, and a negative backstage presence), Dynamite Kid was gone from the WWF by the early 90s. Dynamite Kid was no longer able to perform at the level that he used to, and he abruptly retired in late 1991. Even though he made a few appearances after that, it was clear that this retirement was not optional due to the condition of his body. Dynamite Kid would write an autobiography in 2001 in which he ran down some of the people in the business that he had dealt with (especially his old partner Davey Boy Smith), and seemed to many fans to be bitter about some parts of his career. Unfortunately, due to the abuse that he put his body through, the once high flying Dynamite Kid is now confined to a wheel chair. Even though his character outside the ring has been questioned many times, no one can deny his gift inside the ring. |
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