Davey Boy Smith, better known as the British Bulldog, had the chance to team with his son just one week before he died.
There are probably few better ways to have your last match than welcoming your son into the wrestling world as your tag team partner.
Even though he wrestled alongside one of the best in Dynamite Kid, the way their team ended will likely make Harry Smith his favourite tag team partner of all time.
I’m sure Harry Smith, who has since taken on his father’s wrestling persona, treasures the memories of them spending time in the ring together, even if he was just 17 years old and at the beginning of his professional wrestling journey.
The match came at a crossroads in the British Bulldog’s career. He was effectively retired, with drug addiction and a horrendous back injury limiting what he could do in the ring.
Davey Boy Smith injured his back on the Ultimate Warrior’s trap door during an infamous WCW match.
Retirement beckoned, although he was angling for a return to the WWE. He got back in shape and was trying to stay sober and clean. He had a few matches in Canada and looked to be gearing up for one last run in the big time.
Would a 39-year-old, drug-addicted and heavily injured relic of the 1980s fit in during the “Ruthless Aggression” in WWE? It’s unlikely, but who knows?
Sadly, we never got to find out.
The British Bulldog Wrestled His Last Match In Canada In 2002
Davey Boy Smith teamed with his son, Harry Smith, twice before he passed away, on two local shows in Canada.
Harry Smith, born and raised in Canada (despite being known as “The British Bulldog” later in his career), was Canadian by birth due to his mother’s Canadian heritage.
Davey Boy Smith married Diana Hart, the sister of WWE legend Bret Hart, after moving to Canada to further his wrestling career. He remained in Canada after retiring from wrestling, following short, unsuccessful runs in both WWE and WCW.
Just a week before Davey Boy Smith’s passing, he teamed with Harry Smith, who was known as “David Hart Smith” in WWE, on consecutive days.
The first match took place at the Keystone Centre in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada, for Top Rope Championship Wrestling. In this match, Davey Boy and Harry defeated Rob Stardom & Ryan Wood, two local wrestlers. Harry Smith was just 17 at the time, having recently begun his wrestling training.
Davey Boy, in great shape, looked even better than during his 2000 WWE return. The match ended with Davey Boy pinning his opponent with his signature Powerslam, followed by a celebration with his son.
The second match occurred the following day at the Southdale Community Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, on May 11, 2002. This time, Davey Boy Smith, Harry Smith, and Zack Mercury faced TJ Bratt, Robby Royce, and The Axe.
Once again, Davey Boy Smith won the match with his Powerslam, displaying the best shape he had been in for years. It seemed as though he was angling for a return to the ring, but tragically, just a week later, he passed away due to a heart attack.
Davey Boy Smith Died Just One Week Later From A Heart Attack At The Age Of 39
Exactly seven days after he wrestled alongside his son in his last match, “The British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith passed away.
On May 18th 2002 he was on holiday in Redding in British Columbia. The 39-year-old suffered what has been described as a “massive heart attack”. The coroner’s report theorised that years of steroid and drug abuse was a big factor in his death, which was similar to how Eddie Guerrero died just three years later.
He was discovered by his partner Andrea, who was the ex-wife of his brother-in-law Bruce Hart, who woke up that morning to discover that Davey Boy Smith had died.
It was a tragic death, not just due to his age but due to what could have been for the English wrestling legend. Davey Boy Smith had attended rehab after being fired by the WWE in 2000 and was clean and sober, allegedly, at the time of his death.
He had also divorced from his wife Diana, the sister of Bret Hart. The pair had a toxic relationship, with Smith threatening to murder her during a series of threats in 2000.
This was the best thing for the family, including a young Harry Smith. He would go on to wrestle for the WWE as David Hart Smith until being released in 2011.
He went on to wrestle in America, the UK and Japan as “The British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith Jr, winning the prestigious AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship in 2024.
The death of The British Bulldog was a tragedy. He is one of the greatest British wrestlers of all time and was deserving of his WWE Hall of Fame induction in 2021, and had so much more to do in wrestling had he lived beyond 2002.
TNA would have surely taken a punt on him, even if his dreams of making it back to the WWE did not come to fruition. Sadly a heart attack ended those dreams, although he and his family will take some solace that he got to team up with his son before his untimely death.
