Thomas Billington, best known by the ring name the Dynamite Kid, was a British professional wrestler.
23 Facts About Dynamite Kid
2.
Dynamite Kid had notable feuds with Tiger Mask in Japan and Bret Hart in Canada.
3.
Dynamite Kid had two sisters and a younger brother named Mark.
4.
Dynamite Kid's father Bill and uncle Eric Billington were boxers in their youth and his grandfather Thomas Billington was a bare-knuckle boxer.
5.
Dynamite Kid trained with Betley for three years starting at 13, and attended Riley's Gym, known as The Snake Pit, where he learned catch wrestling.
6.
Dynamite Kid made his debut working in 1975 for Max Crabtree.
7.
Dynamite Kid was instrumental in starting the career of then-Judo star Chris Adams while still competing in the UK, was scouted and moved to Calgary, Alberta, Canada in 1978.
8.
Dynamite Kid made a big impact in his matches for Stampede Wrestling with the increasingly popular Bruce Hart and rookie Bret Hart.
9.
In 1983, Dynamite Kid made his debut to the United States working for Pacific Northwest Wrestling where he feuded with Curt Hennig.
10.
Dynamite Kid defeated Davey Boy Smith earlier in the tournament and would go on to defeat The Cobra in the finals.
11.
Dynamite Kid made his WWF television debut on 29 August 1984, where he and Bret Hart defeated Iron Mike Sharpe and Troy Alexander in a match eventually shown on 15 September 1984, on the Maple Leaf Garden broadcast.
12.
Dynamite Kid would suffer a serious injury in a tag-team match that took place in December 1986 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, against Don Muraco and Bob Orton, Jr.
13.
Dynamite Kid was knocked out by Jimmy Hart's megaphone early in the match, avoiding him having to wrestle much in the match for story purposes.
14.
Dynamite Kid was involved in heated backstage fights with Jacques Rougeau, one of which led to Rougeau hitting him with a fistful of quarters as he opened a door holding a cup of coffee, knocking several of his teeth out.
15.
However, by February 1989, Dynamite became involved in a brutal feud with Johnny Smith after Johnny interfered and attacked the Dynamite Kid, before cutting his hair.
16.
Over in Stampede, the Bulldogs feuded with each other, with Dynamite Kid forming The British Bruisers with Johnny Smith and Davey Boy Smith teaming with a young Chris Benoit.
17.
Dynamite Kid returned to Japan as a special guest with Lord James Blears on 28 February 1993 and claimed that he was going to send his 17-year-old brother to All Japan's Dojo, but it wasn't realized.
18.
Dynamite Kid returned again for a tag team match with Johnny Smith on 28 July 1993 and was planning to promote an All-Japan show in his country in 1994, but it wasn't realized either.
19.
Dynamite Kid's final wrestling match took place on 10 October 1996, at a Michinoku Pro event called These Days.
20.
The match was promoted as a "Legends of High-Flying" six-man tag featuring Dynamite Kid paired with Dos Caras and Kuniaki Kobayashi against the Great Sasuke, Mil Mascaras, and Tiger Mask.
21.
Dynamite Kid's body had degenerated to the point where he was "practically skin and bones", as the bottom portion of his tights were very loose.
22.
Dynamite Kid is survived by two more grandchildren, Madix and Harlow.
23.
Dynamite Kid was represented by attorney Konstantine Kyros, who is involved in several other lawsuits involving former WWE wrestlers.