DAVEY BOY SMITH was a multiple WWE Intercontinental and European Champion as a singles wrestler, in addition to a reign a tag champs with partner Dynamite and another with Owen Hart. He also went on to have the Pro Wrestling Illustrated Match of the Year against Bret Hart in 1992 in Wembley Stadium — a match Hart himself calls one of the favorites of his own career. During a stint later in WCW, he was seriously hurt on a trap door inserted into the ring for a gimmicked Ultimate Warrior entrance. He was fired by then WCW kingpin Eric Bischoff while in his hospital bed recouperating. It was said that this injury led to Davey Boy’s greatest period of dependance on prescription pain medication. His one-time wife, Diana Hart, wrote a scathing book called Under the Mat that was eventually ordered recalled due to litigation. Inside, Diana alleged many lurid details of their relationship and Davey Boy’s drug additction. Sadly, Davey is no longer with us, having lost his battle with steroids and other drugs in 2002. His legacy lives on with son Harry Smith, now under a WWE developmental contract.

DYNAMITE KID (Tommy Billington) made a name for himself as a singles wrestler in Japan in classic battles against the original Tiger Mask before teaming with his cousin Davey.  He suffered a serious back injury in a match against Cowboy Bob Orton and Don Muraco near the height of the WWF popularity and was never the same wrestler afterward. A noted ribber backstage, a prank allegedly played by Curt Hennig on Jacques Rougeau (involving dog feces in a gym bag, assumed to be from the Bulldogs’ later-day mascot named Matilda) was blamed on Dynamite, leading to Rougeau infamously knocking out Billington’s front teeth with a pair a brass knuckles in a sneak-attack. Also a noted tough man, it is said Dynamite was never the same man afterward, and quit the WWF (followed by Davey) shortly thereafter. Today, he supposedly lives somewhere in Britain, virtually a recluse, reportedly confined to a wheelchair after having part of a leg amputated due to similar vices as his partner.

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TED DIBIASE is now a Christian Minister best-known to fans as the wickedly funny Million Dollar Man in the old WWF. Together with valet Virgil, he delighted in getting people to perform various degrading stunts for his amusement. “Everybody has a price for the Million Dollar Man,” was his cackled motto. His best known moments came when he purchased the WWF World Championship from Andre the Giant in a famous screwjob over Hulk Hogan, complete with “twin” referees of Earl and Dave Hebner and a bogus three-count. A throwback physically to the days of the pre-steroid era, Dibiase’s lithe body was hardly what put food on his table, however: it was his sheer brilliance inside the ring. One of the most-fluid workers ever, Dibiase suffered a back injury that ended his career somewhat prematurely. He then went into managing before fading away from the wrestling business and into his ministry.

STAN HANSEN initially made his name in the wrestling business after breaking then WWWF World Champion Bruno Sammartino’s neck in a match. His feared lariant then wreaked havoc across America and across the Pacific Ocean to Japan, as Hansen went on to become one of that country’s all-time legends. In the mid-80s, Hansen held the AWA World Heavyweight title. After being told to put over Nick Bockwinkel, Hansen reportedly refused, citing title defenses already booked in Japan with Giant Baba’s All Japan promotion. He was then stripped of the championship, but took the belt with him back to Japan — returning it to the AWA offices only after legal action was threatened. He eventually mailed it back after running over the belt with his truck. He was known as one of the stiffest performers ever to step foot in a wrestling ring, attributed — according to Hansen — due to his near-blindness without glasses.

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