by Joe Beasley

Created on: February 17, 2009

Thomas Billington, better known in the wrestling world as The Dynamite Kid, was a wrestler in several organizations, most notably the WWE. Many people know Billington as half of the British Bulldogs, the other half being Davey Boy Smith. Many wrestling historians consider Billington as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time.

Dynamite joined the WWE (then known as the WWF) in 1984. At Wrestlemania II, Billington and and Smith won the WWE Tag Team Titles from the Greg Valentine and Brutus the barber Beefcake. A memorable part of that event was that the British Bulldogs were led to the ring by Ozzy Osbourne and Captain Lou Albano.

Billington was forced by Vince Mcmahon to drop the tag titles to the Hart Foundation in 1987. Mcmahon originally wanted the British Bulldogs to drop the titles to The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff. Billington refused and stated he would only lose the titles to the Hart Foundation. Billington wrestled this match injured, and had to be carried backstage after the bout by his partner. The team wrestled their last match together at the 1988 Survivor Series.

Billington is remembered in the WWE for his toughness, and his ability to take incredible shots and injuries and get back on his feet, once even having four teeth knocked out by Jacques Rougeau. In a match with a then young Mick Foley, Billington clotheslined Foley so hard that it tore ligaments in his Jaw which forced Mick to eat liquid food for weeks.

Billington had Surgery on his back in 1986, a result of wrestling injuries. This surgery resulted in many complications later in his life, and in 1997 his left leg became paralyzed and he was wheelchair bound from then on. He also suffered from seizures and other complications from a history of cocaine abuse, Steroids, and a very high impact wrestling style. His signature diving head butt, the diving dynamite, is often attributed as the reason for his spinal problems. At some point after 1997, Billington had his left leg amputated.

Currently Billington is cared for by his second wife, Dot, and published a book about his life in 1999 titled Pure Dynamite. Some wrestlers and announcers refer to his move as the Dynamite Diving headbutt when it is used, as a tribute to Billington.

While his real life fueds with other wrestlers, and his steroid and drug use have left a sour mark on his career, Billington will always be known for his real life tough demeanor and his High Impact moves in the ring, as well as half of one of the greatest tag teams of all time, The British Bulldogs.

Learn more about this author, Joe Beasley.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.