8 Times WWE Rewarded Its UK Audience
6. The British Bulldog's Swansong
It may have been brief, it may have not have been Bulldog in his prime, but seeing Davey Boy Smith return to win the Hardcore Championship from Crash Holly at May 2000’s UK-exclusive Insurrextion PPV is a moment that was a huge home run for British wrestling fan (or should that be a six?).
For those in attendance or watching at home, that British Bulldog return was fantastic to see. Despite Davey Boy clearly having had his demons throughout a large chunk of his career – often being his own worst enemy – UK fans always had the biggest of soft spots for the Englishman, and were continuously willing to welcome him back with open arms.
For context, Bulldog had re-signed with the then-WWF in September 1999, but he’d be dropped from TV after December’s Armageddon PPV. In hindsight it seems like a no-brainer to have had Smith appear at London’s Insurrextion, yet at the time it was a genuine surprise due to the former Intercontinental Champion's ongoing battles with addiction.
This would be Davey Boy Smith’s final UK appearance, as he was released by WWE just nine days after Insurrextion. Davey would sadly pass away in May 2002 at the age of just 39.