Dynamite Kid passes away at age 60

[4TheGlory]

Many reports coming in from several notable wrestlers on Twitter that Tom "Dynamite Kid" Billington has passed away at the age of 60.

[Spider2024]

[Deleted]

Damn.

One of the best wrestlers ever. His series of matches with Tiger Mask will never be forgotten.

RIP.

[mattyy]

at least benoit can hang out with his hero now.

[Heartbreaker]

Wow, he died on the day he was born.

[OVO 40 hunched over like he 80]

At least he’s resting now, this past twenty two years were hell on earth for him. I now he wasn’t the best person but I don’t wish on anyone what he went through.

He was thirty eight when he became disabled, he never got to enjoy life.

[EoE: Well There's Your Problem]

Arguably one of the most influential wrestlers in the history of the sport, as one of the first talents to gain notoriety with what would become the modern, “workrate”-heavy style. But also a cautionary tale for what extreme drug abuse can do, but hopefully will no longer do, to a wrestler’s body.

[mattyy]

Dec 5, 2018 5:35:36 GMT -5 OVO 40 hunched over like he 80 said:

He was thirty eight when he became disabled, he never got to enjoy life.

Karma is funny that way. Injecting dogs with drugs and steroids and waking your wife in the middle of the night with a gun to her head may not lead to the universe giving you good things.

[OVO 40 hunched over like he 80]

Dec 5, 2018 5:36:51 GMT -5 EoE: Well There's Your Problem said:

Arguably one of the most influential wrestlers in the history of the sport, as one of the first talents to gain notoriety with what would become the modern, “workrate”-heavy style. But also a cautionary tale for what extreme drug abuse can do, but hopefully will no longer do, to a wrestler’s body.

He actually lived much longer than the other guys who abused steroids and other stuff. I blame the diving head butt for what happened to him.

[OVO 40 hunched over like he 80]

Dec 5, 2018 5:37:07 GMT -5 mattyy said:

Dec 5, 2018 5:35:36 GMT -5 OVO 40 hunched over like he 80 said:

He was thirty eight when he became disabled, he never got to enjoy life.

Karma is funny that way. Injecting dogs with drugs and steroids and waking your wife in the middle of the night with a gun to her head may not lead to the universe giving you good things.

He got stuck in a wheelchair for twenty two years and lost everything apparently due to Davey Boy getting the trademark on the British Bulldog name. He suffered more than enough.

I’m not making excuses for him, but he deserves to rest after twenty years of misery.

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

On his Birthday no less, god damn

He'd been battling numerous health issues, but 60 is way too soon, rest easy, and thanks for setting a trend Kid.

[David-Arquette was in WCW 2000]

I've not seen nearly enough of his work as I'd like to, but from what I have seen, the guy was incredible. It's a shame his career was cut so short. It doesn't seem like he was the nicest guy in the business, but f***, he wasn't the worst, and he didn't deserve to spend the last twenty plus years the way he did.

[Mozenrath]

Tiger Mask was more my taste, but their matches together were absolute game changers.

There's really little disputing that Tom was a miserable man in life. He and Davey brought the worst out in each other outside (well, inside, too, with the jobber terrorizing) the ring as much as they worked well together in it. He was disturbed, and his actions sometimes defied any reasoning.

May he find the peace in death that eluded him in life.

[4TheGlory]

Strangely I was just recently reading an in depth article on the time Jacques Rougeau knocked out 4 of Dynamite Kid's teeth in catering, which ultimately lead to Kid giving his notice and leaving the WWF for good. It makes me wonder how different his life would have been if that incident never happened

It's hard to believe how much his body changed when you look at him during his final match

[celtics543]

What a fascinating guy. One of the biggest jerks in the history of the business but also one of the most influential workers of all time. RIP Dynamite, thanks for the positives.

Also, is Calgary really any better than Dallas in terms of deaths? They talk about the curse of WCCW but damn, Calgary really doesn't look any better. I know Dynamite was 60 but he's been disabled since 38 and basically in a wheel chair for half his life. Bret is the only one left at this point and he hasn't exactly had an easy life.

[Eunös ✈]

Shame he wasn't that great a person in real life.

But he was awesome to watch in the ring

I'm my opinion he had the best match on the card at Wrestlemania 2.

I often wondered if we were related in any way considering my real life surname is also Billington and I'm British as well.

Never got to find out.

Either way R.I.P

[Clash, Never a Meter Maid]

The Dynamite/Tiger matches, if you really look at them, some are even more fast paced than some of the better NXT/modern Smackdown matches, and they’d be match of the night at some current New Japan cards. RIP to one of the most innovative wrestlers of his era.

[SmashTV]

Not the nicest guy in the world, and while I found it hard to have some sympathy for him it's sad that he's passed away at a relatively young age. RIP Dynamite.

[realist]

Dec 5, 2018 7:12:28 GMT -5 SmashTV said:

Not the nicest guy in the world, and while I found it hard to have some sympathy for him it's sad that he's passed away at a relatively young age. RIP Dynamite.

Very well said.  I was looking for a way to express sympathy for him without white washing the type of person he was.  This does that.

[The Dark Order Inferno]

My sympathies go out to his family and those who cared about him. I will leave it at that.