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#2. WWE’s British bulldog, Davey Boy Smith.
Prior to the #1 superstar on this list, some would have probab;y guessed that Davey Boy Smith would have been the first UK superstar to win WWE Championship gold.
Davey Boy Smith arrived in WWE in 1984 along with the Dynamite Kid and instantly became one of the company’s best and most popular tag teams. The pair would eventually capture tag team gold in 1986 before injuries and personal problems between the two disbanded the tag team.
Davey Boy would return to WWE in 1990 but this time as a singles star known as the British Bulldog. Smith would be in the role of a midcard star feuding with many of the WWE’s muscle-bound heels of the time. He would also be crucial for Vince McMahon in headlining the WWE’s European tours.
Smith would be rewarded for his efforts in 1992. He was given the chance to headline WWE’s SummerSlam against brother-in-law Bret Hart at Wembley Stadium for the IC Title. The Bulldog would capture the IC title in front of 80,000 screaming fans.
During the height of WWE’s steroid scandal, Smith was released. In 1994, he came back and again had a successful midcard run and nearly won the 1995 Royal Rumble. He was one of the two final competitors along with Shawn Michaels. The Bulldog thought he had the match won, but Michaels famously kept his feet from hitting the floor and threw out Smith.
The Bulldog’s final run would be as a member of the Hart Foundation. His demons outside the ring would eventually get the best of him and he passed away in 2002 at the age of 40.
Dave Boy Smith may have dealt with some ups and downs in his career, but few could question his dominance in the ring. He was a tag team champion, IC champion and European champion in WWE. His enshrinement in the WWE Hall of Fame cemented his legacy.
#1. WWE’s first UK WWE champion, Drew McIntyre.
Drew McIntyre almost had a career that would have been considered a major letdown. Brought into the WWE in 2007, the 6’5” Scotsman was handpicked to be Vince McMahon’s next great star.
After a rough start, McIntyre was brought down for more training before returning to WWE in 2009. He would win the Intersontinental title but never the hearts of WWE fans. His run ended when his visa expired in 2010.
McIntyre’s time in WWE from 2010 to 2014 was uneventful. WWE could not find a way to get the WWE Universe interested in him. He would eventually be part of a faction called the Three Man Band, or 3MB with Heath Slater and Jinder Mahal. Basically, the trio were put together as three wrestlers that didn’t have a direction. They were used to elevate talent until finally, McIntyre was released from his contract in 2014.
Finally, in 2017, McIntyre returned to WWE, first in NXT. He had a new look with long black hair and a beard. He had put on serious muscle and looked like a wrecking machine. McIntyre would go on to capture the NXT championship before dropping the belt to make his return to the main roster.
Since his return, McIntyre has become the company’s 31st triple crown winner: Tag Team title, IC Title and WWE Heavyweight title. He won the Royal Rumble and defeated Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania. Still in the midst of his run, the sky's the limit for Drew McIntyre.
Who is your favorite WWE star ever from the United Kingdom? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.
