The Phantom

Though this would be an interesting read. Taken from www.thesun.co.uk (British Newspaper Website)

By SIMON 'LILSBOY' ROTHSTEIN
HARRY SMITH was born to wrestle.

His dad is the legendary British Bulldog Davey Boy Smith, the most successful English wrestler of all time, who sadly died three years ago at the age of 39.

His granddad is Stu Hart, arguably the greatest trainer who ever lived, and Bret and Owen Hart are his uncles.

And, as if all that is not enough of a pedigree, today's top technical wrestler and former world champion Chris Benoit acts as his mentor.

So it's no surprise that the WWE are desperate to get their hands on Harry.

But, as he reveals in an exclusive interview, the 19-year-old star is in no hurry to sign up for Vince McMahon's company.

He told us: "I certainly see myself wrestling for the WWE one day.

"I have been offered a contract on a number of occasions.

"But I've explained to them I'm not turning the job down - just postponing it. It is a yes, but not yet.

"I'm young and I want to get experience in places like Japan and the UK before I go there.

"What I'm trying to do now is wrestle all around the world, which is what guys like my dad, Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero and Dean Malenko did.

"I would hate to go into the WWE and not be ready. I also want to see the world first.

"The WWE is great once you get there, but once you're there, you're there for a very long time.

"Or at least you want to be!"

And Harry - who appeared in non-televised matches before recent Raw and Smackdown tapings - knows exactly what he wants to achieve when he does get there.

"Becoming WWE world champion is my ultimate dream," he says.

"It's the only belt my dad never won and that's why it would mean so much to me.

"I also think an interesting feud in the WWE would be between me and Randy Orton, as we're both third generation wrestlers, tall and have the same haircut!"

Growing up around the Hart family, and with Davey as a dad, it's no surprise Harry became interested in wrestling.

In fact, he told us that's all he's ever wanted to do.

He revealed: "I had my first match when I was eight-years-old.

"I was living in Florida at the time but I would visit my family every summer in Calgary, where my uncles would put on two wrestling shows.

"One year my cousin Matt and I decided to train hard for the summer and have a match on the show at the end of it.

"We had our match, which was only about a minute or two long, and that was my debut. I believe I won with the victory roll.

"Then I trained with my dad, and in Stu's Dungeon with my uncle Bruce.

"By the time I was getting into wrestling Stu was pretty old and wasn't teaching any more, although he would pop down occasionally.

"He could still stretch people and didn't go easy on me just because I was his grandson!"

Harry has won rave reviews for recent bouts in Canada and for New Japan Pro Wrestling.

But the star is in little doubt what his favourite matches have been - teaming with his father twice in May 2002.

Sadly they were also two of Davey's last ever matches and he died from a heart attack shortly afterwards.

"That was a very difficult time for me," Harry told us.

"I lost a father and a role model.

"It's still very tough, but time heals all wounds."

Harry still fondly remembers the buzz he would get watching his dad wrestle as a kid, including Davey's famous headline match with Bret Hart at SummerSlam 1992 in front of more than 80,000 people at Wembley Stadium.

"It was always very exciting watching my dad wrestle," he says. "Although I did worry about him getting hurt.

"SummerSlam in 1992 was a great day. We were sitting in the nosebleed seats at the very top of the building.

"When my dad pinned Bret to win the intercontinental title, I didn't actually know who had won.

"We were so high up it just looked like two little dots moving around.

"I heard this huge reaction and thought my dad had won, but had to wait for Howard Finkel to announce it to know for sure.

Harry added: "My dad taught me a lot about the wrestling business and always supported and encouraged me.

"One of the main things he'd tell me is when you're leaving a promotion try not to burn a bridge, because then you'll never go back.

"He also taught me to always be myself, stay humble and don't be a big shot.

"It is because of watching my dad - and guys like my uncle Bret, Chris Benoit, Kenta Kobashi and Jumbo Tsuruta - that I wanted to become a wrestler."

Harry, who grew up in Florida and Calgary, wrestles his first ever matches in his father's home country this weekend.

He will be competing for the International Pro Wrestling (IPW UK) promotion in Orpington, Kent, teaming with Andy Boy Simmonz in a two-night tag tournament that also features top British high-flyers Jonny Storm and Jody Fleisch.

Harry told us: "I can't wait to wrestle in the UK for the first time.

"I am a big fan of the UK wrestling scene and would love one day to wrestle Doug Williams.

"And, of course, this is where my dad started his wrestling career.

"I consider myself to be half-British.

"I even have a pair of tights with the Canadian and British flags on either side.

"If the WWE wanted to bring me in as the new British Bulldog - that would be totally fine with me."

Tyler Durden

WC Hall Of Famer

He sounds like a mature and well balanced young man, completely the opposite to his cousin Teddy. Good luck to him.

The Phantom

I agree with you Bulldog, Harry sounds intelligent, he wants to gain knowlage and experiance from different wrestling organisations and cultures before he hits the big time. I do hope he ends up in WWE and makes a real success of himself. And with a mentor like Chris Benoit, then he's gunna get the best education a wrestler could dream of.

Zar

he sounds like he is going to be the next real superstar I think. The fact that he has the smarts to not want to go to WWE without being experienced first says it all. This guy is going to be amazing.

Dr. Giganto

My thoughts exactly

Tyler Durden

WC Hall Of Famer

Allegedly, Harry Boy signed a deal with WWE the day before Mania.

This is good news and bad news for me.

On the one hand, Harry Smith, with his history had to go there one day and hopefully be a huge success.

The downside to this is, having read interviews with Regal, Benoit and others, the impression I got was that he wanted to go to WWE but not for three or four years yet as he wanted to be like Benoit, Eddie and lot's of the best performers they've had (and indeed replicate his fathers rise) by learning his craft thoroughly first by wrestling all over the world so that, unlike OVW guys when they come up, he would be primed and ready for the top. I'm kind of sad that he's gone there so soon.

airr233

I can see him possibly signing a deal with WWE as a no compete form in North America which would give him a chance to compete in Europe and Japan. I believe he will be the next big thing when he debuts.

March 28th: Ring of Honor in Orlando, FL, March 29th: WWE Hall of Fame in Orlando, FL, March 30th: WWE Wrestlemania XXIV in Orlando, FL
April 13th: TNA Lockdown from Lowell, MA

Headcrash

Harry is already a very solid in ring worker and a great young man. I too am suprised to see him sign with the WWE already but I think he is ready for the big time. He is way better than half the guys that come from OVW. Most of those guys make it cause of their size....Harry on the other hand is the totaly package. He is big, technically very strong, smart and a hard worker.

I know I will miss watching him work for Stampede Wrestling. Getting to see such great young talent in person all the time kinda spoils a wrestling fan.

I also look forward to a Harry Smith / Randy Orton angle

"I never lie to any man because I don't fear anyone.
The only time you lie is when you are afraid."
- JOHN GOTTI

shep1982

i sounds like he had his head on right and knows what he wants.. with that kind of attitude there is not dout that he will be a star... lets just hope that the wwe writers do not ruin him

Headcrash

Yeah I agree....as long as the writers don't screw it all up it will work out just fine!

Here is a link to Harry's my space!

http://www.myspace.com/harrycrayonsoup

"I never lie to any man because I don't fear anyone.
The only time you lie is when you are afraid."
- JOHN GOTTI