A petition to honor the life and legacy of the British Bulldog, Davey Boy Smith, has gathered thousands of signatures from dedicated fans. Created by Michael Finney, the petition seeks to have Smith added to the Walk of Fame in his hometown of Wigan, England.
Smith is remembered as one of the most successful and beloved wrestlers to come out of the United Kingdom. Speaking exclusively to SEScoops, Finney recalled the pride he felt seeing his fellow countryman perform in the ring.
“As a British person myself, he respected me and our country. He was like our Superman or our late great Hulk Hogan.”
Finney’s passion for Smith led him to launch a petition in 2013 for the wrestler’s posthumous induction into the WWE Hall of Fame. That campaign was ultimately successful, with Smith being inducted eight years later. Still, Finney wasn’t finished.
“Davey’s daughter [Georgia Smith] spoke about the Walk of Fame in Wigan, and a fan tagged me into Georgia’s post and asked if I could get involved. I reached out to Georgia and asked if she would like me to get involved.”
Finney’s connection to the Smith’s has been strong since his initial 2013 campaign, and he and the family remain close to this day. For Finney, having Smith honored in Wigan wouldn’t just be for the late wrestler, but for those who knew him best.
“They are good people, and we’ve always had respect for each other in both our personal lives and through our campaigns. I really want this to happen for Georgia because she has so much love for her dad.”
The campaign has drawn support from public figures across entertainment, politics, and professional wrestling. Former WCW World Champion David Arquette and WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle are among those backing the effort.
“Kurt and Davey teamed up for a short time, and I knew Kurt always respected the business and the legends who were there before him.”
With over 7,000 signatures, the petition has plenty of support, but that hasn’t translated into a spot on the Walk of Fame yet. Instead, Finney shared that it’s been radio silence from those who’d be making the decision.
“I haven’t heard anything. I’ve reached out to the MP of Wigan and had no success. I’ve reached out to the council and even asked to travel to Wigan for a meeting to push for Davey to receive a Walk of Fame star, but I haven’t heard back from them.”
Still, Finney remains determined to see the first-ever WWE European Champion honored in his hometown. He believes a place on the Wigan Walk of Fame would be meaningful not only for Smith’s family and local fans but also for wrestling supporters worldwide.
“Davey deserves that spot for everything he has done for British wrestling and for representing the UK… I want this to happen for the country, and for the fans from all over the world to come to the UK and pay their respects to Davey.”
Finney concluded with a sentiment shared by many fans: when wrestling fans think of the UK, the British Bulldog immediately comes to mind.
“Davey was — and always will be — the most outstanding British wrestler of all time.”
Click here to find out more about the Wigan Walk of Fame petition, including how to show your support for the campaign to honor Davey Boy Smith.