It has been five-years since The Dynamite Kid‘s death, and the world still mourns the loss of one of the UK’s most influential pro-wrestling stars.
Real name Thomas Billington, Dynamite Kid was an iconic name in wrestling. He invented the junior-heavyweight style of wrestling down across the world today, his matches with Tiger Mask in NJPW still holding up as some all-time great matches.
He even transformed tag-team wrestling in the United States. As The British Bulldog’s, he teamed with Davey Boy Smith in one of the most fast-paced and exciting teams of all time.
How Did The Dynamite Kid Die?
Dynamite Kid died on 5th December 2018, with his cause of death likely related to the litany of health issues he suffered with for his entire life.
The Lancashire-born wrestling legend died on his 60th birthday, years after wrestling the final match of his illustrious career.
His death was announced on Twitter by Davey Boy Smith Jr. – the son of Billington’s former tag team partner and WWE Legend, The British Bulldog.
Smith tweeted out “It deeply saddens me to announce the passing of Tom Billington the “Dynamite Kid”. I was really happy and glad I got to see Dynamite one last time last June in the UK. Dynamite was certainly an inspiration to myself and any others and really revolutionized [wrestling].”
The cause of death for The Dynamite Kid was not revealed by his family, but it likely stemmed from complication from his back injuries and a lifetime of drug abuse.
British wrestling star Will Ospreay also paid tribute to Dynamite Kid, a man who was inspired by the Englishman’s matches against Tiger Mask in the 1980s.
“I heard news that Tommy Billington also know as the Dynamite Kid has passed away.”Thank you for all the work you’ve done for our country and inspiring so many wrestlers to take a chance on themselves. RIP Dynamite Kid.”, Ospreat Tweeted after Dynamite Kid’s death.
Five-years on from Thomas Billington’s death on his 60th Birthday, the cause of death has still yet to be revealed.
However,a back injury suffered in Canada left him eventually crippled, and stuck in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
Dynamite Kid also became a habitual drug user throughout his life, starting out taking steroids to gain size to become a bigger star in wrestling, and then becoming addicted to painkillers to help deal with the pain from his injuries.
Billington was confined to a wheelchair in his flat in the UK by the time of his death, a sad end to one of the most influential career’s of all time.