John Hindley (August 7, 1965) is a retired British professional wrestler best known by his ring name Johnny Smith.
Career[]
Early years in the U.K. (1982-1985)[]
Hindley was trained by his nephew Ted Betley firstly in Winwick Warrington and then Port Erin, Isle of Man. He made his debut in January 1982 at the age of 16, under the name John Savage. He wrestled in the United Kingdom for a couple years before moving over to Canada with his wife Jane.
Stampede, New Japan, All Japan, and Indies (1985-2003)[]
Joining Stampede Wrestling in 1985, Hindley was billed as Davey Boy Smith's brother. In 1987, he went on his first Japanese tour in New Japan Pro Wrestling. In February 1989, he followed The Dynamite Kid to wrestle for All Japan Pro Wrestling and replaced Davey Boy Smith as Dynamite Kid's tag team partner in September 1990, forming the tag team: The British Bruisers.
In between tours in All Japan, Hindley would wrestle the independent circuit in the United States and Canada, as well as brief stints in Extreme Championship Wrestling.
On April 10, 2003, Hindley collapsed prior to his match at an All Japan Pro Wrestling show. Paramedics were called to the Hiroshima Arena and Hindley was rushed to a local hospital, having lost feeling in some parts of his body, but was in stable condition at a local Japanese hospital. The Japanese media is suggesting the collapse was related to the use of painkillers, Keiji Mutoh attempted to downplay this story in the Japanese media but with very little luck. Sometime after the incident, Hindley retired.
Today, Hindley works as a policeman for the Calgary City police.
In wrestling[]
- Finishing moves
- British Bomb (Sitout crucifix powerbomb)
- British Fall (Scoop lift dropped into an inverted DDT)
- Death Valley driver
- Signature moves
- Teams and stables
- The British Bruisers
- Movement
- Cornerperson
Championships and accomplishments[]
- All Japan Pro Wrestling
- AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship (2 times) with The Dynamite Kid (1) and Wolf Hawkfield (1)
- AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship (1 time) with Taiyō Kea (1)
- Canadian Rocky Mountain Wrestling
- CRMW Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI ranked him 116 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1997