British wrestling legend Dynamite Kid has died aged 60.
WWE star Tommy Billington passed away on his birthday after battling ill health for a number of years.
Tributes to the star flooded social media, with many claiming Billington “revolutionised” the sport and branding him a legend.
WWE is saddened to learn that The Dynamite Kid has passed away. https://t.co/r41WiVPrOb
— WWE (@WWE) December 5, 2018
Billington was born in Golborne, Lancashire, and took up wrestling to avoid becoming a coal miner.
He joined the WWE in 1984 alongside his cousin, Davey Boy Smith, forming one of the most popular tag teams of their era, The British Bulldogs.
Davey Boy Smith Jr took to Twitter to pay his condolences on Wednesday.
RIP Thomas Billington aka
The Dynamite Kid pic.twitter.com/FfOWvaa3lo— Hart Dungeon (@TheHartDungeon) December 5, 2018
RIP to Dynamite Kid, one of the most influential pro wrestlers ever and one of two reasons for the past 40 years of good junior heavyweight wrestling https://t.co/Jygeh1t1Ov pic.twitter.com/1UjZDJVOxI
— Brandon Stroud (@MrBrandonStroud) December 5, 2018
Andre, Bruce Hart & Dynamite Kid pic.twitter.com/lpChAZmmIR
— History of Pro Wrestling (@HistoryofWrest) December 5, 2018
I grew up watching him tear the house down weekly on the Stampede Wrestling tv show.He was one of my favourite in ring performers,especially his matches with Satoru Sayama aka the original Tiger Mask in Japan. RIP Tommy ‘’Dynamite Kid’’ Billington. #ProWrestling #DynamiteKid pic.twitter.com/JtdgyI9sOW
— Mauro Ranallo (@mauroranallo) December 5, 2018
He said: “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 many others and really revolutionised.”
Dynamite Kid was considered to be one of wrestling’s most influential in-ring performers because of his distinctive style.
Over the past two decades, Mr Billington was wheelchair-bound because of the leg and back injuries he sustained in the ring.
Japan 1991..Andre The Giant, Dynamite Kid and Dory Funk Jr vs Steve "Dr Death" Williams, Terry Gordy & Steve Doll pic.twitter.com/Y78UB5h8eT
— History of Pro Wrestling (@HistoryofWrest) December 5, 2018
The Dynamite Kid was a before his time in ring wrestler
1982 I saw him vs Tiger Mask at @TheGarden & knew he was different#BritishBulldogs were 1 of my favorite tag teams as a kid pic.twitter.com/jX6WyQUxHh— Tommy Dreamer (@THETOMMYDREAMER) December 5, 2018
He is the fifth former WWE star to die in 2018, after Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart, Brian Lawler, Nikolai Volkoff and Brickhouse Brown.