(Special thanks to my good old friend Rachel for your great pictures)
Johnny Smith --- a lot of wrestlers and fans have much respect for his shape, his skill, and his pacing of a match, which he can satisfy everybody with. Outside the ring, he is always a soft-spoken gentleman. He has been said to be one of the most underrated (underutilized) wrestlers in his business for years. He is absolutely one of the best workers today, and his techniques full of spirit always entertain us. He and Taiyo Kea (Maunakea Mossman) became All Japan Pro Wrestling's World Tag Team champions after beating Toshiaki Kawada and Masanobu Fuchi at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo on January 14, 2001. Twelve years after he came to Giant Baba's All Japan Pro Wrestling for the first time, a large flower has just come into full bloom in front of us.
John Robert Hindley was born in Warrington, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom on August 7, 1965. He debuted as a pro wrestler teaming with Vic Faulkner and fought against David "Fit" Finley and Skull Murphy (Peter Northey) in Gloucester, England in January 1982, when he was 16 years old. He moved to Calgary from England to work for Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling as "Davey Boy Smith's younger, jealous brother" in 1985. He became the British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight champion in 1986.
Actually, Smith's very first Japan tour was with New Japan Pro Wrestling with "Bam Bam" Bigelow, "Mad Dog" Buzz Sawyer, Bad News Allen, and Mike Moore (Motor City Madman) from June 29 to August 2, 1987. After wrestling for New Japan Pro Wrestling, he had a very tough feud with Chris Benoit for the British Commonwealth title.
August 1, 1986---Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Great Gama (Singh) beat Johnny Smith in a tournament final
August 8, 1986---Calgary, AB
Johnny Smith beat Great Gama to win the title (1st time)
September 18, 1986---Calgary, AB
Les Thornton beat Johnny Smith
June 10, 1988---Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Johnny Smith beat Chris Benoit to win the title (2nd time)
June 17, 1988---Calgary, AB
Chris Benoit beat Johnny Smith
June 24, 1988---Calgary, AB
Johnny Smith beat Chris Benoit to win the title (3rd time)
January 13, 1989---Calgary, AB
Chris Benoit beat Johnny Smith
July 7, 1989---Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Canada
Johnny Smith beat Chris Benoit to win the title (4th time)
July 8, 1989---Grande Prairie, AB
Chris Benoit beat Johnny Smith
Smith followed Dynamite Kid and started to wrestle for All Japan Pro Wrestling in 1989. His first tour was with Abdullah the Butcher, Giant Kimala (Sugar Bear Harris), Ricky Steamboat, The Road Warriors, Johnny Ace, The Terminator (Mark Laurinaitis), Paul Ellering, Jerry Oates, and Doug Somers from February 23 to March 8, 1989. He replaced Davey Boy Smith as Dynamite Kid's tag team partner in 1990. In those days, there were the Viet Cong Express (Hiroshi Hase & Fumihiro Niikura) and "Vokkan Singh" (the late Gary Albright, Smith's very good friend) in the Stampede area.
March 4, 1989---Fuji Civic Gym, Shizuoka
All Asian Tag Team title match
Footloose (Samson Fuyuki & Toshiaki Kawada) beat Johnny Smith & Jerry Oates
(17:49 Fuyuki beat Oates)---Footloose kept the title
May 12, 1989---Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
World Junior Heavyweight title match
Mitsuo Momota beat Johnny Smith (12:57)---Momota kept the title
May 17, 1990---Hiroshima Prefectural Gym
All Asian Tag Team title match
Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi beat Johnny & Davey Boy Smith
(17:22 Misawa beat Johnny)---Title was held up by the champions
June 5, 1990---Chiba Park Gym
All Asian Tag Team title match
Akira Taue & Shin-ichi Nakano beat Johnny & Davey Boy Smith
(17:49 Nakano beat Johnny)---Taue & Nakano became the 52nd champions
November 15 - December 7, 1990
Real World Tag Team League Tournament
(1) Terry Gordy & Steve Williams
(2) Stan Hansen & Danny Spivey
(3) Dory & Terry Funk, Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira Taue, and Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada
(6) Giant Baba & Andre the Giant
(7) Abdullah the Butcher & Giant Kimala #2
(8) Kenta Kobashi & Johnny Ace, and Dynamite Kid & Johnny Smith
(10) Skywalker Nitron & Blade Butch Masters
(11) Rusher Kimura & Mighty Inoue, and Dick Slater & Joe Deaton
(13) Doug Furnas & Ricky Santana
---Gordy & Williams won the tournamment
April 6, 1991---Osaka Gym
All Asian Tag Team title match
Dynamite Kid & Johnny Smith beat Kenta Kobashi & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi
(18:06 Kid beat Kikuchi)---Kid & Smith became the 54th champions
April 20, 1991---Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
All Asian Tag Team title match
Can-Am Express (Danny Kroffat [Phil Lafon] & Doug Furnas) beat Dynamite Kid & Johnny Smith
(12:16 Furnas beat Smith)---Can-Am became the 55th champions
November 16 - December 6, 1991
Real World Tag Team League Tournament
(1) Terry Gordy & Steve Williams
(2) Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira Taue, and Giant Baba & Andre the Giant
(2) Stan Hansen & Danny Spivey
(5) Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada
(6) Abdullah the Butcher & Giant Kimala #2
(7) Dory Funk Jr. & Al Perez, Danny Kroffat & Doug Furnas, and Joe Deaton & Billy Black
(10) Dynamite Kid & Johnny Smith
(11) Rusher Kimura & Mighty Inoue
(12) Johnny Ace & Sunny Beach
---Gordy & Williams won the tournamment
March 19 - April 15, 1994
Champion Carnival Tournament
(1) Toshiaki Kawada
(2) Steve Williams
(3) Stan Hansen
(4) Akira Taue and Kenta Kobashi
(6) Johnny Ace
(7) Jun Akiyama
(8) Big John Nord
(9) Johnny Smith, Doug Furnas, The Eagle (George Hines/Jackie Fulton), and Mitsuhiro Misawa
November 19 - December 10, 1994
Real World Tag Team Tournament
(1) Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi
(2) Giant Baba & Stan Hansen and Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue
(4) Steve Williams & Johnny Ace
(5) Danny Kroffat & Doug Furnas
(6) Jun Akiyama & Takao Omori
(7) Abdullah the Butcher & Giant Kimala
(8) Dory Funk Jr. & Johnny Smith, Eagle & Falcon (Steve Armstrong), and Danny Spivey & Jim Steele (Lacrosse / Wolf Hawkfield)
---Misawa & Kobashi won the tournamment
November 18 - December 9, 1995
Real World Tag Team League Tournament
(1) Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi
(2) Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue
(3) Stan Hansen & Gary Albright
(4) Johnny Ace & Patriot
(5) Giant Baba & Tamon Honda
(6) Danny Kroffat & Doug Furnas
(7) Johnny Smith & Rob Van Dam, Jun Akiyama & Takao Omori, Dory Funk Jr. & Masanobu Fuchi, and Abdullah the Butcher & Giant Kimala
---Misawa & Kobashi won the tournamment
October 1, 1997---Osaka Gym #2
All Asian Tag Team title match
Jun Akiyama & Takao Omori beat Johnny Smith & Sean Morgan (Sean Morley/Val Venis)
(23:39 Omori beat Morgan)---Akiyama & Omori kept the title
November 15 - December 5, 1997
Real World Tag Team League Tournament
(1) Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue
(2) Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama
(3) Steve Williams & Gary Albright, and Kenta Kobashi & Johnny Ace
(5) Johnny Smith & Wolf Hawkfield (Jim Steele/Lacrosse)
(6) Stan Hansen & Bobby Duncum Jr.
(7) Hayabusa (Eiji Ezaki / "H") & Jinsei Shinzaki, Barry Windham & & Justin Bradshaw, Takao Omori & Tamon Honda, and Giant Kimala & Jun Izumida
---Kawada & Taue won the tournamentt
January 9, 1998---Kagoshima Prefecture Gym
All Asian Tag Team title match
Johnny Smith & Wolf Hawkfield beat Jun Akiyama & Takao Omori
(24:33 Smith beat Omori)---Smith & Wolf became the 63rd champions
May 1, 1998---Tokyo Dome
Johnny Smith & Wolf Hawkfield beat Jado & Gedo
(12:31 Smith beat Gedo)
May 31, 1998---Funabashi City Gym, Chiba
All Asian Tag Team title match
Johnny Smith & Wolf Hawkfield beat Takao Omori & Tamon Honda
(26:30 Wolf beat Honda)---Smith & Wolf kept the title
July 15, 1998---Niigata City Gym
All Asian Tag Team title match
Johnny Smith & Wolf Hawkfield beat The Head Hunters A & B
(18:23 Wolf beat Head Hunter A)---Smith & Wolf kept the title
September 5, 1998---Toyama City Gym
All Asian Tag Team title match
Johnny Smith & Wolf Hawkfield beat Jun Izumida & Giant Kimala #2
(22:15 Wolf beat Kimala)---Smith & Wolf kept the title
October 6, 1998---Niigata City Gym
All Asian Tag Team title match
Tamon Honda & Jun Izumida beat Johnny Smith & Wolf Hawkfield (23:11 Izumida beat Smith)
---Honda & Izumida became the 64th champions
May 2, 1999---Tokyo Dome
Johnny Smith, Masanobu Fuchi, & Tamon Honda beat Yukihiro Kanemura, Gedo, & Koji Nakagawa
(14:41 Honda beat Gedo)
All Asian Tag Team Championship Tournament:
(1) October 9, 1999---Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
Johnny Smith & Maunakea Mossman (Taiyo Kea) beat Tamon Honda & Masao Inoue
(30 minutes time up)
(2) October 19, 1999---Nagano Sports Park Gym
Jun Izumida & Satoru Asako beat Johnny Smith & Maunakea Mossman
(23:59 Izumida beat Mossman)
(3) October 22, 1999---Chiba Park Gym
Johnny Smith & Maunakea Mossman beat Masahito Kakihara & Daisuke Ikeda
(23:54 Smith beat Ikeda via British Fall)
(4) October 24, 1999---Kashima City Gym, Ibaraki
Johnny Smith & Maunakea Mossman beat Jinsei Shinzaki & Kentaro Shiga
(23:04 Mossman beat Shiga via Hawaiian Crusher)
(5) October 25, 1999---Nagaoka Welfare Hall, Niigata
Tamon Honda & Masao Inoue beat Johnny Smith & Maunakea Mossman
(26:18 Honda beat Mossman)----Honda & Inoue became the 68th champions
November 13 - December 3, 1999
Real World Tag Team League Tournament
(1) Kenta Kobashi & Jun Akiyama
(2) Akira Taue & Stan Hansen
(3) Vader & Johnny Smith, Mitsuharu Misawa & Yoshinari Ogawa, and Johnny Ace & Mike Barton (Bart Gunn)
(6) Gary Albright & Wolf Hawkfield and Tamon Honda & Masao Inoue
---Kobashi & Akiyama won the title
January 10, 2000---Kumamoto City Gym
World Tag Team title match
Kenta Kobashi & Jun Akiyama beat Vader & Johnny Smith
(17:10 Akiyama beat Smith)---Kobashi & Akiyama kept the title
March 24, 2000---Korakuen Hall
Champion Carnival Tournament
Johnny Smith beat Tamon Honda (15:12)
April 8, 2000---Korakuen Hall
Champion Carnival Tournament
Kenta Kobashi beat Johnny Smith (17:43)
October 14, 2000---Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship Tournament
Shiro Koshinaka beat Johnny Smith (11:52)
November 19 - December 9, 2000
Real World Tag Team League Tournament
(1) November 19, 2000---Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
Johnny Smith & Taiyo Kea (Maunakea Mossman) drew Toshiaki Kawada & Masanobu Fuchi
(30 minutes time up)
(2) November 20, 2000---Minato Dome, Himeji, Hyogo
Johnny Smith & Taiyo Kea drew Mike Barton & Jim Steele
(30 minutes time up)
(3) November 25, 2000---Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
Johnny Smith & Taiyo Kea beat Yoshiaki Fujiwara & Danny Kroffat
(15:25 Kea beat Kroffat)
(4) November 27, 2000---Niigata City Gym
Johnny Smith & Taiyo Kea beat Masahito Kakihara & Mitsuya Nagai
(14:37 Smith beat Kakihara)
(5) November 30, 2000---Yamoto Town Gym, Miyagi
Johnny Smith & Taiyo Kea beat Barry & Kendall Windham
(18:46 Smith beat Barry)
(6) December 2, 2000---Miyagi Prefecture Sports Center, Sendai
Gen-ichiro Tenryu & Nobutaka Araya beat Johnny Smith & Taiyo Kea
(19:36 Araya beat Smith)
(7) December 6, 2000---Hokkaido Prefecture Sports Center, Sapporo
Johnny Smith & Taiyo Kea beat Steve Williams & Mike Rotundo
(17:40 Kea beat Rotundo)
(8) December 9, 2000---Nippon Budokan, Tokyo
Steve Williams & Mike Rotundo beat Johnny Smith & Taiyo Kea
(8:20 Williams beat Smith)
January 14, 2001---Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
World Tag Team title match
Johnny Smith & Taiyo Kea beat Toshiaki Kawada & Masanobu Fuchi
(23:54 Kea beat Fuchi via Hawaiian Smasher)---Smith & Kea became the 43rd World Tag Team champions
January 28, 2001---Tokyo Dome
Johnny Smith, Jim Steele, & George Hines beat Barry Windham, Mike Rotundo, & Curt Hennig
(15:22 Steele beat Windham)
Categories of "babyface/good guy and heel/bad guy" and "Japanese and gaijin (foreigner)" have lost their meaning here in Japan. Hard workers like Johnny Smith will be appreciated and respected by fans. He is the right man who is put in the right place where regular gaijins (foreigners) have created their unique world and style for years.
This is revised edition for the article Technique Full Of Spirit (March 1, 1999)
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