May 17th 2024 04:06pm

Sign Up / Sign In|Help

 

WWE's D. H. Smith To Coach Catch Wrestling Under Billy Robinson

WWE's D. H. Smith To Coach Catch Wrestling Under Billy Robinson

Posted: Mar 7th 2011 By: CMBurnham

Harry Smith - better known as David Hart / DH Smith in WWE - has just become the latest Assistant Coach in the Scientific Wrestling certification program under Catch As Catch Can Wrestling legend Billy Robinson. I asked Scientific Wrestling founder and fellow Assistant Coach Jake Shannon briefly about Smith and how he hooked up with Billy Robinson as well as what the Assistant Coach title reflects and whether he thinks Smith will be coaching Catch Wrestling himself:

Harry first met Billy while in Japan and briefly worked out with him, I believe in 2006. Then when I brought Billy to the US for the first time in early 2007, Harry came to continue learning. Since then Harry has come to several Certified Catch Wrestler Camps to continue his training.

The assistant coach designation means two things; first, that you've logged at least 100 hours of verifiable time training with Billy, and second, that you can teach/demonstrate the concepts to Billy and my approval.

He likely won't be teaching due to his WWE schedule but is a becoming a very good grappler.


Smith can actually be seen thrown around by Josh Barnett in the DVD seminar "W.A.R. Catch Wrestling" with Billy Robinson.

Along with Jake Shannon, Smith joins only two others who have achieved Assistant Coach level - Sam Kressin, BJJ Blackbelt and MMA trainer, and Jesse Marez, multiple Martial Arts trainer and High School Wrestling Coach. Both Kressin and Marez are based in Southern California.

Billy Robinson originally learned Catch Wrestling at the infamous Wigan Snake Pit under Billy Riley, as well as being an Amateur Wrestling champion that included a British National Championship, and a European Open Championship title after defeating an Olympic Bronze Medalist in the final. Robinson found success Pro Wrestling in Europe, as well as in America (most notably the AWA) and in Japan. Robinson went on to become the head coach at the UWFi Snake Pit in Japan where he taught Pro Wrestling and authentic Catch As Catch Can wrestling to notable students such as Kazushi Sakuraba and Josh Barnett.

Robinson's last Pro Wrestling match was in 1992 with Nick Bockwinkle to help bolster the shoot style pro wrestling movement in Japan, and Robinson was inducted into the International Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2003, in the Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa.

 

Tags: WWE, Billy Robinson, AWA

Printable version Email to a friend

Supplemental Information

Latest News

1
The If Factor: Rikishi Was to Have His Own Bloodline-like Faction in 2000/2001

The If Factor: Rikishi Was to Have His Own Bloodline-like Faction in 2000/2001

The ‘If Factor’ are a series of articles that takes a look at real scenarios in pro w... Read More

All Columns

1

Spotlight in History

  • 1965 Bull Curry def. Karl Kox for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
  • 1986 Bruiser Brody def. Rick Rude for the WCCW Television Champion
  • 1987 The Lightning Express (Brad Armstrong & Tim Horner) def. Rick Steiner & Sting for the UWF Tag Team Champions
  • 1996 The Bad Boyz (Krull Danzig & Brett Knight) def. The Texas Outlaws (Bobby Burns & Dan Wilder) for the WWEmp Tag Team Champions
  • 2008 El Super Colibri def. Tim Rockwell for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Champion
  • 2008 Michael York def. Brett Taylor for the SECW Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 2008 Michael York became the SECW Eastern Oklahoma Champion
  • 2009 Kevin Morgan became the AWFUL Heavyweight Champion
  • 2014 The Sexy Camachos (Angel Camacho & Roberto Camacho & Vinnie Camacho) def. Team Bull (The Bronze Bull & Bobby Starr) for the IZW Tag Team Champions

Week of Sun 05-12 to Sat: 05-18

  • 05-12 2002 Rocco Valentino became the OCW Oklahoma Television Champion
  • 05-12 2012 The New Era [2nd] (Richie Adams & Goldeneye) def. The Dramatic Athletes (Jake McCoy & X-Cal) for the ComPro Tag Team Champions
  • 05-12 2012 Venus became the IZW Queens Champion
  • 05-12 2013 The Canadian Red Devil def. Bobby Starr for the MSWA Oklahoma Champion
  • 05-12 2013 Impact, Inc. (Jermaine Johnson & Jordan Jacobs) def. Shawn Sanders & Tyson Jaymes for the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champion
  • 05-12 2018 Garrett Murphy became the NAW Lightweight Champion
  • 05-12 2018 Big Smooth def. Dusty Gold for the NAW Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-12 2018 Brayden def. Kareem Sadat for the BCW Independent Hardcore Champion
  • 05-12 2018 Gavin Dixon def. Mikey [2nd] for the BCW Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-12 2023 Ronnie Morton def. Red James for the RDW Brass Knucks Champion
  • 05-13 1979 Wahoo McDaniel def. The Spoiler for the WCCW American Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-13 1984 Magnum T. A. def. Mr. Wrestling II for the MSW North American Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-13 2006 Justin Lee def. Gary Gram for the NWA-U X Division Champion
  • 05-13 2012 Les Mayne became the MSWA Oklahoma Champion
  • 05-13 2016 Terry Montana & Mighty Mouse def. Dynamic Shields (Justin Dynamic & Shawn Shields) for the ComPro Tag Team Champions
  • 05-13 2017 Sam Stackhouse def. Drake Gallows for the BCW Buzzsaw Champion
  • 05-13 2017 Garrett Murphy def. Anarchy [2nd] for the NAW Lightweight Champion
  • 05-13 2023 Lunchador def. Dr. Corvus for the WAH Hunger Dojo Champion
  • 05-13 2023 Rush Freeman became the WAH Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-13 2023 The Psychotic Messengers (Tank Bryson & Malachi) def. Dark Forces (San La Muerte & Reese) for the WAH Tag Team Champions
  • 05-14 1975 John Tolos def. Al Madril for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-14 1975 Danny Miller def. Skandor Akbar for the TSW North American Champion
  • 05-14 2004 Butch Dalton def. Jon Davis for the TPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-14 2004 Devon Monroe def. Mitch Carter for the TPW Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-14 2005 John O'Malley became the IZW Hardcore Champion
  • 05-14 2005 Impact Inc. (John Zorthos & Bernie Donderwitz) became the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-15 1959 Mike DiBiase def. Dory Funk for the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-15 1962 Bull Curry def. Jack Dalton [1st] for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
  • 05-15 2010 X-Rated (Kevin James Sanchez & Bobby Star) def. Rick Russo for the SWCW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-15 2010 Jonathan Cross def. Anarchy [2nd] for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-15 2015 Charlie Haas def. Jerome Daniels for the NWA-TXO Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-15 2021 Killbane def. The Canadian Red Devil for the NCWO Oklahoma Champion
  • 05-16 1981 Eddie Gilbert & Ricky Morton def. Akbar Army (Jerry Brown & Ron McFarlane) for the TSW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-16 1983 Chris Adams def. Terry Gordy for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
  • 05-16 2009 Impact, Inc. (Johnny Z & Bernie D) became the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-16 2015 The K. C. Wolves (Graham Bell & Luke Langley) def. Team Bull (Aaron Neil & Bobby Starr) for the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-16 2015 Clint Cassidy def. Mr. Nasty for the UWE United States Champion
  • 05-16 2015 Brett Stopp def. Fuel for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-16 2015 Anarchy [2nd] def. Brett Stopp for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-17 1965 Bull Curry def. Karl Kox for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
  • 05-17 1986 Bruiser Brody def. Rick Rude for the WCCW Television Champion
  • 05-17 1987 The Lightning Express (Brad Armstrong & Tim Horner) def. Rick Steiner & Sting for the UWF Tag Team Champions
  • 05-17 1996 The Bad Boyz (Krull Danzig & Brett Knight) def. The Texas Outlaws (Bobby Burns & Dan Wilder) for the WWEmp Tag Team Champions
  • 05-17 2008 El Super Colibri def. Tim Rockwell for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Champion
  • 05-17 2008 Michael York def. Brett Taylor for the SECW Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-17 2008 Michael York became the SECW Eastern Oklahoma Champion
  • 05-17 2009 Kevin Morgan became the AWFUL Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-17 2014 The Sexy Camachos (Angel Camacho & Roberto Camacho & Vinnie Camacho) def. Team Bull (The Bronze Bull & Bobby Starr) for the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-18 1970 Boris Malenko def. Mil Mascaras for the WCCW American Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-18 1973 Jose Lothario def. Blackjack Mulligan for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-18 1979 Mark Lewin became the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
  • 05-18 1984 Gino Hernandez def. Jimmy Garvin for the WCCW American Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-18 2007 Lonnie Valdez & Epic became the ACW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-18 2013 The P.I.N.K. Nation (Ray Martinez & Tommy Toops) def. Bobby Burns & Sam Stackhouse (substituting for Psycho Sawyer) for the SRPW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-18 2013 B-Arthur became the SRPW Womens Champion
  • 05-18 2013 Anarchy [2nd] def. The Mercenary for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-18 2014 Striker def. Robert Lee for the WFC Hometown Heroes Champion
  • 05-18 2019 Skylar Slice def. Erica for the MSWA Ladies Champion
05-17
  • Kyle Hawk May 17th Today!
  • Billy Red Lyons May 17th Today!
  • Dan Maestro May 17th Today!
  • J. B. Pain May 17th Today!
  • Mike Pappas May 17th Today!
  • Wage May 17th Today!
  • J. R. Wind May 18th
  • Luna Nightshade May 18th
  • Gajo May 18th
  • Kristopher Haiden May 18th
  • Akuma Jones May 18th
  • Jimmy Snuka May 18th
  • Matt Riviera May 18th
  • Bateman May 19th
  • Buzz Markley May 19th
  • Dick Slater May 19th
  • Andre the Giant May 19th
  • Will Chambers May 19th
  • Mongol May 19th
  • Dale Veasey May 20th
  • Ivan Kalmikoff May 21st
  • Chuey Martinez May 21st
  • Slash May 23rd
  • Santana Jackson May 23rd
  • Babyface D'Amanti May 23rd
  • Donna Christanello May 23rd
  • Lucas May 24th
  • Ricky Romero May 24th
  • Gemini [2nd] May 24th
  • Shane Rawls May 24th
  • Guy Atticus May 25th
  • Michael York May 25th
  • Dark Journey May 25th
  • Dominique Lereaux May 25th
  • Quarky Storm May 25th
  • Michael Duplanti May 26th
  • Justin Adams May 26th
  • Tank Bryson May 26th
  • Reggie Lincoln May 26th
  • Crucifer May 27th
  • Kelly Kiniski May 27th
  • Jim Thorpe May 28th
  • Dean Lambert May 28th
  • Kamala May 28th
  • Edge Stone May 28th
  • Maria Star May 28th
  • Psycho Mike May 29th
  • Max McGuirk May 29th
  • Samu May 29th
  • Jimmy Kane May 29th
  • Boss Hardzog May 30th
  • Jake Roberts May 30th
  • Jesse Storm May 30th

More Look Back In History

Oklafan Quiz

Who has NOT been a member of Northern Threat?

  

  

  

  

269

Take the OklaQuiz!