10 great deceased wrestlers not in the WWE Hall Of Fame (videos)

4. Dynamite Kid

The groundbreaking Dynamite Kid

A true legend of the squared circle, the Dynamite Kid was a performer like no other. The 1st cousin of Davey Boy Smith (his father and Smith's mother were siblings) possessed an unmatched passion for the craft of pro wrestling, a craft he carried far beyond it's previous limits.

An absolutely fearless individual with lightning quickness and impressive strength (5'8" - 228lb in his prime), he performed dangerous dives, risky stunts and explosive Suplexes day in and day out, a style that played a huge part in the change of in-ring performance perception we have progressively witnessed since his influential years (mid-80s).

With a rich career at Stampede Wrestling, AJPW, NJPW and WWF among others, he won many Championships and multiple Wrestling Observer awards, including Best Maneuver [Power Clean Dropkick], Best Flying Wrestler and Best Technical Wrestler (all in 1984), Tag Team of The Year in 1985 with Davey Boy Smith as The British Bulldogs and a Match of The Year award for his NJPW bout against Tiger Mask on August 5, 1982.

Countless violent bumps, steroid abuse and even drugs finally took their toll on Dynamite's body, as he announced his retirement in December 1991, being active for only 14 years.

In 1997 he was eventually confined to a wheelchair with a paralyzed left foot and various health problems, both skeletal and neurological. He finally died on his 60th birthday on December 5, 2018 after twenty long years of suffering.

The only actual worry WWE might have regarding his induction to the HOF is the inevitable media connotations and references to the one wrestler Dynamite Kid inspired more than anyone, the amazing performer that was essentially an enhanced version of him, a magnificent athlete that lived, thrived, killed and died for (and because of) his passion: Chris Benoit.

Information sources: Ten Bell Salute, Wikipedia