Brian Pillman Jr Reveals How Davey Boy Smith Jr Recently Made Him Pay His Dues
Two second generation Hart Foundation members – Brian Pilllman Jr. and Davey Boy Smith Jr. – have been both teammates and opponents. The two squared off in the MLW Opera Cup final recently and Pillman discussed that match when he joined The Wrestling Inc Daily podcast.
"I would never wish it upon my worst enemy. I truly got my ass beat out there but it was a brotherly thing," admitted Pillman. "I hadn't paid my dues yet to the Hart Family and I was waiting to pay those. There were times when me and Teddy [Hart] and Davey Boy shared a ring as opponents but that was the first time that Davey Boy really got his hands on me. So, I can just imagine the thoughts going through his head on how he was gonna stretch me out and put me through the ringer."
Pillman said he knew the dues were going to be paid one way or another, he just didn't expect it to be the third match in a one-night tournament.
"That's just how it goes, you've gotta pay your dues with this type of stuff. I got my ass beat that night and I'll always be proud of it because me and Davey were the only guys to go out there and wrestle three matches. And I beat his ass as much as I could too, but I'm a small guy. I can lay that s**t in as hard as I want but he's not gonna flinch," stated Pillman.
Smith has a physical and stiff style reminiscent of his grandfather Stu Hart. Pillman was asked if Smith is carrying on the Hart family legacy by how he works.
"I think he is trying to keep that alive and keep that dungeon-training alive. That's how he conveyed that to me. Ever since then we've had the utmost respect for each other and he's kinda taken me under his wing," revealed Pillman. "He's probably my favorite person in this business and if I would have never signed with MLW, I never would have met Harry and Teddy and my journey would not be half of what it is already."
Smith's dad, The British Bulldog, will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this year whenever that induction ceremony is held. Pillman was asked if that will then open the door for his own father to eventually be enshrined in WWE's HOF.
"I think that's a possibility. I wanna say my mom has talked to them about it in the past, but it's not something that we talk about with them every day," said Pillman. "With Davey Boy getting in, there's a lot of good press towards that. Maybe they save my dad for another year ? maybe they bring my dad in in Los Angeles, in Hollywood for the Hollywood Blondes? That would be a cool cinematic. Maybe The Rock comes in? I had someone say maybe Pillman and The Rock.
"If you look ? and as weird as it sounds ? they only try to do one dead person a year. Trying to keep it balanced."
Pillman was named PWI's Rookie of the Year in 2019 but he thinks he should have also been named Rookie of the Year of another wrestling journalism outlet as well.
"I don't like to say anything is impossible but I could be two-time Rookie of the Year. I should have won it from WON but I was second place to Ronda Rousey in 2018," stated Pillman. "Had she not just decided that she was gonna get into pro wrestling that year [laughs]? She was very deserving and is an impressive athlete but when it comes to us people in pro wrestling ? in her rookie year she wrestled at WrestleMania ? so giving her the award is a little bit of a copout [laughs]."
Pillman noted that his MLW Rookie of the Year vignettes are what started the conversation for him to win the award as the vignettes shined a light on his successes and failures.
"The PWI one was the most legitimate because the readers actually voted on it with a unanimous vote. So then it sorted became the gimmick that I'm the two-time Rookie of the Year. Now we have something to build towards this year. Maybe I can get it again," said Pillman.
Brian Pillman Jr. can be seen every Saturday night on BeIN Sports as part of MLW Fusion. For more information and updates about future shows please visit www.MLW.com.Brian's full interview with Wrestling Inc aired as part of a recent episode of our podcast, The Wrestling Inc. Daily. Subscribe to get the latest episodes as soon as it's released Monday – Friday afternoon by clicking here.