David Hart Smith to enter MMA?

[rge2010]

I love how Diana mentions Pride! Then talks about MMA like it is an organisation.

Anyway, what are your thoughts? Might not be a bad move for him providing he isn't a Sean O'Haire. His WWE career looks over. I think this will just give Vinny more leverage to get rid in the spring cleaning.

_________________________________________________________________


Seldom seen WWE talent Harry Smith (a/k/a David Hart Smith) apparently has plans to cross over from professional wrestling to mixed martial arts. His mother, Diana Smith, wrote on Twitter that he plans on following his father and grandfather's trail as a shoot fighter.

"My son Harry Smith is quite the shoot fighter, does everyone know that?" she wrote. "He is following in his dad Davey's and Grandfather Stu's footsteps."

Diana also believes he is good enough to compete in a premiere mixed martial arts organization today.

"I actually think my son Harry Smith could compete in Pride, MMA/UFC now as a high level wrestler, he's honestly that good! Ask Josh Barnett."

Barnett, a former UFC Heavyweight Champion, said last year in an interview that he has been training the WWE Superstar in catch wrestling. Smith can be seen sparring with Barnett in the DVD seminar W.A.R. Catch Wrestling: Lessons in Catch-As-Catch-Can with Billy Robinson.

CagesideSeats.com reported last month that Smith became an assistant coach in the Scientific Wrestling certification program under Catch-As-Catch-Can-Wrestling legend Billy Robinson. Smith earned the designation after logging over 100 hours of training with Robinson and receiving his approval to teach his concepts.

Robinson stated to Wrestling Observer Newsletter editor Dave Meltzer that if he personally trained Smith for 18 months, he could win the UFC Heavyweight Championship—he was that impressed by him in the time they sparred.

Smith, however, remains under contract to WWE, which prohibits him from joining a mixed martial arts organization. While no indication has been given that the third generation wrestler is leaving WWE, his future prospects with the entertainment empire appear grim as he finds himself in a bigger rut than his 2007-2008 stint on the main roster where he primarily competed on WWE Heat. Sans an appearance in the 22-Man Battle Royal at WrestleMania XXVII, Smith has not competed in over two months; his last match occurred on the February 17, 2011 episode of WWE Superstars. Even further, Smith has not competed in a match on Monday Night Raw in nearly six months. He last appeared on the program on December 6, 2010, which saw him lose to former tag team partner Tyson Kidd in a blow off match. He was then laid out by Kidd's short-lived bodyguard Jackson Andrews.

 

[The Future Rises]

Honestly its better than jobbing on Superstars, i wish him luck on whatever career he decides he wants, although I dont see him going far as an MMA fighter but I hope he does ok, lets face it he aint that talented as a pro wrestler that much, and hes probably gonna be with the talent thats being released soon so..

 

[iheartfcw]

He is fairly young superstar. Currently he is jobbing and is a wasted talent. He has been trained by the likes of Benoit and his father the British Bulldog. I think he should go to MMA. He is powerful athlete and was enthuastic in the ring and I think he can make the switch to MMA fairly easily. He needs to bulk up a bit more and work on his stamina and hopefully he will do well. I have always been a huge fan of DH Smith and I hope he does well if he makes te switch. And if this story is false I hope he asks for his release and strives on the indy scene.

 

[TheIcon2]

Don't see it happening. He would have to fight heavyweight or light heavy weight(205) if he can cut that much weight. I have to chuckle at Barnett and him being used in the same sentence. Maybe they both share needles. When is the last time Barnett passed a drug test with out some hokus pokus around it. Ill be surprised if he doesn't get popped for his upcoming Strikeforce fight. Barnett aside...What skills does Davey Boy have? Sorry but WWE wrestling doesn't mean crap in MMA. Does he have any amateur wrestling skill? BBJ skill? Boxing skill? Davey Boy prob wouldn't even make it on TUF.

Also I doubt he will like the MMA payscale. Especially at being a green newcomer. He will spend more of it on his training camps.

 

[Iversen]

He's quite bland at the moment in WWE in my opinion anyway. Although whether thats him or just how he's been booked I don't know. I reckon I could honestly say I've never heard the guy speak so I guess I can't justify an opinion on how charismatic he is. His moveset it alright but it's just not very exciting and he's need to be able to talk or have a big character overhaul to get over.

If he decides to go down this route then I wish him all the luck. As much as I believe what I said above I was actually a fan of the Hart Dynasty although that might have just been because they were an actual tag team.

 

[Remix]

Don't see it happening. He would have to fight heavyweight or light heavy weight(205) if he can cut that much weight. I have to chuckle at Barnett and him being used in the same sentence. Maybe they both share needles. When is the last time Barnett passed a drug test with out some hokus pokus around it. Ill be surprised if he doesn't get popped for his upcoming Strikeforce fight. Barnett aside...What skills does Davey Boy have? Sorry but WWE wrestling doesn't mean crap in MMA. Does he have any amateur wrestling skill? BBJ skill? Boxing skill? Davey Boy prob wouldn't even make it on TUF.

Also I doubt he will like the MMA payscale. Especially at being a green newcomer. He will spend more of it on his training camps.

...DH Smith's got over 100 hours of training in shoot wrestling with Billy Robinson, who thinks that if he was given 18 months with DH that he could make him into the UFC champion. I'm not going to disagree with his assessment.

DH Smith is, in no uncertain terms the best pure wrestler in WWE at the moment. Every move in his arsenal is done to perfection and believe me, there's a lot in it that he hasn't shown. Give him some training in striking and he'll probably do damn well in MMA. He's young, he's in very good shape, his numerous passed drug tests are in indicator that he's clean and most importantly he's got good set of skills to build upon before entering the octagon.

If that's the route he's going to go, then best of luck to him.

 

[DeathClutch]

I'm more of an MMA fan than I'm wrestling nowadays (I'm 26 years old) and most of the posts on here are probably mid-teens and simply don't understand life, Harry by pedagree was destined for greatness, however he's done NOTHING in WWE apart from a run with the tag belts that wasn't exactly flurishing.

He loves MMA, I know he's been training with Josh for a while now and I'd heard rumours back in 2009 he was considering a run in MMA, life is about changes and I don't care what anyone says when you come from the bloodlines of Harry you've got a lot to live up to and being stuck in his current role isn't fufulling one little bit, and if he's has a passion for MMA then why not try it out?

He's young enough he's shown potential to trainers so why not give it a whirl?

In fairness he's not like his dad, Davey was good and someone I consider an uncrownded World Champion, Harry will never be the top guy, I've yet to see that passion like his Dad, Bret, Owen had, it could be his character I don't know but if he wants to do MMA than WWE should cut him down and let him give it a whirl, he's doing nothing apart from collecting a paycheck.

 

[TheIcon2]

...DH Smith's got over 100 hours of training in shoot wrestling with Billy Robinson, who thinks that if he was given 18 months with DH that he could make him into the UFC champion. I'm not going to disagree with his assessment.

DH Smith is, in no uncertain terms the best pure wrestler in WWE at the moment. Every move in his arsenal is done to perfection and believe me, there's a lot in it that he hasn't shown. Give him some training in striking and he'll probably do damn well in MMA. He's young, he's in very good shape, his numerous passed drug tests are in indicator that he's clean and most importantly he's got good set of skills to build upon before entering the octagon.

If that's the route he's going to go, then best of luck to him.

Billy Robinson is a nice name but 100 hours is less than a 3 month training camp. Its nice that he is training in some skill that could translate into MMA. 18 months is certainly doable if he is looking to make the jump then. Making the jump now? noway !no one could convince me otherwise. In 18 months quite possible he could make the jump.

His weight would still be a factor in my mind. At 250 he is facing the Lesnars, Carwins, Dos Santos, Mir, Couture, Big Country, Nog, Shaub, with Shaub at the low end of the totem pole.

Light Heavy Weight he has Jones, Rua, Machida, Evans, Griffin, Bader. LHW is much deeper where I think he could have a few better fights to start his career but I don't think he could make the drop to 205. Especially after he always talked about being big.

Prob the best thing going for him is he is young.

 

[Reddog1146]

If WWE has no plans for him, then he should leave as soon as he can. They will lose a great third generation talent if they let him go but it is better for him if he leaves. I am disappointed in WWE for how they booked him, tyson kidd has more air time.

 

[darbare]

Maybe this is a reason why the Hart Dynasty broke up. WWE was probably aware he was training in a non-wrestling capacity, so they decided to take their push away. Sucks for Tyson because he was the better of the two and still has a bright future. I would rather personally see him fight because UFC is lacking heavyweights. If he can go for real I'd like to see it