Diana Hart says Vince McMahon created the European Championship around British Bulldog as part of WWE’s effort to keep him from joining WCW.
Hart discussed Davey Boy Smith’s contract situation during Episode 213 of Developmentally Speaking, available through the show’s official YouTube channel.
According to Hart, McMahon told Smith that WWE wanted to establish a championship around him.
“Vince said, ‘I want to build a belt around you, the European Championship belt.’”
WWE’s official championship history confirms that the European Championship was introduced in 1997. British Bulldog became the inaugural champion by defeating Owen Hart in the tournament final in Berlin, Germany.
Hart claims the motivation behind creating the championship was to give Smith an additional reason to remain with WWE while WCW was competing for established talent.
“Vince made the European title for Davey as an incentive to get him to stay with the company and not go to WCW.”
WWE’s public history confirms Bulldog’s status as the first European Champion, but it does not identify the contract strategy described by Hart. Her account therefore remains a retrospective claim about McMahon’s business and creative intentions.
WrestlingHeadlines previously examined Bulldog’s championship history and wider career, including his record-setting first European title reign.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit Developmentally Speaking, with a h/t to Wrestling Headlines for the transcription.
