Hey guys! Ever heard the name Chris Benoit? If you're a wrestling fan, chances are you have. He was a powerhouse in the ring, known for his incredible technical skills, intensity, and the iconic "Crippler Crossface." But, as we all know, his story took a tragic turn that shocked the world. This article dives into the life, career, and the heartbreaking events surrounding Chris Benoit, aiming to provide a comprehensive look at his legacy, separating the wrestler from the tragedy.
Christopher Michael Benoit (May 21, 1967 - June 24, 2007) was a Canadian professional wrestler. During his 22-year career, Benoit worked for numerous promotions including the World Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment (WWF/WWE), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), and New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).
Benoit held 22 championships between WWF/WWE, WCW, NJPW, and ECW. He was a two-time world champion, having been a one-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, and a one-time World Heavyweight Champion in WWE; he was booked to win a third world championship at a WWE event on the night of his death. Benoit was the twelfth WWE Triple Crown Champion and sixth WCW Triple Crown Champion, and the second of five men in history to achieve both the WWE and WCW Triple Crown Championships. He was also the 2004 Royal Rumble winner, joining Shawn Michaels as the only two men to win a Royal Rumble as the number one entrant.
Benoit has been renowned by many for his exceptional technical wrestling ability. Industry historian Dave Meltzer considered him "one of the top 10, maybe even the top 5, all-time greats". Benoit was inducted into the Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1995 and the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 2003.
His life ended in a very sad way on June 25, 2007 when he killed his wife and their son, before committing suicide.
Read also: Steve Keirn: Wrestling Icon
The Chris Benoit Story | Wrestling True Crime Documentary
Early Life and Training
Before he became a household name in wrestling, Chris Benoit was just a kid with a dream. Born in Montreal, Canada, he was a huge fan of the sport, especially admiring wrestlers like Bret Hart. This early passion fueled his desire to get into the ring himself.
Benoit began his training at a young age, dedicating himself to mastering the fundamentals of wrestling. He was relentless in his pursuit of excellence, and this discipline became a defining characteristic of his career. He started his journey in the legendary Hart family's training camp. This was a crucial period for Benoit, as it instilled in him a strong foundation of technical wrestling, which would become his trademark. He learned from some of the best, absorbing their knowledge and honing his skills.
He was always focused on perfecting his craft, and his dedication to the sport was unwavering. He understood that success in wrestling requires more than just physical strength; it demands discipline, skill, and a deep understanding of the art of storytelling in the ring. His early training laid the groundwork for his future success, shaping him into the wrestler he would eventually become.
The training wasn't just about learning moves; it was about building a character and understanding the psychology of the sport. Benoit learned how to connect with the audience, how to tell a story through his matches, and how to create a lasting impression. He was a sponge, absorbing everything he could, and he quickly became known for his technical prowess and his ability to put on thrilling matches. His time in the Hart family's camp was invaluable, and it helped him develop the skills and the mindset needed to succeed in the competitive world of professional wrestling.
Benoit trained to become a professional wrestler in the Hart family "Dungeon", receiving education from family patriarch Stu Hart. Benoit began his career in 1985, in Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling promotion.
Read also: "Pretty Boy" Larry Sharpe's impact on wrestling
From the beginning, similarities between Benoit and Billington were apparent, as Benoit adopted many of his moves such as the diving headbutt and the snap suplex; the homage was complete with his initial billing as "Dynamite" Chris Benoit.
According to Benoit, in his first match, he attempted the diving headbutt before learning how to land correctly, and had the wind knocked out of him; he said he would never do the move again at that point.
His debut match was a tag team match on November 22, 1985, in Calgary, Alberta, where he teamed with "The Remarkable" Rick Patterson against Butch Moffat and Mike Hammer, which Benoit's team won the match after Benoit pinned Moffat with a sunset flip.[6] The first title Benoit ever won was the Stampede British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Championship on March 18, 1988, against Gama Singh.
During his tenure in Stampede, he won four International Tag Team and three more British Commonwealth titles,[26] and had a lengthy feud with Johnny Smith that lasted for over a year, which both men traded back-and-forth the British Commonwealth title. Upon arriving to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), Benoit spent about a year training in their "New Japan Dojo" with the younger wrestlers to improve his abilities.
While in the dojo, he spent months doing strenuous activities like push-ups and floor sweeping before stepping into the ring. He made his Japanese debut in 1986 under his real name. In 1989, he started wearing a mask and assuming the name The Pegasus Kid. Benoit said numerous times that he originally hated the mask, but it eventually became a part of him.
Read also: The Story of Chris Melendez
In August 1990, he won his first major championship, the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, from Jushin Thunder Liger. He eventually lost the title in November 1990 (and in July 1991 in Japan and in November 1991 in Mexico, his mask) back to Liger,[26] forcing him to reinvent himself as Wild Pegasus. Benoit spent the next couple years in Japan, winning the Best of the Super Juniors tournament twice in 1993 and 1995. He went on to win the inaugural Super J-Cup tournament in 1994, defeating Black Tiger, Gedo, and The Great Sasuke in the finals.
He wrestled outside New Japan occasionally to compete in Mexico and Europe, where he won a few regional championships, including the UWA Light Heavyweight Championship.
Rise to Fame: WCW and ECW
He did not return to WCW until January 1993 at Clash of the Champions XXII, defeating Brad Armstrong. A month later, at SuperBrawl III, he lost to 2 Cold Scorpio, getting pinned with only three seconds left in the 20-minute time limit. At the same time, he formed a tag team with Bobby Eaton.
After WCW, Benoit worked in Australia, and CMLL in Mexico. In early 1994, he worked for NWA New Jersey where he defeated Jerry Lawler. In August 1994, Benoit began working with Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) in between tours of Japan. He was booked as a dominant wrestler there, gaining notoriety as the "Crippler" after he put Rocco Rock out.
At November to Remember, Benoit accidentally broke Sabu's neck within the opening seconds of the match. The injury came when Benoit threw Sabu with the intention that he take a face-first "pancake" bump, but Sabu attempted to turn mid-air and take a backdrop bump instead. After this match Benoit returned to the locker room and broke down over the possibility that he might have paralysed someone.
Paul Heyman, the head booker of ECW at the time, came up with the idea of continuing the "Crippler" moniker for Benoit. From that point until his departure from ECW, he was known as "Crippler Benoit". When he returned to WCW in October 1995, WCW modified his ring name to "Canadian Crippler Chris Benoit".
Benoit and Dean Malenko won the ECW World Tag Team Championship - Benoit's first American title - from Sabu and The Tazmaniac in February 1995 at Return of the Funker.[26] After winning, they were initiated into the Triple Threat stable, led by ECW World Heavyweight Champion, Shane Douglas, as Douglas's attempt to recreate the Four Horsemen, as the three-man contingency held all three of the ECW championships at the time (Malenko also held the ECW World Television Championship at the time).
The team lost the championship to The Public Enemy that April at Three Way Dance. Benoit spent some time in ECW feuding with The Steiner Brothers and rekindling the feud with 2 Cold Scorpio. He was forced to leave ECW after his work visa expired; Heyman was supposed to renew it, but he failed to make it on time, so Benoit left ECW in August 1995 as a matter of job security and the ability to enter the United States.
World Championship Wrestling (WCW)
New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW) had a working relationship, and because of their "talent exchange" program, Benoit signed with WCW in late 1995 along with a number of talent working in New Japan to be a part of the angle. Like the majority of those who came to WCW in the exchange, he started out in as a member of the cruiserweight division, having lengthy matches against many of his former rivals in Japan on almost every single broadcast.
After impressing higher-ups with his work, he was approached by Ric Flair and the WCW booking staff to become a member of the reformed Four Horsemen in 1995, alongside Flair, Arn Anderson, and Brian Pillman; he was introduced by Pillman as a gruff, no-nonsense heel similar to his ECW persona, "The Crippler". He was brought in to add a new dynamic for Anderson and Flair's tormenting of Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage in their "Alliance to End Hulkamania", which saw the Horsemen team up with The Dungeon of Doom, but that alliance ended with Dungeon leader and WCW booker, Kevin Sullivan feuding with Pillman. When Pillman abruptly left the company for the WWF, Benoit was placed into his ongoing feud with Sullivan.
This came to fruition through a dissension between the two in a tag team match with the two reluctantly teaming with each other against The Public Enemy, and Benoit being attacked by Sullivan at Slamboree. This led to the two having violent confrontations at pay-per-views, which led to Sullivan booking a feud in which Benoit was having an affair with Sullivan's real-life wife and onscreen valet, Nancy (also known as Woman). This onscreen relationship developed into a real-life affair offscreen. As a result, Sullivan and Benoit had a contentious backstage relationship at best, and an undying hatred for each other at worst.
Benoit did, however, admit having a certain amount of respect for Sullivan, saying on the DVD Hard Knocks: The Chris Benoit Story that Sullivan never took undue liberties in the ring during their feud, even though he blamed Benoit for breaking up his marriage. This continued for over the course of a year with Sullivan having his enforcers apprehend Benoit in a multitude of matches.
In 1998, Benoit had a long feud with Booker T. They fought over the WCW World Television Championship until Booker lost the title to Fit Finlay.[26] Booker won a "Best-of-Seven" series which was held between the two to determine a number one contender. Benoit went up 3 to 1 before Booker caught up, forcing the 7th and final match on Monday Nitro. During the match, Bret Hart interjected himself, interfering on behalf of Benoit in an attempt to get him to join the New World Order. Benoit refused to win that way and told the referee what happened, getting himself disqualified. Booker refused that victory, instead opting for an eighth match at the Great American Bash to see who would fight Finlay later that night.
In 1999, Benoit teamed with Dean Malenko once again and defeated Curt Hennig and Barry Windham to win the WCW World Tag Team Championship.[26] This led to a reformation of the Four Horsemen with the tag team champions, Anderson, and Steve "Mongo" McMichael.
The Revolution was a heel stable of younger wrestlers who felt slighted (both kayfabe and legitimate) by WCW management, believing they never gave them the chance to be stars, pushing older, more established wrestlers instead, despite their then-current questionable worthiness of their pushes. This led to the Revolution seceding from WCW, and forming their own nation, complete with a flag. This led to some friction being created between Benoit and leader, Douglas, who called into question Benoit's heart in the group, causing Benoit to quit the group, thus turning face, and having his own crusade against the top stars, winning the Television title one more time and the United States title from Jeff Jarrett in a ladder match.
In October 1999 on Nitro in Kansas City, Missouri, Benoit wrestled Bret Hart as a tribute to Bret's brother Owen Hart, who had recently died due to an equipment malfunction.
World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (WWF/WWE)
Benoit joined the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) near the end of its Attitude Era. Along with Guerrero, Saturn and Malenko, Benoit debuted in a stable that became known as the Radicalz. After losing their "tryout matches" upon entry, The Radicalz aligned themselves with WWF Champion Triple H and became a heel faction.
At WrestleMania 2000 on April 2, Benoit pinned Chris Jericho in a triple threat match to win Kurt Angle's Intercontinental Championship.[38] In Benoit's first WWF pay-per-view main events, he challenged The Rock for the WWF Championship at Fully Loaded on July 23 and in a fatal four-way match at Unforgiven on September 24.
In early 2001, Benoit broke away from The Radicalz (who had recently reformed three months earlier) and turned face, feuding first with his former stablemates and then with Angle. Benoit lost to Angle at WrestleMania X-Seven on April 1, but defeated him in an "Ultimate Submission" match at Backlash on April 29.[46][47] The feud continued after Benoit stole Angle's cherished Olympic Gold Medal,[48] with Angle defeating Benoit at Judgment Day on May 20 in a two-out-of-three falls match with the help of Edge and Christian.
During the first WWF draft, Benoit was the third wrestler picked by Vince McMahon to be part of the new SmackDown! roster, although still on the injured list.[55] However, when Benoit returned, he did so as a member of the Raw roster, turning heel by aligning himself with Eddie Guerrero.
Benoit and Guerrero lost to the Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and Spike) in an elimination tables match at Vengeance on July 21.[57] The following week on Raw, Benoit defeated Rob Van Dam to become Intercontinental Champion for the fourth and final time. Benoit and Guerrero were then moved to SmackDown!
Benoit defeated Kurt Angle at Unforgiven on September 22.[62] Benoit was then paired with Angle in a tournament to crown the first-ever WWE Tag Team Champions, defeating Edge and Rey Mysterio in the finals at No Mercy on October 20.[60][63] Benoit and Angle made their first successful defense against Los Guerreros (Eddie and Chavo) at Rebellion on October 26.[64] Benoit and Angle lost the WWE Tag Team Championship to Edge and Mysterio on the November 7 episode of SmackDown!
On the January 1, 2004 episode of SmackDown!, Benoit and Cena defeated FBI in a handicap match to qualify for the Royal Rumble match; SmackDown! General Manager Paul Heyman named Benoit as the number one entrant.[81] At the Royal Rumble on January 25, Benoit won the Royal Rumble match by last eliminating Big Show, earning a world title shot at WrestleMania XX and becoming the second person to win the Royal Rumble as the number one entrant after Shawn Michaels.
WrestleMania XX and World Heavyweight Championship
Instead of challenging for SmackDown!'s WWE Championship, Benoit exploited a "loophole" in the rules and moved to the Raw brand to challenge World Heavyweight Champion Triple H at WrestleMania.[82] Michaels, whose Last Man Standing match for the title against Triple H at Royal Rumble ended in a draw,[79] thought that he deserved to be in the main event.
At WrestleMania XX on March 14, Benoit won the World Heavyweight Championship after Triple H submitted to his signature submission move, the Crippler Crossface, marking the first time the main event of a WrestleMania ended in submission.[84][85][86] After the match, Benoit celebrated his win with then-reigning WWE Champion Eddie Guerrero.
Benoit then feuded with Edge, who had turned into an arrogant and conceited heel. At Taboo Tuesday on October 19, Benoit, Edge and Michaels were all put into a poll to see who would face Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship that night. Michaels received the most votes, and Edge and Benoit were forced to face World Tag Team Champions La Résistance in the same night. Despite Edge deserting Benoit during the match, they regained the World Tag Team Championship,[96] before losing the titles in a rematch.
The Tragic Events of June 2007
The events of June 2007 shook the wrestling world to its core. Chris Benoit was found dead in his home, along with his wife, Nancy, and their seven-year-old son, Daniel. The investigation revealed a horrific crime: Benoit had murdered his wife and son before taking his own life. This was a devastating turn of events that no one saw coming.
On June 25, 2007, an unimaginable horror was discovered inside of Chris Benoit's home in Fayetteville, Ga., when police stopped by on a "welfare check" after Benoit had missed several appointments, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Officers found his wife Nancy strangled to death and their 7-year-old son Daniel appeared to have been suffocated. Bibles were found next to their bodies. Benoit's body was found hanging from a weight machine in the basement.
"We're ruling it as a double homicide-suicide," said Fayette County Sheriff's Lt. Tommy Pope.
After seizing Benoit's computer, investigators also reported that the wrestler had searched the Internet for stories on the prophet Elijah. One of the stories of Elijah is how the prophet could raise a boy from the dead, starting with placing the dead child on his bed.
This twist in the tragic story came even as wrestling fans were posting all over the Web about their shock and dismay at the loss.
The wrestling community and fans around the world were left stunned, struggling to comprehend how such a tragedy could occur. The news dominated headlines and sparked a national conversation about the pressures of professional wrestling and the potential for mental health issues. The circumstances surrounding the murders and suicide remain a topic of debate and speculation. Investigators found evidence of steroid use, and this became a key aspect of the investigation, though the precise cause for the events remains unclear. This tragic event not only ended the lives of three people but also left a lasting impact on the wrestling industry.
Scientific research also shows that aggression and other psychiatric side effects may result from abuse of anabolic steroids. Many users report feeling good about themselves while on anabolic steroids, but researchers report that extreme mood swings also can occur, including manic-like symptoms leading to violence. Depression often is seen when the drugs are stopped and may contribute to dependence on anabolic steroids.
Aftermath and Legacy
It forced a reevaluation of the way wrestlers' health and well-being are handled and highlighted the importance of mental health support. The tragedy highlighted the darker side of fame and the potential for personal struggles to escalate to devastating levels. It was a stark reminder of the complexities of human nature and the importance of seeking help when needed.
The legacy of Chris Benoit is complex and controversial. On the one hand, he was a phenomenal wrestler, known for his technical abilities, his dedication to the craft, and his ability to put on incredible matches. He was a champion many times over, achieving the pinnacle of success in the wrestling world. His matches are still watched and admired by many fans. But, on the other hand, his actions in June 2007 have forever tarnished his legacy. The horrific nature of the crime he committed overshadows his achievements in the ring and raises difficult questions about how to remember him.
The tragedy has led to a debate about whether his accomplishments should be erased from wrestling history. WWE has largely distanced itself from Benoit. While his matches can still be found online, they are rarely mentioned on WWE programming.