It’s been a half decade since one of the WWE’s blackest days. An event that would truly change the landscape of the company and tarnish its all-important public image. As RAW’s 1000th episode approaches, it presents a perfect time to reflect on the past. It’s equally important to reflect upon, and learn from the negatives in the past, as well as to celebrate the positives.
Twelve years ago, Chris Benoit along with Perry Saturn, Dean Malenko and Eddie Guerrero arrived in the WWE as ‘The Radicalz’. It was a huge coup for the company at the time, and was one of the finals nails in the WCW coffin. They allowed some of their best and most technically gifted stars walk out the door. Chris Benoit was arguably the most gifted of the bunch.
He, and Eddie Guerrero (who may have been equally as gifted), quickly rose up the ranks in the company to main-event status. Ironic that they would both be seen in such different lights after their deaths. For the record, Benoit had been working his tail off since the late 80s, building a solid reputation for himself in the business as an incredibly worker. Chris Jericho speaks highly of Benoit, as an influence, in both of his books. The big knock against him in his career was size. At 5ft 11in, he wasn’t seen as big enough to compete in the World Title scene. With Vince McMahon’s adoration for bigger stars well publicised, it was all the more unlikely that Benoit would finally land the big one in WWE, and on the grandest stage of all no less.
Wrestlemania 20, 2004: A double main event was booked – with Eddie Guerrero taking on Kurt Angle for the WWE title, and Chris Benoit vs Shawn Michaels vs HHH for the World Heavyweight Title closing the show. In what would measure up to the all-time classic Wrestlemania main events (if it wasn’t redacted from the WWE record-books), Benoit became the unlikely victor. Vince McMahon showed a lot of faith in Benoit, putting him over at the 20th anniversary of ‘Mania, and against two of the companies biggest stars: HHH and Michaels. Benoit was at the top of the mountain, after all those years being told he would never make it. He and Eddie Guerrero, stood in the ring, with genuine emotion not often seen in a wrestling ring. Benoit raised his son Daniel in his arms, tears streaming down his face, to close the show out. Those who criticise wrestling for being fake, should look at that moment to understand what this means to the men who compete to be on top.
After more success, winning the US Title, and being one of the flagship stars on the flawed ECW experiment, the unthinkable happened in 2007. On the weekend on June 24th 2007, Benoit missed a live show, the night before the big PPV Vengeance: Night of Champions was due to take place. Benoit was booked to win the ECW title at that event, but sadly it was never to be.
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20 Comments
RIP Chris Benoit and his family. It’s a tragedy and very sad but no matter what, history should not be changed.
I am not convinced that Chris committed that sad and confusing tragedy. He was a great athlete, and should be recognized as that. Nothing changes the fact, no matter what. It was such a terrible tragedy.
There are a lot of black spots on the wrestling industry – Benoit is just a high profile example. Sure it’s a MASSIVE tragedy and he should be treated with the contempt he deserves, but the things he achieved in the business he loved can not be forgotten. For years and years, Benoit was THE MAN. Not to be flippant but it’s just a shame it ended so badly.
I agree. You can’t erase history. The WWE is a totalitarian universe of it’s own, so it can choose to ‘erase’ history, unfortunately.
I’ve said it many times. Chris Benoit the wrestler will always be remembered as a wrestler. His final days will be a footnote, his legacy isn’t destroyed, it’s just hidden by WWE. In time his final days will be overlooked, even by the WWE. Just give it another 5-10 years.
I’m not so sure Chad. Regardless of the WWE burying him, I think he may have left his reputation in tatters. When most think of Benoit, they probably think of the murders first. We are the small few who probably think of the wrestling first, and to be honest I feel a little bit bad at myself for that. There should be no forgive and forget, he made such a grand statement that he deserves to be thought of as the man who commited those crimes first, and then a great great performer second. Just my 2 cents.
While many acknowledge the test results showing that Chris Benoit was suffering from significant brain damage (i.e., chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE), I don’t think that most people realize just how severe the dementia resulting from this condition can be. Having intimate first-hand experience with the dementia of a loved one, I can tell you that dementia — whether caused by alzheimer’s disease or strokes, or 1,000 concussions and scores of steel chair shots sustained in the wrestling ring — robs people of THEMSELVES. In Benoit, while at the end he was still lucid enough to wrestle brilliantly and complete the tasks of everyday living, his brain was damaged to the extent that his impulse and emotional control and restraint, and his rationality, were severely impaired. And, thus, it was THAT Chris Benoit, robbed of much of himself by CTE, and not the Benoit of years earlier who loved his family and doted over his son, who committed the unthinkable.
Had the Benoit tragedy never occurred, I believe that by now Benoit, at age forty-five, would have deteriorated to such an extent from the ongoing effects of CTE that he would be living in the dementia unit of a nursing home.
CTE also killed the boxing Quarry brothers, Jerry and Mike, in their fifties, after reducing them to helpless shells of their former selves. Boxers Floyd Patterson and Sugar Ray Robinson also died from the effects of dementia, undoubtedly resulting from the countless punches they absorbed.
In light of the above, and of my own intimate experience with dementia, I do not, and cannot, view Chris Benoit as a murdering monster. In my opinion, had his brain been normal and undamaged, he would NEVER have committed his horrendous acts.
He and his family were, sadly, victims of a disease that robs people of themselves. If there is a villain here it is the pro wrestling industry, which allows its performers to suffer repeated head trauma with reckless abandon.
The Benoit tragedy hit me hard because he was my all-time favorite professional wrestler, perhaps the greatest pure professional wrestling technician of all time — and in no way deserved the fate that befell him and his family.
R.I.P. Chris Benoit. I will never forget you or your brilliant wrestling.
I agree with you completely. I have anxiety problems due to a chemical imbalance in my brain. I know it’s not even nearly as bad as dementia, but I know from my experience that mental illness can cause you to do things that are completely out of character for you. The way he spent his last few days does not change the kind of person he was for the majority of his life.
I must say you have worded this to perfection, i totally agree with everything you have stated, and benoit for me was always the best, in the ring and out of it, he came across so respectful and humble. A hard working man who loved his family and his trade, i will always remember that day in 2007 with a heavy heart and we as people can not condone such wicked and destructive actions, but what we can do instead of brushing incidents like theses under the carpet with hate, is to stride to understand why, i am a suffer of deppresion, i know the effects of a chemical imbalance, its so unfair to judge any man or women for 3 days of there 40 year life but i can more and understand why they do, but there is every chance chris was just as much a victim as Nancy and Daniel, the benoit story will always be remembered as that of a tragedy…..but it can also be remembered as that spark in modern society that was the start of real progress on the fight against mental help, i would just like to add as a final though….my heart goes out to the parents and children of chris benoit…. especially Micheal benoit who carried himself with such grace and determination. R.I.P to anyone who has been took by mental health illness
I remember hearing in an interview for British Radio that if Michael Jackson had been found guilty of child abuse, his songs would never played on the radio again. Apparently there already is a blanket ban in the UK for Gary Glitter songs.
Here’s the thing. I like some of Gary Glitter’s music. Some of it reached number 1, and deservedly so. But I don’t like Gary Glitter personally. Is there anything wrong with that?
The way I see it, just like in history, you can’t pretend someone didn’t exist and didn’t achieve what they did. Sure, hate them for their wrongdoings (or pity them if their decreased mental state was responsible), but I don’t see what’s wrong in liking a great technical ring display for what it is, or for liking a song for what it is.
Looking at it from a wrestler’s point of view, imagine how it would feel if you were asked what your favourite match was, and you weren’t allowed to give the real answer if it involved Benoit. I daresay this could be an issue for Dean Malenko.
To say Benoit was a gifted wrestler is an understatement. We all truly miss and love to watch videos featuring ‘toothless agression’ like no other. It is a tragedy that the WWE has buried his memory, as he no doubt, in the ring, was an inspiration.
R.I.P Chris
After being a fan of chris since the WCW days i just couldnt imagine he did what he did, i honestley am in a huge moral dilema i loved his technical abilities and looked up to him as a hard working canadian wrestler. i loved his onscreen persona how it seem like he never had a gimick he seemed to be himself which was always cool too me. the fact he learned from the heart family and was one of the last real wrestlers made him one of my all time favs and always will be, wish i had the oppertunity too meet and learn from him
I think after 10 or 20 years pass they should do a compilation of his best matches on DVD but never mix his matches into other projects. By his terrible actions he should be forever segregated. His contributions and talents should someday be acknowledged but his last deeds will always be his true legacy. I say this as a big fan of Chris and I always pulled for him to win. May the “Wolverine” and his poor family rest in peace with the Lord.
Yes i think what benoit did was wrong. he will still punished in his own time. He was probably the greatest wrestler all time. wwe have erased him from all matches
Are you people insane? You want to protect the professional legacy of a murderer who worked in a profession where you don’t ‘win’ anything, but rather are ‘awarded” accolades by an unscrupulous promoter? Chris Benoit MURDERED his 7 year old boy, MURDERED his wife, then in an act of cowardice, killed himself… and you all are worried about his professional legacy?? Seek help, you sycophantic troglodytes. May Chris Benoit ROT AND BURN IN HELL WHERE HE BELONGS!! Kudos to the WWE for distancing themselves from this asshat!!
Burn in hell? I thought you were a realist?
This is something I’d like to hear more about. I’m writing a book on this tragedy, and have in it a chapter-discussion on whether he should or should not be inducted? Votes-opinions are welcome at packerkean@aol.com
He was a great wrestler but at the end of the day he murdered his family if I was a footballer or baseball play and I murdered people would u still love me ??
I get that McMahon wants no future mention of Benoit again but to go back into the archives and remove any mention or video of Benoit makes McMahon two-faced.
Removing him from video doesnt erase what happened.. In fact its insulting to the victims in an attempt to try hiding him history. Why don’t you try erasing a bad name like Hitler from history and see how the victims feel that your way of dealing with history is to try to act like it never happened?
Sure he wants to protect the company image so don’t make any future mention of him, but if he’s gonna try removing Benoits existance from wwe, then he should be refunding peoples money from Benoit’s past main event title matches and merchandise that brought in sales to wwe.
I’m not condoning or defending what Benoit did…Im just saying McMahon is a two-faced POS to pocket the earnings from Benoits draw and then the next day say the “healing process” is to not ever mention it again.
I get that McMahon wants no future mention of Benoit again but to go back into the archives and remove any mention or video of Benoit makes McMahon two-faced.
Removing him from video doesnt erase what happened.. In fact its insulting to the victims in an attempt to try hiding his name from history. Why don’t you try erasing a bad name like Hitler from history and see how the victims feel that your way of dealing with history is to try to act like it never happened?
Sure he wants to protect the company image so don’t make any future mention of him, but if he’s gonna try removing Benoits existance from wwe, then he should be refunding peoples money from Benoit’s past main event title matches that brought in sales to wwe.
I’m not condoning or defending what Benoit did…Im just saying McMahon is a two-faced POS to pocket the earnings from Benoits draw and then the next day say the “healing process” is to not ever mention it again.