6. Chris Benoit Simply Walked Out Without Losing Title
After both Jeff Jarrett and Bret Hart had informed WCW management that they wouldn't be able to make the Souled Out Pay-Per-View in January, an emergency match was booked between Sid Vicious and Chris Benoit. The latter had been unhappy in the company for a good while, and was looking to negotiate a release so he could try his luck in the WWF. Feeling cornered, WCW tried to appease the Canadian by giving him the top title, but it wasn't enough to change his mind. Shortly after, Benoit would appear on WWF Raw, along with Perry Saturn, Dean Malenko and Eddie Guerrero. Instantly, Benoit was treated like a big deal by his new employer, something WCW should have done a long time before the turn of the millennium. In fascinating news, Chris Benoit offered to drop the WCW World Title to absolutely anyone the company chose on Monday Nitro before leaving the company. In stereotypical WCW fashion, management told him not to bother, and just to leave the belt with them. The strap was vacated, and a tournament was held to crown a new titleholder, only adding another nail in the coffin to the lineage of the famous championship.
Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.
