The man known as the "Canadian Crippler" was somebody that fans really wanted to see elevated to the main event level when he was in WCW in the late 1990s. He finally became the WCW World Champion in January 2000, but he was so unhappy there that he quit the next day. When he got to WWE a few weeks later the thought was that he had the talent to be a top guy although we had no idea if he'd ever get that kind of push. Benoit won the 2004 Royal Rumble as WWE fans rallied behind him in his fourth year in the company. He went into WrestleMania 20 to challenge for the World Title against Triple H and Shawn Michaels. Benoit ended up winning by making Triple H tap out. The fans in New York City's Madison Square Garden erupted as Benoit became the World Champion. The end of WrestleMania 20 provided fans with an image we'll never forget as Benoit hugged his good friend Eddie Guerrero, who was the WWE Champion at the time. It was Benoit's only World Championship reign. Sadly, Benoit's legacy has been tarnished because of the double murder suicide he committed in 2007.
John wrote at WhatCulture from December 2013 to December 2015. It was fun, but it's over for now. Follow him on Twitter @johnreport. You can also send an email to mrjohncanton@gmail.com with any questions or comments as well.
