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A look at the career of the "Rabid Wolverine"
June 25, 2007The sports-entertainment world has lost a Legend, as WWE is saddened to report that Chris Benoit and his family were found dead in their Atlanta-area home today. Benoit was 40 years old.
A trainee of the legendary Stu Hart, Benoit began his career in 1985 in Calgary after training with Stu and the Hart Family in the infamous Dungeon. Benoit idolized former World Tag Team Champion Dynamite Kid, and the high-flying style Benoit utilized throughout his career was influenced heavily by the British Superstar. However, his training in the Dungeon helped mold him into one of the best technical grapplers in sports-entertainment history as well.
Benoit competed for Stu Hart¡¯s Stampede Wrestling organization from 1985-1989, where he held both the British Commonwealth Title and the International Tag Team Title four times each, before heading to Japan, where his career truly blossomed. He originally competed as the masked Pegasus Kid and had numerous classic clashes with Japanese legends such as Shinjiro Ohtani and Jushin ¡°Thunder¡± Liger. It was in New Japan Pro Wrestling where he also met a man who would become one of his closest friends, Eddie Guerrero.
While in Japan, Benoit held the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship and won the 1994 Super J Cup tournament, one of the most prestigious light-heavyweight tournaments in sports-entertainment.
It was that same year that Benoit burst onto the scene in the United States. He had competed in the States before, taking part in the NWA World Tag Team Title tournament in 1992 and wrestling briefly in WCW, but it was in South Philadelphia where Benoit truly cut his teeth in America. Benoit joined ECW, where he teamed with another long-time friend, Dean Malenko, to win the ECW Tag Team Championship. It was also during his time in South Philadelphia where Benoit became known as the ¡°Canadian Crippler,¡± as it was during a match with Benoit where Sabu suffered a broken neck.
After a year in ECW, Benoit headed back to WCW (and also New Japan, who had a working agreement with ECW at the time). His career elevated to the next level when he became an official member of the Four Horsemen, joining Ric Flair, Arn Anderson and Brian Pillman in 1995.
During his near five-year stay in WCW, Benoit went from an unknown to household name and bona-fide Superstar. Staying close with the Horsemen through numerous incarnations of the group, Benoit became known for his hard-hitting, smash-mouth, no-nonsense style. His rivalry with Kevin Sullivan throughout 1996 (including their legendary Falls Count Anywhere Match at the 1996 Great American Bash) was lauded as one of the greatest and most intense in the company¡¯s history.
While in WCW, Benoit also racked up numerous accolades. He held the Television Championship on three occasions, was a two-time United States Champion and won the WCW Tag Team Championship twice as well (once with Malenko, once with Perry Saturn). He also faced Bret Hart in a tribute match to Bret¡¯s brother and Benoit¡¯s good friend Owen Hart in 1999, and in his final WCW match in January 2000, Benoit defeated Sid to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship.
Unfortunately, trouble in WCW led to Benoit, Guerrero, Malenko and Saturn leaving the company the next day, so the reign was nullified. The foursome, however, debuted later that month in WWE as The Radicalz.
Benoit immediately found success in WWE, claiming the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 2000. He would go on to hold that gold on a total of four occasions. Through 2003, he also held the World Tag Team Championship and the WWE Tag Team Championship.
Finally, in 2004, after nearly 20 years of struggle, Benoit reached the top. Starting the match at No. 1, Benoit lasted over an hour to win the 2004 Royal Rumble Match, last eliminating the mammoth Big Show to win. That earned him a World Championship match, and at WrestleMania XX in Madison Square Garden, he defeated Shawn Michaels and champion Triple H in a Triple Threat Match to claim the World Heavyweight Championship. The celebration is one of the most memorable WrestleMania moments of all-time, as he and best friend Eddie Guerrero (the reigning WWE Champion at the time) embraced in the center of the ring amidst a stream of confetti and the cheers of a raucous capacity crowd.
In the next three years, Benoit would go on to hold the World Tag Team Championship twice more and had three reigns as United States Champion, the last of which ended just two months ago at Backlash. He was drafted to ECW in the 2007 WWE Draft, and in his final WWE match, Benoit defeated Elijah Burke on the June 19 ECW on Sci Fi.
Over the course of his 22-year career, Chris Benoit solidified his reputation as one of the greatest to ever set foot inside a ring. He was a man of few words, but his passion for the sports-entertainment business was almost unrivaled. Whether loved or hated, Benoit was always well-respected by our fans and his peers for his in-ring ability, his trademark toothless grin and his no-nonsense attitude.
The sports-entertainment world has truly suffered a loss with his passing, as one of the all-time greats was taken well before his time.
United States Champion Chris Benoit and Layla spent the second day of SmackDown¡¯s European tour at Two Mile Military Base. The NATO Response Force at the base is responsible for assisting with Darfur deployments in Sudan.
One veteran, who just finished a five-year tour and was set to leave, delayed his flight a day so he could stay with his family and meet the Superstars.
The base hosts the U.S. Air Force, Army and Navy as well as military for Portugal, the United Kingdom, Italy and Germany
Canadian Wrestler Chris Benoit Found Dead With Family In Atlanta
Monday June 25, 2007
One of Canada's most famous wrestlers has apparently met with a tragic end that also claimed his wife and son.
WWE superstar Chris Benoit, his wife Nancy and seven-year-old son Daniel were reportedly found dead Monday in their Atlanta home after the 40-year-old grappler missed a house show Saturday night and a Sunday night pay-per-view event. He had travelled home to Georgia for family reasons, but didn't elaborate on what they may have been. Later Monday, local authorities announced they were treating the disovery as a homicide.
R.I.P. Chris Beniot 1967-2007
My favorite wrestler that I've ever had the pleasure to watch perform in the ring was Chris Benoit. I've been a fan of his since I was a teenager.
I turned on the television to watch Raw this evening, as I do just about every Monday, and learned of the sudden and tragic death of Chris Benoit, his wife Nancy and their child, Daniel. I'm not one to throw the word tragic around frivolously, but I feel it's appropriate in this regard. Admittedly, Benoit was probably no longer at the utmost peak of his career, but he could still put on a better match than 99.9% of the performers who are active today.
I hope that no one takes this as a joke when I say that I felt as if I had been punched in the gut upon learning of this news and found myself very nearly on the verge of tears.
I know this reaction may seem nonsensical to someone that doesn't feel the same way about wrestling. Someone that doesn't watch it as exhaustively as I, myself, do. Yes, it does border on obsessive at times. But keep in mind that, in a sense, I spent time with this man every Monday night for the last 10 years or more. He gave me someone to look up to. If you were to press me into naming someone that I considered a hero, I would more than likely name Chris Benoit. He overcame all odds to climb to the top of his profession. A profession that he loved with every fiber of his being. The only thing he ever placed above it was his family. And, sadly, they are gone as well. He does leave behind two children, who were in Canada visiting family, and my thoughts (and I hope all of those that read this) are with them in this terribly troubling time.
As I stated earlier in this post, I was on the verge of tears when I heard the news. As I type this, I'm watching Raw, which has become a tribute show to the life of Mr. Benoit. Included in this are pre-taped segments with wrestlers sharing their thoughts on his life and career. I'm not overstating things when I say that I will more than likely shed a tear or more before the end of this night, especially if they air any segments with people that I know were close with Benoit. Especially if that person is Dean Malenko or Ric Flair.
On a final note, I'd like to tip my hat to the WWE and the class that they've shown in canceling the planned three hour Raw. There are no fans in the arena. There are no matches, except those that are pre-taped from the career of Chris Benoit. This is a completely unprecedented move on the part of the WWE, and all I can say to that is this: Thank you.
Benoit, born in Montreal, was also known as "Pegasus Kid," "The Canadian Crippler" and the "The Rabid Wolverine" and was widely considered to be one of the stronger technical wrestlers of all time.
The WWE immediately announced plans to scrap Monday's scheduled "Raw" event in favour of a three-hour tribute to the veteran of more than 20 years.
"We at the WWE can only offer our condolences to the extended family of Chris Benoit," said WWE executive Vince McMahon. "The only other thing we can do at this moment is pay tribute to Chris Benoit."
Autopsy results are expected Tuesday.
WWE is sad to report that Chris Benoit and his family have been found dead in their home. Police are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the deaths. Tonight's Raw will be a tribute to Chris and his family.
We will have more information shortly.
Our deepest condolences go out to his friends and other relatives.
No.... no.... this... I fucking can't believe it. NO. SHIT NO. FUCKING SHIT HELL NO. I'm crying right now. This cannot be happening. Benoit...We love you, Benoit. You're always a champion in my eyes. At least you get to be with Eddie now, right? You and your family will be in my prayers.
Thank you for entertaining us throughout your entire career. We, the fans, love you. More than you can imagine. Thank you.
Really though... my voice is just... shaking... telling this to my parents.
Find peace, Benoit. Nancy and Daniel too.
THIS IS TO HIS REMEMBERANCE....FROM ALL OF YOUR CT FANS...WE WILL MISS YOU AND LOVE YOU CHRIS BENOIT....
PLEASE WATCH VIDEOS OF CHRIS BENOIT
Chris Benoit Tribue
