Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit | |
---|---|
![]() Benoit in 2006 | |
Birth name | Christopher Michael Benoit |
Born | Montreal, Quebec, Canada | May 21, 1967
Died | June 24, 2007 Fayetteville, Georgia, U.S. | (aged 40)
Cause of death | Suicide by hanging |
Spouse(s) | |
Children | 3 |
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) | Chris Benoit The Pegasus Kid Wild Pegasus |
Billed height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)[1] |
Billed weight | 229 lb (104 kg)[1] |
Billed from | Atlanta, Georgia Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
Trained by | Bruce Hart[2][3][4] Stu Hart Mike Hammer Tokyo Joe Tatsumi Fujinami New Japan Pro-Wrestling[5] |
Debut | November 22, 1985[6] |
Christopher Michael Benoit (May 21, 1967 - June 24, 2007) was a Canadian professional wrestler. He was first noticed in the United States when he started wrestling for Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) in 1994. He would later go to World Championship Wrestling (WCW) the next year. Within a year, he became a member of the Four Horsemen (with Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, and Brian Pillman). He joined the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, later renamed WWE) in January 2000. In January 2004, Benoit won the 30 man Royal Rumble match which allowed him to main event WrestleMania. He would go on to win the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania XX on March 14, 2004.[7]
On June 24, 2007, Chris Benoit committed suicide by hanging after murdering his wife and son (murder–suicide). Their dead bodies were found on June 25. Benoit's father, Michael Benoit, says that Benoit had brain damage.[8] Benoit was also believed to have been on several different medications to aid his in ring performance, sleep, and pain. According to ESPN, "Benoit's body contained 10 times the normal level of testosterone, as well as amounts of the anti-anxiety drug Xanax and the painkiller hydrocodone, authorities said. The testosterone, a synthetic version of the primary male sex hormone, is considered an anabolic steroid. The state's top medical examiner said it appeared to have been injected shortly before Benoit died." It is a speculation which Benoit may have dealt with Roid-Rage, and this could have set him off the rails along with other trauma issues to the brain as well. A study of Benoit's brain by the Sports Legacy Institute showed that he had depression and severe chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).[9] Another test also revealed that Benoit's brain was so badly damaged that it "resembled the brain of an 85-year-old Alzheimer's patient".[10] This is what caused Benoit to kill his family. Because brain damage can be caused by concussions, WWE no longer allows wrestlers to hit each other in the head with steel chairs.[11] Mentions of his name were also banned thereafter (although his name is still listed in title histories on WWE's website, and he is still shown in their video library on Peacock/WWE Network).
In wrestling
[change | change source]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/44/BenoitHbWm23.jpg/250px-BenoitHbWm23.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/46/Benoit_sharpshooter.jpg/250px-Benoit_sharpshooter.jpg)
- Finishing moves
- Bridging dragon suplex – 1992–1998; he used it as a regular move from 1998 to 2007
- Crippler Crossface (Arm trap crossface)
- Diving headbutt – adopted from Dynamite Kid
- Kneeling reverse piledriver, he sometimes did it from the second rope – 1989–1994; he used it as a regular move afterwards
- Sharpshooter – 1998–2007
- Wild Bomb (High speed release powerbomb), he sometimes did it from the top rope – 1994–2002; rarely used as a regular move thereafter
- Signature moves
- Back body drop
- Backhand chop
- Dragon screw
- Forearm smash
- Headbutt
- Lariat
- Multiple suplex variations
- Belly to back
- Bridging Northern Lights
- Bridging / Release / Rolling German
- Slingshot
- Snap
- Super
- Three Amigos (Triple rolling verticals) – used as a tribute to Eddie Guerrero
- Pendulum backbreaker
- Shoulderbreaker – 2001–2003
- Springboard clothesline to opponent on ring apron – 1994–1998
- Suicide dive
- With Chris Jericho
- Double submission (the Walls of Jericho with the Crippler Crossface) - 2001
- Managers
- Arn Anderson
- Ted DiBiase (During his WWF tryout matches in 1995)
- Shane Douglas
- Miss Elizabeth
- Shane McMahon
- Terri Runnels
- Woman
- Nicknames
- Entrance themes
- New Japan Pro Wrestling
- Extreme Championship Wrestling
- World Championship Wrestling
- "Scattered"
- "Coast"
- "Replica B"
- "Too Much Information"
- World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment
- "Shooter" by Jim Johnston (April 2, 2000 – May 27, 2002)[15]
- "Whatever" by Our Lady Peace (June 17, 2002 – June 19, 2007)[16]
Championships
[change | change source]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1d/Chris_Benoit_holding_the_World_Heavyweight_Championship_belt_at_WrestleMania_XX.jpg/170px-Chris_Benoit_holding_the_World_Heavyweight_Championship_belt_at_WrestleMania_XX.jpg)
- Cauliflower Alley Club
- Future Legend Award (2002)[17]
- Catch Wrestling Association
- CWA World Tag Team Championship (one time) (with Dave Taylor)[18]
- Extreme Championship Wrestling
- ECW World Tag Team Championship (one time) (with Dean Malenko)[19]
- New Japan Pro Wrestling
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship (one time)[20]
- Super J Cup (1994)
- Top/Best of the Super Juniors (1993, 1995)
- Super Grade Junior Heavyweight Tag League (1994) (with Shinjiro Otani)
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI Feud of the Year (2004) (vs. Triple H)
- PWI Match of the Year (2004) (vs. Shawn Michaels and Triple H at WrestleMania XX)
- PWI Wrestler of the Year (2004)
- He was ranked #1 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2004.[21]
- He was ranked #69 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003.
- Stampede Wrestling
- Universal Wrestling Association
- World Championship Wrestling
- WCW United States Heavyweight Championship (two times)[26][27]
- WCW World Heavyweight Championship (one time)[28]
- WCW World Tag Team Championship (two times) (with Dean Malenko (one) and Perry Saturn (one))[29]
- WCW World Television Championship (three times)[30]
- Seventh WCW Triple Crown Champion
- World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Entertainment
- World Heavyweight Championship (one time)[31]
- WWE Tag Team Championship (one time) (with Kurt Angle)[32]
- WWE United States Championship (three times)[33][34][35]
- WWF/E Intercontinental Championship (four times)[36][37][38][39]
- WWF/E World Tag Team Championship (three times) (with Chris Jericho (one) and Edge (two))[40][41][42]
- Royal Rumble (2004)[43]
- Twelfth Triple Crown Champion
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
- 5-Star Match (1994) (vs. Great Sasuke at Super J Cup)[44]
- Best Brawler (2004)
- Feud of the Year (2004) (vs. Triple H and Shawn Michaels)
- Best Technical Wrestler (1994, 1995, 2000, 2003, 2004)
- Most Underrated (1998)
- Most Outstanding Wrestler (2000, 2004)
- Match of the Year (2002) (with Kurt Angle vs. Edge and Rey Mysterio)
- Readers' Favorite Wrestler (1997, 2000)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 2003)2[45]
1His reign with the championship is not officially listed by the WWE. Reigns before December 1997 are not listed by the promotion.
2The hall of fame held a special recall election in 2008 because of the double murder–suicide of his wife and son. 53.6% supported the decision but it was under the 60% threshold needed to remove him.[45]
References
[change | change source]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Shields, Brian; Sullivan, Kevin (2009). WWE Encyclopedia. DK. p. 61. ISBN 978-0-7566-4190-0.
- ↑ Randazzo V, Matthew (2008). Ring of Hell: The Story of Chris Benoit & the Fall of the Pro Wrestling Industry. Phoenix Books. p. 51. ISBN 978-1-59777-622-6.
- ↑ McCoy, Heath (2007). Pain and Passion: The History of Stampede Wrestling. ECW Press. pp. 214–215. ISBN 978-1-55022-787-1.
- ↑ Hart, Bruce (2011). Straight From the Hart. ECW Press. p. 130. ISBN 978-1-55022-939-4.
- ↑ "Erased! The Tragic Story of Chris Benoit". Wrestling Examiner. February 9, 2017. Retrieved May 21, 2017.
Benoit began training at the legendary New Japan Dojo, and began wrestling for NJPW
- ↑ "Chris Benoit Results Archive". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
- ↑ "Chris Benoit". Puroresu Dojo.
- ↑ "Chris Benoit's Murder, Suicide: Was Brain Damage To Blame?". ABC News.
- ↑ "Study suggests brain damage may have affected Benoit". ESPN. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
- ↑ "Benoit's Brain Showed Severe Damage From Multiple Concussions, Doctor and Dad Say". ABC News. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
- ↑ Mueller, The Doctor Chris. "WWE Bans Blood, Chair Shots To Head, Sexiness, and Wrestling". Bleacher Report.
- ↑ "Rabid Rumble". WWE. Archived from the original on February 28, 2014. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
- ↑ "SLAM! Wrestling: Quizzing the Canadian Crippler". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved July 21, 2014.[permanent dead link]
- ↑ Jericho, Chris (2007). "38". A Lion's Tale: Around the World in Spandex. Hachette Digital, Inc. ISBN 9780446408905.
- ↑ "World Wrestling Federation: The Music, Vol. 5". AllMusic. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
- ↑ "Our Lady Peace retires 'Whatever'". Examiner.com. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
- ↑ "List of CAC Award Winners". Cauliflower Alley Club. Archived from the original on March 24, 2016. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
- ↑ "CWA World Tag Team Title". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ↑ "ECW Tag Team Championship - Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko (February 25, 1995 - April 08, 1995)". WWE. Archived from the original on May 6, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ↑ "IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ↑ "Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 2004". Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ↑ "British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Title (Calgary Stampede)". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ↑ "Stampede International Tag Team Title". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ↑ "Stampede Wrestling Hall Of Fame". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
- ↑ "WWF World Light Heavyweight Title". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ↑ "United States Championship - Chris Benoit (August 09, 1999 - September 12, 1999)". WWE. Archived from the original on May 1, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ↑ "United States Championship - Chris Benoit (December 19, 1999 - December 20, 1999)". WWE. Archived from the original on April 30, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ↑ "WCW World Championship - Chris Benoit (January 16, 2000 - January 17, 2000)". WWE. Archived from the original on May 2, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ↑ "WCW World Tag Team Title". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ↑ "WCW World Television Title". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ↑ "World Heavyweight Championship - Chris Benoit (March 14, 2004 - August 15, 2004)". WWE. Archived from the original on January 1, 2016. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ↑ "WWE Tag Team Championships - Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit (October 20, 2002 - November 07, 2002)". WWE. Archived from the original on May 17, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ↑ "United States Championship - Chris Benoit (August 21, 2005 - October 21, 2005)". WWE. Archived from the original on April 30, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ↑ "United States Championship - Chris Benoit (February 19, 2006 - April 02, 2006)". WWE. Archived from the original on January 26, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ↑ "United States Championship - Chris Benoit (October 13, 2006 - May 20, 2007)". WWE. Archived from the original on February 3, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ↑ "Intercontinental Championship - Chris Benoit (April 02, 2000 - May 22, 2000)". WWE. Archived from the original on May 2, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ↑ "Intercontinental Championship - Chris Benoit (May 08, 2000 - June 20, 2000)". WWE. Archived from the original on December 12, 2013. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ↑ "Intercontinental Championship - Chris Benoit (December 10, 2000 - January 21, 2001)". WWE. Archived from the original on May 2, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ↑ "Intercontinental Championship - Chris Benoit (July 29, 2002 - August 26, 2002)". WWE. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ↑ "World Tag Team Championship - Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho (May 21, 2001 - June 21, 2001)". WWE. Archived from the original on December 27, 2013. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ↑ "World Tag Team Championship - Chris Benoit & Edge (April 19, 2004 - May 31, 2004)". WWE. Archived from the original on December 27, 2013. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ↑ "World Tag Team Championship - Chris Benoit & Edge (October 19, 2004 - November 01, 2004)". WWE. Archived from the original on March 19, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ↑ "Royal Rumble (2004): Full Event Results". WWE. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ↑ "NJPW Super J Cup '94". Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ↑ 45.0 45.1 "Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame, 2003". Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
Other websites
[change | change source] Media related to Chris Benoit at Wikimedia Commons
- 1967 births
- 2007 deaths
- Canadian criminals
- Canadian murderers
- Canadian professional wrestlers
- Former WWE wrestlers
- Murderers who committed suicide
- Murder-suicides in the United States
- Sportspeople from Edmonton
- Sportspeople from Montreal
- Sportspeople who committed suicide
- Suicides by hanging in the United States