Chris Benoit

name=Chris Benoit

Career

Early days in Canada and Japan

Chris began his career in 1986 in Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling promotion. He won several International Tag Team titles there, and had an excellent series of singles matches with Johnny Smith, before Stampede's demise in 1989, and at that point he departed for New Japan Pro Wrestling under the name and mask of The Pegasus Kid, later simply Wild Pegasus. While with NJPW, he came into his own as a performer in matches with luminaries like Jushin Liger, Shinjiro Ohtani, Black Tiger (Eddie Guerrero), and El Samurai. In 1991, he won the IWGP Junior Heavyweight title, his first major championship. He would go on to win the Super J Cup tournament in 1994, which, to this day, is considered one of the best wrestling cards of all time, solidifying his status as one of the foremost junior heavyweights in the world.

Related Topics:
1986 - Promotion - 1989 - New Japan Pro Wrestling - Pegasus - Jushin Liger - Shinjiro Ohtani - Eddie Guerrero - 1991 - Super J Cup tournament - 1994

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Extreme Championship Wrestling

Upon his permanent return to the U.S. in 1995, he signed with Extreme Championship Wrestling. In his brief time with ECW Chris dropped his Pegasus gimmick for The Crippler, a reference to a match in which he accidentally broke the neck of Sabu. Later, he and Dean Malenko won the ECW Tag Team Titles and created enough excitement to attract the attention of the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling. After being unable to obtain a proper work visa to compete for ECW and being told flat out that as a WWF competitor he would not be able to work in Japan, Benoit decided that he would return to Japan instead of wrestling in the US until learning about the New Japan/WCW talent exchange. This lead to Benoit signing with WCW in late 1995.

Related Topics:
U.S. - 1995 - Extreme Championship Wrestling - Gimmick - Sabu - Dean Malenko - ECW Tag Team Titles - World Wrestling Federation - World Championship Wrestling - Japan

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World Championship Wrestling

Benoit's time in WCW was defined by highs and lows. He quickly was made a member of the reformed Four Horsemen in 1996, alongside Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, and Brian Pillman. A strikingly real feud with Kevin Sullivan (due to the fact that Benoit was having a real affair with Sullivan's wife, Woman) and several matches on the hunt for the U.S. Title highlighted much of 1996, but with the rise of the New World Order storylines in the middle of that year, Benoit struggled to keep himself in the public eye. Many of his fans began to perceive a lack of respect for his abilities from the higher-ups, and indeed for a short time he was promoted as "the best wrestler to never win a WCW title." Throughout this time, however, he continued to put on outstanding matches, as bouts with Diamond Dallas Page and Raven in early 1998, and the WCW World Television Title Best of Seven series with Booker T in mid-year proved. However, he remained firmly in the midcard, without a very visible chance to elevate himself.

Related Topics:
Four Horsemen - 1996 - Ric Flair - Arn Anderson - Brian Pillman - Feud - Kevin Sullivan - Woman - New World Order - Storylines - Diamond Dallas Page - Raven - 1998 - WCW World Television Title - Booker T

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In 1999, he resumed teaming with new Horseman and former ECW partner Dean Malenko, and a series of WCW Tag Team Champion matches with Raven and Perry Saturn were among the best of the year. Benoit and Malenko defeated Curt Hennig and Barry Windham to win the WCW Tag Team Championship, and later in 1999 he would win the United States title as well. He formed the "Revolution" team with Malenko, Saturn, and Shane Douglas around this time, highlighting his disgruntledness with WCW management. From here, a last-ditch effort to raise his stakes was made, and by late 1999, he was facing Bret Hart on several occasions. One was their tribute match to Owen Hart in October 1999, in Kansas City where Owen had died. In November, he wrestled Bret in Toronto, Ontario in the finals of a World Heavyweight title tournament. He lost that match, and by January 2000, WCW had made their last try at keeping him, giving him the WCW World Heavyweight Title in a victory over Sid Vicious. However, Benoit forfeited the title the next day when he decided to depart for the World Wrestling Federation, with Guerrero, Saturn, and Malenko, to protest the promotion of Kevin Sullivan as head booker.

Related Topics:
1999 - Perry Saturn - Curt Hennig - Barry Windham - United States title - Shane Douglas - Owen Hart - October - Kansas City - Toronto - Ontario - January 2000 - WCW World Heavyweight Title - Sid Vicious - World Wrestling Federation

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WWF/WWE

Two weeks after being granted their release from WCW, Benoit, Malenko, Saturn and Guerrero made their WWF TV debuts on Raw, coming out of the crowd to attack the New Age Outlaws. They were dubbed The Radicalz. After the group turned heel, Benoit was quickly put into a feud with Chris Jericho and Kurt Angle, and in April 2000 he won his first championship in the WWF, the Intercontinental Title. The Jericho feud and a high-profile feud with The Rock (who was the WWF Champion at the time) filled out the remainder of 2000. In fact, Benoit "won" the WWF title twice during 2000, but both times the decision was reversed and the match restarted due to Benoit's cheating. He would later turn face and team with Jericho to win the WWF Tag Team Titles in early 2001. A neck injury meant spinal fusion surgery and sidelined Benoit for most of 2002.

Related Topics:
New Age Outlaws - The Radicalz - April 2000 - Intercontinental Title - The Rock - WWF Tag Team Titles - 2001 - 2002

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During the first WWE Draft he was picked by McMahon to be part of the new Smackdown roster, although still on the injured list. However, when he returned, he did so as a member of the Raw roster. He, and Eddie Guerrero, were then moved to Smackdown during a storyline "open season" on wrestler contracts, with Benoit bringing his newly won Intercontinental championship with him briefly before Rob Van Dam exercised his rematch clause and returned the title to Raw.

Related Topics:
WWE Draft - Rob Van Dam

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After returning to Smackdown, he was crowned the first winner of the WWE Tag Team Titles, alongside foe and partner Kurt Angle, in October. They both turned face again by betraying Los Guerreros. Angle won his third WWE Championship from the Big Show, and Benoit faced him for the title at the 2003 Royal Rumble, in what many called the match of the year. Benoit would go on that year to feud with A-Train, Eddie Guerrero and Rhyno for the U.S. title, as well as unsuccessfully challenge Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship that December.

Related Topics:
WWE Tag Team Titles - Kurt Angle - 2003 - Royal Rumble

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On January 25, 2004, Benoit won the 2004 Royal Rumble and put himself in line for a title shot at WrestleMania XX. As a result of the long-standing Royal Rumble tradition that the winner receives a shot at the world champion at WrestleMania, and the fact that there were effectively two world champions due to the brand split, Benoit exploited a so-called "loophole" in the rules and challenged the World Heavyweight Champion Triple H instead of the WWE Champion Brock Lesnar. It is also notable that since then, this "loophole" clause has become standard storyline practice, with the Royal Rumble winner being free to choose which title he will challenge for.

Related Topics:
January 25 - 2004 - 2004 Royal Rumble - WrestleMania XX - WrestleMania - World Heavyweight Champion - Triple H - Brock Lesnar

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It was originally intended to be a one-on-one match at Wrestlemania, however, Shawn Michaels, whose Last Man Standing match against Triple H at the Royal Rumble for the World Heavyweight Championship ended in a draw, thought that he deserved the main event. So, when it was time for Benoit to sign the contract putting him in the main event, Michaels kicked him in the head and signed his name on the contract, which eventually resulted in a Triple Threat Match between Michaels, Benoit, and Triple H, who at the time held the championship.

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On Sunday, March 14, 2004, at Wrestlemania XX, in what could be considered the greatest moment in Benoit's life, won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, forcing Triple H to tap out using his signature move, the Crippler Crossface. An emotional Benoit celebrated his win, and less than a minute after winning the main event at Wrestlemania, his friend Eddie Guerrero, the reigning WWE Champion, joined him. The two of them came to the WWE together, and on that day, they were standing in the ring at Madison Square Garden, both of them world champions.

Related Topics:
Sunday - March 14 - Eddie Guerrero - WWE Champion - Madison Square Garden

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This was to the surprise of many wrestling insiders, who predicted Triple H to retain the title and Benoit to win it the following month at Backlash, which was to be held in Benoit's hometown of Edmonton. Besides the single day reign as WCW World Heavyweight Champion, this was Benoit's first real World Heavyweight Title reign in any promotion. The triple threat match was hailed by many observers as one of the year's best. The rematch was held at Backlash, and Benoit once again came out the winner, except this time it was Shawn Michaels who tapped out, to the Sharpshooter.

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On August 15, 2004, Chris Benoit was defeated by Randy Orton for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at the SummerSlam PPV. His reign lasted 5 months and was a major part of his 7 straight PPV victories. He had successful, high-profile defenses against Triple H, Michaels, and Kane, among others. Later, Benoit participated in the Elimination Chamber at New Year's Revolution on January 9, 2005. He would then reunite with old partner Chris Jericho, making a few attempts at capturing the World Tag Titles. The two separated after the team failed to capture the gold from then-champions La Resistance.

Related Topics:
August 15 - Randy Orton - SummerSlam - PPV - Kane - Elimination Chamber - New Year's Revolution - January 9 - 2005 - Chris Jericho - World Tag Titles - La Resistance

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Benoit participated in a Money in the Bank ladder match for a title shot at the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania 21 on April 3, 2005, which was won by Edge. The other participants were Chris Jericho, Kane, Shelton Benjamin, Christian.

Related Topics:
Wrestlemania 21 - April 3 - Edge - Chris Jericho - Kane - Shelton Benjamin - Christian

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Benoit appeared at ECW One Night Stand, defeating Eddie Guerrero, and on June 9, 2005, returned to SmackDown! after being selected in the 2005 WWE Draft Lottery. As a result, Benoit will have been a member of the Raw roster on two separate occasions, and a member of the Smackdown roster on three.

Related Topics:
ECW One Night Stand - June 9 - 2005

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On July 24, 2005 at The Great American Bash in Buffalo, New York, Benoit failed to win the WWE United States Championship from Orlando Jordan when Jordan forced Benoit's head into the exposed turnbuckle, stunning him and allowing Jordan to get the pin.

Related Topics:
July 24 - 2005 - The Great American Bash - Buffalo, New York - WWE United States Championship - Orlando Jordan

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Benoit faced Orlando Jordan in a rematch for Jordan's United States Championship at SummerSlam 2005 on August 21 in Washington, DC at the MCI Center. Benoit defeated Jordan in 25 seconds with the Crippler Crossface to win the title. On the following Smackdown, Jordan challenged him again, only to tap out in 23.4 seconds. Jordan tried again on the following Smackdown, tapping out this time at 22.5 seconds.

Related Topics:
SummerSlam 2005 - August 21 - Washington, DC - MCI Center

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The next week on Smackdown!, Chris Benoit was scheduled to have a match against Christian but due to interference by Booker T and Orlando Jordan it was turned into a tag team match. Booker teamed with Benoit but they lost when Christian pinned Benoit after his Unprettier finisher.

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Benoit would eventually have another match with Jordan. This time Jordan purposely wasted time and stalled until the match went past 25 seconds. However, once he got back in the ring Benoit applied the Crossface and Jordan instantly tapped out in 49.8 secs.

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He is set to defend his U.S championship against Christian, Booker T, and Orlando Jordan in a fatal 4 way at No Mercy.

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Benoit was also set to be a part of the Smackdown match at WWE Homecoming, however Eric Bischoff canceled the match and ordered the Smackdown superstars to leave the building. They would return later that night and have a massive brawl with the RAW superstars. Chris is expected to play a major part in the RAW vs. Smackdown! fued.

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