Chris Benoit

(Redirected from Chris Benoit double murder and suicide)

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 ECW in 1994. He would later go to WCW the next year. Within a year, he became a member of the Four Hoursemen (with Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, and Brian Pillman). He joined the WWF 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.[2] On June 24, 2007, Chris Benoit committed suicide by hanging after murdering his wife and son. Their dead bodies were found on June 25. Benoit's father, Michael Benoit, says that Benoit had brain damage.[3] 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.[4]

Chris Benoit
Ring name(s)Chris Benoit
Pegasus Kid
Wild Pegasus
Billed height5 ft. 10 in. (178 cm)
Billed weight234 lb. (106 kg)
Born(1967-05-21)May 21, 1967
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
DiedJune 24, 2007(2007-06-24) (aged 40)
Fayetteville, Georgia, U.S.[1]
Billed fromEdmonton, Alberta, Canada
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Trained byStu Hart, New Japan Dojo
DebutNovember 22 1985

In wrestling

 
Chris Benoit performing his Crippler Crossface on MVP
 
Chris Benoit performing his Diving headbutt on MVP at WrestleMania 23
 
Chris Benoit performing his sharpshooter on Chavo Guerrero

Championships

 
Benoit after winning the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania XX
  • Catch Wrestling Association
  • 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.[14]
    • He was ranked #69 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003.
  • Stampede Wrestling
    • Stampede British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Championship (four times)[15]
    • Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship (four times) (with Ben Bassarab (one), Keith Hart (one), Lance Idol (one), and Biff Wellington (one))[16]
    • Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame[17]
  • Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
    • 5-Star Match (1994) (vs. Great Sasuke at Super J Cup)[37]
    • 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[38]

1His reign with the championship is not officially recognized by the WWE. Reigns before December 1997 are not recognized 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.[38]

References

  1. "WWE wrestler Chris Benoit and family found dead". June 24, 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-25.
  2. "Chris Benoit". Puroresu Dojo.
  3. "Chris Benoit's Murder, Suicide: Was Brain Damage To Blame?". ABC News.
  4. Mueller, The Doctor Chris. "WWE Bans Blood, Chair Shots To Head, Sexiness, and Wrestling". Bleacher Report.
  5. "Rabid Rumble". WWE. Retrieved 2014-07-21.
  6. "SLAM! Wrestling: Quizzing the Canadian Crippler". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 2014-07-21.
  7. Jericho, Chris (2007). "38". A Lion's Tale: Around the World in Spandex. Hachette Digital, Inc. ISBN 9780446408905. {{cite book}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  8. "World Wrestling Federation: The Music, Vol. 5". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-07-21.
  9. "Our Lady Peace retires "Whatever"". Examiner.com. Retrieved 2014-07-21.
  10. "List of CAC Award Winners". Cauliflower Alley Club. Archived from the original on 2016-03-24. Retrieved 2014-05-30.
  11. "CWA World Tag Team Title". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved 2014-2-5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  12. "ECW Tag Team Championship - Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko (February 25, 1995 - April 08, 1995)". WWE. Retrieved 2014-2-5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  13. "IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved 2014-2-5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  14. "Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 2004". Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved 2014-2-5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  15. "British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Title (Calgary Stampede)". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved 2014-2-5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  16. "Stampede International Tag Team Title". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved 2014-2-5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  17. "Stampede Wrestling Hall Of Fame". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved 2014-05-30.
  18. "WWF World Light Heavyweight Title". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved 2014-2-5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  19. "United States Championship - Chris Benoit (August 09, 1999 - September 12, 1999)". WWE. Retrieved 2014-2-5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  20. "United States Championship - Chris Benoit (December 19, 1999 - December 20, 1999)". WWE. Retrieved 2014-2-5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  21. "WCW World Championship - Chris Benoit (January 16, 2000 - January 17, 2000)". WWE. Retrieved 2014-2-5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  22. "WCW World Tag Team Title". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved 2014-2-5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  23. "WCW World Television Title". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved 2014-2-5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  24. "World Heavyweight Championship - Chris Benoit (March 14, 2004 - August 15, 2004)". WWE. Retrieved 2014-2-5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  25. "WWE Tag Team Championships - Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit (October 20, 2002 - November 07, 2002)". WWE. Archived from the original on May 17, 2012. Retrieved 2014-2-5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  26. "United States Championship - Chris Benoit (August 21, 2005 - October 21, 2005)". WWE. Retrieved 2014-2-5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  27. "United States Championship - Chris Benoit (February 19, 2006 - April 02, 2006)". WWE. Retrieved 2014-2-5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  28. "United States Championship - Chris Benoit (October 13, 2006 - May 20, 2007)". WWE. Retrieved 2014-2-5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  29. "Intercontinental Championship - Chris Benoit (April 02, 2000 - May 22, 2000)". WWE. Retrieved 2014-2-5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  30. "Intercontinental Championship - Chris Benoit (May 08, 2000 - June 20, 2000)". WWE. Retrieved 2014-2-5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  31. "Intercontinental Championship - Chris Benoit (December 10, 2000 - January 21, 2001)". WWE. Retrieved 2014-2-5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  32. "Intercontinental Championship - Chris Benoit (July 29, 2002 - August 26, 2002)". WWE. Retrieved 2014-2-5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  33. "World Tag Team Championship - Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho (May 21, 2001 - June 21, 2001)". WWE. Retrieved 2014-2-5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  34. "World Tag Team Championship - Chris Benoit & Edge (April 19, 2004 - May 31, 2004)". WWE. Retrieved 2014-2-5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  35. "World Tag Team Championship - Chris Benoit & Edge (October 19, 2004 - November 01, 2004)". WWE. Retrieved 2014-2-5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  36. "Royal Rumble (2004): Full Event Results". WWE. Retrieved 2014-2-5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  37. "NJPW Super J Cup '94". Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved 2014-2-5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  38. 38.0 38.1 "Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame, 2003". Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved 2013-11-7. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)

Other websites

  Media related to Chris Benoit at Wikimedia Commons