Chris Benoit

Chris Benoit (May 21, 1967 - June 25, 2007) was a Canadian wrestler. He was best known for his work in World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment.

Personal life
Benoit was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada to Michael and Margaret Benoit, but grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, from which he was billed in ring introductions throughout the bulk of his career. Benoit spoke both English and French fluently. In an interview with Larry King on CNN, Michael Benoit mentioned in passing that Chris had a sister living near Edmonton.

Benoit became good friends with wrestler Eddie Guerrero following a match in Japan, when Benoit utilized an Enzuigiri kick and knocked him out cold. This started a friendship that lasted until Guerrero's death in late 2005. He was also close friends with Dean Malenko as the trio traveled from promotion to promotion together putting on matches, eventually being dubbed the "Three Amigos" by commentators. According to Benoit, the Crippler Crossface was borrowed from Malenko and eventually caught on as Benoit's signature hold.

Benoit's lost tooth, his top-right lateral incisor, was usually attributed to training or an accident early on in his wrestling career. It actually resulted from an accident involving his pet Rottweiler: one day while playing with the dog, the animal's skull struck Benoit's chin and his tooth "popped out."

Benoit married twice, having two children by his first wife, Martina: David (born 1993) and Megan (born 1997). By 1997, that marriage had broken down and Benoit was living with Nancy Sullivan, the wife of WCW booker and frequent opponent Kevin Sullivan. On February 25, 2000, Chris and Nancy's son Daniel was born; on November 23, 2000, Chris married Nancy. It was Nancy's third marriage.

Death
On June 25, 2007, Benoit, his wife Nancy, and their 7-year-old son Daniel were found dead in their Fayetteville, Georgia, home at around 2:30 p.m. EDT. Lieutenant Tommy Pope of the Fayette County, Georgia Sheriff's Department reported to ABC News that police entered Benoit's home on a "welfare check" after several missed appointments, leading to concerns. Pope also stated the police were not searching for any suspects outside of the house, as the instruments of death were located at the scene of the crime. Detective Bo Turner of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department told television station WAGA-TV that the case was being treated as a murder-suicide. The station reported that investigators had discovered, and would eventually cite as an official ruling, that Benoit murdered his wife and son over the weekend and hanged himself sometime on Monday.

It was first reported to fans of WWE on their WWE Mobile Alerts Service and posted to their official website soon after. On their website, World Wrestling Entertainment released the following statement: “ 	World Wrestling Entertainment is deeply saddened to report that today Chris Benoit and his family were found dead in their home. There are no further details at this time, other than the Benoit family residence is currently being investigated by local authorities. Tonight’s Raw on USA Network will serve as a tribute to Chris Benoit and his family. WWE extends its sincerest thoughts and prayers to the Benoit family’s relatives and loved ones in this time of tragedy. ”

WWE canceled the scheduled three hour long live Raw show on June 25, and replaced the broadcast version with a tribute to his life and career, featuring his past matches, segments from the Hard Knocks: The Chris Benoit Story DVD, and comments from wrestlers and announcers. However, once the details of the events became apparent, WWE quickly and quietly began distancing itself from the wrestler by removing merchandise and no longer mentioning him.

Media accusations of steroid use and "roid-rage" quickly surfaced after the killings, prompting negative publicity against WWE and professional wrestling overall.Toxicology reports released on July 17, 2007 revealed that at their time of death, Nancy Benoit had three different drugs in her system: Xanax, hydrocodone, and hydromorphone, all of which were found at the therapeutic rather than toxic levels. Daniel Benoit was found to have Xanax in his system, which led the chief medical examiner, Kris Sperry, to believe that he was sedated before he was murdered. Chris Benoit was found to have Xanax, hydrocodone, and an elevated level of testosterone, caused by a synthetic form of testosterone, in his system. The chief medical examiner attributed the testosterone level to Benoit possibly being treated for a deficiency caused by previous steroid abuse. There was no indication that anything in Chris' body contributed to his violent behavior that led to the murder-suicide, concluding that there was no "roid-rage" involved.

On August 30, 2007, it was reported that Benoit had been given illegal steroids not in compliance with WWE's Talent Wellness Program in February 2006. Benoit received nandrolone and anastrozole. During the investigation, it was also revealed that Eddie Guerrero and Brian Adams had also been given steroids prior to their deaths, as well as former WWE superstar Sylvain Grenier‎ and eleven other WWE superstars, who were suspended in accordance with the WWE Talent Wellness program.

After the double-murder suicide, former wrestler Chris Nowinski contacted Michael Benoit, father of Chris Benoit, suggesting that years of trauma to his son's brain may have led to his actions. Tests were conducted on Benoit's brain by Julian Bailes, the head of neurosurgery at West Virginia University, and results showed that "Benoit's brain was so severely damaged it resembled the brain of an 85-year-old Alzheimer's patient." He was reported to have had an advanced form of dementia, similar to the brains of four retired NFL players who had suffered multiple concussions, sank into depression and harmed themselves or others. Bailes and his colleagues concluded that repeated concussions can lead to dementia, which can contribute to severe behavioral problems. Benoit's father suggests that brain damage may have been the leading cause of the crime. He also confirmed that his son was quietly cremated, but what was done with the ashes is not public knowledge.

Wrestling facts

 * Finishing and signature moves
 * Bridging dragon suplex – 1992–1998; Used as a regular move from 1998–2007
 * Crippler Crossface (Arm trap crossface)
 * Diving headbutt
 * "Wild Bomb" (high speed release powerbomb, sometimes from the top rope) – 1994–2002
 * Sharpshooter
 * Backhand chop
 * Backbreaker
 * Belly to belly shoulderbreaker – 2001–2003
 * Dragon screw
 * Elevated Boston crab with a knee to the back – 1993–1999
 * Enzuigiri
 * Figure four leglock
 * Forearm tackle
 * Lariat
 * Spinebuster – 1991–1994
 * Springboard clothesline – 1994–1998
 * Suicide dive
 * Kneeling belly to belly piledriver, sometimes from the second rope
 * Cloverleaf leg laced Boston crab
 * Multiple suplex variations
 * Diving leg drop – 1990–1994
 * Frankensteiner, sometimes from the top rope
 * Inverted STF
 * Military press slam – 1990–1992
 * Tilt–a–whirl backbreaker
 * Suplexes:
 * Belly to back, sometimes from the top rope
 * Bridging dragon
 * Bridging / Release German, sometimes done on the floor and apron
 * Bridging northern lights
 * Gutwrench, sometimes from the top rope
 * Hat Trick (Triple rolling Germans)
 * Inverted
 * Slingshot
 * Snap
 * Super
 * Three Amigos (Triple rolling verticals) – Used as a tribute to Eddie Guerrero


 * Nicknames
 * "The Rabid Wolverine"
 * "The Crippler"
 * "The Canadian Crippler"
 * "Toothless Aggression"


 * Tag teams and stables
 * Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho
 * Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko
 * Chris Benoit & Kurt Angle
 * Four Horsemen
 * The Radicalz
 * Revolution
 * Triple Threat


 * Managers And Valets
 * Arn Anderson
 * Shane Douglas
 * Shane McMahon
 * Woman
 * Ted DiBiase (During his WWF tryout matches in 1995)
 * Miss Elizabeth


 * Wrestlers trained
 * Ashe
 * Skye


 * Theme music


 * "Jump" by Van Halen (Japan)
 * "Woman from Tokyo" by Deep Purple (Japan)
 * "Back in the Saddle" by Aerosmith (ECW)
 * "Perfect Strangers" by Deep Purple (ECW) (He used this theme after joining the Triple Threat since it was Shane Douglas' theme. He and Malenko both came out to this theme and ECW even did a video package of Benoit using this theme.)
 * "Scattered" (WCW production theme)
 * "Replica B" (WCW production theme)
 * "Too Much Information" (WCW production theme)
 * "Shooter" from WWF The Music, Vol. 5 (WWF)
 * "Whatever" by Our Lady Peace from WWF Forceable Entry (WWE)

Championships and accomplishments
Catch Wrestling Association
 * CWA World Tag TeamChampionship (1 time) - with Dave Taylor

Extreme Championship Wrestling
 * ECW World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Dean Malenko


 * New Japan Pro Wrestling
 * IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion (1 time)
 * Super J Cup Winner (1994)
 * WWF Light Heavyweight Champion (1 time) (As Pegasus Kid)


 * Stampede Wrestling
 * STAMPEDE British Commonwealth Heavyweight Champion (4 times)
 * STAMPEDE International Tag Team Champion (4 times) - with Ben Bassarab (1), Keith Hart (1), Lance Idol (1), and Biff Wellington (1)


 * World Championship Wrestling
 * WCW World Heavyweight Champion (1 time)
 * WCW United States Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
 * WCW World Television Champion (3 times)
 * WCW World Tag Team Champion (2 times) - with Dean Malenko (1), and Perry Saturn (1)15benoitmalenko.jpg


 * World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment
 * World Heavyweight Champion (1 time)
 * WWF/E Intercontinental Champion (4 time)
 * WWE United States Champion (3 times)
 * WWF/E World Tag Team Champion (3 times) - with Chris Jericho (1) and Edge (2)
 * WWE Tag Team Champion (1 time) - with Kurt Angle
 * Royal Rumble 2004 winner

External links and references

 * Chris Benoit profile at CAGEMATCH.net