Chris Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler known for his technical wrestling ability and intense in-ring style. He achieved significant success in promotions like WWE, WCW, and ECW, winning multiple championships. However, his legacy is overshadowed by the tragic double murder-suicide in 2007, where he killed his wife and son before taking his own life. This event led to widespread condemnation and scrutiny of the wrestling industry's effects on mental health and the long-term impact of head injuries.
On May 21, 1967, Christopher Michael Benoit was born. He later became a Canadian professional wrestler.
On November 22, 1985, Chris Benoit had his debut match in Calgary, Alberta, teaming with "The Remarkable" Rick Patterson, and won against Butch Moffat and Mike Hammer.
In 1986, Chris Benoit made his Japanese debut in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) under his real name.
On March 18, 1988, Chris Benoit won his first title, the Stampede British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Championship, defeating Gama Singh.
In 1989, Chris Benoit started wearing a mask and assumed the name The Pegasus Kid in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).
In August 1990, Chris Benoit won his first major championship, the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, from Jushin Thunder Liger.
In November 1990, Chris Benoit lost the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship back to Jushin Thunder Liger.
In November 1991, Chris Benoit lost his mask again, this time in Mexico, which led to him reinventing himself as Wild Pegasus.
In June 1992, Chris Benoit debuted in World Championship Wrestling (WCW), teaming with Biff Wellington for the NWA World Tag Team Championship tournament, but they were defeated in the first round.
In January 1993, Chris Benoit returned to WCW at Clash of the Champions XXII, defeating Brad Armstrong.
In 1993, Chris Benoit won the Best of the Super Juniors tournament for the first time.
In August 1994, Chris Benoit began working with Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) in between tours of Japan, participating in a tournament for the vacant NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
Chris Benoit competed in the 1994 edition of Super J-Cup
In 1994, Chris Benoit won the inaugural Super J-Cup tournament, defeating Black Tiger, Gedo, and The Great Sasuke in the finals.
In 1994, Chris Benoit worked in Australia and CMLL in Mexico, and for NWA New Jersey where he defeated Jerry Lawler, and fought Terry Funk to a double count out.
In February 1995, Chris Benoit and Dean Malenko won the ECW World Tag Team Championship from Sabu and The Tazmaniac at Return of the Funker and became part of the Triple Threat stable.
In June 1995, while under contract with ECW, Chris Benoit worked in three dark matches in WWF, losing to Bob Holly, Adam Bomb and Owen Hart.
In August 1995, Chris Benoit was forced to leave ECW due to his work visa expiring, leading him to tour Japan until WCW called.
In October 1995, after his time in ECW, Chris Benoit returned to WCW, and his ring name was modified to "Canadian Crippler Chris Benoit."
In 1995, Chris Benoit was approached by Ric Flair to join the reformed Four Horsemen in WCW, adopting a gruff, no-nonsense heel persona. He then became involved in a controversial storyline with Kevin Sullivan and Nancy.
In 1995, Chris Benoit was inducted into the Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame, recognizing his contributions to the sport.
In 1995, Chris Benoit won the Best of the Super Juniors tournament for the second time.
In late 1995, Chris Benoit signed with WCW as part of a "talent exchange" program between New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and WCW.
In 1997, Chris Benoit was living with Nancy Sullivan, the wife of the WCW booker and frequent opponent Kevin Sullivan.
In 1998, Chris Benoit engaged in a long feud with Booker T over the WCW World Television Championship, which elevated both men's careers as singles competitors.
In October 1999, on Nitro in Kansas City, Missouri, Chris Benoit wrestled Bret Hart as a tribute to Bret's brother Owen Hart, who had recently died due to an equipment malfunction. Hart defeated Benoit by submission, and the two received a standing ovation and an embrace from guest ring announcer Harley Race.
In 1999, Chris Benoit teamed with Dean Malenko to win the WCW World Tag Team Championship, leading to a reformation of the Four Horsemen with Anderson and Steve "Mongo" McMichael.
In January 2000, Benoit won the vacant WCW World Heavyweight Championship by defeating Sid Vicious at Souled Out. The next day, due to disagreements with management and to protest the promotion of Kevin Sullivan to head booker, Benoit left WCW with Eddie Guerrero, Dean Malenko, and Perry Saturn, forfeiting the title.
On February 25, 2000, Chris and Nancy Benoit's son Daniel was born.
At WrestleMania 2000 on April 2, Chris Benoit pinned Chris Jericho in a triple threat match to win Kurt Angle's Intercontinental Championship.
On November 23, 2000, Chris Benoit and Nancy Sullivan married.
In January 2001, Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho's feud culminated in Jericho defeating Benoit in a ladder match at Royal Rumble.
On January 21, 2001, Chris Jericho defeated Chris Benoit in a ladder match at Royal Rumble. Benoit had previously won the title three times between April 2000 and January 2001.
In early 2001, Chris Benoit broke away from The Radicalz and turned face, feuding with his former stablemates and then with Kurt Angle.
On January 19, 2003, at Royal Rumble, Chris Benoit failed to win the WWE Championship from Kurt Angle.
In 2003, Chris Benoit was inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame, honoring his wrestling career.
In 2003, Nancy filed for divorce from Chris Benoit, citing the marriage as irrevocably broken and alleging cruel treatment. She later dropped the suit as well as the restraining order she had filed.
On January 1, 2004, on SmackDown!, Chris Benoit and John Cena defeated FBI in a handicap match to qualify for the Royal Rumble match. Benoit was named as the number one entrant.
In March 2004, Chris Benoit achieved a significant career milestone by headlining WrestleMania XX and winning the World Heavyweight Championship in a triple threat match.
On January 9, 2005, Chris Benoit competed in the Elimination Chamber match for the World Heavyweight Championship at New Year's Revolution, but lost.
After Eddie Guerrero died in November 2005, Chris Benoit acquired a diary in which he wrote grief-stricken personal entries to a deceased Guerrero as a coping mechanism.
In 2005, Chris Benoit was drafted to the SmackDown! brand after being the first man selected by SmackDown! in the 2005 Draft Lottery and participated in an ECW-style revolution against the SmackDown! heels.
On the January 6, 2006 episode of SmackDown!, Chris Benoit defeated Randy Orton by disqualification in the sixth match of the "Best of Seven" series, due to Booker T, Sharmell and Jordan interference awarding Booker T the United States Championship.
In February 2006, Chris Benoit was illegally given medications, including nandrolone (an anabolic steroid) and anastrozole (a breast cancer medication used for antiestrogenic effects), which were not in compliance with WWE's Talent Wellness Program. The investigation into this matter revealed that other wrestlers had also been given steroids.
On the January 19, 2007 episode of SmackDown!, Chris Benoit successfully defended the United States title against Chavo Guerrero in a no disqualification match.
On June 22, 2007, Chris Benoit murdered his wife in their residence, initiating a tragic three-day double-murder and suicide.
On June 24, 2007, Chris Benoit died in a double-murder suicide after killing his wife and son.
On June 25, 2007, police discovered the bodies of Chris Benoit, his wife Nancy, and their 7-year-old son Daniel in their home in Fayetteville, Georgia. Chris Benoit was determined to have committed the murders before committing suicide.
On July 17, 2007, toxicology reports revealed the substances in the systems of Chris Benoit, his wife Nancy, and their son Daniel at the time of their deaths. Nancy had Xanax, hydrocodone, and hydromorphone, while Daniel had Xanax, suggesting sedation before his death. Benoit had Xanax, hydrocodone, and elevated testosterone, possibly due to treatment for a deficiency or previous steroid abuse. The report concluded that "roid-rage" was not a factor in Benoit's violent behavior.
In 2007, on the June 11 episode of Raw, Chris Benoit was drafted to the ECW brand as part of the 2007 WWE draft after losing to ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley.
In 2008, after the murders, Benoit's induction into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame was put to a re-vote to determine if he should remain a member. The votes did not reach the threshold to remove Benoit.
In 2017, former WWE rival Kurt Angle said in an interview that Chris Benoit "has got to be in the top three of all time."
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