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Now, instead of being the sole-challenger to ], Benoit is now involved in a Triple Threat match with ] and ] at ], that is due to take place on ], ], ]. | Now, instead of being the sole-challenger to ], Benoit is now involved in a Triple Threat match with ] and ] at ], that is due to take place on ], ], ]. | ||
==Title History== | |||
''Canadian Wrestling'' | |||
:], ] – ''Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Title'' | |||
:Defeated ] & ] with ] – ], ] | |||
:Lost to ] & ] on ], ] | |||
:], ] - ''Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Title'' (2) | |||
:Defeated ] & ] with ] – ], ] | |||
:Lost to ] & ] on ], ] | |||
:], ] - ''British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Title'' | |||
:Defeated ] – ], ] | |||
:Lost to ] on ], ] | |||
:], ] - ''British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Title'' (2) | |||
:Defeated ] – ], ] | |||
:Lost to ] on ], ] | |||
:], ] - ''Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Title'' (3) | |||
:Defeated ] with ] – ], ] | |||
:Lost to ] on ], ] | |||
:], ] - ''British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Title'' (3) | |||
:Defeated ] – ], ] | |||
:Lost to ] on ], ] | |||
:], ] - ''Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Title'' (4) | |||
:Defeated ] and ] with ] – ], ] | |||
:Lost to ] and ] on ], ] | |||
:], ] - ''British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Title'' (4) | |||
:Defeated ] – ], ] | |||
:Lost to ] on ], ] | |||
''New Japan Wrestling'' | |||
:], ] - ''International Wrestling Grand Prix Junior Heavyweight Title'' | |||
:Defeated ] – ] | |||
:Lost to ] on ], ] | |||
''Extreme Championship Wrestling'' | |||
:], ] - ''World Tag Team Title'' | |||
:Defeated ] and ] with ] – ], ] | |||
:Lost to ] on ], ] | |||
:NOTE: The losing match was a triangle match against ] and ] and ]. | |||
''World Championship Wrestling'' | |||
:], ] - ''World Television Title'' | |||
:Defeated ] – ], ] | |||
:Lost to ] on ], ] | |||
:], ] - ''World Television Title'' (2) | |||
:Defeated ] – ], ] | |||
:Lost to ] on ], ] | |||
:], ] - ''World Tag Team Title'' | |||
:Defeated ] and ] – ], ] | |||
:Lost to ] and ] on ], ] | |||
:], ] - ''World Tag Team Title'' (2) | |||
:Defeated ] and ] – ], ] | |||
:Lost to ] on ], ] | |||
:Note: The ] were ], ], and ] | |||
:], ] - ''US Heavyweight Title'' | |||
:Defeated ] – ], ] | |||
:Lost to ] on ], ] | |||
:], ] - ''World Television Title'' (3) | |||
:Defeated ] – ], ] | |||
:Lost to ] on ], ] | |||
:], ] - ''US Heavyweight Title'' (2) | |||
:Defeated ] – ] | |||
:Lost to ] on ], ] | |||
:], ] – ''World Heavyweight Title'' | |||
:Defeated ] – ], ] | |||
:Vacates the title the next day (], ]) | |||
''World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment'' | |||
:], ] – ''WWF World Tag Team Title'' | |||
:Defeated ] and ] with ] – ], ] | |||
:Lost to ] on ], ] | |||
:], ] – ''WWE (]) Tag Team Title'' | |||
:Defeated ] and ] to win tournament final with ] – ], ] | |||
:Lost to ] and ] on ], ] |
Revision as of 01:55, 12 March 2004
Chris Benoit (born May 21, 1967) is a Canadian professional wrestler originally from Calgary, Alberta. He is widely known as one of the most technically proficient and skilled athletes in the pro wrestling world today. He trained under Stu Hart in his "Dungeon" and became one of the many stars to emerge from Stu's watch, alongside notables like Bret and Owen Hart, Davey Boy Smith, Lance Storm, Chris Jericho, and others. He is known by well-earned nicknames such as "The Canadian Crippler" and "The Wolverine."
Chris began his career in the mid-1980's in Stu's Stampede Wrestling promotion. He won several International Tag Team titles there 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 light heavyweights in the world.
Upon his permanent return to the U.S. in 1995, he signed with Extreme Championship Wrestling. In his brief time with ECW, he and Dean Malenko won the ECW World Tag Team titles and created enough excitement to attract the attention of World Championship Wrestling, where Chris signed in late 1995.
His 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 and several matches on the hunt for the US 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, he continued to put on outstanding matches, as the issue with Diamond Dallas Page and Raven in early 1998 and the World Television title series with Booker T in mid-year proved. However, he remained firmly kept in the midcard, without a very visible chance to elevate himself.
In 1999, he began teaming with new Horseman Dean Malenko, and a series of World Tag Team title matches with Raven and Perry Saturn were among the best of the year. This gave Chris his first WCW title, and later in 1999 he would win the United States title as well. He formed the "Revolution" team with Malenko, Guerrero 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 of 1999, in Kansas City where Owen had died. In November, he wrestled Bret in Toronto in the finals of a World Heavyweight title tournament. He lost that match, though by January of 2000, WCW had made their last try at keeping him, giving him the World title in a victory over Sid Vicious. However, he vacated the title the next day and departed for the World Wrestling Federation.
Chris signed with the WWF alongside Malenko, Saturn, and Guerrero, and they were introduced as "The Radicals." He was quickly put into a feud with Chris Jericho, and in April of 2000 he won his first WWF title, the Intercontinental title. He would later team with Jericho to win the World Tag Team titles in 2001. He has had many more quality matches since joining the WWE, including his Intercontinental title battles with Jericho and Kurt Angle, and a renewal of his series with Malenko and Guerrero, but seems to be encountering much the same problem he was in WCW. Even after an initial push, Benoit still finds himself being underutilized by management.
On January 25, 2004, Chris Benoit won the 2004 Royal Rumble and put himself in line for a title shot at Wrestlemania XX. And now using what the WWE is calling a "loophole" in the Royal Rumble rules, Benoit has moved to Monday Night RAW to challenge the then-current RAW champion, Triple H.
Now, instead of being the sole-challenger to Triple H, Benoit is now involved in a Triple Threat match with Triple H and Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania XX, that is due to take place on Sunday, March 14, 2004.
Title History
Canadian Wrestling
- March 1, 1986 – Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Title
- Defeated Wayne Farris & Ron Starr with Ben Bassarab – Regina, SK
- Lost to Wayne Farris & Cuban Assassin on March 21, 1986
- May 5, 1986 - Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Title (2)
- Defeated Wayne Farris & Cuban Assassin with Keith Hart – Calgary, AB
- Lost to Duke Myers & Kerry Brown on June 6, 1986
- March 18, 1988 - British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Title
- Defeated Gama Singh – Calgary, AB
- Lost to Johnny Smith on June 10, 1988
- June 17, 1988 - British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Title (2)
- Defeated Johnny Smith – Calgary, AB
- Lost to Johnny Smith on June 24, 1988
- October 7, 1988 - Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Title (3)
- Defeated Cuban Commandos with Lance Idol – Calgary, AB
- Lost to Cuban Commandos on October 28, 1988
- January 13, 1989 - British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Title (3)
- Defeated Johnny Smith – Calgary, AB
- Lost to Johnny Smith on July 7, 1989
- April 8, 1989 - Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Title (4)
- Defeated Makhan Singh and Vokkan Singh with Biff Wellington – Calgary, AB
- Lost to Bob Brown and Kerry Brown on June 9, 1989
- July 8, 1989 - British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Title (4)
- Defeated Johnny Smith – Grand Prairie, AB
- Lost to Gama Sigh on July 7, 1989
New Japan Wrestling
- August 19, 1990 - International Wrestling Grand Prix Junior Heavyweight Title
- Defeated Jushin Thunder Liger – Toyko
- Lost to Jushin Thunder Liger on November 1, 1990
Extreme Championship Wrestling
- February 25, 1995 - World Tag Team Title
- Defeated Sabu and Tazmaniac with Dean Malenko – Philadeplhia, PA
- Lost to Public Enemy on April 8, 1995
- NOTE: The losing match was a triangle match against Taz and Rick Steiner and Public Enemy.
World Championship Wrestling
- April 30, 1998 - World Television Title
- Defeated Booker T – Augusta, GA
- Lost to Booker T on May 1, 1998
- May 2, 1998 - World Television Title (2)
- Defeated Booker T – Charleston, SC
- Lost to Booker T on May 3, 1998
- March 14, 1999 - World Tag Team Title
- Defeated Barry Windham and Curt Hennig – Louisville, KY
- Lost to Rey Misterio Jr. and Billy Kidman on March 29, 1999
- June 10, 1999 - World Tag Team Title (2)
- Defeated Diamond Dallas Page and Kanyon – Syracuse, NY
- Lost to New Jersey Triad on June 13, 1999
- Note: The New Jersey Triad were Diamond Dallas Page, Bam Bam Bigelow, and Kanyon
- August 9, 1999 - US Heavyweight Title
- Defeated David Flair – Nampa, ID
- Lost to Sid Vicious on September 12, 1999
- September 13, 1999 - World Television Title (3)
- Defeated Rick Steiner – Chapel Hill, NC
- Lost to Rick Steiner on October 24, 1999
- December 19, 1999 - US Heavyweight Title (2)
- Defeated Jeff Jerrett – Washington, DC
- Lost to Jeff Jarrett on December 20, 1999
- January 16, 2000 – World Heavyweight Title
- Defeated Sid Vicious – Cincinnati, OH
- Vacates the title the next day (January 17, 2000)
World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment
- May 21, 2001 – WWF World Tag Team Title
- Defeated Steve Austin and Triple H with Chris Jericho – San Jose, CA
- Lost to The Dudley Boys on June 19, 2001
- October 20, 2002 – WWE (Smackdown!) Tag Team Title
- Defeated Edge and Rey Misterio Jr. to win tournament final with Kurt Angle – Little Rock, AR
- Lost to Edge and Rey Misterio Jr. on November 5, 2002