WWE: The tragedy of Chris Benoit 8 years later

Chris Benoit was inspired by The Dynamite Kid, Tom Billington, and he emulated Tom, thus following in his footsteps. Benoit took a lot of moves from Kid’s arsenal, and soon, just like Dynamite, Chris became a top notch wrestler, in a world where the performers would rather become ‘superstars’.

Chris Benoit was all about respect, for himself and for the business. He was liked by everyone, and he became hugely popular among the wrestling fans due to his technical prowess and expertise. Soon, he was billed as a wrestling protégé, and was labelled as the greatest professional wrestler in the history of the industry. Benoit travelled all over the world, honing his craft and showcasing his talents to the wrestling fans. But in ’07, all of that didn’t matter, as Benoit became the real ‘He who should not be named’ in professional wrestling. Although the fans and his peers talk about him under their breath, a celebrated wrestler became a monster.

Chris Benoit was one of the few ‘stiff’ workers in the business, those who’d rather take blows than to make professional wrestling look ‘fake’. Benoit respected the business more than anyone else, and hence, put his body on the line every day, working his way through pain and heavy schedule. When his closest friend, Eddie Guerrero passed away in ’05, Benoit took some time off to reflect on his career and himself. Chris suffered many injuries in his career, and due to the Swandive headbutt he copied from Dynamite Kid, he suffered head trauma, but he still kept going. Little did he know the impact it would have on his brain, as an autopsy after his death proved that his brain resembled that of an 85-year-old Alzheimer patient’s, which is a disturbing insight into a man’s suffering for the sake of the audience. Many people have broken ‘kayfabe’, amusing themselves and the fans, but Benoit was an old-school performer who believed in making it look real. In the end, that cost him his life, his career and his family.

Benoit’s 2004 post WrestleMania celebration with Eddie Guerrero is etched in the minds of those who were fortunate enough to see it live. After 3 years, Benoit took his own life, as well as his wife’s and his son’s, and although we will never know what actually happened, the 24th of June will always be remembered in a dark light by the wrestling fans and the performers.

I remember waking up to the horrific news, and to this day, I still can’t get over what had happened. Chris Benoit was one of my all time favourite wrestlers, and although he isn’t remembered by the wrestling fraternity any more, I choose to remember his accomplishments inside the ring, which made him the best in the world, and as a genuine, good human being that all of us knew, loved and respected. Daniel Benoit was known to be a quiet, polite child, while Nancy was liked by everyone. Today, like every year, will be a hard pill to swallow for me and every other wrestling fan, who ever grew up watching Benoit idolizing him.