Ringside Review: Benoit on top after a long career
The following story comes from TSN.Ca and the Canadian Press:
Riddled with nicks, scars and misaligned bones, Chris Benoit’s body tells the tale of a man bruised, but far from beaten.
For 18 years, the 36-year-old Edmonton native nicknamed “The Wolverine” has scrapped all over the globe, losing teeth and shattering vertebra along the way to becoming WWE’s heavyweight champion.
On April 18, his home town honored him by having “Chris Benoit Day” at City Hall. WWE fans were invited to attend the event, where he signed autographs following the ceremony.
Benoit is not known for his overwhelming size, magazine cover looks, or motormouth mic skills, but for his wrestling skills.
Chris says about himself: “I’m a very laid back, quite person. I’m not a big talker.” He said his “wrestling character and real character are a lot alike.”
At WrestleMania XX, Benoit’s career hit its pinnacle when he defeated Triple H and Shawn Michaels in a three-way match. It was the first time Benoit had won the heavyweight title, and only the third time a Canadian has done so in wrestling’s modern era. Bret Hart and Chris Jericho have won the title, also.
Benoit got into wrestling because after seeing the Andre the Giant, when he was 3 years old, he fell in love with the whole headlocks and dropkicks action. By the time he got to Stu Hart’s “Dungeon,” he had seen hundreds of tapes and live matches.
When Chris heard of fellow “Dungeon” wrestlers Davey Boy Smith’s death in May, 2002, he was on his way to an event in Macon, Ga. He said he pulled over and cried. Benoit said Smith was like a superhero to him.
Benoit has had only one career-threatening injury. In June, 2001, at a live pay-per-view, he shattered three vertebral discs when a suplex went wrong. He was out for a year.
His most recognized injury happened in Japan in the early 1990’s, when he was kicked in the mouth, giving him his toothless grin.
When he decides to give up wrestling in the ring, he wants to possibly train the next generation’s superstars.
• Steve Austin and the WWE have mutually agreed to part company for the second time in three years. It looks like this time it could be for good.
If it is, and that is a great big “if,” then his last match was WrestleMania XIX’s showdown with The Rock.
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