Chris Benoit: Discuss

[Lady Redfield]

We all know the story, we all know he will never be in the HoF, etc.

I am wondering if what happened changed your opinion on him as a wrestler. I separate wrestler from real life human being. He's a sack of shit for what he did (I think everyone can agree on that), but, he was one of the best technical wrestlers in the ring, and his outside life doesn't impact that opinion. I think he would definitely have been a hall of famer. I still enjoy his in ring work, he put on some great matches, just a sad situation in the end. There's a lot of people who dismiss him altogether, and the WWE pretty much does (though they did start supplying content with him in it over the years). I understand the disassociation with him, that's obvious, it's just too bad his accomplishments will never be rewarded in a lifetime because of that ugly day.

I hope this discussion is allowed, I know there are some places that don't allow it because people get stupid about it (out of hand), but, this place has always seemed pretty content on having mature conversations about controversial topics.

 

[Leon TrotSky]

Maybe when enough time has passed (decades) they can just slot him quietly in to the Classic wing so they don't have to eulogise him

 

[Chris]

I can separate watching his old stuff from what he did pretty easily. Really the only thing that's harder to watch is the Sullivan feud with Woman's involvement just knowing what happens in the future. He's one of my favorites in the ring of all time for sure, and his title win at WrestleMania XX will always be one of my favorite moments in wrestling.

Now I have no issue with WWE not acknowledging him ever again as they don't cut him out of Network releases or anything so it's not like they're really trying to change history.

 

[Hidden Blaze]

Yeah, it's surely a touchy subject. I'm totally fine with WWE not mentioning him or really promoting anything about him. It's honestly the right choice with what he did at the end of his life. But that aside, his ring work was some of the best of his time. Really rally amazing, and as you said one of the best technical wrestlers. I do sometimes cringe just a little, when I see him doing the flying headbutt, or any hard shots to his head when rewatching his matches. It's truly a tricky and tough subject to talk about. Weird to think that one day in the future, not many fans will know who he is unless they look him up themselves or they have family who mentions him.

 

[Cwalker]

This discussion has been had a 100 times and it’ll be had 100 more and my stance has been the same for a while. I can now separate Chris Benoit the wrestler from Chris Benoit the human being. It took me years to get to that point.

I said it in the other thread, he’s one of the best I’ve ever watched. In ring, he could do it all. And JR screaming his lungs out as confetti fell of Benoit at WM20 gives me goosebumps to this day. He’ll never be idolized professionally for being the performer he was but Chris Benoit the wrestler was top notch.

 

[Crippler]

GREATEST PRO WRESTLER THAT EVER LIVED! I have no problems watching 500 Benoit matches a night as I believe he was framed Naw, seriously like others said I can separate the two, I have to. I don't care if he gets in the HOF I don't care if his name is ever brought up or shown in video packages as long as they don't start deleting stuff like they tried to do back in 07-10 then I'm good.

Might go on a Benoit mini-watch tonight.

 

[AverageJoe9]

His actions at the end of his life are horrific and I get why WWE does not want to acknowledge him but I do think there's a middle ground. Benoit is one of the best pure wrestlers to ever step in the ring and if there is a positive to come out of the tragedy it is that of Concussion/head injury awareness and who knows how many lives were saved with that information

Don't have to honor him but his work should not be forgotten either by WWE

 

[Kiffy Lube]

I don't compromise my entertainment based off what people do. Bein' a huge wrestlin' fan decidin' to not watch him would feel like a huge compromise. Of course with how great of a worker he was and how many classic matches he had I would always find an excuse to watch him again.

Everyone else seems to want to make some glarin' overstatement to prove they're not an evil person themselves for continuin' to watch. If you would never end up doin' shit like that, it shouldn't say anythin' about you as a person. This is just a form of entertainment at the end of the day.

 

[Hoss]

I don't compromise my entertainment based off what people do. Bein' a huge wrestlin' fan decidin' to not watch him would feel like a huge compromise. Of course with how great of a worker he was and how many classic matches he had I would always find an excuse to watch him again.

Everyone else seems to want to make some glarin' overstatement to prove they're not an evil person themselves for continuin' to watch. If you would never end up doin' shit like that, it shouldn't say anythin' about you as a person. This is just a form of entertainment at the end of the day.

Damn this is the most poignant post you've ever made lmao

 

[Deezy]

I don't compromise my entertainment based off what people do. Bein' a huge wrestlin' fan decidin' to not watch him would feel like a huge compromise. Of course with how great of a worker he was and how many classic matches he had I would always find an excuse to watch him again.

Everyone else seems to want to make some glarin' overstatement to prove they're not an evil person themselves for continuin' to watch. If you would never end up doin' shit like that, it shouldn't say anythin' about you as a person. This is just a form of entertainment at the end of the day.

Naw fuck him.....child murderers get none of my sympy.

Took me all of one day to continue watching his work.......doesn't mean a goddamn thing, he killed his wife and his 9 year old son.....he deserves nothing.

 

[Grimoire Lenin]

Benoit was my childhood idol. He was the guy I believed more than anyone else in the ring. He had the skill, the intensity, the realism to his persona that far outstripped his shortcomings on the mic and perceived lack of charisma. His WrestleMania championship win made me a fan of wrestling for life, and the incident turned me away from wrestling for nearly 4 years. I've come to terms with what he did. He is still tied for my #1 favorite wrestler of all time, because in that time bubble of 1994-2004, there was not a cleaner, crisper wrestler with more technical prowess than Chris Benoit.

As long as I'll live, I'll never forget JR's call at the end of WrestleMania XX.

 

[Kiffy Lube]

Naw fuck him.....child murderers get none of my sympy.

Took me all of one day to continue watching his work.......doesn't mean a goddamn thing, he killed his wife and his 9 year old son.....he deserves nothing.

I didn't give him any sympathy. I kind of just glossed over of that entire aspect.

 

[Deezy]

I didn't give him any sympathy. I kind of just glossed over of that entire aspect.

You tried to skirt over the situation and paint anyone who does as virtue signalling bruh.

I ain't down with that.

 

[Kiffy Lube]

You tried to skirt over the situation and paint anyone who does as virtue signalling bruh.

I ain't down with that.

Don't be turnin' into an SJW, my love.

 

[Deezy]

Don't be turnin' into an SJW, my love.

There's no social justice from this.......I'm the judge, jury and executioner here.

Motherfucker killed his wife and child.....cut and dry.

No Sullivan theories