I couldn't sleep last night. The episode of WWE Raw dedicated to Chris Benoit didn't finish until after four o'clock. I lay in stunned silence at the news that I had received just hours earlier. One of the greatest workers in the business had passed away.
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The first time I ever came across Chris Benoit was in the Autumn of 1993. I used to record episodes of WCW Worldwide on Thursday nights as they were part of the ITV Night-Time line-up.
The show was on too late for me. I had to be up early for school the following morning so I would put the episodes on a tape and watch them whilst having my Friday breakfast.
Back in the early 1990's I didn't look at work-rate as being one of the best things in a wrestler. I went for the larger than life characters like Hulk Hogan, Sid Vicious and The Ultimate Warrior.
Wrestling was all about goodies and baddies - heroes and villains. An escape from reality.
Benoit would appear on episodes of WCW taped at the MGM Studios in Florida. He was too small for me. I would pass up the opportunity I had to watch him wrestle as I thought he was just another one of those guys who were put in the ring to make the star look good.
The show was on too late for me. I had to be up early for school the following morning so I would put the episodes on a tape and watch them whilst having my Friday breakfast.
Back in the early 1990's I didn't look at work-rate as being one of the best things in a wrestler. I went for the larger than life characters like Hulk Hogan, Sid Vicious and The Ultimate Warrior.
Wrestling was all about goodies and baddies - heroes and villains. An escape from reality.
Benoit would appear on episodes of WCW taped at the MGM Studios in Florida. He was too small for me. I would pass up the opportunity I had to watch him wrestle as I thought he was just another one of those guys who were put in the ring to make the star look good.
It wasn't uncommon for me to fast forward his and everyone elses matches to see what Ric Flair or Sting were up to.
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I found out a few minutes after posting my predictions that Benoit was not going to be at the Vengeance pay-per-view event on Sunday night. The reason given was that he had to return home on Saturday to deal with some personal issues.
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I had matured as a fan by the time 1995 appeared on our calendars. I still liked Hogan and Vicious but I now preferred the lighter wrestlers. There was a lot more action in the bouts which featured the likes of Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels.
There was life outside of the United States. I learnt this with the abundance of underground tapes being traded by fans that contributed to the newsletters and fanzines I subscribed to.
One of the first tapes I ordered was called the Super J Cup. The event was held in Japan in the Spring of 1994 and a selection of the greatest junior heavyweights were placed in a tournament to win the trophy.
There were some amazing bouts on this card. I was introduced to some of Japan's best workers like Jushin Liger and the Great Sasuke. These performers were miles better than anyone WWF or WCW had in their ranks.
The winner of the tournament was a person I had already been acquainted with - Chris Benoit.
*************************************************
I was sitting at my desk when I got a message from my friend, Joe. He was wondering if I had heard the news. I obviously hadn't as I would have been the one breaking it to him.
Chris Benoit was dead.
I checked the websites and my shock was multiplied when I read that his wife and seven-year old son had also passed away.
My initial thought was that we had lost another wrestler to a tragic accident. Then - within minutes of posting the news here - I started thinking a lot more about what could have happened.
I was hoping I was wrong. A man couldn't have killed his own wife and son could he? Especially a guy who I had been watching on my television set for the best part of fourteen years.
**********************************************
The most defining moment of Chris Benoit's career was in the WWE. The venue was Madison Square Garden and the event was Wrestlemania XX in the Spring of 2004.
The show ended with the Canadian Crippler winning his first world championship after beating Triple H and Shawn Michaels in the main event.
Lifting the world title at the close of the most important night in wrestling is the dream all aspiring and current wrestlers have. On that night, Benoit achieved his dream.
He was joined in the ring with the WWE Champion. Eddie Guerrero. Both were best friends in and out of the business. As the ticker-tape fell from the sky the two embraced in acknowledgement that their time had arrived.
They were on top of the world.
*************************************************
I tuned in to WWE Raw and found the tributes from his peers to be classy considering they must have been dealing with the shock of losing one of their own.
I sat watching the show from start to finish and enjoyed viewing the highlights of Benoit's career. I felt a peculiar feeling inside, though.
The deaths of Owen Hart and Eddie Guerrero and the tribute shows dedicated in their memory hit me hard. This one wasn't so bad. I figured at first it was due to me being desensitised to the shock of wrestlers passing and the way the company celebrates their life.
It felt a lot different this time. The arena was empty and the broadcasters did the link up work to the historic footage and comments from the stars.
I had an eerie feeling that this was the last time I would be able to watch Chris Benoit wrestle and be able to enjoy it.
In the hours after the television show I scanned a lot of news sites to find more information on the passing. My initials concerns were found to be true. I can't fathom why such a thing could have happened and feel for those who were and will have to live with the regrets of this past weekend.
****************************************************
On Saturday Chris Benoit took the life of his wife, Nancy.
A day later - his son, Daniel became the second victim.
Benoit ended his own life on Monday after hanging himself in his weight room.
Benoit's two children from a previous marriage will now face the rest of their lives without a stepmother, father and brother.
***************************************************
And they still say wrestling is an escape from reality.
I had matured as a fan by the time 1995 appeared on our calendars. I still liked Hogan and Vicious but I now preferred the lighter wrestlers. There was a lot more action in the bouts which featured the likes of Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels.
There was life outside of the United States. I learnt this with the abundance of underground tapes being traded by fans that contributed to the newsletters and fanzines I subscribed to.
One of the first tapes I ordered was called the Super J Cup. The event was held in Japan in the Spring of 1994 and a selection of the greatest junior heavyweights were placed in a tournament to win the trophy.
There were some amazing bouts on this card. I was introduced to some of Japan's best workers like Jushin Liger and the Great Sasuke. These performers were miles better than anyone WWF or WCW had in their ranks.
The winner of the tournament was a person I had already been acquainted with - Chris Benoit.
*************************************************
I was sitting at my desk when I got a message from my friend, Joe. He was wondering if I had heard the news. I obviously hadn't as I would have been the one breaking it to him.
Chris Benoit was dead.
I checked the websites and my shock was multiplied when I read that his wife and seven-year old son had also passed away.
My initial thought was that we had lost another wrestler to a tragic accident. Then - within minutes of posting the news here - I started thinking a lot more about what could have happened.
I was hoping I was wrong. A man couldn't have killed his own wife and son could he? Especially a guy who I had been watching on my television set for the best part of fourteen years.
**********************************************
The most defining moment of Chris Benoit's career was in the WWE. The venue was Madison Square Garden and the event was Wrestlemania XX in the Spring of 2004.
The show ended with the Canadian Crippler winning his first world championship after beating Triple H and Shawn Michaels in the main event.
Lifting the world title at the close of the most important night in wrestling is the dream all aspiring and current wrestlers have. On that night, Benoit achieved his dream.
He was joined in the ring with the WWE Champion. Eddie Guerrero. Both were best friends in and out of the business. As the ticker-tape fell from the sky the two embraced in acknowledgement that their time had arrived.
They were on top of the world.
*************************************************
I tuned in to WWE Raw and found the tributes from his peers to be classy considering they must have been dealing with the shock of losing one of their own.
I sat watching the show from start to finish and enjoyed viewing the highlights of Benoit's career. I felt a peculiar feeling inside, though.
The deaths of Owen Hart and Eddie Guerrero and the tribute shows dedicated in their memory hit me hard. This one wasn't so bad. I figured at first it was due to me being desensitised to the shock of wrestlers passing and the way the company celebrates their life.
It felt a lot different this time. The arena was empty and the broadcasters did the link up work to the historic footage and comments from the stars.
I had an eerie feeling that this was the last time I would be able to watch Chris Benoit wrestle and be able to enjoy it.
In the hours after the television show I scanned a lot of news sites to find more information on the passing. My initials concerns were found to be true. I can't fathom why such a thing could have happened and feel for those who were and will have to live with the regrets of this past weekend.
****************************************************
On Saturday Chris Benoit took the life of his wife, Nancy.
A day later - his son, Daniel became the second victim.
Benoit ended his own life on Monday after hanging himself in his weight room.
Benoit's two children from a previous marriage will now face the rest of their lives without a stepmother, father and brother.
***************************************************
And they still say wrestling is an escape from reality.
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