In a circle of long-term professional wrestling fans, a mention of "The Plane Crash" will get at least one person to wonder what that person is talking about. Along with that person, there will be at least one person to give the details. The short version is that Ric Flair, among other wrestlers were on a plane over North Carolina, and it crashed. Ric Flair broke his back in that plane crash.
"But, Rob, that was in the 70's. What does that have to do with anything, especially Chris Benoit?" Well, I'm glad you asked. And, I'll answer with a question of my own. Other than the Crossface, what was Chris Benoit known for in his in-ring style? The answer: Suplexes. Almost half of Benoit's arsenal was suplexes, which almost invariably impact the back, in some way. If Benoit would be able to get Flair into the wood-chipper that was his offensive style, Flair would be whittled away to a broken man, submiting to the Sharpshooter, which also works the back.
But, like Flair, Benoit had a weakness in the ring that played right into the hands of his opponent. Benoit was the consumate wrestler. I don't remember him ever cheating in a match of any importance. Ric Flair couldn't hug a teddy bear without poking it in the eyes. And, if Benoit can't see Flair's attacks coming, he's very easy pickings for Flair's very well rehearsed and very well executed assault on the knees of his opponent. And, what can't a person do without leg strength? A suplex. Simply put, Benoit needs his legs more than Flair needs his back. So, if Flair can survive the initial onslaught, and get that one cheap shot in, the entire match could be a slow spiral into the Figure Four Legleck, and a Benoit submission.
So, seeing that both of these men work their way directly into both the strength and weakness of of their opponent, the deciding vote, for me, is all about who is more readily able to alter their original strategy. And, to be completely honest, I think that Ric Flair, even in his prime, was very complacent to have more or less the same exact match every single time. Benoit, on the other hand, while not highly adept at multiple styles of wrestling, had a bit more experience than Flair in this department. So, I have to give a very slight edge to Chris Benoit in this match.
"But, Rob, that was in the 70's. What does that have to do with anything, especially Chris Benoit?" Well, I'm glad you asked. And, I'll answer with a question of my own. Other than the Crossface, what was Chris Benoit known for in his in-ring style? The answer: Suplexes. Almost half of Benoit's arsenal was suplexes, which almost invariably impact the back, in some way. If Benoit would be able to get Flair into the wood-chipper that was his offensive style, Flair would be whittled away to a broken man, submiting to the Sharpshooter, which also works the back.
But, like Flair, Benoit had a weakness in the ring that played right into the hands of his opponent. Benoit was the consumate wrestler. I don't remember him ever cheating in a match of any importance. Ric Flair couldn't hug a teddy bear without poking it in the eyes. And, if Benoit can't see Flair's attacks coming, he's very easy pickings for Flair's very well rehearsed and very well executed assault on the knees of his opponent. And, what can't a person do without leg strength? A suplex. Simply put, Benoit needs his legs more than Flair needs his back. So, if Flair can survive the initial onslaught, and get that one cheap shot in, the entire match could be a slow spiral into the Figure Four Legleck, and a Benoit submission.
So, seeing that both of these men work their way directly into both the strength and weakness of of their opponent, the deciding vote, for me, is all about who is more readily able to alter their original strategy. And, to be completely honest, I think that Ric Flair, even in his prime, was very complacent to have more or less the same exact match every single time. Benoit, on the other hand, while not highly adept at multiple styles of wrestling, had a bit more experience than Flair in this department. So, I have to give a very slight edge to Chris Benoit in this match.
