Intl. Region, Leeds Subregion, First Round: (4) Chris Benoit vs. (29) Mark Henry

[DarksideEric]

Am I supposed to vote for Shelton Benjamin over HHH as well?

Well, if you're going to go with that counterpoint, no, you shouldn't vote for Benjamin for his quick win over HHH. You should vote for HHH for his strong career and long list of accomplishments.

Funnily enough, Shelton has more title wins than Henry does in WWE.

This tournament is about "greatest of all time," correct?

While Henry had a nice monster run for a little while, overall Benoit's career is better. Benoit has had decent - great runs in Stampede, New Japan, ECW, WCW and WWE. Benoit has beaten (arguably) Japan's best wrestler, Jushin Liger, for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship only five years into his career.

Mark Henry, while he had a dominant period, should logically not go over Benoit in this match if you use career vs. career as evidence and not just pick and choose single runs.

In a tournament choosing "greatest of all time," Henry does not go over Benoit in any logical sense.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

That's my fault sorry, should have made the "pretty much" I said clearer as he got the majority of the offence in regardless.




And again, that's because Benoit had a distinctive psychological advantage, and that's why the match was so brilliant. HHH and HBK were so keen on destroying one another that they lost sight of Benoit, Benoit capitalized and won. He doesn't have that benefit against Mark Henry.

Mark Henry did not tap out in his prime and only lost by pinfall once because of John Cena's interference in a No DQ match. Kane powered out of the Crossface during one of his worst years ever (the year with the Snitsky feud). If Kane could do that in 2004, Henry could do it more than once in 2011.

Benoit's finishing moves are simply not very effective against Mark Henry in his prime. The Crossface has been broken before during Benoit's prime by a non-prime Kane and the Diving Headbutt is only going to really work if he grounds Henry, which has been labelled as an incredibly difficult task for someone Benoit's size to do, especially during Henry's dominant peak.

@LJL: Yeah, Henry tapped out clean without any distractions. 7 years before his prime against a prime Benoit.

So I'm supposed to be convinced that a guy whose prime was maybe three months at best would beat a guy who has made guys like him, Big Show, and Kane tap at various points throughout his career. I've heard the argument that Big Show couldn't get a clean win over Henry. You can switch that around too as Henry got himself DQ'd at Survivor Series, I believe. Here's the summation - Benoit (who has went up against and defeated most of the top guys in his era) vs. Henry (somebody who didn't do jack shit until 2011 and had two wins over Randy Orton).

I think I know who I'm taking.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

I like angry veterans as much as the next redneck but Benoit was a wolverine.

And Henry is a Silverback Gorilla. Would you really put your money on Wolverine over a Silverback Gorilla? I love the original Red Dawn as much as anyone but if you want to argue animal transformations we can watch that Mortal Combat sequel and figure out how this works.

I am taking into consideration a prime Henry vs Prime Benoit and I think Prime Benoit wins because he was a bigger deal and got a bigger rocket up his ass to the moon than Henry did. Henry's run did not amount to a ME Mania win and i.e is the be all end all in the WWE for any superstar burning under the radar. Henry was dominant but he wouldn't beat Benoit.

It's well documented that Vince tried to kill himself after his booking decision to have Benoit win the Rumble. Fortunately HHH was there to pump the pills out of Vince's stomach and sell him on the idea of making the Mania main event a triple threat.

Don't let Vince's mistake carry over in to 2014. The man has enough reminders of his weakest moments.

 

[nightmare]

So what you are trying say is that this is a guy who needs some type of title to get the slightest bit over or this is a guy that promoters lose interest in quickly? Or both?

I'm guessing both.

Title = reward. You get over, you get a push, etc. It shows that the man has done more with his career. Henry has been around for quite some time & all he managed to do was win one world title & have sex with an old lady.

Don't forget the times in Benoit's career where he walked out on the company that paid him

So you are holding it against him that he cashed a check on the way off a sinking ship? Seems like a good idea to me if I was in that situation. Too little too late & he was better off for leaving.

and missed an event to murder two people and kill himself.

We all know John Cena is the hired gun in that situation.

Seriously, I don't know if Benoit is more likely jump to a tournament on pwinsider after the first round or murder some girl scouts.

The girl scouts should learn to give out correct change & maybe then they wouldnt have to suffer consequences.

 

[HBsam31]

I voted Benoit, but have been flip flopping after reading the arguments. I still think Benoit had the greater career, and would find a way to beat Henry in a match in a tournament. A tournament like this is right up Benoit's ally in my opinion, and he would make Henry tap in the first round.

 

[Dan Severn's Moustache]

While Henry had a nice monster run for a little while, overall Benoit's career is better. Benoit has had decent - great runs in Stampede, New Japan, ECW, WCW and WWE. Benoit has beaten (arguably) Japan's best wrestler, Jushin Liger, for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship only five years into his career.

Mark Henry, while he had a dominant period, should logically not go over Benoit in this match if you use career vs. career as evidence and not just pick and choose single runs.

In a tournament choosing "greatest of all time," Henry does not go over Benoit in any logical sense.

You must have missed the analogy I proposed. I proposed that Mark Henry's peak was greater than Benoit's peak. Just because Benoit was more consistent doesn't mean that Benoit would win a match with both guys in their primes.

The idea of the tournament isn't just to find out who is the best. It's taking into account the variables of the match, which is the main reason Vader beat Austin last year, or Kane pretty much automatically wins a first blood match. Benoit would most likely beat guys like Jake Roberts, Rick Rude or Bully Ray because he's not crippled (haha) against them with his offence, while his fighting style IS crippled against a PRIME Mark Henry.

Also, Liger is not even in the Top 5 Japanese wrestlers.

So I'm supposed to be convinced that a guy whose prime was maybe three months at best would beat a guy who has made guys like him, Big Show, and Kane tap at various points throughout his career. I've heard the argument that Big Show couldn't get a clean win over Henry. You can switch that around too as Henry got himself DQ'd at Survivor Series, I believe. Here's the summation - Benoit (who has went up against and defeated most of the top guys in his era) vs. Henry (somebody who didn't do jack shit until 2011 and had two wins over Randy Orton).

I think I know who I'm taking.

Was Big Show tapping when he was the Giant in WCW? Was Kane tapping during his original run? Was Henry tapping out during his Hall of Pain run? No. What's more, it never took a Chris Benoit-esque face to take the title from Henry, it took another monster in a three match war. Henry destroyed him afterwards so Bryan could cash in, and the monsters beat the fuck out of each other in the Cage match so Bryan could escape as the sleeper candidate.

Benoit beat TWO top guys in his prime in 2 triple threat matches, where both were feuding, which gave Benoit the advantage because they were primarily focused on destroying one another. He beat Triple H again because a ******ed guy helped him and HHH had the match won. Let's not forget him losing multiple times to La Resistance. Henry was the guy on Smackdown, and with guys like Randy Orton, Sheamus and Big Show, that is an accomplishment. Benoit was behind HBK and HHH, and arguably behind Evolution and Eugene too.

 

[Tastycles]

I'm voting Henry. Why? Well it's quite simple really. Wrestling isn't about putting on great matches, it's about connecting with the fans and having them cheer you on or boo you. Henry is the sort of guy that gets where he did because of his size and shape, and it doesn't usually matter that he's uncharismatic. However, in spite of this, he is still twenty times as charismatic as Chris Benoit. Benoit won a title, but so did Henry and it was far more convincing on Henry. Henry is a better wrestler than Chris Benoit.

 

[Dan Severn's Moustache]

Thanks for highlighting that Tasty, because that's something else I want to bring up. And it's the fact that Benoit simply wasn't very charismatic. He tried, but all the fans wanted to see him do is put on compelling matches, and he did extraordinarily well in that role.

Mark Henry on the other hand is pretty damn charismatic in his own way. Apart from his severely underrated mic-skills (remember the fake retirement, aka pretty much the promo of the year of 2013?), Mark Henry has a genuine charisma of his own. Just look at him:

That's a guy you don't want to fuck with. That's a guy who's a threat to those that get in the ring with him during his prime.

You can call this minor, but it all adds up in the end, whatever way you look at it.

 

[Richard Blonoff]

I'll tell you why I voted Benoit. Hop into my Delorean.

Okay we are now in the year 2029, fifteen years from now. I'm a 39 year old Yazzy, and I'm discussing wrestling on some fancy new virtual internet computer machine. People are still talking about Chris Benoit conspiracy theories. Now I know it is well known on these boards that John Cena is the true culprit, but just like 9/11, JFK, Nazi Occultism, and every other story we don't have every single little detail in, people are gonna talk about it. Now we can speculate all day on how Mark Henry fathered a hand, or if he knew he truly was fondling a tranny, but the fact remains that the Benoit murder suicide will always be a bigger story. Therefore Benoit will always be a bigger deal to the wrestling world, and I had to vote for him.

 

[FitFinlay4Life]

I'm sorry but I can't vote for a guy who has been getting squashed for over 90% of his career. "Prime" is all very good but there has to be a longer stretch than 6 months in a 18 year career. In that 18 year career Henry has held... 3 titles and 2 of said titles have been discontinued!

Benoit on the other hand held gold everywhere he went. He won every belt of note in WCW (2 time Tag Champion, 3 time TV Title holder, 2 time US Champ and 1 time with Big Gold Belt) and every belt except the WWF World Title in his time there (4 time Tag Champion, 4 time IC Title holder, 3 time US Champ and 1 further go with Big Gold Belt)... and all these belts still exist!

6 months vs 21 years of accomplishments? Yeah, right!

 

[Dan Severn's Moustache]

I'm sorry but I can't vote for a guy who has been getting squashed for over 90% of his career. "Prime" is all very good but there has to be a longer stretch than 6 months in a 18 year career. In that 18 year career Henry has held... 3 titles and 2 of said titles have been discontinued!

Benoit on the other hand held gold everywhere he went. He won every belt of note in WCW (2 time Tag Champion, 3 time TV Title holder, 2 time US Champ and 1 time with Big Gold Belt) and every belt except the WWF World Title in his time there (4 time Tag Champion, 4 time IC Title holder, 3 time US Champ and 1 further go with Big Gold Belt)... and all these belts still exist!

6 months vs 21 years of accomplishments? Yeah, right!

You must have missed the analogy I proposed. I proposed that Mark Henry's peak was greater than Benoit's peak. Just because Benoit was more consistent doesn't mean that Benoit would win a match with both guys in their primes.

The idea of the tournament isn't just to find out who is the best. It's taking into account the variables of the match, which is the main reason Vader beat Austin last year, or Kane pretty much automatically wins a first blood match. Benoit would most likely beat guys like Jake Roberts, Rick Rude or Bully Ray because he's not crippled (haha) against them with his offence, while his fighting style IS crippled against a PRIME Mark Henry.

The idea of the WZT is to determine who wins a fight between the wrestlers, not who has won more titles. That's why Vader beat Austin last year - Austin is more accomplished, but Vader's fighting style greatly suited the stipulation.

Benoit would beat Bully Ray because his offensive style works against Bully Ray as an example. His style is ineffective against a prime Mark Henry.

 

[Danger Burger]

I see the argument for Benoit's championship run in WWE but this isn't a battle royal or triple threat (despite Henry being the size of two men). Plus this is international and with the exception of Canada, Henry has a much bigger presence internationally than Benoit. The man was an Olympian.

True love always,
GSB (proud of himself for making two arguments without making a murdering joke #growth)

I'm not fully decided which way I'm voting, but this point erked me. Mark Henry was an Olympian, sure, I heard it on WWE TV. without looking it up, do you remember which Olympics? Some sort of power-lifting I assume? Did he win? Does anyone remember?

I'm not sure how relevant it really is either. Especially when Benoit has actual international pro-wrestling acclaim. He's worked for a major wrestling franchise in America, Mexico and Japan. He's held the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title, won the Super J cup, won best of the super Juniors twice, and won Super Grade Junior Heavyweight Tag League. Thats more titles abroad than Henry has held in his entire WWE run.

Hell, I think I've made my decision. All in all, Henry has done little that can touch Benoit's accomplishments. Benoit was never THE guy, but neither was Henry. Benoit still managed to gather up gold everywhere he went; put on some of the best matches on the card each night; his PWI (as if we care) awards for wrestler of the year and Fued of the year trump Henry's much deserved Improved wrestler of the year.

I wanted to go Henry, but with three measly title reigns and nothing but half a year of success... its not easy. Vote Benoit.

 

[Con T.]

I find it quite funny that we're talking about Benoit's legacy...

You want to know what Chris Benoit's actual legacy in wrestling is?

It's this.

[YOUTUBE]XKy9ijjwGQU[/YOUTUBE]

That's it, that's the legacy. Now, you may be wondering, what does this have to do with this match?

When you compare it to what Benoit did to the business, a fucking lot. Ratings started to fall after Benoit's death. I wouldn't necessarily say plummet... But definitely fall, and fall hard. In fact, all of WWE's business took an absolute nose dive. The verdict was clear: Chris Benoit's double murder suicide turned away viewers, in droves.

If you want to argue Benoit's legacy is more than Henry's, you have to include the double murder suicide. Especially when you consider what it did to WWE, the wrestling business... In general, all of the negative components. You don't get to discuss the 21 year career, without at least acknowledging how it ended, and how it hurt (some could argue crippled) the business.

 

[FitFinlay4Life]

The idea of the WZT is to determine who wins a fight between the wrestlers, not who has won more titles. That's why Vader beat Austin last year - Austin is more accomplished, but Vader's fighting style greatly suited the stipulation.

Benoit would beat Bully Ray because his offensive style works against Bully Ray as an example. His style is ineffective against a prime Mark Henry.

This doesn't have a stipulation, Henry uses a chair - he gets disqualified. There has already been an example of big Mark tapping out so I can't see where you're coming from saying his style would be ineffective. Henry is not renowned for his cardio and resilience, Benoit is - he'd outlast a 'prime' Henry and tap him out when he ran out of steam.

 

[FitFinlay4Life]

I find it quite funny that we're talking about Benoit's legacy...

You want to know what Chris Benoit's actual legacy in wrestling is?

It's this.

[YOUTUBE]XKy9ijjwGQU[/YOUTUBE]

That's it, that's the legacy. Now, you may be wondering, what does this have to do with this match?

When you compare it to what Benoit did to the business, a fucking lot. Ratings started to fall after Benoit's death. I wouldn't necessarily say plummet... But definitely fall, and fall hard. In fact, all of WWE's business took an absolute nose dive. The verdict was clear: Chris Benoit's double murder suicide turned away viewers, in droves.

If you want to argue Benoit's legacy is more than Henry's, you have to include the double murder suicide. Especially when you consider what it did to WWE, the wrestling business... In general, all of the negative components. You don't get to discuss the 21 year career, without at least acknowledging how it ended, and how it hurt (some could argue crippled) the business.

So, we don't vote for Hogan or Warrior or anyone else that did steroids in the 80s either then because people turned off in the droves after that scandal broke?

 

[Con T.]

So, we don't vote for Hogan or Warrior or anyone else that did steroids in the 80s either then because people turned off in the droves after that scandal broke?

I knew this was coming.

Hulk Hogan singlehandedly made professional wrestling a household entity. He made WWF a national company.

Ultimate Warrior wasn't the business draw that Hogan was, but you'd be hard pressed to say his damage to the business actually hurt more than what he put into wrestling.

Chris Benoit is not Hogan or Warrior. He wasn't a main player, he wasn't a top guy that changed the business. Hell, for his twenty one years in wrestling, you could argue he spent six months as a main event name. Chris Benoit did little, if anything, to help the business, when compared to Hogan and even Warrior.

And what he did to help gets eclipsed by how e hurt it. That's how it works... When you do great things for the wrestling business, you can weigh out the bad with the good they put in.

Chris Benoit did noticeably less good things for wrestling. He was a solid hand, a good wrestler. And I think even you can realize that comparing Benoit and Hogan's resumes are fairly different. So when Benoit does something tremendously worse, yeah, it plays more a role in his legacy than Hogan's or Warriors.

Oh, and Hogan never personally killed people. Worth mentioning.

 

[ProWrestlingFan]

When you compare it to what Benoit did to the business, a fucking lot. Ratings started to fall after Benoit's death. I wouldn't necessarily say plummet... But definitely fall, and fall hard.

WRONG.

WWE 2007 ratings.

Jan. 1 3.9
Jan. 8 3.65
Jan. 15 4.1
Jan. 22 4.05
Jan 29 4.15
Feb. 5 4.1
Feb. 12 3.0
Feb. 19 4.0
Feb 26 4.3
March 5 4.1
March 12 4.1
March 19 3.7
March 26 3.9
April 2 4.3
April 9 3.9
April 16 3.7
April 23 3.7
April 30 3.6
May 7 3.6
May 14 3.6
May 21 3.7
May 28 3.2
June 4 3.8
June 11 3.8
June 18 4.1
June 25 3.83
July 2 3.7
July 9 3.35
July 16 3.4
July 23 3.37
July 31 2.51
August 6 3.81
August 13 3.8
August 20 3.8
August 27 3.15
September 3 3.6
September 10 3.9
September 17 3.3
September 24 3.4
October 1 3.2
October 8 2.8
October 15 3.3
October 22 3.3
October 29 3.5
November 5 3.75
November 12 3.5
November 19 3.5
November 26 3.54
December 3 3.24
December 10 4.1
December 17 3.48

http://www.gerweck.net/tv-ratings/2007-ratings/

RAW was still getting ratings in high 3s and low 4s after Benoit.

 

[Dan Severn's Moustache]

This doesn't have a stipulation, Henry uses a chair - he gets disqualified. There has already been an example of big Mark tapping out so I can't see where you're coming from saying his style would be ineffective. Henry is not renowned for his cardio and resilience, Benoit is - he'd outlast a 'prime' Henry and tap him out when he ran out of steam.

No, I used an example of Benoit beating a guy like Bully Ray as an example in a singles match.

Yes, and Kane broke the crossface during Benoit's prime. Henry was nowhere near his prime and is stronger than Kane.

Are you kidding me? Henry is THE world's strongest man in kayfabe. There's got to be some cardio or resilience there, have you seen him pull two trucks after his prime? Also, Benoit's 'resilience' will do him little good when he's being thrown down with force by the WSM.

@Your second post:

1: Warrior and Hogan are both bigger deals than Benoit and the good outweighs the bad.

2: Warrior and Hogan never killed a fucking child.

 

[FitFinlay4Life]

I knew this was coming.

Hulk Hogan singlehandedly made professional wrestling a household entity. He made WWF a national company.

Ultimate Warrior wasn't the business draw that Hogan was, but you'd be hard pressed to say his damage to the business actually hurt more than what he put into wrestling.

Chris Benoit is not Hogan or Warrior. He wasn't a main player, he wasn't a top guy that changed the business. Hell, for his twenty one years in wrestling, you could argue he spent six months as a main event name. Chris Benoit did little, if anything, to help the business, when compared to Hogan and even Warrior.

And what he did to help gets eclipsed by how e hurt it. That's how it works... When you do great things for the wrestling business, you can weigh out the bad with the good they put in.

Chris Benoit did noticeably less good things for wrestling. He was a solid hand, a good wrestler. And I think even you can realize that comparing Benoit and Hogan's resumes are fairly different. So when Benoit does something tremendously worse, yeah, it plays more a role in his legacy than Hogan's or Warriors.

Oh, and Hogan never personally killed people. Worth mentioning.

It's hard to quantify how much the murders drove away viewers because many people were drove away from the results that came from the autopsy that reflected very poorly on the WWe - steroids were still running rampant despite their assertion that wasn't the case, they were allowing unprotected headshots and they didn't care if wrestlers were injured - they expected them to suck it up. Throw in the slew of wrestlers who passed away at the time were the prowrestling lifestyle was a major contributor and you might be actually closer to why people turned away from wrestling.

A compelling argument that the murders alone might not be the sole reason is the case of Jimmy Snuka's girlfriend's death were Vince McMahon actually operated as his mouthpiece. When did this happen? 1983 as the WWF was actually getting bigger and bigger.

 

[Con T.]

WRONG.

WWE 2007 ratings.

Jan. 1 3.9
Jan. 8 3.65
Jan. 15 4.1
Jan. 22 4.05
Jan 29 4.15
Feb. 5 4.1
Feb. 12 3.0
Feb. 19 4.0
Feb 26 4.3
March 5 4.1
March 12 4.1
March 19 3.7
March 26 3.9
April 2 4.3
April 9 3.9
April 16 3.7
April 23 3.7
April 30 3.6
May 7 3.6
May 14 3.6
May 21 3.7
May 28 3.2
June 4 3.8
June 11 3.8
June 18 4.1
June 25 3.83
July 2 3.7
July 9 3.35
July 16 3.4
July 23 3.37
July 31 2.51
August 6 3.81
August 13 3.8
August 20 3.8
August 27 3.15
September 3 3.6
September 10 3.9
September 17 3.3
September 24 3.4
October 1 3.2
October 8 2.8
October 15 3.3
October 22 3.3
October 29 3.5
November 5 3.75
November 12 3.5
November 19 3.5
November 26 3.54
December 3 3.24
December 10 4.1
December 17 3.48

So, you really mean to tell me you don't notice a perceptive dip from the 4.0s before Benoit, to the mid to lower 3's afterwards?

Right... Sod off with that. Dropping half a point's pretty damn big. And that doesn't factor in 2008 afterwards, where the dip becomes worse.

http://www.twnpnews.com/information/wweraw2008.shtml

 

[Dan Severn's Moustache]

WRONG.

WWE 2007 ratings.

Jan. 1 3.9
Jan. 8 3.65
Jan. 15 4.1
Jan. 22 4.05
Jan 29 4.15
Feb. 5 4.1
Feb. 12 3.0
Feb. 19 4.0
Feb 26 4.3
March 5 4.1
March 12 4.1
March 19 3.7
March 26 3.9
April 2 4.3
April 9 3.9
April 16 3.7
April 23 3.7
April 30 3.6
May 7 3.6
May 14 3.6
May 21 3.7
May 28 3.2
June 4 3.8
June 11 3.8
June 18 4.1
June 25 3.83
July 2 3.7
July 9 3.35
July 16 3.4
July 23 3.37
July 31 2.51
August 6 3.81
August 13 3.8
August 20 3.8
August 27 3.15
September 3 3.6
September 10 3.9
September 17 3.3
September 24 3.4
October 1 3.2
October 8 2.8
October 15 3.3
October 22 3.3
October 29 3.5
November 5 3.75
November 12 3.5
November 19 3.5
November 26 3.54
December 3 3.24
December 10 4.1
December 17 3.48

Pre Benoit (including June 25):

The average is:
3.8415384615384607

Post Benoit:

The average is:
3.4519999999999995

I rest my case.

 

[Con T.]

It's hard to quantify how much the murders drove away viewers because many people were drove away from the results that came from the autopsy that reflected very poorly on the WWe - steroids were still running rampant despite their assertion that wasn't the case, they were allowing unprotected headshots and they didn't care if wrestlers were injured - they expected them to suck it up. Throw in the slew of wrestlers who passed away at the time were the prowrestling lifestyle was a major contributor and you might be actually closer to why people turned away from wrestling.

So you're willfully saying Benoit himself didn't have an effect on the ratings? Then tell me, why did the countless other weestler's deaths before Benoit (Teat, Eddy) not have nearly the same effect on ratings and business?

A compelling argument that the murders alone might not be the sole reason is the case of Jimmy Snuka's girlfriend's death were Vince McMahon actually operated as his mouthpiece. When did this happen? 1983 as the WWF was actually getting bigger and bigger.

So your point Benoit isn't that big a deal is a murder case that was woefully underreported, which prosecutors now admit was woefully under investigated, and is now just becoming a legitimate story, in 2014?

Sorry, not buying that.

 

[Richard Blonoff]

Fuck, I voted Benoit but those numbers, while having no source and being borderline spam, just prove Haiku's argument that ratings dipped. Benoit died June 24, 2007. The news broke June 25(the day of the Benoit tribute show). It wasn't until the next day that the truth came out and WWE released their statement regarding the situation. It may not have been a huge dip, but it was a dip. Even if you only get to slip in the tip, it still counts.

 

[ProWrestlingFan]

So, you really mean to tell me you don't notice a perceptive dip from the 4.0s before Benoit, to the mid to lower 3's afterwards?

Right... Sod off with that. Dropping half a point's pretty damn big. And that doesn't factor in 2008 afterwards, where the dip becomes worse.

http://www.twnpnews.com/information/wweraw2008.shtml

Check out the 2006 ratings

http://www.gerweck.net/tv-ratings/2006-ratings/

Aside from the temporary 4s, WWE's ratings have always been around 3.5. - 3.9 since 2004.

And 2008 was the year WWE went PG.

 

[Con T.]

Check out the 2006 ratings

http://www.gerweck.net/tv-ratings/2006-ratings/

Aside from the temporary 4s. WWE ratings have always been around 3.5. - 3.9 since 2004.

And 2008 was the year WWE went PG.

Basically, what tells me is what I already knew... Ratings didn't dip, Benoit did what he did, ratings dipped. All you've done is cement what I've been saying.

Also, does it really matter that WWE went PG? Did anyone over twelve watch Raw before, realize it was now officially PG, and that they could no longer watch, because it was PG.

Please, people didn't tune out because of PG. It was Benoit. And even if it was because of PG, why do you think WWE went PG in the first place?