WCW Finals: Chris Benoit vs. The Undertaker

[Shocky]

The following match is the WCW Finals, from Reliant Stadium in houston, TX. This match takes place under basic WWE Rules.

"The Crippler" Chris Benoit

vs.

The Undertaker

 

[Uncle Sam]

I'm sure there'll be many arguments made by the end of this thread. Nay, within the hour. Perhaps within mere minutes.

Personally, I like Occam's Razor - the most obvious and simple explanation is most likely to be the correct one. I therefore put it to you that The Undertaker is much, much better than Chris Benoit and so should win.

 

[1C3-M4N]

I'm going to argue that Chris Benoit should win. The crippler is a better all around wrestler than the Undertaker. I've seen Benoit reverse chokeslams into the crossface many times with ease, which will make one of Taker's moves arguably unusable. I'm also sure Undertaker's triangle choke can easily be reversed by Benoit due to his technical skills. Granted Undertaker does not submit easy Benoit might win by making him pass out or the head butt off the top. It'd be a close match up but in the end Benoit would take it because he gets the job done in tough matches, and is the underdog in this one which plays to his favor.

 

[48.7 is Approximately 49 Times Better Than You]

The miracle run of Chris "The Crippler" Benoit ends here. I believe this is the farthest he's ever made it in the tournament. It's amazing, what dying does for one's popularity. You can bet your bottom dollar that were he still around today, there isn't a chance in the world he would have gotten past The Hulkster. What is even more baffling, is that though he died the way he did, his popularity has actually increased.

As for this match, The Undertaker would win it any day of the week. Chris Benoit was a darling to watch, but his career is but a footnote next to the Undertaker's. Taker has beaten every big name out there, accomplished everything there is to accomplish, and has a legacy that will be remembered for years to come. (Then again, Benoit also has a legacy...)

Chris Benoit finished matches with the Crippler Crossface. It was a brutal finishing move that claimed the best of them, notably Triple H and Brock Lesnar. But, I have a question. Has The Undertaker ever tapped out? I don't have the answer to that, but my first response is no, he hasn't. The Undertaker could take anything and everything that Chris Benoit dishes out and then do twice as much in return. The diving headbutt won't put The Deadman down and the German Suplexes won't be enough. Taker is a force to be reckoned with in the late stages of this tournament. He faces a relatively easy match up in this round and we could very well see a repeat champion this year.

 

[Uncle Sam]

I'm going to argue that Chris Benoit should win. The crippler is a better all around wrestler than the Undertaker.

Except for the fact that he is in no way, shape or form better than The Undertaker.

I've seen Benoit reverse chokeslams into the crossface many times with ease, which will make one of Taker's moves arguably unusable.

It's quite fortunate that The Undertaker has never, ever tapped out then, isn't it?

I'm also sure Undertaker's triangle choke can easily be reversed by Benoit due to his technical skills.

It's a triangle choke. The only thing you can do is flip yourself over and hope that, by some miracle, 'Taker's shoulders will hit the mat and you'll get a pin before you pass out. I'm also pretty sure that Benoit is too much of a chunky fucker for that.

Granted Undertaker does not submit

Correct.

Benoit might win by making him pass out

If the man he was facing didn't sit up after everything.

It'd be a close match up but in the end Benoit would take it because he gets the job done in tough matches,

Like Chris Benoit/JBL?

and is the underdog in this one which plays to his favor.

So, basically, Benoit isn't as good, and so that plays to his favour?

 

[klunderbunker]

Benoit is great, but this is the match made in hell for him. Simply put, Taker does not give up. Benoit's biggest move is the crossface, and while it has an argument for being the best submission move ever, it's not going to work. If you remember Bad Blood, Benoit could never get it on Kane. Taker can certainly match if not beat Kane's power, so could Benoit even get it on Taker? Let's say he can. He can crank on it as long as he wants and he's never getting a tap. The headbutt was an ok finisher but nothing ever really seen as great. Benoit cannot win here, plain and simple. Taker advances to the final four.

 

[Shocky]

I'm going to have a hard time voting for a guy that has an entire arsenal dedicating to locking in his finishing maneuver, which happens to be a submission hold, against a guy that has never lost a match to a submission.

Benoit is great. Him along with the Undertaker pretty much make up my top 5 WWE matches of this decade. Chances are if I have a top 5 list, one of these two will be in that match.

Chris Benoit doesn't have the strength to beat the Undertaker, and Chris Benoit doesn't have the High Impact move to put the Deadman down. The Undertaker can beat Benoit with virtually any one of his finishing maneuvers. Benoit isn't as technically sounds as a Kurt Angle, who has beaten the Undertaker before. I enjoy Chris Benoit, a helluva lot, but he's completely out matched here.

 

[Blade]

Benoit is great, but this is the match made in hell for him. Simply put, Taker does not give up. Benoit's biggest move is the crossface, and while it has an argument for being the best submission move ever, it's not going to work. If you remember Bad Blood, Benoit could never get it on Kane. Taker can certainly match if not beat Kane's power, so could Benoit even get it on Taker? Let's say he can. He can crank on it as long as he wants and he's never getting a tap. The headbutt was an ok finisher but nothing ever really seen as great. Benoit cannot win here, plain and simple. Taker advances to the final four.

I haven't decided who I'm voting for yet.
But I thought it would be relevant to point out that yes, he couldn't get the crossface on Kane, but he still beat Kane.
That should prove, at least on big men anyway, he doesn't need the crossface to win.
And also, Undertaker tapped once to his own move. I believe it was 2002, Kurt Angle made Undertaker tap from a gogoplata or something while Taker was pinning Angle.
So those arguements aren't gonna sway my vote.

 

[Uncle Sam]

The Undertaker tapped once, but it didn't actually count. The Undertaker clearly pinned Angle before he tapped out. He thought he had the victory and so tapped so the hold would be relinquished. That was also during his despicably human, vulnerable phase as the American Badass.

That Undertaker is a snivelling pussy compared to the real Deadman.

 

[48.7 is Approximately 49 Times Better Than You]

I haven't decided who I'm voting for yet.
But I thought it would be relevant to point out that yes, he couldn't get the crossface on Kane, but he still beat Kane.
That should prove, at least on big men anyway, he doesn't need the crossface to win.
And also, Undertaker tapped once to his own move. I believe it was 2002, Kurt Angle made Undertaker tap from a gogoplata or something while Taker was pinning Angle.
So those arguements aren't gonna sway my vote.

The American Badass tapped, although I haven't been able to find concrete evidence that he in fact, did tap, to the triangle choke. The Deadman is not him. I hate to use that argument, but it's true. Mr. America is not Hulk Hogan. The Deadman just doesn't submit. He doesn't give up. He doesn't stay down. There is absolutely nothing that Chris "Mid-Card" Benoit can do to finish The Undertaker. Also, Chris Benoit has never kicked out of anything like the Tombstone.

 

[Shocky]

Well the Undertaker did tap out to the Triangle choke, but he didn't lose the match. the match ended in a draw. He pinned Angle at the same time, so the argument that the Undertaker Has never lost a match via submission is still a valid argument. Hell, the Undertaker has felt the crossface before, and still not tapped out. The Triangle Choke has put out everyone, including the Undertaker.

 

[gd]

There is simply nothing that Benoit can do to beat the Undertaker here. Without the Crossface there is simply no way Benoit can win this match. Undertaker is just too big and too powerful for Benoit to handle. Benoit will make it a tough match, but there isn't anyway he will win.

 

[It's...Baylariat!]

Well...Benoit gets fed to Undertaker. Great. But even if Hogan would have won, I STILL take the Deadman to move on. Taker is a guy who can counter any move that Benoit can throw his way. The crossface is a moot point against a man who doesn't tap out. Ever. The flying headbutt of doom won't affect much of anything either.

Taker is as dangerous as they get and the one factor that I'm going to mention in my case for Undertaker to win is that Benoit had a history of neck problems. EVERY finisher that Taker has in his arsenal will affect his neck. Tombstone, Chokeslam, Triangle Choke. Benoit doesn't stand a legit chance.

VOTE TAKER!

 

[titans]

I have to go with Undertaker for being superior to Benoit both personally as well as professionally....Undertaker imo is the best big man in WWE history....Benoit has a good ground game with his technical ability but Taker's combination of size, strength, and athleticism is too much for the Crippler.

 

[Tastycles]

It's The Deadman agaisnt the only actual dead man left in the tournament here, and I can't really see any reason for Benoit to progress. Whenever he didn't win by crossface, he won using the diving headbutt, which is too lame a move to keep Taker down for three, in my opinion. You've got a guy who doesn't really ever lose to smaller opponents in normal circumstances in the Undertaker, not to mention the fact that he has never tapped out. This is probably the easiest match of those left to pick from, and I'm going with an Undertaker victory.

 

[Murfish]

It's The Deadman agaisnt the only actual dead man left in the tournament here, and I can't really see any reason for Benoit to progress. Whenever he didn't win by crossface, he won using the diving headbutt, which is too lame a move to keep Taker down for three, in my opinion.

Dude, wtf? Too lame? You defended Warrior. He uses a frickin' running splash to put down wrestlers. Either way we need to remember that this is wrestling, and the lame-ness of the move doesn't affect its effectiveness.

You've got a guy who doesn't really ever lose to smaller opponents in normal circumstances in the Undertaker, not to mention the fact that he has never tapped out.

But Angle, a small, technical wrestler, brought Taker to tap(though it didn't count). Benoit is very similar to Angle, and it is logical that the match could go in the same direction that that went in.

This is probably the easiest match of those left to pick from, and I'm going with an Undertaker victory.

I'd say that's SCSA v Edge.

 

[Tastycles]

Dude, wtf? Too lame? You defended Warrior. He uses a frickin' running splash to put down wrestlers. Either way we need to remember that this is wrestling, and the lame-ness of the move doesn't affect its effectiveness.

But how many big named players has Benoit finished with the diving headbutt? It's lame because it doesn't work, not because it looks fake. Warrior splash never failed, but it looks shit. Lionsault looks cool, but always fails, so it is a worse move, despite all logic suggesting otherwise.

But Angle, a small, technical wrestler, brought Taker to tap(though it didn't count). Benoit is very similar to Angle, and it is logical that the match could go in the same direction that that went in.

Except Benoit isn't similar to Angle, nobody is. Angle wears a gumshield and does amateur style moves, Benoit doesn't really do the same thing. Angle used a triangle hold, something which requires strength Benoit doesn't have to lock in, and as you said it didn't really work. Angle is significantly heavier than Benoit, better at technical wrestling, and he still didn't quite pull it off.

Finally, not tomention the fact that he beat both Angle and Benoit in the same fucking match.

I'd say that's SCSA v Edge.

It really, really isn't, if people actually think about Austin's feud patterns.

 

[NSL]

I'm going to have a hard time voting for a guy that has an entire arsenal dedicating to locking in his finishing maneuver, which happens to be a submission hold, against a guy that has never lost a match to a submission.

This says it all.

I'm a huge Benoit fan. I've always loved his in-ring work, even back in ECW, and his early days in WCW. He can out-wrestle Undertaker, but that won't win him the match. Undertaker is going to make him brawl, and he's too small to last going punch for punch with the Deadman. He'll put up a valiant effort, but Taker sits up after a Diving Headbutt, and then applies the Devil's Triangle to end this, leaving Benoit swallowing his own blood by the pint.

 

[SavageTaker]

Sorry Chris I liked you but I think this is the end of the road for you. Chris Benoit is a great wrestler but I don't think he's arsenal is enough to keep down The demon from Death Valley down for a 3 count or enough to make him tap out. It is going to be hard fought battle and I just think Benoit is not going to be able make The Undertaker tap out to the crippler crossface especially since 'Taker has never even lost a match by submission. At the end of this match I see The Undertaker making Benoit tap out to his submission move: Hell's Gate or he is most likely going to get pinned for a 3 count after a Tombstone Piledriver.

I think that for now The Undertaker has my vote but I might be swayed to vote for Chris Benoit but it's going to take a very good argument for me to do that.

 

[Miko]

Shit, wish I had payed more attention, Benoit beat Hogan?

Anyway, I am not keen on either of these two, except for Takers American badass streak. Taker pre 97 was just a slow, boring, less dominant Ultimate Warrior, what? Predictable offense, impossible to keep down unless he was against Main Eventers, stupid promo's and a finishing move that beat (almost) everybody. At least Warrior was interesting dammit.

Anyway, Taker wins this one, Benoit should'nt have passed Goldberg in my opinion but there you go. Undertaker shouldnt have beaten Sting in my opinion but out of him and Benoit he is the more dominant, more over, better wrestler. Benoit would put up a good fight, he always did but in the end the Crippler goes down to the deadman.

 

[justinsayne]

Ahh the battle of the deadmen, Benoit ain't walking out with the victory in this one, the crossface isn't gonna do much to help him out, when Benoit was champion he had trouble locking it onto Kane, fucking Kane!!!, and this wasn't the good Kane, this was the past his prime unmasked Kane

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if Kane could power out of the Crossface and prevent Benoit from locking it in successfully, than Taker should have no problem seeing as he's a far more rounded wrestler with a much larger arsenal of moves, Taker would just counter the Crossface attempt into a tombstone, chokeslam, last ride, or one of the various submissions he knows, not to mention these two have faced each other before

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If Taker could beat Benoit with a bad knee, then how the fuck is Benoit going to beat Taker when he's healthy?, I just see no way for Benoit to win this match, his run ends here

VOTE TAKER

 

[Jack-Hammer]

It's all pretty much been said before. Taker has beaten Benoit in the past, no reason in the world why he can't do the same on this forum.

I like Benoit, I always enjoyed watching him in the ring but he simply has nothing that can keep the Undertaker down. He's simply out of his league, that's all there is to it. Benoit's primary move is the crossface, a move that Taker has gotten out of if I remember correctly, and Taker doesn't submit. I know, I know the whole thing regarding Kurt Angle, but seeing as how he pinned Angle at the same time, it can still be legitimately argued that Taker has never lost a match via submission.

Benoit is a better technical wrestler, sure, but that's pretty much the only area where he's superior to the Undertaker. Benoit'll give everything he's got and he'll go down fighting, but he will go down.

 

[Phoenix]

I think that where Benoit is a great wrestler, it's the turn of the Deadman for this one.

As many have argued and proved in this thread, Undertaker has a great arsenal in his moveset while Benoit has the Crossface and Headbutt and neither will bring the Deadman down.

Like I argued in one of the other matches, a wrestler who is all rounded like Taker goes over a guy with technical ability as his match priority. Granted this is a match worth watching and we've seen Taker go up against Angle with great matches and with Hart as well. But yet neither has made Taker (in his prime) tap out. I'm excluding the Badass time because where it a tap out, it's not the Taker we truly know.

Again, I think Taker has all the moves to cover Benoit's ability. He's fought with bad knees, arms and what not and still won, I don't see how this would be any different.

Sorry Benoit but the Undertaker is making you RIP for this one, but a great match up no doubt.

 

[Skullz Crack'Em]

The Undertaker will win this match by a landslide for three reasons:

1. He will get the "popularity contest" votes.

2. He never lost a match via submission.

3. Benoit does not have any moves that can pin Taker. His best bet is the Headbutt, but he will need to do at least 3 to even have a chance at pinning the Deadman.

Those are the facts, and I am voting for Taker to win this one. If someone could make a strong argument(and I mean STRONG) for Benoit to win, I might change my vote, but it's doubtful.

 

[WrestlingAuthority90]

Chris Benoit would make the Undertaker tapout. Undertaker only wins most matches because people are afraid of him. Chris Benoit would NOT be afraid of Taker. Even if he didnt win via submission he'd suplex Taker's ass to death. Taker is a great wrestler in his own right but he's not much of a technical move reverser. In all likelyness Benoit would suplex Taker silly, then lock in the crippler crossface. Undertaker wouldnt be able to hit any of his high impact power moves because Chris is too fast and he'd reverse them. (likely into a suplex or crossface)

Vote Benoit