What Could Have Been II- Chris Benoit?

[Tha Wolfpac]

Hey Yo!
I had some good responses doing the last thread so i thought why the hell not. Now Chris Benoit had what i think one of the most amazing special Wrestlemania wins of all time and making Triple H tapout clean just made it even sweeter. Now this guy had toothless aggression and was a rabid wolverine and an awesome technician one of the best ever and he didnt mind pulling off some high flying moves so you get it the guy was god damn good.

Now if it wasn't for his tradgedy would Chris Benoit still be in the main event scene? and if so who would he feuding with? Have fun enjoy.

.Tha Wolfpac.

 

[gers09]

no i dont think he would be he was kind off pulling back resting more he still be in wwe but not wrestling day in and out was he not ment to be become a kind of coach/trainer in ECW after his title run he was going to have in ecw

 

[EBK_be_da_boss19]

i think everyone knows that Chris would of won the ECW title and defeated CM Punk. he was about to be on fire again which is why it sucks that what happened happened, but if he was still here i could easly see Chris fueding with Sheamus cuz he thinks hes a bad ass and he would whoop on Chris every wk interfering in his matches and it would build up and at the end of the day it would be Chris making the celtic vagina TAP OUT!
rip Chris

 

[zombiesatemyparents]

As far as I know Benoit was going to win the ECW title and from what I've read (not saying either of these things are true) is that Benoit felt it was a downgrade being moved to ECW.

Benoit was getting older and was already being used to put younger guys over. I don't think this is something he enjoyed (if what I said about him not wanting to go to ECW is true) as I think he felt he was still able to still be the top guy. If Benoit were still wrestling today there's a good chance he'd be with TNA or some other organization that would allow him to come in as a star and continue to wrestle great matches while having a degree of control over his character and who he put over.

 

[macksstream]

I think ECW would still be kicking if Benoit was still around. Him and Christian would definatly be top guys there. People would tune in just to see him wrestling against someone, knowing it'd be a good match. and hell, Christian Vs Benoit would be an awesome fued.

 

[jccool420]

From the reports in the books on Benoit... I don't think he would still be wrestling and I don't think he was too far off from being another Dynamite Kid... Benoit was serverly brain damaged and I don't think he would still be able to perform... I also think that is one of the things that lead to the murders and his suicide... I think he knew he wouldn't be able to perform for much longer and it was killing him inside that his career was on the decline...

RIP Chris

 

[Dowdsy McDowds]

I think that Kurt Angle would have played a factor in what Benoit could have done if he were still around. Kurt and Chris had some really phenomenal technical matches and offered a great alternative on Smackdown than what was going on on Raw.
They had great in-ring chemistry whatever they were doing and complimented each other well. So if Chris hadn't done what he did and Angle hadn't moved to TNA, then it would be good if they had stayed on Smackdown and put younger guys over.

I just had a thought, imagine if Benoit were Daniel Bryan's coach on NXT? That would be something worth seeing.

What's the biggest mindfuck of all is that at the present time, we are seeing a depletion of the technical side of wrestling, but considering how important both Benoit and Angle were to the WWE, I think if they had stayed then the technical side would have prevented the "5 move" period we seem to be slumped in.

 

[Judah's Lion]

it's a tough call because so much has changed since then, including the rosters on every brand in WWE and TNA.

but, were i a wrestler (which i'm not), i'd think that it'd be such an honor, great learning experience and encouragement just to wrestle with Benoit that i'd stay with WWE rather than jump ship to TNA if it meant i got to be in the same ring with the man.

that said, if Benoit were still around, is it possible that Hardy, Angle and Anderson would all still be in WWE? maybe not. but i think Benoit/Angle matches are classic and this could have been an incredible feud (i know they did already, but it could always go longer) and tag team (again, i know they were already, but they had great matches and made the tag team titles something special in their day).
Benoit/Rey, Benoit/Punk, Benoit/MVP, Benoit/Christian, Benoit/Angle, Benoit/Anderson... all could have been great feuds. and of course there's more. Benoit/Edge and Benoit/Orton could have been awesome!

 

[UFOcalling]

Man, I really miss Benoit. I remember my friends and I used to call him "midget-arms" back in the late-nineties just because his body looked a little disproportionate. Hahaha! ...a little mean, I know...but I was always a Benoit fan.

I was so sad to hear about what he did. He was such a great performer, and every one of his matches were classic. Do you remember that Vince McMahon was "dead" in the storyline at that time? His limo was blown up, remember? ...then Vince showed up at the top of the show that Monday Night and delivered the news that Benoit was dead...then we got to watch that AMAZING tribute show before we got the news about what really happened to him and his family.

If Benoit was still alive and wasn't all fucked up in the head, I believe he'd still be working for a wrestling company in some capacity. Maybe not an active wrestler at this point, but certainly behind the scenes like his buddy Malenko.

If he still was an active wrestler, I think he would have ended up in TNA...he certainly would have fit perfectly with the Main-Event Mafia. If not, he would have been working behind the scenes with WWE.

Man, such a sad story. I'm gonna watch some of his old matches now, I think.

 

[wushady]

He was beaten down physically and obviously mentally unstable. If his brain was damaged as bad as it was said to be he probably would be in a loony bin. If he was still alive. If he was sane he would probably be an agent by now.

 

[slimymeteor]

When Benoit was around, my friends and I would always make fun of him for always wearing his wrestling tights. Even if he were just showing up for a contract signing, or backstage segment, Benoit was in his wrestling tights 24/7. It was funny at the time, but now I realize that it was just one example of how passionate Chris Benoit really was about pro wrestling. You could always see it in his eyes, how seriously he took what he was doing. This of course contributed to him being a phenomenon in the ring. On the other hand, I'm sure it also contributed to his mental breakdown as he was nearing the end of his career.

As far as what could have been? I think Benoit would still be wrestling in WWE. If he thought ECW was a demotion, then he wouldn't even consider TNA, at least not until they were on an even platform to compete on. I'm not sure ECW would still be around, with all the brand switches I'm sure Benoit would have wound back up on Raw or Smackdown. For sure, he'd be coaching one of the NXT members right now.

Sadly, though, while he probably would have gotten another US/Intercontinental title or two, I don't think Chris Benoit would have ever won another world title. He was a fantastic wrestler, nobody is disputing that, but you know how WWE is. Benoit had his moment and they gave him a few months of a reign, and while this was awesome for the IWC, the fact was that Benoit wasn't exactly selling the merchandise. People do love to see his matches though, so I don't think he'd ever be released-- and after his in-ring career was over, I'm positive WWE would have welcomed him into a backstage position.

So, now, with people like Cena, Batista, Edge, Orton, HHH, even newbies like Sheamus and Swagger, I just don't see them using Chris in the world title picture. He would be in upper mid-card type matches, sort of like a Matt Hardy, and would have some decent feuds especially with a lot of the newer talent. But in the end, he would be used to put the newer guys over. So to answer the question, while I think it'd be awesome if he were still around, I think we had already seen Chris Benoit's greatest matches.

 

[dionlyone18]

honestly..i dont see benoit fitting into the wwe at this day and age..idk i think he would probably left by now....he was a no nonsense type of guy and all the guest host and silly crap they do wouldve gotten on his nerves and left..probably crossed the line....or in japan...just dont see him as champ..actually never saw him as a good world champ..hes awsome as a ic champ but main event..i just dont see it..this isnt a diss to him its just..ive never been like a huge fan of benoit

 

[CobraVenom]

I think ECW would still be kicking if Benoit was still around. Him and Christian would definatly be top guys there. People would tune in just to see him wrestling against someone, knowing it'd be a good match. and hell, Christian Vs Benoit would be an awesome fued.

I don't know what is worse: the OP's lame attempt at being Scott Hall or you thinking WWECW would still be around if Benoit was still alive.

To answer the original question, no, Benoit would not be around today. Benoit was too aggressive for the show as it is now.

 

[AjStyles]

ECW was going anyway, because of NXT, but Benoit would've made a much better final ECW champ then say, Ezikel Jackson, and Benoit would have dominated ECW, after it was shut down, he would've been drafted to RAW, possibly chasing the U.S title or even the WWE championship, imagine The Miz tapping out to the Crippler Crossface for the U.S title

 

[philbrooks]

As mentioned he his body was destroyed as much as his brain. I dont think his temperment would have fitted in with being an agent either. He would probably be in Japan or TNA working a lighter schedule instead of burning hell.

 

[MrHashasheen]

ECW or Japan. Those are where he would have continued. While some here wouldn't think ECW would still be alive with him, I'd disagree. With Benoit in ECW, he's probably have a crazy long reign while helping building up ECW into a semi-respectable brand like Smackdown. After that, he'd either be an on face personality such as General Manager, either for ECW or one of the other brands, or he'd be doing something backstage like training the rookies who were coming in.

If he went to Japan, he'd do the same.

 

[philbrooks]

ECW or Japan. Those are where he would have continued. While some here wouldn't think ECW would still be alive with him, I'd disagree. With Benoit in ECW, he's probably have a crazy long reign while helping building up ECW into a semi-respectable brand like Smackdown. After that, he'd either be an on face personality such as General Manager, either for ECW or one of the other brands, or he'd be doing something backstage like training the rookies who were coming in.

If he went to Japan, he'd do the same.

He was an awful talker so he wouldnt be considered for a GM role
WWE being WWE he would have been drafted of ECW within 2 years guaranteed
Benoit was extremely frusrated with the younger talent in WWE so I dont think he would last in that role either without incident

 

[RMartinez]

Things would be sooo different, for example their would be NO John Morrison.....who won the title as Nitro (due to the unfortunate circumstance), ECW MIGHT still be around and be enjoyable, Im sure CM Punks carrer would have been a little different (not good diff or bad difff per say) but he would have the chance to work with benoit, which im sure would have been a great experience for him... but at the end of the day his brain was indeed too messed up anyway, he would have failed a drug test, not taken rehab maybe, the corny PG direction wwe is goin which might have him feud with Hornswoggle or something stupid,and on top of that the frustration of being demoted, if i had to guess where hed be today id say hed be in TNA, where im sure he would feel utilized better in a wrestling capacity

 

[Spidey Revivey]

Chris Benoit was coming to the end of his career. If he was alive today he would most likely make guest appearances similar to The Undertaker or Shawn Michaels before he retired. You have to keep in mind he already spent 20+ years in professional wrestling. He was tiring down and obviously he didn't want to be in ECW (ex. His murder-suicide) so to say he would have helped it progress is invalid.

Now the "what if" about this is pretty much given. If Benoit would have went to ECW, he would have pushed it further but you have to keep in mind he wasn't mentally well and going to a 3rd rate show didn't help things IMO. He wouldn't have stayed regardless. I think right now he would be a contender for either the U.S. Championship or the Intercontinental Championship, both belts that need a challenge.

And not to mention his place as a Hall Of Famer would not have been tainted.

 

[XgringolocoX]

Not to sure he'd even be still working. I think had he not murdered his family and went through with the ECW thing he'd wrestle til the end of his then current contract then moved on to TNA or just quit. He'd still would have been able to go to Japan and made some good yen.

 

[The Scarred One]

ECW on SyFy was doomed from the start, there's no question about that. But if Benoit hadn't done what he did, at least the show would've been more interesting because he and CM Punk could've carried the show by themselves. After Benoit died though, it was Punk's burden to bear for the time being.

If Benoit was still alive, it was obvious he would've won the ECW World Championship over Punk at Vengeance: Night of Champions. The match, and the potential feud between them that would follow, would've been "of the Year" quality. I also think he would've helped out some of the other young talent like Miz and Morrison as time would go on.

But like many have already said: even if his brain hadn't turned into pudding, his body was breaking down. He'd probably have had a good year left, give or take a couple of months. After that, he would've called it quits and taken on a backstage role like his buddy, Dean Malenko. And this would've been before WWE adopted its new PG rating, so he would've gotten out before they changed his character to be more kid-friendly.

I don't think he would've gone to TNA. Like someone else on this forum said, if ECW was considered a demotion, TNA was not that much better. Even now, the product sucks.

In addition, there's no doubt he would've been in the WWE Hall of Fame.

But alas, it did not come to be this way for Benoit. It's been almost three years since he did what he did. I admire and respect him as a talented in-ring athlete, which is what everyone who followed his career should rememeber him for. As far as what he did, I choose not to judge or condemn him because it's not my place, nor is it anyone's place, to do so. Only God can do that. But I forgive him and hope that he and his family have found peace.

RIP Chris Benoit

 

[Judgeman03]

I remember a few years ago, right after the incident, Kurt Angle did a radio intervoew and mentioned Benoit. He said that right around the time Kurt was about to leave WWE, he started noticing something seriously wrong with Benoit's demeanor, and that Benoit was starting to proverbially "lose it" as far as his personal problems.

It makes me wonder, what if Angle had brought Benoit with him to TNA? I know alot of people think that Benoit would not have considered it, that it would have been lower than him. But consider how close Benoit and Angle were, I'm sure he could have convinced Benoit to go with him to TNA. With that, he would have been able to wrestle, and still get time off to heal himself. Who knows, had he left in 07, maybe he would have had enough time between 07 and 09 to heal and probably would still be around today. This is all speculation, but its just interesting to think what could have been. Maybe him going to TNA would have been the best thing for him in the long run.

 

[Cookie14]

I think that he would have been given the same sort of ECW title run as Christian was eventually given, then he would have gone to SmackDown (Since he was on there a lot longer than Raw)

I think he would have had a fued with Undertaker, leading to a match at WrestleMania (which I would loved to have seen)

I even think that he would have had another run with the World Title, but only a brief one, but I don't think that his career would have lasted more than a few years

 

[philbrooks]

I remember a few years ago, right after the incident, Kurt Angle did a radio intervoew and mentioned Benoit. He said that right around the time Kurt was about to leave WWE, he started noticing something seriously wrong with Benoit's demeanor, and that Benoit was starting to proverbially "lose it" as far as his personal problems.

It makes me wonder, what if Angle had brought Benoit with him to TNA? I know alot of people think that Benoit would not have considered it, that it would have been lower than him. But consider how close Benoit and Angle were, I'm sure he could have convinced Benoit to go with him to TNA. With that, he would have been able to wrestle, and still get time off to heal himself. Who knows, had he left in 07, maybe he would have had enough time between 07 and 09 to heal and probably would still be around today. This is all speculation, but its just interesting to think what could have been. Maybe him going to TNA would have been the best thing for him in the long run.

Bryan Alverez said that Benoit had no interest in working for TNA after go through what he did in WCW.

 

[The Scarred One]

I remember a few years ago, right after the incident, Kurt Angle did a radio intervoew and mentioned Benoit. He said that right around the time Kurt was about to leave WWE, he started noticing something seriously wrong with Benoit's demeanor, and that Benoit was starting to proverbially "lose it" as far as his personal problems.

It makes me wonder, what if Angle had brought Benoit with him to TNA? I know alot of people think that Benoit would not have considered it, that it would have been lower than him. But consider how close Benoit and Angle were, I'm sure he could have convinced Benoit to go with him to TNA. With that, he would have been able to wrestle, and still get time off to heal himself. Who knows, had he left in 07, maybe he would have had enough time between 07 and 09 to heal and probably would still be around today. This is all speculation, but its just interesting to think what could have been. Maybe him going to TNA would have been the best thing for him in the long run.

Doubtful. Brain damage is not something that one can easily recover from. I mean, there are ways to rehab and regain some function of the brain over time. But once brain cells are dead, they're dead. Benoit wouldn't have gotten better even if he wrestled a reduced schedule like TNA provides. But if he chose to retire and walk away from wrestling, he wouldn't have gotten worse.