What if Chris Benoit were still alive...

[muxiroger]

I was watching his performance at the first MITB match the other day, and it reminded me of what an amazing performer he was. He sold everything perfectly and hit his high points with amazing precision (his flying headbutt off the ladder onto I think Christian.)

I got to thinking where would he be if he hadn't committed the murder/suicide? I believe he would have had a couple more World Heavyweight Championships or WWE Championships. I believe he would be a solid main event level competitor right now, instead of the upper-mid card wrestler the WWE had him at when he died. Hell he probably would have had another feud of the year with someone like Orton or Jericho.

What are your thoughts on this?

 

["Cool Guy" Jensen]

I was heartbroken on June 25, 2007 when I went on wwe.com and came across the headline, ''Benoit Found Dead''. Just the night before, Chris Benoit was scheduled to defeat C.M. Punk and win the E.C.W. Championship. That win and title reign itself would have REALLY helped the championship today and would have really helped it seem more like a World Championship. After several title defenses, Benoit would eventually lose the title and then during the 2008 WWE Draft, he could have gotten drafted to Raw. He would be on Raw now and could possibly have had a few good feuds, but I'm not sure if WWE would let him win another World Championship... which is a shame.

I loved Chris Benoit, as he was one of my very favorite wrestlers. His mat based wrestling style was awesome and he really knew how to sell his opponent's moves. I still think he would be a main eventer now, but I'm not sure if he would win anymore titles. He could fued with Chris Jericho again, Randy Orton, Triple H again, Batista... the options would have been endless.

 

[Freakinflax]

Benoit will go down as one of the greatest in-ring performers of all time.

As a person, he was one of the worst.

Unless you subscribe to the "someone framed him" theory.

a.k.a. Kevin Sullivan.

He would probably have the same case of Jericho-itus: Mid card talent, probably losing the IC title to JBL, could have fought Jericho at this years Mania.

 

[The Palace of Wisdom]

That Night of Champions PPV is always going to be heart-breaking for me. On one hand, I'm thrilled that Johnny Nitro (now John Morrison) snuck in their and won the ECW title. It was truly a memorable, and surprising occurrence. It launched the rebirth of someone I believe is going to have a long, successful WWE career.

Then, on the other, when I watch that match in particular match, I think about it in context. At that time, nobody, my friends and I included, had no idea the fate that had befallen one of our wrestling heroes. That hero was Chris Benoit.

Had none of those things happened (a better world indeed), Chris Benoit would still be at the top of the WWE. He was the last of a tragically dying breed. A man whose career had evolved on television. A man who had made a personal bond with his audience, an audience that respected and cheered for him, and shed tears of joy when he finally reached the top of the mountain in 2004.

He was as valuable as ANYONE currently on the WWE roster. Fans my age (I'm 23) had started watching him in ECW and WCW, we'd followed his career. He was our Iron Man. When he wasn't injured, you could always count on Benoit to have a great match. Whether it was his Best of-7 Series with Booker T for the TV Title in WCW, or his willingness to put young stars over and willingly carry a secondary title (like the Intercontinental or United States titles) and raise the prestige of that title 100-fold, he was truly one of the greats.

As for where he would be today, I would say he would be feuding with Chris Jericho, heading into Wrestlemania to face him with the Legends in his corner. Defending the Old School, the men who paved the way, defending the history that he so unfortunately has almost been erased from.

 

[Lee]

I don't get why people think Benoit would still be at the top of WWE from, he wasn't at the top when he killed his wife, kid and himself so why would he be top now? I could see an ECW run for the rest of 2007, a draft to Raw, a mid card feud for the IC belt and that would be it.

 

[ChrisIrvine]

I don't get why people think Benoit would still be at the top of WWE from, he wasn't at the top when he killed his wife, kid and himself so why would he be top now? I could see an ECW run for the rest of 2007, a draft to Raw, a mid card feud for the IC belt and that would be it.

See, what you see as a negative in Benoit's career is acutally his biggest positive. He was ALWAYS able to bounce up and down the card to feud with anyone at anytime. That is what made him so great. Sure he was in "ECW"....of that's what you want to call it.....when he roid raged out, but for all we know, the next week he could have been starting a feud with Cena, Punk or HHH. He, like Jericho, was also one of the few that come to mind who SUCCESSFULLY pulled of what seemed like dozens of flip flops between heel and face.

I'm pretty sure I could watch Jericho and benoit wrestle every week for about 10 years and never once get bored or change the chanel.

 

[Lee]

when he roid raged out, but for all we know, the next week he could have been starting a feud with Cena, Punk or HHH.

How deluded can you get? Cena was in a feud, Triple H was in a feud neither on Benoits brand. Him starting a feud with Punk was very likely, seeing as they were both on ECW and seeing as it was Punk he was meant to beat for the ECW championship. I am not denying Benoits greatness in the ring, I was a big fan of his, but he was on a career wind down at the time, not a mega push and with him being 40 at the time I can't see him going back into the ME. Maybe he would have just re entered about this time for one final run, one can but speculate, but I can't see it myself.

 

[Captain Bean]

if benoit was still alive, i think he could have had a great fued with orton for the wwe title, following ortons win at wm 24, which would have meant that HHH would have had to go after the world title. an orton v benoit fued would have been an instant classic. benoit could also have had a brilliant fued with jericho, and i would also have loved to see some matches between him and hbk.

he was scheduled to win the ecw title of punk, and i think that he would have stayed as the ecw champ until maybe the royal rumble 2008, where he would have headed over to raw in time to fued with orton following wm 24. as for wm 24, hmmm he could have had a match with jericho, instead of throwin jericho in the money in the bank. apart from being a tweener in the hbk - batista fued, jericho didnt do much up until he began his fued with hbk, and so a benoit v jericho fued could have slotted in there nicely

 

[ChrisIrvine]

Funny, I didnt' realize you were in the WWE writing room a year ago.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

If Benoit was still alive then C.M. Punk's career probably would have been a whole lot different. A long feud with Benoit before winning the ECW title would have done hima world of good.

I think it's also safe to say that The Miz & Morrison probably wouldn't have come together as a team. Maybe the career of Big Daddy V would have panned out differently. But maybe not.

 

[rowdy ruben]

i think he would have become ecw champion then win mitb at wm 24 then win the world tittle have a short reighn like punk did nd now he would be the i.c. champion

 

[Decarow]

Benoit will go down as one of the greatest in-ring performers of all time.

As a person, he was one of the worst.

Unless you subscribe to the "someone framed him" theory.

a.k.a. Kevin Sullivan.

He would probably have the same case of Jericho-itus: Mid card talent, probably losing the IC title to JBL, could have fought Jericho at this years Mania.

One of the worst people in history? Ya, it sucks that he did that, but he couldn't control himself. He really couldn't. If he was such a bad person the whole WWE universe wouldn't have been as shocked. I've met him, and he was extremely nice and selfless.

Who knows what would've happened had he not done that. He was supposed to win the ECW championship (just like eddie died right before he was supposed to win the WHC). It definately would've helped the prestige of the championship out. He would've helped the scramble matches look better.

But look at what his death did, it sparked the career of another wrestler, Johnny Nitro (now John Morrison).

 

[RawIsRamsey]

Chris Benoit was, and still is, one of my favorites of all time. The few times I met him he was always gratious and humble to his fans, cause he knew they made him. I'm not passing judgement over his life, because we may never truly find out what really happened over that heartbreaking weekend (who's to say Nancy didn't kill Daniel then Chris flipped? And how come Chavo was the last person to see Benoit AND Eddie alive? Conspiracies, begin!)

However, if Benoit would have kept on, there's only two scenarios I can think of. One, he would have continued on as the player-coach of ECW, having fantastic matches with CM Punk, Morrison, Elijah Burke, etc. up until being drafted. After that point, he'd continue having fantastic matches up until now.

Two, he'd be dead. Benoit did have a tendency to go WILD in matches he knows are good, and we he does that, he gets hurt (TLC 3 and the bump that killed his neck, landing head/neck first on that table dive against Booker, etc). Benoit's style when he brought it put himself more at risk than his opponent, and it was only a matter of time before he was dead or, like his hero Dynamite, crippled.

Now, could Benoit have joined TNA and bypassed everything? (Remember, his contract was up in 2006, but he resigned with Vince). Maybe, but we'll never know. The match-ups there certainly would have captured the audiences imagination and maybe, just maybe, TNA would be at a better point than it is today.

However, without the Benoit tragedy, Chris Jericho would not have come out of pseudo-retirement. I still feel Jericho didn't come back fully on his terms, but he saw the product--no--the audience needed him. He's the closest connection left to Benoit (hence why we have yet to be treated to an AWESOME Jericho DVD...his career and Benoit's went hand-in-hand) and seeing Jericho again almost made it OK that we lost one of the best. Had Benoit lived, we may not have gotten Jericho. It's an awful trade as far as the situation, but a good one in that we got back our Saviour (it's funny...traded one for another).

The Chris Benoit situation will always be a hard one for wrestling fans to digest, especially the aftermatch and decline of the business, but it's a situation we will all get over in time. WWE is slowly beginning to acknowledge him again (title histories, the write up in the new WWE Encyclopedia) and, over time, they may even say his name again. All I know is the business wasn't, and still isn't, the same since we lost the Canadian Crippler.

 

[Joup7]

Benoit was a great wrestler and a good company man, but he never would have gotten higher than the level Kane is at right now. He would have helped the ECW Title, had a few more IC Title runs. But at best he's be a main event jobber: a guy who beats the mid-card and wins those feuds and is occasionally used as fodder to help push Cena, HHH, Edge, and Orton.

 

[Jersey Wannabe]

As we all know , he was set to beat Punk for the ECW strap. Had that happened, it would have instantly lent creedence to that title, and ECW as a whole. A long fued with Benoit would have given Punk the rub he needed to actually be respected and taken seriously as a main eventer. It looks like WWE went through with its plans for Punk anyway, but a fued with Morrison followed by Chavo, just isnt the same as it would have been against Benoit. Also if Benoit was still around, we wouldnt have seen the rise of Morrison, who i believe has more chance of being a main eventer for years to come.

 

[therocksaysyo]

What if Benoit were still alive???

1-He would have won the World Title again

2-He would be an agent/producer plus a wrestler....like Finlay

3-He would have had another HHH feud that would have completely dominated every other storyline.......Benoit made me watch HHH (who I really dislike) when they feuded---they were awesome together

4-He would have beaten John Cena at least once...and Cena would have tapped in the middle of the ring!!!!! (How awesome would that visual be)

5-Benoit would have been the one to retire Ric Flair I believe (I know that I just stirred up a hornet's nest....but think about that storyline...it would have ruled at Wrestlemania)

 

[JJohns]

Had the Benoit Tragedy not have happened, I think Benoit could have become more like a Dean Malenko or Ricky Steamboat. I think he would have put in a couple more years, and then retired. He'd be a sure fire WWE HoF member (possibly even in this class), though I doubt that he would have had another World or WWE Title reign. Not because he wouldn't be pushed for it, but because he wouldn't be needed for that role. He'd be like Shawn Michaels, who SHOULD be a champ, but isn't because they need to have him be the guy that has great matches all the time, doesn't need the belt to be successful, and the company doesn't need him to have the belt to be successful.

That's supposedly part of why he went to the ECW brand, so that he could work with the younger wrestlers that they were going to bring up through that brand and get them ready for Raw or Smackdown. Think of where a guy like Jack Swagger would be if he had Benoit to work with. Look at John Morrison. Evan Bourne. DJ Gabriel. Tyson Kidd. These are all young guys that would be in the upper echelon of the WWE by 2010 if they had a guy like Benoit to work with.

If Benoit was still alive.....

 

[RATED R CHAMPION]

If Benoit Was Alive I Think He Would Be World Champion Today, Ahmmm Maybe The Wwe Title At Least 1 Time, And Well After Winning The Ecw Belt At Night Of Champs 2007, Maybe A Good Feud On Ecw For The Rest Of 07 And Then In 08 Come To Raw Or Smackdown And Ultimately Winning One Of The 2 World Titles, Though, He Still A Hall Of Famer I Think

 

[The Reaction]

Maybe he would've found his way to TNA? Imagine TNA's roster if that were to happen? I think all of the former WCW guys ought to go TNA. That way, it'll be like WCW 2000 if they had done stuff right and keeping the guys that made their name first in WCW. I'm talking about Big Show, Benoit, Flair, Mysterio and Jericho.

 

[AllDayDreamer]

Maybe he would've found his way to TNA? Imagine TNA's roster if that were to happen? I think all of the former WCW guys ought to go TNA. That way, it'll be like WCW 2000 if they had done stuff right and keeping the guys that made their name first in WCW. I'm talking about Big Show, Benoit, Flair, Mysterio and Jericho.

Ironically the only person in that list that made there name first in WCW was Big Show, the rest made there names in ECW & NWA in Flair's case. There really are some dumb people in these forums. I mean how vague is the question in the first place "What if Chris Benoit was still alive?" If he was then there would not have been an investigation into drugs in pro wrestling, then the wrestling companies would not have been so paranoid about the image of there stars, therefore TNA might not have released Andrew 'Test' Martin and he may still be alive today. There's a million ways of answering the subject of this topic. But the obvious one is that if he was still alive he would be in jail for 2 counts of murder.

 

[enigmaticdude]

If Chris Benoit was still alive, he would have been in jail for murdering his wife and son.
Or if he did not decide to kill his whole family, he would have probably had brain damage from all of those head butts from the top rope and he would have been released from the WWE. Why do you think he was barely on the Mic the last year he wrestled? I can barely remember him on the Mic in 2007. I do know that his father had said that Benoit had brain damage.

 

[Pickle]

Yeah, Chris had brain damage equivalent to a 70 year old man with alzheimers at the time of his death. If he didn't snap in June 07, he would have won the ECW title, made Punk into a much bigger deal than he is today, and then would have went crazy a few more months down the line (possibly in the ring).

A better question would be "What if Chris Benoit didn't perform the diving headbutt off the top rope every night for twenty years?" This one is a bit more complicated. On one hand maybe a clear head would have allowed him to cut a slightly better promo and he would still be wrestling today, but on the other hand I'm not sure he would have ever gotten over at all without the headbutt, especially in the WWE.

 

[Andres_cena]

Im sorry i just can't keep it inside anymore. Chris might've been a good ground athlete and whatever you wanna call it, But he wasn't a crowd pleaser. You see, the thing with the technical wrestlers such as Benoit are that people don't want to see a guy doing a headlock reversed into armbar and those things anymore, they got UFC if they wanna watch that now.. Fans of the current sports entertainment programs (and i don't mean IWC but the fans overall) like to watch high spots like hardy swanton bomb to orton, they like the whole drama of the storylines, and little kids want to see their heros win (Cena, Mysterio).. There's not a whole lot of people who would like to see benoit doing that he did nowadays, Benoit's prime was over way before he did what he did. If he was with the wwe nowadays had he not done all of those things, he would be there just as a mentor, just as another kane, another tommy dreamer, another guy who is used to put over the new guys and teach them the road rules.. He wouldn't be anywhere near the "Having feud for the wwe title with orton" because there's simply no way of that happening. Do you guys really think benoit would be triple h right now? Or he would be replacing the big show at wrestlemania 25? The answer is nope people, he wouldn't. He would be IF ANYTHING feuding vs JBL for the intercontinental title, but more than likely he would be in MITB or defending his ECW title. You people are just seeing what you want to see. Benoit wasn't the thing to talk about before his terrible actions, Benoit wasn't the main event, benoit was simply on the top of ecw. His latest feuds were vs Punk and JBL by christ's sake.. Let it go. Benoit's fame came when he did those terrible actions then he got the people's attention. Why not to create a "what if eddie was still alive" thread? The guy deserves it better because he was actually scheduled for a main event role at wrestlemania when he died.

@The people saying his brain was like a 70 year old man with alz~
No, chris wasn't as mentally gifted as a 70 with alz~.. He wouldn't have been able to go on planes, remember the whole matches, talking all in all. Someone would've realized and they wouldn't have allowed him to keep on traveling with the boys. What chris did might've been a mix of brain damage, the stress of a pro-wrestler life, roid rage and personal demons like the dead of his great friend eddie, but don't you blame the actions of chris on a "70 year old brain" because its clearly not the case.

 

[rolltide_pisco]

if Chris was alive, wrestling fans would still be brainwashed in believing that the Wellness Program is working and guys are not on the juice. Also the whole Vince McMahon death angle would've continued obviously. The wrestling scene would be totally different

 

[enigmaticdude]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Benoit#Death
According to this report in wikipedia, His brain was that of an 85 year old dementia patient. He did have considerable amount of brain damage and shouldn't have even been wrestling in my opinion or at least should have been told to not do the diving headbutt anymore. This isn't only wikipedia saying this, again his own father says this, Ex wrestler Chris Nowinski says this and he is the one who prompted research on Benoit's brain. It wasn't roid rage or anything of that nature. It was his brain.
If Benoit was still alive he would probably have been mid card striving to become a main eventer again after the US championship. Then possibly retiring about 2010.