Christopher Michael Benoit is a Canadian wrestler born in Montreal, Quebec, to Michael and Margaret Benoit. He grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, where he was billed throughout his 22-year career. Benoit had a sister living near Edmonton.
Throughout his career, Benoit worked for numerous promotions, including the World Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment (WWF/WWE),World Championship Wrestling (WCW),Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW),and New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). Industry historian Dave Meltzer considered him one of the top 10, possibly even the top 5, all-time greats.
Benoit held 22 championships across WWF/WWE, WCW, NJPW, and ECW. He was a two-time world champion, having been a one-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion and a one-time World Heavyweight Champion in WWE. He was booked to win a third world championship at a WWE event on the night of his death. Benoit was the twelfth WWE Triple Crown Champion and the sixth WCW Triple Crown Champion, and he was one of only five men in history to achieve both the WWE and WCW Triple Crown Championships. He was also the 2004 Royal Rumble winner, joining Shawn Michaels as the only two men to win a Royal Rumble as the number one entrant.
Benoit headlined multiple pay-per-views for WWE, including a victory in the World Heavyweight Championship main event match of WrestleMania XX in 2004.
On June 22, 2007, Benoit murdered his wife and son. Two days later, he hanged himself. Research suggests depression and brain damage from numerous concussions are likely contributing factors leading to the crime.
