Much like Eddie, something tells me I’ll always know where I was and what I was doing when I read that Chris Benoit died. Ironically, I read it here on The W at about 6:25 EST, clicking the “new replies” on the front page for the wrestling section, thinking it was more Vengeance feedback. I wish it were. I’ve been stuck to my computer ever since, aside from the last half hour before Raw, when I just went out and sat on my porch alone, preparing for an emotional night ahead. As for tonight, a special three-hour edition dedicated to the memory of Chris Benoit. This is going to be tough, though I just read the live show has been cancelled. Probably for the best.
-WWE Open.
-“In Memory of Chris Benoit: 1967-2007"
-We open to an empty arena, with Vince McMahon in mid-ring and the Benoit memorial on the Titan-Tron. He explains what was planned with the tribute to Mr. McMahon’s character tonight. He says that Benoit’s family had died in Atlanta. He says tonight, they will pay tribute to Chris Benoit.
-The Finger Eleven “One Thing” music video is shown from the Benoit DVD. Clips from that DVD, I’m assuming, are going to account for most of tonight’s show. After the video, another “In memory” still is shown.
[Break]
-Benoit returns to his junior high school as his friends and family give their thoughts on the early days of Chris Benoit. Again, from the DVD.
-We go back to the arena for Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler at ringside. Lawler says this will be the toughest show they’ve ever done. JR sends it to the Royal Rumble 2004 match, after the 30th entrant has come out. We see footage from then until the end of the match, where Benoit won the right to main event WrestleMania. Just looking at the wrestlers left, they had quite a stacked roster compared to today.
-Stone Cold Steve Austin gives a talking head tribute to Chris Benoit, saying how Benoit always gave 100%.
[Break]
-Some more Benoit DVD clips are shown, with Benoit talking about how he got his start in wrestling.
-Back to ringside, this time its Michael Cole and JBL. They reminisce about Benoit’s family and the respect Benoit’s kids had backstage for the guys.
-John Cena says that this is the most difficult thing he’s ever had to do, discussing Benoit. He goes on to say that Benoit was a hard worker and one of the best and he hopes those watching have appreciated everything Benoit has done in the ring. Cena says Benoit was never the guy you’d say “I love you” to and he never got the chance, so he says it now.
[Break]
-Some Benoit ECW footage is shown, with Benoit and Scorpio in the ring.
-Joey Styles and Tazz give a few thoughts on Benoit and his ECW stint as well as his prowess inside the squared circle.
-They show Benoit’s last match, from ECW this past week against Elijah Burke.
-CM Punk says he was disappointed not wrestling Benoit last night, but saddened that he won’t be able to wrestle him again. He hopes he doesn’t let Benoit down.
[Break]
-We get the Vince announcement that kicked off the show.
-At ringside, JR and King discuss Benoit fighting friends and foes alike.
-They send it to the 1996 Hog Wild match where Chris Benoit took on Dean Malenki. Half the match was shown, then a commercial break.
[Break]
-JR and King introduce the final few minutes of the match.
-Benoit beats Malenko in two OT’s with a roll-up.
-Dean Malenko speaks on his friend Chris Benoit. He says Benoit was always a very private, quiet person. Malenko also takes credit for giving Benoit the Crippler Crossface finisher. He ends by saying that he knows Eddie and Benoit are together again.
[Break]
-A short WWE commercial-like “I am Chris Benoit” video airs.
-Michael Cole and JBL (who has a box of tissues at his side) talk about the fans respect for Benoit.
-We get the Benoit/JBL steel cage match joined in progress from a 2006 episode of Smackdown.
-Stephanie McMahon says Benoit was one of the few truly happy for her when she and Triple H got married and he was a very big family man.
[Break]
-Chavo gives a very emotional speech about Benoit being the first one he called when he discovered Eddie, as well as a few Benoit stories, including Benoit having Chavo at his house just last week. Chavo said he and Benoit always ended conversations with “I love you,” and thankfully, the last time he finished talking to Chris, Benoit told him, “I love you Chavo.”
[Break]
-Tazz and Joey Styles intro a match from the Benoit DVD.
-Pegasus Kid vs. Jushin Liger in Japan from 1990 is shown, with Tazz and Cole dubbing over the Japanese commentary. Match is JIP.
-William Regal says Benoit was the most dedicated wrestler, and also the best. Must be weird being in front of that curtain again after just giving some words two weeks ago about Mr. McMahon in the same fashion.
[Break]
-Vince McMahon’s show opening announcement opens the third hour of the show.
-JR and King talk about the influence Dynamite Kid had on Benoit, then we see a DVD clip of Benoit talking about it.
-The next match we get is a JIP ladder match from Royal Rumble 2001, Benoit vs. Jericho. We get a commercial break mid-way through.
[Break]
-The ladder match ends with Jericho grabbing the belt.
-Back to King and JR, as Lawler tries to sum up Benoit professionally in a few words. Coming up later, Benoit wins the World Title at WrestleMania.
[Break]
-Edge comments about Chris Benoit, going to him for advice on his neck surgery and saying that fighting him was like “two Canadians fighting over the last beer.” He gives a few Benoit stories including one with his son, and breaks down in tears.
[Break]
-JBL and Cole talk about Benoit, with JBL telling about Benoit kicking a few people out of the locker room in the past because they didn’t have respect for the business.
-We get a music video tribute package on Benoit, presumably made today. I’m sure someone can help with the name of the song played, I’m not much of a music person.
[Break]
-Triple H says Chris Benoit was all about respect. He tells the story of a youngster who was disrespectful to HBK once in the locker room and Benoit made him do 1,000 squats, and Benoit did them right along with him. The next day, Benoit made him do 500 more, when the kid could barely bend his legs. Trips says there’s no one he respected more than Chris Benoit.
-JR and King talk about respect and throw it to the final match.
-From the beginning, WrestleMania XX, Triple H vs. HBK vs. Benoit.
[Break]
-Some more of the WM match is shown.
[Break]
-Back in the arena, JR and King tell how they will remember Benoit. King says we should take the opportunity to tell everyone that is near to us that we love them.
-The final moments of the World Title match are shown.
My Vengeance hangout report and more!: Experience It
I turned the TV on right when JBL was talking about having the honor to wrestle him in a great match, and I knew that someone had died, but I didn't know who. My mind was racing trying to figure out who it could be for a few seconds, and then the footage started of the cage match, and it felt like I got kicked in the gut. Hard. I still didn't want to believe it till the "remembering Benoit" graphic popped up. What matches were shown didn't even matter as I wasn't even able to pay attention to what was going on as I was trying to figure out how the hell this could have happened, and going around the internet looking for news. Shocking.
"The Universe is shaped exactly like the Earth- if you go straight long enough you end up where you were."
Originally posted by BigDaddyLocoI really think Chavo and Edge should have gone after Helmsley, but whatever.
I wasn't in love with the match selection, but they closed it with the right match at least.
I think the talking spots were stuck in context if the guy was in a match with him, like Malenko's. They put together this show on less than 2 hours notice so it's hard to have lofty expectations.
Originally posted by BigDaddyLocoI really think Chavo and Edge should have gone after Helmsley, but whatever.
I wasn't in love with the match selection, but they closed it with the right match at least.
I think the talking spots were stuck in context if the guy was in a match with him, like Malenko's. They put together this show on less than 2 hours notice so it's hard to have lofty expectations.
Originally, we were planning to watch RAW tomorrow...that is until we got word of Benoit's death. So, we happened to watch it live. My parents were in the middle of watching a movie, so my mom, who doesn't even watch wrestling unless we call her down to watch a segment or would stay until dinner is done, watched the entire show with us.
It was so surreal the whole way through. An empty arena set up for RAW. Vince McMahon in the middle of the ring, explaining that his memorial service for his character was originally going to happen, but Chris, Nancy, and Daniel died in reality. I guess that the storyline is going likely going to be cut short.
It was interesting to see the Malenko Hog Wild match, the New Japan match as the Pegasus Kid vs Liger. It was very sad seeing the ending of the WM 20 match seeing Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit celebrating in the ring, not knowing then that three years later, they would be gone.
Seriously, I would be shocked if they would even have the ECW/Smackdown tapings tomorrow, especially when he was on the Smackdown roster, and now on the ECW roster. We'll see.
Yes, please let's refrain from looking for fault from WWE tonight. The company did the best they could in short notice from unimaginably impossible circumstances. They put together a very classy, heartfelt and respectful tribute to Chris Benoit's life and career, as well as his son Daniel and his wife Nancy. "Not being in love with match selection" is throwing stones. They showed clips of him in ECW old and new, his last televised match, him in Japan early in his career, a WCW match with one of his best friends with his wife at ringside (horrible how in that match, Benoit, Nancy and Elizabeth are now all dead), and they showed as the last match the best choice: Benoit winning the World Title in the main event at WrestleMania and celebrating with Eddie. I was both glad and deeply saddened that the final image was the two of them together in their greatest moment of triumph. Benoit is a member of the WWE family; the people who make up that expended family worked with him, knew him and his family, and many were as close to him as non-family members could possibly be. They are all people and I'm sure they are even more heartbroken, confused, angry, and numb than the fans are because they knew him and saw him 300 days a year. I'm sure most if not all of the talent were in no emotional shape to perform and the McMahons made sure they didn't have to. The announcers did and performed admirably. It said a lot that the company turned away the fans and gave up the money they could have made in merchandise and concessions. No one was interested in profit. They wanted to respect their employee, colleague, and friend. Vince McMahon made 100% the right move by appearing on the show and effectively ending (I truly hope) the dead Mr. McMahon storyline.
God please let's hope these terrible losses just stop for a long, long time. We'll all miss Chris very much, and God bless him and his family.
Very classy tribute show put together by the E. Sucks that you can compare, but I thought this was the best format for one of these they've done. Now let's just hope they don't need to do it again.
Originally posted by Tyler DurdenNo ten bell salute this time?
I guess WWE just got reminded of the seriousness of death!
R.I.P. Benoit family!
This really isn't the fucking time.
To those who say people wouldn't look; they wouldn't be interested; they're too complacent, indifferent and insulated, I can only reply: There is, in one reporter's opinion, considerable evidence against that contention. But even if they are right, what have they got to lose? Because if they are right, and this instrument is good for nothing but to entertain, amuse and insulate, then the tube is flickering now and we will soon see that the whole struggle is lost. This instrument can teach, it can illuminate; yes, and it can even inspire. But it can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use it to those ends. Otherwise it is merely wires, and lights, in a box.-Edward R. Murrow
I'm not getting into this. Now is not the time to try and score points in an argument over WWE booking. Just grow up, will you?
To those who say people wouldn't look; they wouldn't be interested; they're too complacent, indifferent and insulated, I can only reply: There is, in one reporter's opinion, considerable evidence against that contention. But even if they are right, what have they got to lose? Because if they are right, and this instrument is good for nothing but to entertain, amuse and insulate, then the tube is flickering now and we will soon see that the whole struggle is lost. This instrument can teach, it can illuminate; yes, and it can even inspire. But it can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use it to those ends. Otherwise it is merely wires, and lights, in a box.-Edward R. Murrow
There is already a Chris Benoit thread, so I have no problem actually discussing what we thought of the Chris Benoit Show in here. I understand that it doesn't have to be picked apart segment by segment, but we are all adults here and should be able to handle general thoughts on such a thing.
The WWE was put in a tough spot and had to fill a whole three hour show instead of the regular two, so they did the best they could. Nobody here is 'throwing stones'.
The Lovely Mrs. Tracker was taken aback by Lawler's actual speaking voice.
The show allowed me to toss out all the great Benoit stories I have from watching him on TV. I also realized just how ingrained in WCW Nancy was: Flair, Doom, the Steiners, the Horsemen, etc.
The show helped. They did the right thing to cancel the show and fill the air-time with Benoit's highlights.
My heart breaks for Chavo.
"To be the man, you gotta beat demands." -- The Lovely Mrs. Tracker
I worry about the folks that actually knew Chris closely...Chavo, Edge, et al. The people that were close to him not only have to deal with losing someone they considered a friend, but the dawning realization of what someone they considered "family" has done.
If WE'RE all conflicted about this, how messed up are they going to be? I don't envy any of them...
Even knowing what we know now...I kind of lean towards this was the proper thing to do given the short timing. It was a kind of farewell to his career retrospective, as no one will ever be able to look at it the same way again.
I agree given the amount of respect every one had for Benoit he deserved this. ( The show) I also feel it is the right thing to put a halt on all story lines for the next week. Over all I feel that Vince is doing the right thing. I loved raw last night it was the first time in a while I sat throw all of raw.
Randy Orton in a Hell in a Cell match. Or Cena & DX vs. Legacy in HIAC in the final showdown. The IC title match getting pulled really sucks. Maybe they don't want either Ziggler (3 straight challenges) or Morrison (8 days after winning)