jake verterano/staff writerChris Benoit, a former World Heavyweight Champion, a Wrestlemania headliner and a murderer. Benoit was one of the most respected and well known superstars in all of professional wrestling. His 20- year wrestling odyssey began at the ripe age of 20 and culminated with him winning the World Heavyweight Championship on the biggest stage of them all, Wrestlemania. The legendary star’s career was tainted on a fateful day this past summer.
On June 25 the bodies of Benoit and his wife, Nancy, and son, Daniel, were found dead in their Georgia home. Police ruled that Chris had strangled his wife and son to death and later hung himself.
Fans were shocked by the news. World Wrestling Entertainment, Benoit’s employer, tried to make it seem as if Benoit had never even existed.
One of Benoit’s last matches occurred at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia just a week before the murders. The WWE returned to Philadelphia for the first time since the murders on Oct. 29 for their weekly live broadcast of RAW.
“They called Chris Benoit the rabid wolverine, and I couldn’t think of a more appropriate name for such a monster,” Mike Balasco, a Philadelphian WWE fan, said. His son sat happily next to him fiddling with his giant sign he had made for his favorite wrestler. “I still let my son watch wrestling, and just try not to remind him of Benoit.”
“I hate Chris Benoit for what he did,” Rob Williams, a fan, said. “I hate that I ever cheered for him. I hate that I once applauded that man and a week later he killed his family.”
Most fans in the arena tried not to let the memory of Chris Benoit ruin their evening.
“I’ve moved on from the whole Benoit thing,” Michelle Bolton, a fan, said. “I’m here to have a good time and not worry about it. What he did was awful, but I’ll remember him for the great wrestler he was.”
“What really pisses me off about the whole Benoit case is how the media has covered it,” Scott Farin, a fan, said. “The media is really trying to focus on steroids in wrestling and not the real important issue. It’s been almost six months and I can’t go anywhere without hearing about there being steroids in wrestling.”
The media has been conducting many stories on deaths in wrestling related to steroids since the Benoit murders. Many believe that Benoit was having a case of roid-rage which caused him to murder his family.
“It was definitely not roid rage,” Bolton said, “This was a case of a man with some serious problems who never really expressed them. It’s a shame no one will ever really know what went on.”
Despite the negative media attention and murder scandal the WWE has continued to deliver quality entertainment for the fans. The arena was filled and every match had the fans screaming their lungs out. The audience was even treated to a surprise appearance by former WWE Superstar and #1 New York Times bestseller, Mick Foley.
“I love Foley, so it was great to see him in person,” Farin said.
“The show was everything a wrestling show should be,” Balasco said. “There were the gorgeous divas like Mickie James and Melina all the way to the headliners like Triple H and Shawn Michaels. Great show!”
Fans were buzzing all day about the possible return of former WWE Superstar, Chris Jericho. Jericho has recently signed a new deal with the WWE but has yet to make his debut. Internet rumors had been speculating that he would return at this specific RAW. However, rumors proved to be false as Jericho did not show up.
“Well, that’s Vince McMahon for you. When it leaks on the internet, you know he’s going to change his plans,” Balasco said.
“What I love most about pro-wrestling is that some people just don’t get it,” Bolton said. “They just think it’s some fake show. Well, what about television shows, those are fake and people love them. It doesn’t matter though, because wrestling has made me cry, it’s made me scream my lungs out, it’s made me into a happier person. I love being a part of this audience tonight. There’s no where else I’d rather be.”
