World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment Chris Benoit

1 world wrestling federation/entertainment

1.1 radicalz , teaming chris jericho (2000–2001)
1.2 championship pursuits , reigns (2002–2003)
1.3 world heavyweight champion (2004–2005)
1.4 united states champion (2005–2007)
1.5 ecw (2007)

world wrestling federation/entertainment
the radicalz , teaming chris jericho (2000–2001)


benoit disqualified 2000 king of ring using chair against rikishi

along guerrero, saturn, , malenko, benoit debuted in wwf stable became known radicalz. after losing tryout matches upon entry, radicalz aligned wwf champion triple h , became heel faction. benoit won first title in wwf on month later @ wrestlemania 2000, pinning chris jericho in triple threat match win kurt angle s intercontinental championship. in time period benoit wrestled in first wwf pay-per-view main events, challenging rock wwf championship @ loaded in july , part of fatal 4 way title match @ unforgiven in september. on both occasions benoit appeared have won title, have decision reversed then-wwf commissioner mick foley due cheating on benoit s part. benoit simultaneously entered long-running feud jericho intercontinental title, 2 meeting @ backlash, judgment day , summerslam; benoit winning 3 matches. feud culminated in jericho defeating benoit in ladder match @ royal rumble in january 2001. benoit won intercontinental title 3 times between april 2000 , january 2001.

in 2001, benoit broke away radicalz (who had reformed 3 months earlier) , turned face, feuding first former stablemates , kurt angle, whom wrestled , lost @ wrestlemania x-seven. gained amount of revenge after beating angle in ultimiate submission match @ backlash. feud continued after benoit stole angle s cherished olympic gold medal. culminated in match @ judgment day angle won 2 out of 3 falls match of edge , christian. in response, benoit teamed former rival jericho defeat edge , christian in night s tag team turmoil match.

the next night on raw war in san jose, california, jericho , benoit challenged wwf tag team champions stone cold steve austin , triple h title. on may 21, 2001, jericho , benoit ended reign , result of win, benoit aided jericho in becoming fourth grand slam champion when captured wwe title later in december.

the pair used win springboard challenge austin world title. benoit got 2 title matches following week, first losing in manner similar montreal screwjob in calgary , losing in close match in benoit s hometown of edmonton. however, benoit suffered neck injury in four-way tlc match required surgery dr. lloyd youngblood. despite this, continued wrestle until king of ring, pinned in triple threat match versus austin , jericho. benoit missed next year due neck injury, missing entire invasion storyline.

championship pursuits , reigns (2002–2003)

benoit @ tribute troops in 2003

during first wwe draft, third superstar picked vince mcmahon part of new smackdown! roster, although still on injured list. however, when returned, did member of raw roster. on first night back, turned heel again , aligned himself eddie guerrero, , feuded stone cold steve austin briefly. , guerrero moved smackdown during storyline open season on wrestler contracts, benoit taking newly won intercontinental championship him. rob van dam defeated benoit @ summerslam , returned title raw.

after returning smackdown!, embarked on feud kurt angle in defeated him @ unforgiven. on october 20, 2002, @ no mercy, crowned first winner of wwe tag team championship, alongside foe , partner kurt angle. in this, benoit consecutively helped crown fifth grand slam champion, tag title remaining title kurt needed. became tweeners after betraying los guerreros. team split shortly after , benoit become face.

angle won third wwe championship big show @ armageddon, , benoit faced him title @ 2003 royal rumble. match highly praised fans , critics. although benoit lost match, received standing ovation efforts. benoit returned tag team ranks, teaming returning rhyno.

at wrestlemania xix, wwe tag team champions, team angle (charlie haas , shelton benjamin), put belts on line against benoit , partner rhyno , los guerreros in triple threat tag team match. team angle retained when benjamin pinned chavo.

in april 2003 following wrestlemania xix, benoit feuded john cena (wearing shirt saying toothless aggression ) , full blooded italians, teaming rhyno occasionally.

in june 2003, wcw united states championship reactivated , renamed wwe united states championship, , benoit participated in tournament belt. lost in final match eddie guerrero @ vengeance. 2 feuded on title next month, , benoit went on defeat likes of a-train, big show, , brock lesnar submission. general manager paul heyman had vendetta against benoit along lesnar, preventing him gaining shot @ lesnar s wwe title.

world heavyweight champion (2004–2005)

when benoit won qualifying match 2004 royal rumble against full blooded italians in handicap match john cena, heyman named him number 1 entry. on january 25, 2004, won royal rumble last eliminating big show, , earned world title shot @ wrestlemania xx. became second wwe performer win royal rumble number 1 entrant along shawn michaels. benoit being on smackdown! brand @ time, assumed going compete brand s championship, wwe championship. however, benoit exploited loophole in rules , traded on raw following night announce instead challenge world heavyweight champion triple h @ wrestlemania. loophole clause became standard storyline practice, royal rumble winner being free choose title challenge, until wwe , world heavyweight championships unified wwe world heavyweight championship @ 2013 tlc event. though match intended one-on-one match, shawn michaels, last man standing match against triple h @ royal rumble world heavyweight championship ended in draw, thought deserved in main event. when time benoit sign contract putting himself in main event, michaels superkicked him , signed name on contract, resulted in triple threat match between michaels, benoit, , champion, triple h.

benoit close friend eddie guerrero, celebrating respective world championships @ wrestlemania xx

on march 14, 2004, @ wrestlemania xx, benoit won world heavyweight championship forcing triple h tap out signature submission move, crippler crossface, in highly acclaimed match. match marked first time main event of wrestlemania ended in submission. after match, benoit celebrated win then-reigning wwe champion eddie guerrero. rematch held @ backlash in benoit s hometown of edmonton. michaels ended submitting benoit s sharpshooter, allowing benoit retain title. next night in calgary, , edge won world tag team title batista , ric flair, making benoit double champion.

the 3 months following victory @ backlash, benoit , edge engaged in rivalry la résistance world tag team championship, saw series of matches, while simultaneously having confrontations kane on world title. benoit wrestled in 2 matches @ bad blood in respective rivalries; , edge failed regain world tag team title while defended world title against kane. month later @ vengeance, benoit retained title against triple h.

on august 15, 2004, benoit defeated randy orton world heavyweight championship @ summerslam. benoit teamed william regal @ unforgiven against ric flair , batista in winning effort. benoit feuded edge (who had turned arrogant , conceited heel), leading taboo tuesday benoit, edge, , shawn michaels put poll see face triple h world heavyweight title night. michaels received votes , result, edge , benoit forced team face tag team champions, la résistance, in same night. however, edge deserted benoit during match , benoit forced take on both members of la résistance himself. still managed win world tag team title. @ survivor series, benoit sided randy orton s team while edge teamed triple h s team, , while edge able pin benoit after pedigree, orton s team won.

the benoit-edge feud ended @ new year s revolution. feud stopped abruptly, edge feuded shawn michaels, , benoit entered royal rumble. 2 continued have matches in following weeks until 2 of them, chris jericho, shelton benjamin, kane, , christian placed in money in bank ladder match @ wrestlemania 21. edge won match knocking benoit off of , smashing arm ladder. feud culminated in last man standing match @ backlash, edge won brick shot of benoit s head.

united states champion (2005–2007)

on june 9, benoit drafted smackdown! after being first man selected smackdown! brand in 2005 draft lottery , participated in ecw-style revolution against smackdown! heels. benoit appeared @ 1 night stand, defeating eddie guerrero.

benoit in september 2005 holding wwe united states championship

on july 24 @ great american bash, benoit failed win wwe united states championship orlando jordan, won rematch @ summerslam in 25 seconds. benoit won 3 consecutive matches against jordan in less minute. benoit later wrestled booker t in friendly competitions, until booker , wife, sharmell, cheated benoit out of united states title in october.

on november 13, 2005, guerrero found dead in hotel room. following night, raw held guerrero tribute show hosted both raw , smackdown! superstars. benoit devastated @ loss of best friend , emotional during series of video testimonials, breaking down on camera. of colleagues state never same after eddie s death same week on smackdown! (taped on same night raw), benoit defeated triple h in tribute match fallen friend. following contest, benoit, helmsley, , dean malenko assembled in ring , pointed sky in salute of guerrero.

after controversy surrounding title defence against booker t, theodore long set best of 7 series between two. booker t won 3 times in row, due largely wife s interference, , benoit faced elimination in series. benoit won fourth match stay alive @ armageddon, after match, booker suffered legitimate groin injury, , randy orton chosen stand-in. benoit defeated orton twice disqualification. however, in 7th , final match, orton defeated benoit of booker t, sharmell, , orlando jordan, , booker captured title. benoit feuded orton short time, compete against booker title. benoit given 1 last chance @ title @ no way out , won making booker submit crippler crossface, ending feud. after, benoit defeated orton in no holds barred match on smackdown! via crippler crossface.

the next week on smackdown!, benoit kayfabe broke john bradshaw layfield s (jbl) hand (jbl needed surgery remove cyst). match set 2 @ wrestlemania 22 benoit s title, , next several weeks, attacked each other. @ wrestlemania, jbl won match illegal cradle win title. benoit used rematch clause 2 weeks later in steel cage match on smackdown!, jbl again won illegal tactics. benoit entered king of ring tournament, defeated finlay in opening round, after finlay struck benoit s neck chair , delivered celtic cross. @ judgment day, benoit gained revenge defeating finlay crippler crossface in grudge match. on following edition of smackdown!, mark henry brutalized benoit during match, giving him (kayfabe) , rib injuries , causing him bleed mouth. benoit took sabbatical heal nagging shoulder injuries.

on october 8, benoit made return @ no mercy, defeating william regal in surprise match. later week, won fifth united states championship mr. kennedy. benoit engaged in feud chavo , vickie guerrero. wanted answers guerreros rash behaviour towards rey mysterio, avoided 2 , assaulted. lead 2 embarking on feud title implications @ coming 2 pay per views. feud culminate 1 last title match no disqualification match, won benoit. later, montel vontavious porter (mvp), claimed best man hold title, challenged benoit title @ wrestlemania 23, benoit retained. rivalry continued similar results again @ backlash. @ judgment day, however, mvp gained upper hand , won title in 2 out of 3 falls match, ending feud.

ecw (2007)

on june 11 episode of raw, benoit drafted smackdown! ecw part of 2007 wwe draft, after losing match bobby lashley. benoit won ecw debut match teaming cm punk , defeating elijah burke , marcus cor von disqualification. on june 19, benoit wrestled last match, defeating burke in match determine compete vacated ecw world championship @ vengeance.

benoit missed weekend house shows, telling wwe officials wife , son vomiting blood due food poisoning. when failed show pay-per-view, viewers informed unable compete due family emergency , replaced in title match johnny nitro, won match , became ecw world champion. wwe executive stephanie mcmahon later indicated benoit have defeated punk championship had been present event.