Like many people, I get a kick out of lists. Among them, I’ve typically enjoyed a lot of the lists produced in video format, by the WWE’s YouTube channel, and I appreciate the general transparency, and willingness to stop taking wrestling fans as idiots and pretend like alternate wrestling options don’t exist, by showcasing guys that aren’t with the company any more, or those who have left this world in passing.
Except for one man, whom yes, did truly horrific and terrible things, and the world is a better place without him in it. But like I’ve said numerous times about the topic, such things can easily be said about the man himself, but as a wrestling performer, I will still say he is one of my all-time favorites, and someone whose body of work as a performer I can still admire and appreciate, separate from the human being he was when not performing as a wrestler.
This man is obviously Chris Benoit, who murdered his wife and son before taking his own life. But make no mistake, the wrestler Chris Benoit was a tremendous competitor and had a laundry list of A+ matches throughout his career. Twice a World champion, with numerous secondary and tag titles won in his career, Benoit was a technical wizard in the ring and could really go in any style at an excellent level, be it submission, technical, strong style, or just plain brawling entertainingly.