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I am in absolute shock. According to several news reports, Chris Benoit was found dead in his Fayetteville home yesterday. To make matters worse, both his wife (known to wrestling fans as “Woman” or “Fallen Angel”) and seven-year-old son were also found dead with all three people in separate rooms. And then there’s more. The real shocker is that police investigators — specifically Detective Bo Turner — believe that this may have been a double murder-suicide with the former pro wrestler being the aggressor. I have a really hard time believing that, especially since I’ve been watching this guy wrestle for fifteen years. That’s more than half of my life!

For those of you who don’t know, Chris Benoit is a Canadian professional wrestler who trained under Stu Hart in the legendary “Dungeon.” It was in this same environment that other great wrestlers like Bret “Hitman” Hart, Owen Hart, and Chris Jericho learned the tools of the trade. Chris idolized the Dynamite Kid — one half of the British Bulldogs, along with Davey Boy Smith — growing up and largely emulated his style. Benoit was known for a particularly technical yet vicious approach to professional wrestling: his trademark moves included severe chops to the chest, a diving suicidal headbutt from the top rope, multiple German suplexes strung together, and a submission move that was deemed “the Crippler Crossface.” He always had a huge passion for the sport/industry, whether he was at ECW, WCW, or WWF/WWE.

I particularly enjoyed his days in the WCW when he was a member of the Four Horsemen, wrestling alongside legends like Ric Flair. Sometimes called “the rabid wolverine”, Chris Benoit was also a blast to watch because he clearly demonstrated plenty of energy, determination, and an incredible level of skill. Don’t scoff at the “sport” of professional wrestling, folks. The eventual winner is pre-determined, but many of the shots these athletes take are absolutely real. The blood is always real. The bruises, broken bones, and dislocated joints are not fiction. And sadly, Chris Benoit’s possible murder-suicide is not made up.

Granted, I don’t watch professional wrestling nearly as much as I did growing up, so I haven’t exactly been following Benoit’s career as of late. It’s hard to say what could have driven him to do this, if he indeed did do this. Maybe it was professional frustration. Maybe it was personal issues. I can’t say and I don’t want to say. Because I don’t want to believe that we will never see the Canadian Crippler again. Rest in peace, Chris. You don’t have to be the rabid wolverine anymore.

R.I.P. Chris Benoit (1967-2007), Nancy Benoit (1964-2007), and Daniel Benoit (2000-2007).

UPDATE (6/26/07) from the Associated Press

Pro wrestler Chris Benoit strangled his wife and smothered his son before hanging himself in his weight room, a law enforcement official close to the investigation told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Authorities also said they are investigating whether steroids may have been a factor in the deaths of Benoit, his wife and their 7-year-old son. Steroid abuse has been linked to depression, paranoia, and aggressive behavior or angry outbursts known as “roid rage.”

UPDATE 7/4/07)
Here’s a weird update for you. I logged into my Google Analytics account and discovered that a good number of people who found this page didn’t search for Chris Benoit, but were rather putting Chris Benwa into the search field. I guess it’s understandable that people outside of the industry would have a hard time spelling his name, so they just write it the way it sounds: Chris Benwa. Just goes to show you what some good SEO can do, even if the keyword — Chris Benwa, in this case — isn’t in your post at all.