#32. Chris Benoit
Achievements/Accolades:
- 1-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion
- 1-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion
- 2-time WCW United States Champion
- 4-time WWE Intercontinental Champion
- 3-time WWE United States Champion
- 4-time WWE World Tag Team Champion
- 3-time WCW World Television Champion
Opinions:
“Without question one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. However, the legacy that he has left is so unbelievably tainted. He will never be in the WWE Hall of Fame. I don’t care what any fans say. Could you imagine an induction ceremony for Chris Benoit? How would they justify inducting someone who committed the atrocity that Benoit did? You know how there is a silver lining in everything? It’s hard to find one with the Benoit incident, but if you look close enough, you can see the concussion protocol and how it has positively impacted WWE & professional sports in general. Nobody wants to turn out the way Chris Benoit did & the proof is there that his brain was severely damaged.” — Jay Alletto
“Chris Benoit, the name alone is enough to make a room go quiet. However, it is undeniable that Chris Benoit is one of the all-time greats. The man cut his teeth, and perfected his craft, across the globe wrestling for promotions such as NJPW, ECW and of course WWE. Whether you can look past that horrific weekend in June, 2007 or not, his ability in the ring was second to none. A spot at #32 complaints draws no objections from me.” — Matt Burgess
“I must confess that I don’t think Benoit should be on this list at all. And this doesn’t stem from the obvious reason although that plays a role in it. His inability to take care of himself for the better of his own health and accommodate for his injuries, really puts a darkness on him and his overall ability that turns what could have been a good lesson for prospective wrestling students into a “What not to do” in wrestling history. You can enjoy him but me personally? Nah.” — Zak Fellows
