Canadian rock band Our Lady Peace made a notable choice during their Wednesday night performance in Calgary, Alberta, as part of their 30th Anniversary Tour, performing their song “Whatever” – a track that has largely remained absent from their setlists for over 15 years due to its complicated history.

The song, which gained prominence in professional wrestling circles, served as WWE Superstar Chris Benoit’s entrance music from 2002 until 2007. While “Whatever” was initially released on the WWE compilation album “WWF Forceable Entry,” Our Lady Peace also included a live version on their 2003 album “Live.”

Following Benoit’s shocking murder-suicide in June 2007, which claimed the lives of his wife Nancy and young son Daniel, the band’s relationship with the song changed dramatically.

In 2012, Our Lady Peace made the definitive decision to remove the song from their catalog and announced they would never perform it again, citing the negative emotional impact and tragic associations the song had come to carry.

Lead singer Raine Maida has recently spoken about the band’s desire to “reclaim” the song from its dark associations, marking a significant reversal from their 2012 position.

The decision to perform “Whatever” in Calgary represents a momentous step in separating the track from its troubled history and returning it to its original artistic context.

The song, which originally appeared on Our Lady Peace’s 1997 album “Clumsy,” stands as one of the band’s more aggressive rock compositions, with themes of perseverance and determination – themes that now carry a markedly different weight given its historical context.

Our Lady Peace’s performance in Calgary marks a turning point in the song’s legacy, as the band works to preserve their artistic creation while acknowledging its complex past.

The performance demonstrates the challenges artists face when their work becomes inexorably tied to tragic events, and their efforts to move forward while remaining sensitive to the gravity of such associations.

Rivalries are the heart of professional wrestling, creating unforgettable moments that define careers. During a discussion with Chris Van Vliet for Insight, WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle recently reflected on some of his most iconic opponents, shedding light on the matches and competitors who pushed him to his limits and cemented his legacy.

From his unparalleled chemistry with Chris Benoit to his physically grueling battles with Brock Lesnar, Angle’s reflections offer a deep dive into what made these rivalries legendary.

Chris Benoit: A Rivalry of Intensity and Skill

Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit shared a rivalry marked by unparalleled intensity and technical brilliance. Their match at Royal Rumble 2003 is often regarded as one of the greatest wrestling matches of all time. Angle, too, holds this encounter in high regard, calling it “the greatest wrestling match of all time.”

“Chris Benoit was like wrestling my twin,” Angle shared. “The intensity we brought out of each other was unmatched.”

Despite Benoit’s controversial legacy, Angle emphasizes the respect they shared in the ring. Their chemistry was rooted in their similar styles, with both being technical masters who elevated each other during every clash.

Brock Lesnar: Brutality and Respect

Another rivalry that defined Angle’s career was with Brock Lesnar, one of the most dominant athletes in WWE history. Known for their intense physical matches, including the main event of WrestleMania XIX, the two shared a relationship built on mutual respect and toughness. Angle recalled the toll their battles took on his body, revealing:

“Brock Lesnar broke my neck twice. But I called both those spots, so I don’t blame him.”

Despite the injuries, Angle has always admired Lesnar’s raw power and athleticism. Their matches weren’t just about brute strength; they combined storytelling and technical prowess, creating some of the most memorable moments in WWE history.

Other Iconic Matches and Dream Opponents

While Benoit and Lesnar were two of Angle’s defining rivals, other opponents also shaped his career. His emotional match against Eddie Guerrero at WrestleMania 20 remains a fan favorite, showcasing Guerrero’s charisma and Angle’s versatility. Angle also expressed admiration for wrestlers he never got to face, including Bret Hart, whom he regards as a dream opponent.

“Bret was the kind of wrestler who could adapt to anyone. I wish I had the chance to step in the ring with him,” Angle shared.

How Rivals Shaped His Legacy

Looking back, Kurt Angle credits his greatest rivals for pushing him to his peak as a performer. Whether it was the raw intensity of his matches with Chris Benoit, the physical toll of facing Brock Lesnar, or the storytelling brilliance of his clash with Eddie Guerrero, these rivalries helped define one of the greatest wrestling careers of all time.

Through it all, Angle’s ability to connect with his opponents—and with fans—solidifies his place as one of wrestling’s all-time greats.

Check out the full interview:

Hulk Hogan’s legacy has been a topic of debate in recent years, as while no one can deny his influence on wrestling, many are opposed to the Hulkster and his many controversies. In recent years, Hogan has received mixed-at-best responses at WWE events, and now the Hulkster has evoked the name of Chris Benoit to address fan hostility.

On the ImPaulsive podcast, Hogan brought up Benoit, arguing that there are fans who still love the disgraced Canadian despite the tragedy of June 2007. Hogan then argued that fans can be very forgiving when they want to be, and hopes he is shown the same treatment given his “major mistakes.”

“If Chris Benoit can do the crap he did and the fans still love him [why not me?] they are forgiving… I have made some major mistakes… they are very, very forgiving.”

While some fans may be willing to ‘love’ Benoit (at least in Hogan’s eyes) WWE has done what it can to distance itself from the former World Champion. The promotion has made no reference to Benoit on TV since June 2007. While Benoit’s matches remain available in WWE’s extensive archives, the company goes to lengths not to reference him by name, often labeling his matches in ways that omit his involvement entirely.

Hogan referencing Chris Benoit has not gone down well with fans, many of whom took to social media to critique the Hulkster’s argument that fans have forgiven Benoit.

Hulk Hogan’s Controversies

Hogan was fired from WWE in 2015 after racist remarks came to light. His exit saw him removed from WWE’s Hall of Fame, though this would only be known in 2018 when he was readmitted into the Hall of Fame. More recently, Hogan spoke of bodyslamming Kamala Harris and made a ‘joke’ about Native Americans that he quickly blamed on his drinking.

Despite this, WWE has signed a new five-year deal with Hogan that will see the wrestling icon serve as an ambassador and have his license used for merchandise. While Hogan’s comments continue to rub many the wrong way, the Donald Trump endorser is sticking to what he believes about the fans and their willingness to forgive.

While the latest episode of The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy was focused on Jeff Hardy’s WWE return in 2006, the conversation turned to Chris Benoit.

Hardy reflected on how eerie it was that day. Benoit missed the pay-per-view. Hardy ended up filling in for Benoit on house shows earlier that weekend. “It was very strange because Chris was not one to be late. I’ve told you stories about how Chris and Eddie would stay by the gym. They would get a hotel near the closest Gold’s Gym so that they could work out first thing in the morning. They were very timely and very punctual, so Chris never missed shows, never missed shots, people always heard back from him. So, it was very strange the whole weekend. Very strange.”

“And I’ll never forget that day when they called a talent meeting to get everybody together. And keep in mind, we’ve been walking around all day long. There’s caskets in several different places for shots they’re going to do about Vince. There’s all these wreaths everywhere. There’s flowers everywhere, like it’s really like a funeral home. There’s so many weird, eerie vibes floating around that day as we’re doing the show that followed Vince’s explosion and the supposed “death” of the boss.”

Matt Hardy on How He Learned of Chris Benoit’s Death

“They had this talent meeting, they call everyone together. I’ll never forget I saw ‘Taker coming out slowly, walking out to where all the crowd was gathered around. I saw Michelle McCool like, crying. I remember turning to Ken Kennedy and going, ‘Chris is dead.’ I saw Undertaker and Michelle coming and Undertaker would’ve been given the heads up and Michelle’s just so upset, I thought ‘he’s gotta be dead.'”

“And then I remember them coming out and proceeding to tell us Chris had been found dead and his family had been found as well. We’re going to change the whole show that night and they’re going to go a different direction and remember Chris Benoit that night. It was a super eerie day and even having walking around all day seeing that funeral stuff, it was just a weird, creepy day. Corpus Christi, Texas. I’ll never forget it. I remember it like it was yesterday and how shocking it just was.”

Final Thoughts

Jon Alba clarified that they will never do an episode dedicated to Benoit. He will come up only in stories. Since it’s the only time they’ll talk about him out of respect for the victim’s families, he did ask a few more questions.

Vince McMahon and the top people in the office broke the news of Benoit’s death. “They told everyone about it and what their intention was for the show. I was asked to do a testimonial, but I said, ‘I’m okay’ and declined to do it because as the day was going on, as you know, more info started coming out and they weren’t really sure how his family died. There were some guys who were suspicious, it could be foul play. I was one of those guys who declined to speak just to be safe. I mean, very sad day, obviously.”

• William Regal Expected Back in WWE Soon

“Extremely sad. Just remarkably eerie in every way possible because of what we were there to do that day, the Vince storyline; the explosion angle. And then to have that real life storyline set in on you like that. It was so crazy. So yeah, there were guys who did to testimonies and it is what it is. It was meant to celebrate Chris Benoit’s wrestling career and life and it’s just very unfortunate how it all ended with him. It’s inexplicable to even try to explain why that happened or how that happened or could have happened. At the end of the day, it’s just heartbreaking. It’s just sad.”

“It hit everyone hard. Everyone was just floored. It came out of left field, no one was expecting that. Chris Benoit’s gone the whole day and not only is Chris Benoit dead, his family has passed away as well. That’s mind-blowing. It strongly effected everyone, even worse when we found out what truly happened.”

Hardy gave his final thoughts on that time. “That was just a very tough day, very tough day at work. Learning that information about someone you worked with very closely hand in hand, you spent time with, that you went on car rides with, that you shared hotel rooms with, to learn that was heavy, man. It’s the first time I can ever say I’ve been in some criminal, traumatic event like that and known someone that close. It was a heartbreaking day all the way around.”

Kurt Angle has reflected on two of the most physical wrestlers he’s ever shared the ring with.

Angle knows a thing or two about physicality. His neck has been through the wringer throughout his career and he’ll tell anybody who listens that he won a gold medal at the Olympics with a “broken freakin’ neck.”

For as tough as Angle is, there are some other wrestlers who were just as willing to dish out punishment as well as take it.

Kurt Angle Reveals His Most Intense Opposition

During an episode of The Kurt Angle Show, Angle said that Stone Cold Steve Austin and Chris Benoit were the most physical and intense wrestlers he’s ever been in the ring with.

“Yeah, him and Chris Benoit were the two most physical athletes I’ve ever faced in the ring. Austin was very physical. That’s the one thing about him that made him special. He was really intense. He kept the intensity up very high and he was very physical.”

It should come as no surprise that Stone Cold made Angle’s list. After all, Austin was the one who taught Kurt how to blade and it wasn’t a pretty sight.

Angle went on to say that he always felt at home when his opponents threw stiff strikes.

“I was comfortable being snug cause I was snug. That’s just one thing that I tried to work on, my finesse but there were times when I throw punches or kicks they’re gonna stick, they’re gonna hurt and Austin was the same way. So, I enjoyed that because in order to give it you have to be able to take it and I did.”

Angle also said that he never gave anyone a receipt because he always assumed that if he got caught with a good strike it was just how his opponent worked.

It also helps that Angle was a legit amateur wrestler so not many in the locker room would dare to test him.

Please H/T SEScoops with a link if you use any quotes from this article

The death of Chris Benoit and his family is one of the most tragic incidents in the history of the wrestling business and a lot of things surrounding the case remain a mystery to this day. One of the biggest points of investigation is how the former world champion was feeling in his final days and if the people around him noted any significant difference in his behaviour before he took his own life.

Former WWE star Elijah Burke who was the final person to wrestle Benoit before his tragic demise was asked the same question during his recent interview with The Wrestling Epicenter. Replying to the question, Burke, who wrestled the former champion during an ECW episode on June 19, 2007, said that everything seemed normal to him:

“No, not at all. One thing Chris was big on, and hindsight is 20/20 on this if I could say, ‘Oh, that kind of makes sense’ is just the fact that he said, ‘Talk to me out there. I might forget.’ So, after everything that happened, when it came back that he had like the brain of an 80-year-old with Alzheimer, that was like, ‘Hmm, that is interesting,’

In this business, I was always taught that we should communicate in rings. So, I didn’t think anything of it. That could have been a sign.” said Burke, “Chris Benoit asking me to talk to him? But other than that, there was nothing that could have tipped me or anyone else off to the extent of the degeneration of his brain per the results of his test.”

• Also Read: Renee Young Returning To WWE For Special Appearance

The recent episodes of the Dark Side of the Ring series documenting the final days of Chris Benoit have brought the topic of his death back in the discussion. During the interview, Elijah Burke was asked if he was approached for the episodes centred on Benoit and he revealed that he was not contacted. You can check out the full interview of Elijah Burke here.

VICE recently released episode 1 of the new Dark Side of The Ring series. The episode centered around the tragic murder/suicide of Nancy, Daniel and Chris Benoit. Another of Benoit’s sons, David, recently appeared on Busted Open Radio to discuss the two parter documentary and how he has to deal with the negative elements surrounding the situation on a near daily basis.

“I still get trolled all the time on Instagram” Benoit began. “I get rude comments and, you know, I just block them and you know I just forget about it but you know it hurts a little bit.”

Busted Open co-host Bully Ray would elaborate further on the question, asking “does it hurt a little bit? I’m not, I’m not trying to be too harsh on you. But I would think that it has to hurt a lot, because it’s something that you can’t really escape from. Despite the fact that you’re your own man. And you got, you know. One of the things that you know struck me was that that smile on your face in part one of the documentary. You seem like a guy that just wants to enjoy his life. And it’s just so difficult to get out of the shadow of what happened in the past.”

David Benoit would reply and finish by saying “You know when we were filming it, we were talking about the good times. I was just smiling, having a great time and then towards the end there. You know I just, I broke real hard. And then, Chavo came up and gave me a big hug during it.”

Also Check Out:

• Teddy Long On WWE Nixing Vince McMahon’s Funeral Angle After Chris Benoit Tragedy
• Dark Side Of The Ring Season 2 Premiere To Focus On Benoit Family Tragedy
• David Benoit To Pay Homage To His Father In Wrestling

Jim Ross has reflected on his discomfort at WCW’s decision to turn the real-life issues between Chris Benoit and Kevin Sullivan into an angle. Nancy Benoit had been married to Sullivan from 1992 to 1997. In 1997, WCW started an on-screen romance between Benoit and Nancy. They would eventually have a real-life affair.

“I thought their private life got way too public,” Ross said on his podcast, Grillin’ JR. “It became an angle, it became a storyline. As if we’re obligated to share our personal life and that should be voluntary, it should not be made a storyline out of.”

Ross continued, “I felt like making that, the marriage, the adultery, all this other stuff was simply unnecessary, we have to be more creative. Did we have to go there? I wasn’t really sure what was true in that whole deal and what wasn’t. In any event it made me uncomfortable.”

Dark Side of the Ring Season 2 premiered last night on VICE TV. It began with a two-hour special covering Benoit’s tragic story. Chris Jericho narrated the documentary. Alongside Chavo Guerrero, he was heavily involved with the process of helping the production put the episode together.

H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

All Elite Wrestling’s Chris Jericho will be narrating the upcoming premiere of Dark Side of the Ring. Season 2 begins with a documentary focused on the Chris Benoit tragedy. Given the controversial nature of the subject, Jericho stressed that neither he nor the show is “glorifying a murderer.” 

“I didn’t want to hear how I was glorifying a murderer. I don’t want to hear that I’m ignoring this murder. I wanted to talk, specifically, about his life and times, his intensity, and his successes within the ring,” Jericho explained to SI.com.

“We’re not glorifying a murderer. We’re telling the full story. It was done properly, it was done for the right reasons, and we were able to portray the full story, emphasizing the tragedy that much further.” 

Chris Jericho On Chris Benoit & Eddie Guerrero’s Friendship

Jericho shared how the episode will also cover the death of Eddie Guerrero. He explained that the connection between Benoit and Guerrero made it impossible to tell a full story without mentioning both wrestlers.

“[…] half the story is the story of Eddie and the other half is of Chris. I think we did the right way of portraying this, reminding everyone there were people behind this, not just sensational murder coverage. There is a story to tell of a friendship and a family, and a guy that was not a monster. This was someone you could trust and that was very respected in the wrestling community amongst his peers.” 

Chavo Guerrero’s Involvement

According to Chris Jericho, Chavo Guerrero was instrumental in the production of the episode. He noted how Chavo helped produce it and is the reason he agreed to be a part of the show. 

“His mindset was, ‘If we don’t do this properly, it’s going to get done anyway. Let’s do it for the right reasons and do it the right way.’ I think he was spot on with that. Chavo was involved, which got me involved, and David Benoit and Nancy’s sister were involved, then I was able to get Dean and Dean’s wife, and Vickie.”

He continued, “Suddenly it became this noble project instead of a hack job, which is what the media tends to do in situations with someone they don’t know. We knew the person behind this, not just the murderer.”

Dark Side of the Ring airs on VICE TV on Tuesday nights. Season 2 starts next week with a two-hour special.  

In 2007, the world lost Nancy, Daniel, and Chris Benoit. In the years since the case has been a difficult one for many wrestling fans to come to terms with. The Vice documentary series “Dark Side of the Ring” plans to dedicate their premiere episode of Season 2 to the case. The episode will air on March 24th, 2020 at 9 pm.

Former AEW World Champion Chris Jericho will serve as the narrator for the series.

The following topics are confirmed to be covered this season on the documentary season:

1. The murder of Dino Bravo.
2. Brawl for All tournament.
3. An episode on New Jack’s career
4. David Schultz’s run-in with a 20/20 reporter.
5. The death of Nancy Argentino and allegations against Jimmy Snuka.
6. Story on Hawk and Animal the Road Warriors
7. Herb Abrams’ attempt to build a wrestling empire.
8. Owen Hart’s death at Over the Edge 1999.

“The first season of ‘Dark Side of the Ring’ was a massive hit,” said Morgan Hertzan, executive vice president and general manager of Vice Television. “These powerful stories transcend wrestling fandom and resonate with both fans of the sport and newcomers who were captivated by this incredible storytelling. We rise to the challenge and do not shy away from the truth. I am proud and excited to continue telling these courageous stories in season two.”

“As lifelong fans, we have always been fascinated by the behind-the-scenes, human stories of the world of professional wrestling,” said executive producers Evan Husney and Jason Eisener. “For our second season we’re going even deeper into its secretive past. Many wrestlers and family members we interviewed have never spoken out before. Our series seeks to help bring closure to their stories.”

David Benoit, son of Chris Benoit, says that he has plans to get into the world of professional wrestling. The 27-year-old is the eldest son of the former WWE star who committed suicide after taking the lives of his young son Daniel, and second wife Nancy.

David, who is Chris Benoit’s child from his first marriage, talked to Chris Van Vliet in a recent interview. The interview covered a number of different topics, including David’s plans to get into wrestling.

David praised All Elite Wrestling for their work and said that he loves the storytelling by the company. Benoit said that he has a year of training left and he would like to sign with AEW or NJPW when he graduates. He said that he has attended AEW events and that has instilled a desire in him to return to wrestling.

“When I came here for Double or Nothing when I was sitting out in that crowd, man. I just got lost in the moment again, like I was way back in 2000 when my dad was wrestling still,” Benoit said.

He has said that he wants to wrestle for AEW before too, and stated that he’s been “messing around in the ring right now with a couple of guys from AEW.”

David wants to have a technical wrestling style and said that he has had wrestling gear made identical to his dad’s. He even wants to use the “Chris Benoit” ring name when he starts wrestling.

“I don’t own his name yet,” said Benoit. “I have his middle name I can legally use it if I want to and they can’t come after me. Yeah, I think it would be cool. I’ve got the tights with the claw.”

He added that he would use Chris’ wrestling entrance music and is even in talks with the band Our Lady Peace who performed the song “Whatever”.

David also thinks that his father Chris Benoit should be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame for his achievements. He said that he believes his father will be inducted someday.

WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle has been a part of some tremendous matches in his professional wrestling career. One of the most memorable, however, was his WWE Title bout with Chris Benoit at the 2003 Royal Rumble pay-per-view (PPV). Angle, the then-WWE Champion, defended his title against “The Canadian Crippler.”

For the 20 minutes the men shared the ring together, Angle and Benoit, two of the best technical wrestlers of all time, put on one for the ages. With the 2019 Royal Rumble approaching in the next few weeks, Angle took to Instagram to reflect on what was arguably his best match at a Royal Rumble PPV ever:

“Up next….. Royal Rumble in January 2019. 16 years ago I had the privilege of defending my WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble. This is how the match was explained verbally to those who haven’t watched it. “Professional wrestling in its purest form is as beautiful as ballet, as elegant as a ballroom dance and as captivating as a theater.

“By purest form I mean technical wrestling, which in today’s world is almost non-existent. The fiery chain wrestling, involving great chemistry, in-ring psychology and dream like story telling is something that happens when all the stars align.”

“This match was one of my best performances of my career. If you haven’t seen it, give it a look.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/Br57lFIHgmX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading

The Dark Shadow Of Chris Benoit

Angle didn’t mention Benoit by name in the post, but his likely reasons for doing so are understandable. Benoit took his own life in 2007 after murdering his wife, Nancy, and seven-year-old son, Daniel, in their Fayetteville, Georgia home. Since the incident, WWE has essentially blacklisted Benoit from WWE memory.

He is not mentioned on WWE programming or in WWE record books. The only evidence of his past matches with the company are on the WWE Network. Looking ahead to the 2019 Royal Rumble, Angle’s role remains unclear, but that’s likely to change in the coming weeks.

What do you think about Angle’s comments regarding his 2003 match with Benoit?

WWE Hall Of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin recently took to his podcast, The Steve Austin Show, to talk about several professional wrestling topics. One such topic was working against the late former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Chris Benoit in his hometown of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on an episode of SmackDown on May 31, 2001.

Austin said he loved performing in front of Canadian crowds, but didn’t enjoy the trip crossing the border up north:

“I always dug Canada. Like I said, it’s a great wrestling place. The biggest problem was crossing over the border and Canada is very strict at the border and they should be. And they go through everything. They makes sure that the Is are dotted and the Ts are crossed. And when the boys start coming through, due to the fact that a lot of times back in the 80s, early 80s, probably 70s, guys were carrying a lot of stuff over there. There were always stories of The Iron Sheik and how he’d have weed on him or something like that with him and he’d put it in someone else’s bag.

“The precedent had already been set. A lot of times, guys came through and they’d be carrying some stuff. There was this, that, and the other. You can probably guess what it might have been. But that was one of the biggest pains in the ass about going to Canada because you knew you’d get pulled over and you’re going to sit in a room for an hour, two, or three. They were going to go through all of your stuff and shake everything out. And 99 times out of 100, they didn’t have s–t, but every here and there, someone would have something.

“That’s why they always kept checking the boys when they came into the country, so great on Customs part – they did a very thorough job. But when you’re one of the guys and you’re just passing through there, and you’ve got nothing in your bag, and you get pulled over, that’s a pain in the ass because you’re always on a schedule, trying to hit the gym, you’re trying to hit a tanning bed, you’re trying for something to eat. You might check into your hotel room.

“It might be one of those deals where you go straight to the building and you’ve got a long road trip after that. But that was always a pain in the ass when you had to go pass through Customs on the way there.” Austin added, “coming and going across the border was a pain in the ass. Getting the directions in French was not fun. The crowds were always great.”

Austin talked about the great match he and Benoit had on SmackDown. He revealed that Benoit told him to disregard the go-home cue and he would take the heat for it backstage. Austin was underwhelmed with the match he and Benoit had the night before on RAW:

“I had a great match with Chris Benoit in Edmonton one night and I believe it was on the SmackDown show.” Austin continued, “and we had worked the previous night on RAW and they only gave us a certain amount of minutes and I wasn’t very happy with that match because we didn’t have enough time to build a proper story.

“I’ll never forget when we rolled into Edmonton that night. It was SmackDown and we were going to work together again. And I told Chris before we went out there, I said, ‘dude,’ I said, ‘I don’t care how much time they give us – we’re going to go home when it’s time to go home. And it’s all on me. I’ll take the heat, so if they give us the go home cue, disregard it.’ And we really ripped it up that night.”

During the match Austin came up with a spot where Benoit would hit him with 10 German Suplexes. Austin noted he wasn’t in any pain from his injured neck taking the moves, but said storyline-wise it made sense for Benoit to attack the injured area:

“I said, ‘hey man, we’re going to go as long as we need to go’ and it was Chris’s hometown, I believe. I think it was Edmonton. We had worked the night before. [We] didn’t have the match I wanted to have because I knew how much Chris could go and I respected him. And so, I said, ‘hey man, I don’t see you making a traditional comeback on me.

“I see this being something where you just grab me from behind and let’s go 10 German suplexes, 10 in a row, because I just don’t see a regular comeback. I see 10 German suplexes and here comes Vince [McMahon] coming down and I barely escape with the belt.’ And Chris thought about that for a minute and he goes, ‘I like that.’ And so, that’s what we went out and did. So it wasn’t in the moment.

“It was something that I called, I planned, I ran across Chris, and he dug it. And we did it.” Austin added, “I called the suplexes and I wasn’t in any pain. And the pain in referring to is because I was returning from my neck fusion and I’d figured all the bumps that I had taken leading up to that match that I would be fine taking those bumps.

“And it would be a great ploy, a great strategy, for Chris to use to focus on my weakness, or perceived weakness, which could be construed as my neck because of the fusion, because of the surgery. And I was working heel at the time, so he’s giving it back to me and then some. So it made sense for that in his comeback.”

After the match Austin claims Benoit paid him one of the biggest compliments of his career by telling him he had gotten him over:

“I’ll never forget after that match, I’ve said it on the podcast before, it was one of the highest complements I’d ever been paid by an opponent.” Austin remembered, “we always shake hands after the matches. And, man, that was Chris’s hometown, man. And we got off the headbutt off the top turnbuckle, me throwing the belt up, him getting a little bit of color from that accidentally.

“It was a real solid match. And he goes, ‘man, thanks.’ He goes, ‘you really got me over’ and he got it. He knew what I was trying to do and it was my job to do was to get him over. He was already over to a degree, but I got him more over than he was after the match than he was before the match, and he recognized that. And he told me that and I’ll never forget that complement.

“And I wish things hadn’t gone the way they had for Chris as far as down the road, but, man, the Chris Benoit that I knew was a badass worker, great dude, cool as hell, and so I remember that match vividly. Out of all the things I’ve forgotten, I remember that match.”

You can listen to The Steve Austin Show by clicking this link here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb9aA6advHo

H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

– Early tomorrow morning Chris Jericho will be returning to New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) for his highly-anticipated match-up against Kenny Omega at Wrestle Kingdom 12. Jericho took to Instagram to post some fan art that showed himself, Chris Benoit, and Eddie Guerrero. “Y2J” said that he is dedicating his match tomorrow to his “fallen brothers”:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BdfXpUjlQnS/

– In the dark main event after SmackDown Live and 205 Live tapings; a Six-Man Tag Team match between the teams of AJ Styles, Bobby Roode, and Shinsuke Nakamura took on the team of Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, and Jinder Mahal. “The Phenomenal One” and his team were able to emerge victorious to send the crowd home happy.

The Chris Benoit murder/suicide tragedy occurred over the weekend of June 22-25 2007. Chris Jericho decided to sit down with Dave Meltzer recently to discuss Benoit’s career.

The topic of the podcast, for the most part, had little do with the Benoit murder/suicide. Rather Jericho and Meltzer discussed Benoit’s career.

This week on #TIJ:
Wed- The Childhood Of Jericho…Growing Up Maaan w @holowatuk!
Fri- Benoit- 10 Years Later w @davemeltzerWON

— Talk Is Jericho (@TalkIsJericho) July 18, 2017

Chris Jericho and Dave Meltzer on Chris Benoit Highlights

Chris Jericho On Not Being Able to Talk About Benoit

“I’ve been wanting to do something like this for awhile, and it was just the 10 year anniversary of Chris Benoit’s death. It’s interesting Dave, obviously because of the horrific circumstances at the end of his life, his career up to that weekend has basically been buried. No one really takes about it.”

“You don’t want to ever demean or diminish those events, but i want to talk about Chris’s career. The reason for that is a couple of years ago they did another Jericho DVD, it’s the 3rd one they’ve done, and once again you choose the matches. I can’t choose those Benoit matches, nor do I think I’d want to. That’s like half-a-dozen to a dozen of my favourite matches that I ever had. For a lot of people, for all of Chris’ work, it almost feels dirty to watch them if you even can watch them”

Meltzer on Not Being Able to Talk About Benoit:

“It’s so hard to talk about it. You would feel guilty if you really talked about… because he was an incredible wrestler obviously. You know that better than almost anyone. But you feel guilty about saying ‘well, he’s a great wrestler” then it’s almost like you’re praising a murderer type of a thing.”

Jericho and Meltzer went through Benoit’s career over the course of the 2-hour show.
You can check out the full episode here: https://player.fm/series/talk-is-jericho/benoit-10-years-later

On June 22, 2007 former WWE World Heavyweight champion Chris Benoit murdered his wife, Nancy Benoit, and his 10-year-old son Daniel before hanging himself and committing suicide. Since then, “The Crippler” has been essentially blacklisted from WWE history, with the exception of a few of his matches being available on the WWE Network. The tragedy marked one of the darkest days in the history of professional wrestling.

Former WWE referee Marty Elias recently held a Q&A to talk about his time in the business, and was asked how the roster was alerted of the tragic news after the events had transpired. Here’s what he had to say:

“For me personally, being there, and being in that whole backstage thing, it wasn’t real. It wasn’t real,” Elias explained. “When everybody found out, it was the meeting with Vince and Stephanie. They pulled everybody together, and that’s when they made the announcement.”

“I mean it was so surreal. Everybody were scratching their heads, and I remember people dispersing, and going off and crying. People just literally being in shock and awe. When they found out that it was a murder/suicide… everything just kind of stood still,” Elias continued. “We had another talent meeting, and we were advised that we weren’t gonna do anything for Chris.”

“It was just a whole different vibe. I’ve been backstage at WWE so many times, but that particular instance, during that whole time, was a whole different vibe.”

H/T The UK Daily Star for the transcriptions 

John Cena on why WWE no longer acknowledges Chris Benoit in a historical context

Chris Benoit murdered his wife and son in 2007 and then took his own life two days later. WWE has since removed references to Chris Benoit in the company. His matches are still on the WWE Network, but his name does not appear when trying to search or skip to the match he was in. A fan asked Cena why doesn’t acknowledge Benoit in a historical context during a Q&A in Australia and below is Cena’s response:

“Very difficult question, and I’ll answer it like this,” Cena explained. “Often times, we get caught up in a person’s ability and their performance and this transcends WWE, this is a problem in sport. It is also a problem in entertainment. People will do bad things, but if they are good at what they do, sometimes those things are overlooked.

I don’t in believe that. I believe you should take ownership for your actions. All of them. Not just ones that are performed in front of an audience. I think our company’s stance on the entire situation set a precedent for athletics, and a precedent for entertaining of taking ownership for your actions.”

You can check out Cena’s comments on Chris Benoit here:

UK-based potato chip manufacturer Walkers are currently running a social media campaign where Twitter followers can win tickets to the UEFA Champions League final that takes place in Cardiff, Wales on Saturday June 3rd. Walkers is asking people to upload selfies using the hashtag #WalkersWave to be superimposed into various promo spots. What could go wrong?

Unfortunately some users started tweeting images of infamous criminals, one of these being former WCW/WWE Superstar Chris Benoit.

Walkers mistakenly used at least one of the images of Benoit in a video which has been circulating online.

H/T to Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet for spotting this bizarre story

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKPHLzsG4ms

New details are coming out about the upcoming Crossface biopic on Chris Benoit and the murder-suicide in 2007. One writer has already quit the project over a storyline proposed by the producers.

In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it’s reported that producers WME suggested that the film have scenes based on a conspiracy theory that WCW booker Kevin Sullivan was involved in the murders. One idea was to have a scene where Sullivan breaks into Benoit’s house, and the original screenwriter Richard O’Sullivan quit the project because he refused to write in speculation that Sullivan was the killer.

WME also reportedly suggested that they have Benoit’s close friend Johnny Grunge be the one who discovered Eddie Guerrero’s body, when it was actually Chavo Guerrero. It doesn’t seem like this idea is making it into the film, and sources say the final product will be closer to the real version of events.

Variety has confirmed that director Lexi Alexander will direct the “Crossface” biopic on Chris Benoit. She commented on accepting the project:

“I was pretty certain I’d stay in TV rather than returning to the feature world, because the material just seems so much better in TV, especially in drama, but then ‘Crossface’ came my way. A heartbreaking, true story about the dark side of wrestling. … I couldn’t say no to that.”

The script will be written by Sarah Coulter and Jake Goldberger, based on Matthew Randazzo’s book, “Ring of Hell: The Story of Chris Benoit & the Fall of the Pro Wrestling Industry.” Randazzo will also executive produce along with Ram Getz. Producing the movie will be Tony Lee and Alex A. Ginzburg of “Let It Play.”

The Chris Benoit Crossface biopic that’s been in the works for years is moving forward. The film about the Chris Benoit double-murder and suicide from June 2007 has been talked about for years, with the project never getting off the ground. Filmmaker Lexi Alexander has now confirmed that she’s involved with the film.

When asked by a fan on Twitter if she was in fact attached to the movie, she was surprised word got out before a formal announcement was made.

https://twitter.com/lexialex/status/773390229990477824

https://twitter.com/Lexialex/status/773519722880958464

https://twitter.com/Lexialex/status/773521223317729280

We’ll have to wait for that press release to learn more production details, but Crossface will focus on the circumstances surrounding the Benoit family tragedy. The 40-year-old veteran wrestler killed his wife Nancy Benoit and strangled their 7-year-old son Daniel before hanging himself.

Sandra Toffoloni is the sister of the late Nancy Benoit, and she appeared on the latest edition of Chris Jericho’s Talk Is Jericho podcast. On the subject of the horrific events inside the Benoit family home in June of 2007, Toffoloni says she first started noticing changes in Chris as early as the Spring of 2004.

Toffoloni says she feels the pressure got to Benoit after winning the World Title at WrestleMania XX, and he became increasingly paranoid as he became more famous.

She previously said her sister was “brutalized” as a direct result of Chris’ “roid rage,” but she also doesn’t discount concussions playing a role in his mental state in the time leading up to the double-murder suicide. Toffoloni also feels that Benoit losing a series of close friends and neighbors in the years before the incident took a toll on him. Toffoloni and Jericho talk about how close Benoit was with Eddie Guerrero, Ray Traylor, and especially Johnny Grunge.

Sandra revealed several details that hadn’t be mentioned by the press before. She noted that prior to the murders Chris had done a Google search on the easiest way to break someone’s neck, and that Nancy had gotten a restraining order against him at one point. She says media reports that Daniel had Fragile X syndrome were false and he was healthy. On the subject of Benoit reportedly having the brain of an 80 year old alzheimers patient, she says he functioned fine in the sense that he could navigate roads and airports.

She clarified that Chris killed Nancy on a Friday, Daniel the following morning on Saturday, and then himself on Sunday night by rigging the pulldown machine in his gym to take his own life. She says Chris and Nancy were planning for his retirement after wrestling, and were going to open a Benoit Wrestling Academy in Atlanta.

You can listen to the entire podcast here.

– MMA journalist Ariel Helwani says the latest plan for CM Punk’s UFC is for the fight to take place at UFC 203, scheduled for September 10th. However, the fight date is “far from a done deal.” In recent months, it was reported that Punk would likely debut at UFC 202, which takes place during SummerSlam weekend. Punk will [eventually] fight Welterweight Mickey Gall (2-0).

Current plan at the moment is CM Punk vs. Mickey Gall at UFC 203, per sources. Far from a done deal but that's the direction as of this AM.

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) June 21, 2016

Punk signed with UFC back in December 2014, shortly after his WWE departure and his controversial appearance on Colt Cabana’s Art of Wrestling podcast. His planned debut has been pushed back multiple times, most recently when he underwent back surgery in February to repair a herniated disc. UFC and Punk are still adamant that he’ll fight this year, but much of the excitement that surrounded his initial announcement has dissipated.

Visit our partner site MMANews.com for daily coverage of UFC and the world of Mixed Martial Arts.

– With Jerry Lawler serving an indefinite suspension from WWE as a result of his domestic assault arrest from last week, David Otunga filled in the the King at Tuesday’s SmackDown tapings.

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– In response to other websites reporting that Natalya is retiring soon, the 2nd generation Superstar slammed the rumor as “TOTALLY FALSE.”

TOTALLY FALSE …. but please follow my cat 2pawz on Instagram. He's RICH. ? https://t.co/NK2LTiqoCg

— Nattie (@NatbyNature) June 21, 2016

– Nancy Benoit’s sister Sandra will be Chris Jericho’s guest on his Talk is Jericho podcast this coming Friday. The episode will focus on the Benoit family tragedy.

This wk on @TalkIsJericho:
Wed-The True Story Behind #TheConjuring w @bathsheba1680
Fri-Inside The Benoit Family Tragedy w #SandraToffolini

— Chris Jericho (@IAmJericho) June 22, 2016

WWE Diva and Total Divas star Natalya received a huge pop from the Canadian crowd at the WWE live event in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on Friday evening before defeating fellow Total Divas star Alicia Fox. Nattie took to her official Instagram page to post some photos of some special guests backstage at the show, including Chris Benoit’s son David Benoit and former WWE Superstar Phil Lafon.

https://instagram.com/p/7g8di7S1NB/

https://instagram.com/p/7g-S6AS1P2/

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WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross recently updated the Q&A of his official website, answering questions from fans on a number of pro wrestling related topics. Below are some of the highlights.

On wrestlers using the “Crippler Crossface” and if it is an homage to Chris Benoit: “I don’t think a homage is even in the equation. It’s an easy hold to apply and an easy hold to take. It is established and so it is utilized and has zero to do with Chris in my opinion. I agree that Chris was a great, technical wrestler.”

On whether or not Randy Orton & Batista would have been as big without Evolution: “I think that Orton and Batista would have both evolved into being stars without Evolution but being in Evolution greatly quickened their rise to the top. Not sure who I would put in an Evolution like faction today as there are not many veteran legends working full time schedules these days.”

On who will replace John Cena as the next top guy and when it will happen: “Someone will eventually replace Cena as the top dog in WWE but it won’t be any time soon from what I see. Lesnar’s the man when he’s there but Cena is there all he time so Cena is the #1 talent in WWE based on that. Who becomes the top draw depends on many variables that I cannot address and neither can anyone else. Only time will tell but the spot is going to be wide open and who steps up to take it remains to be seen.”

On how he prepares for his podcast interviews: “I generally prepare a day or two depending on the guest and I often times ask my Twitter followers if they have any questions that they want me to address with the guest. My interview style is laid back and casual and I try to be more conversational than not.”

On WWE removing Hulk Hogan from the Hall Of Fame and if they will ever work together again: “I’m uncomfortable with removing people from the Hall of Fame but I understand not promoting them if the situations warrants it in the future. I’d guess that WWE and Hulk will do business again some day as time heals many wounds. It’s a matter that I can’t affect so I don’t worry about it whatsoever. Why worry about things that one cannot affect? I also don’t understand multiple inductees.”

Check out more Jim Ross Q&A updates at his official website, JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.

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