BENOIT FACTS

Did you know that Chris Benoit once competed under a mask as the Pegasus Kid? That's right he did so years ago while competing overseas in Japan.

The Crippler Crossface

Like many of Stu Hart’s protégés, Chris Benoit uses a submission maneuver as his finishing move. The Crippler Crossface is designed to put an unbearable amount of pain on the neck and shoulder region. The beginning stages of the move sees Benoit force his opponent to the ground. From there, he powers his opponent’s right (sometimes left) arm between his own crossed legs. This motion forces the arm back to the point where it feels as though the shoulder will pop. While doing this, Benoit pulls back on his opponent’s neck. While his opponent’s neck is being forced back, not only is there a great level of pain shooting through the arm, shoulder and neck, but it becomes increasingly difficult to breath. Not long after does the opponent usually tap the mat, submitting to the submission move.

The Snap Suplex

The snap suplex was originally made popular in the mid-1980s by one-half of the British Bulldogs, the Dynamite Kid. Growing up in Edmonton, Alberta, Chris Benoit looked at the Dynamite Kid as his idol. As a result, Benoit tried to emulate as much of Dynamite’s wrestling characteristics as possible. One of Dynamite Kid’s moves Benoit chose to use was the snap suplex. Much like the traditional suplex, the groggy opponent faces Benoit. From there, he pushes his opponent’s head into his underarm. While grabbing his opponent’s tights, Benoit lifts his opponent up over his head and drops him on his back. Whereas the traditional suplex has the opponent in the air for much longer, this move is done in one quick fashion, in an attempt to stun the opponent.

The Diving Headbutt

Much like with the snap suplex, Chris Benoit chose to immortalize his boyhood idol the Dynamite Kid by using the diving headbutt. With his opponent out on the mat (usually face up), Benoit climbs to the top rope. From there, he dives off the top rope with his arms spread wide. He continues to drop with nothing breaking his fall until his own head connects to the head of his opponent. Often times, this move is followed by a pin and a count of three

The Sharpshooter

Always the traditionalist, Chris Benoit shows his ties to the legendary Hart family by using the Sharpshooter. The submission move was originally made famous by Bret “Hit Man�?Hart and his brother Owen Hart in the early-to-mid 1990s. With his opponent flat on his back, Benoit lifts both of the felled opponent’s legs. He then steps over the opponent’s left leg, while crossing his right with the left at the ankles. Keeping both legs crossed, Benoit then turns his opponent onto his stomach. With the opponent on his stomach, and Benoit still holding the crossed legs, he then sits back onto the opponent’s backside, while pulling his opponent’s feet towards his chest. If done correctly, the move can literally tear the insides of one’s legs apart while applying pressure to the small of the back

The German Suplex

Chris Benoit usually executes this maneuver in threes, one after another after another. With his opponent groggy, Benoit gets behind his opponent and straps his arms around his waist. In a quick motion, Benoit lifts his opponent and falls backwards. All the while, he is not only holding on to his opponent, but also forcing his back region into the mat. Benoit usually doesn’t let go of his opponent’s waist until he has successfully executed three German suplexes.

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AngelBear7042-Mgr.