Enter the Crippler

Scuttlebut in the wrestling blogoverse is that Total Nonstop Action may see an influx of WWE/ECW talent soon. Of the list of possible emigres from McMahonLand one name stands out among the rest as an old favorite of mine from the heady days of the Monday Night Wars. And that name is Chris Benoit:


Chris Benoit (pronounce ben-WAH) has been called "the Crippler" and "the Rabid Wolverine". Most wrestling fans think of Bret "The Hitman" Hart as the best wrestler to ever come out of Canada. Benoit has always been my pick. His no-nonsense badass persona combined with an incredible high-impact style made for a lot of awesome no-frills wrestling. In an era where 'hardcore' meant you whacked your opponent with a bamboo pole, the Crippler achieved hardcore-itude by leaping off the top turnbuckle and headbutting people laying in the middle of the ring. That's crazy badass.

The 90's could have been Chris Benoit's decade to shine, but backstage politics held him back from true superstar status in World Championship Wrestling. I haven't seen Benoit's work since WCW was bought out by Vince McMahon, but the possibility of seeing him in action is the primary reason I even flip over to a WWE program. The prospect of the chance that maybe Benoit will appear in TNA is totally rocking my world right now.