[12][13] The incident profoundly shocked and changed the professional wrestling industry and drew intense mainstream media criticism regarding brain injuries, substance abuse, and the long-term health of athletes in contact sports.

[20] During his childhood and early adolescence in Edmonton, Benoit idolized Tom "Dynamite Kid" Billington[21][22] and Bret Hart;[22][23] at twelve years old, he attended a local wrestling event at which the two performers "stood out above everyone else".

While with NJPW, he came into his own as a performer in critically acclaimed matches with luminaries like Jushin Thunder Liger, Shinjiro Otani, Black Tiger, and El Samurai in their junior heavyweight division.

In his first appearance, Benoit competed in a one-night eight-man tournament for the vacant NWA World Heavyweight Championship, losing to 2 Cold Scorpio in the quarter-finals match.

[25] In June 1995, while under contract with ECW, Benoit worked in three dark matches losing to Bob Holly, Adam Bomb and Owen Hart.

Like the majority of those who came to WCW in the exchange, he started out in as a member of the cruiserweight division, having lengthy matches against many of his former rivals in Japan on almost every single broadcast.

Benoit and Nancy were forced to spend time together to make the affair look real, (hold hands in public, share hotel rooms, etc.).

The two hunted after the tag team championship for several months, feuding with teams like Raven and Perry Saturn or Billy Kidman and Rey Mysterio Jr. After a falling out with Anderson and McMichael, Benoit and Malenko left the Horsemen; he won the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship[25] before bringing together Malenko, Perry Saturn, and Shane Douglas to form "the Revolution".

[25][32] However, due to disagreements with management and to protest the promotion of Kevin Sullivan to head booker,[33] Benoit left WCW the next day alongside his friends Eddie Guerrero, Dean Malenko, and Perry Saturn, forfeiting his title in the process.

Benoit quickly won his first title in the WWF just over a month later at WrestleMania 2000 on April 2, pinning Chris Jericho in a triple threat match to win Kurt Angle's Intercontinental Championship.

[37] In early 2001, Benoit broke away from The Radicalz (who had recently reformed three months earlier) and turned face, feuding first with his former stablemates and then with Kurt Angle, whom he wrestled and lost to at WrestleMania X-Seven on April 1.

The next night on Raw Is War, Benoit and Jericho defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H to win the WWF Tag Team Championship.

Despite the neck injury, he continued to wrestle until the King of the Ring on June 24, where he was pinned by Austin in a triple threat match for the WWF Championship also involving Jericho.

[citation needed] Angle won his third WWE Championship from Big Show at Armageddon on December 15,[47] and Benoit faced him for the title at the Royal Rumble on January 19, 2003.

[50] In April 2003, following WrestleMania, Benoit then feuded with John Cena (wearing a shirt saying "Toothless Aggression") and The Full Blooded Italians,[51][52] teaming with Rhyno occasionally.

[57] On January 25, 2004, he won the Royal Rumble by last eliminating Big Show, and thus earned a world title shot at WrestleMania XX on March 14.

However, Benoit exploited a "loophole" in the rules and moved to the Raw brand the following night to announce he would instead challenge World Heavyweight Champion Triple H at WrestleMania.

[60] The next night in Calgary on the April 19 episode of Raw, he and Edge won the World Tag Team Championship from Batista and Ric Flair, making Benoit a double champion.

[69] The feud finally culminated in a Last Man Standing match at Backlash on May 1, which Edge won with a brick shot to the back of Benoit's head.

[73] On July 24 at The Great American Bash, Benoit failed to win the WWE United States Championship from Orlando Jordan,[74] but won a rematch at SummerSlam on August 21 in 25 seconds.

[87] Benoit was given one last chance at the United States Championship at No Way Out on February 19 and won it by making Booker T submit to the Crippler Crossface, ending the feud.

[91][92] On the following episode of SmackDown!, Mark Henry brutalized Benoit during their match, giving him (kayfabe) back and rib injuries and causing him to bleed from his mouth.

[102] Benoit missed the weekend house shows, telling WWE officials that his wife and son were vomiting blood due to food poisoning.

When he failed to show up for Vengeance, viewers were informed that he was unable to compete due to a "family emergency" and he was replaced in the title match by Johnny Nitro, who defeated Punk to become ECW World Champion.

WWE executive Stephanie McMahon later indicated that Benoit would have defeated CM Punk for the ECW World Championship had he been present for Vengeance.

[9] Professional wrestler and MMA fighter Bob Sapp, whom WWE had tried to sign up before a contract dispute with K-1 rendered it impossible, reported he would have been put into an oncoming angle with Benoit in case he would have been able to debut.

It actually resulted from an accident involving his pet rottweiler: one day while playing with the dog, the animal's skull struck Benoit's chin, and his tooth "popped out".

[158] Toxicology reports released on July 17, 2007, revealed that at their time of death, Nancy had three different drugs in her system: Xanax, hydrocodone, and hydromorphone, all of which were found at the therapeutic rather than toxic levels.

The chief medical examiner attributed the testosterone level to Benoit possibly being treated for a deficiency caused by previous steroid abuse or testicular insufficiency.

[160][161] After the double-murder suicide, neuroscientist and retired professional wrestler Christopher Nowinski contacted Michael Benoit, Chris's father, suggesting that years of trauma to his son's brain may have led to his actions.