Traveling to the SmackDown brand, we find that our next contest is scheduled for one fall and is between “The Rabid Wolverine” Chris Benoit and Mr (Exaggerated) Kennedy (Pause) Kennedy
The hostility between both Superstars could currently be compared to the current mood shared by Donald Trump and Rosie O’Donnell. These two men have a deep hatred for each other that stems back to the feud for the WWE United States Championship in which each man captured during the 2006 year.
On the October 13, 2006 edition of SmackDown , Kennedy, now with a win over The Undertaker in the books, again stated his desire to move to RAW, and again Long put him against an opponent who he had never faced – this time Chris Benoit – with Kennedy’s title on the line. Long said that, if Kennedy were to defeat Benoit, he would be given his release and be allowed to go to RAW. Kennedy lost the United States Championship to Benoit after a distraction from The Undertaker, who was standing in the entrance. Kennedy tapped out to the Crippler Crossface, marking his first submission loss.
Both stars have been through so much in 2006, including serious injuries to them both. Benoit missed the better part of 5 months with a nagging shoulder injury while Kennedy was sidelined for nearly the first half of the year due to a serious latisimus dorsi tear in December 2005 (although still appearing occasionally for color commentary).
Tale of the Tape:
CHRIS BENOIT
* World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* WWF/E Intercontinental Championship (4 times)
* WWE United States Championship (3 times, current)
* WWF/E World Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Chris Jericho (1) and Edge (2)
* WWE Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Kurt Angle
* Royal Rumble (2004)
* Thirteenth Triple Crown Champion
MR. KENNEDY
*1-time WWE United States Champion
One could easily see that Benoit’s experience clearly outweighs the limited success of Kennedy. However, when you look closer, specifically late 2005 and 2006, you see what Kennedy has really accomplished. Kennedy has beaten five former World Champions and one future World Champion in the past year:
* The Undertaker (Survivor Series 2006 and No Mercy 2006)
* Batista (The Great American Bash 2006 and SmackDown )
* King Booker, then known as Booker T. (September 2005 on SmackDown )
* Rey Mysterio (September 15, 2005, on SmackDown )
* Bobby Lashley (in a Triple Threat Match for Finlay’s U.S. Title on September 1, 2006, on SmackDown ; Lashley later won the ECW World Title in December 2006)
* Kane (October 27, 2006, on SmackDown )
Another classic bout between the two, no doubt. The match would surely be full of hard hitting punches and beautiful technical craft. However, when you look at Chris Benoit’s accomplishments in 2006, they leave a little to be desired. He suffered horrible loses in the Best of Seven controversy against Booker. Benoit ended up losing when injured Booker’s stand in, Randy Orton, beat him with help from Booker. Benoit was given one last chance at the US title at No Way Out 2006. He won the title by making Booker submit to the Crippler Crossface, ending the feud. Benoit faced JBL at WrestleMania 22 for the U.S. title, only to lose the match and the title when JBL reversed a Crippler Crossface into a cradle. Benoit entered the 2006 King Of The Ring tournament only to be defeated by Finlay in the opening round.
Mr. Kennedy’s performance hasn’t been the most impressive in recent memory, seeing Kennedy lose by pinfall, ending his streak on SmackDown of never being defeated by pin or submission, on the July 14, 2006 edition of SmackDown , when he was rolled up by Matt Hardy. But he rebounded like none other on the September 1, 2006 edition of SmackDown , where Kennedy defeated Finlay and Bobby Lashley in a Triple Threat Match to win the WWE United States Championship, his first title reign in WWE. Kennedy would also help Shane and Vince McMahon in their feud with DX, appearing at both SummerSlam and the August 28, 2006 edition of RAW along with others from the SmackDown and RAW rosters to attack DX. And to add to his resume even more, he defeated The Undertaker in a First Blood match at Survivor Series.
BOTTOM LINE
What little experience Kennedy has in comparison to Benoit’s 21 years of wrestling was voided by his rise to stardom in 2006. Your winner of the contest:
Mr (Exaggerated) Kennedy (Pause) Kennedy
