Is Chris Benoit unoriginal?

[Lariat]

Okay, seeing how I think most of us are Benoit fans, I had to ask this question:

Am I the only one who feels Benoit is unoriginal in terms of creating moves? It seems most of the stuff he does (headbutt, multiple german suplexes, crossface, snap suplex, etc) are just moves he got off of other wrestlers. Let's see if I could get this correctly:

Headbutt = Dynamite Kid
Crossface = Yuji Nagata (Benoit started using this late in his wcw run)
Multiple German suplexes = I'm forgetting the name of this puro wrestler who competed in a Super J tournament
Snap Suplex = Jushin Thunder Lyger

Now this isn't a bash against Benoit or his style (I'm a fan of both him and his vicious style). Please name some more trademark Benoit moves that I could add to the list.

[Luds]

He also has vicious chops, the kitchen sink knee, lariats from both sides, running elbow hit, and more... (now)

he used to do a lot more, but that was in the days he had a feud with 2 cold scorpio...

[SpirituXBomba]

Hey ,1st i would like to send a huge Arigato to the Great Hisa for letting me join. I hope to expand w/ my knowledge of Puroresu & make new friends here. Hiro, i think to remember sending you an e-mail two years ago about the Fed down in NYC called the IWF, which i wrestle for.any how I'll keep you guys posted for updated shows. later.

MOTT is Ichiban, so is Mark Knight... SpirituXBomba rules eh!!!!!!!

[SpirituXBomba]

oh by the way, you gotta look @ how Bischoff was booking him back in the late 90's & how Vince is doingit know. If Benoit did half of the things he has done in NJPW, he'd rule, but like everyone else in the buisness has , past ,present & future, will use another wrestler's manuver. & thats' oh so true.

[Dante_Inferno]

I thought Dean Milenko invented the crossface.

[Sean Kassai]

Benoit could be considered unoriginal, but so could many other wrestlers. Creativity doesn't matter to me as far as moves go, but rather in the flow of the match (suquences and series'). Most of the newly created moves don't impress me. They're usually wierd spinning facebusters from the fireman's position.

[Dante_Inferno]

Yes eveything these days goes into a facebuster or michinoku driver. Or is some kind of move off the top-rope. Or a lame submission like the trailer hitch. Accept the Vertebreaker, that move is cool

[emlyn]

Its funny how he does a backdrop and gets no reaction for it, but if it were in Japan it would be a potential match finish. Same with the lariat he uses.

[Dante_Inferno]

I haven't seen him do his lariat where he wraps around in awhile.

[TRZZXQ]

Benoit doesn't have the most innovative offense ever seen, but elaborite movesets don't make a great match. Benoit has a knack for crafting great matches, and that is why he is great.

And I think Lariat may be thinking of Motegi, but I could be wrong.

[BadNews]

this whole thread is sort of, well, bizarre. I mean how 'innovative' can ou be in wrestling? its not like there are any performers who reinvent the business in every match. It has to me said that quite
a few of benoit's moves (the swandive and the snap suplex most notably) are marks of his huge influence by Dynamite Kid. Same goes for many moves he learned from guys like malenko or in the new japan dojo. but honestly, does that matter? he is a great wrestler. and personally i think performance, dedication and spirit count more than making up x new moves. bret hart didnt invent one single move, but does that make him less great?

[BurningSpirit]

I dont really think he is unoriginal. Most of the moves that he uses that others used before him arent paticularly unique.
If he was to get in the ring, and use the burning hammer, then the shining wizard, then the vertebreaker, then the orange crush, then the sasuke special, THAT would make him unoriginal.

[El Negro Magnifico]

I'm a HUGE Benoit fan, just like the rest of you. If there's anything unique about Benoit, it's his believeability. Bret Hart had it, Dynamite had it, and so does Chris. The way he lays in a kick, chop, or punch comes off very real, and I think he can owe that to his intensity in the ring. It's rare nowadays to see him wrestling without a vein popping out of his head .

Now, as far as his persona is concerned...nobody shows more disdain for their opponent than Chris. Now we haven't seen this in a while, but the dirt-kicking and "snot blow" combo are both humourous and effective for gaining heat in my opinion.

[screwloose]

magnifico is hella right. we may have seen these moves before, but we haven't seen them done like benoit can do them until he did them himself. you can watch a guy like the rock kick a man and not care, then watch benoit do the same thing and be amazed at how believable it is. benoit's move may be unoriginal, but we have to wonder how much farther the envelope can be pushed. the cruiserweights may be able to do all this amazing stuff in the air and there's always a new move waiting to be done, but how far can we really take it while being safe. the moves these wrestlers do are dangerous, no doubt about it. you can only do so many things safely before you run out of safe moves to do; let's face it, wrestling has evolved a lot in the last 10 years. so let's stop worrying about what move benoit or anyone else is doing and worry about how well they do it. it's not worth ending your career just to see if you can do one more crazy move you know you may not be able to do. sorry about the long post, but i think i've made a clear point.

[Dante_Inferno]

Well said.