Editing Chris Benoit (section)

==== World Heavyweight Champion (2004–2005) ====
When Benoit won a qualifying match for the [[Royal Rumble (2004)|2004 Royal Rumble]] against the Full Blooded Italians in a handicap match with John Cena, Heyman named him as the number one entry.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/smackdown/040101.html |title=SmackDown Results |date=January 1, 2004 |access-date=May 14, 2007 |archive-date=January 28, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100128014654/http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/smackdown/040101.html |url-status=live }}</ref> On January 25, 2004, he won the [[Royal Rumble (2004)|Royal Rumble]] by last eliminating Big Show, and thus earned a world title shot at [[WrestleMania XX]] on March 14.<ref name=pwi114/> He became only the second WWE performer to win the Royal Rumble as the number one entrant along with Shawn Michaels. With Benoit being on the SmackDown! brand at the time, it was assumed that he was going to compete for his brand's championship, the WWE Championship. 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 Championship (WWE, 2002–2013)|World Heavyweight Champion]] [[Triple H]] at WrestleMania.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/040126.html |title=RAW Results |date=January 24, 2004 |access-date=May 14, 2007 |archive-date=December 30, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091230145447/http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/040126.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Though the match was originally intended to be a one-on-one match, Shawn Michaels, whose [[professional wrestling match types#Last Man/Woman Standing match|Last Man Standing match]] against Triple H at the Royal Rumble for the World Heavyweight Championship ended in a draw,<ref name=pwi114/> thought that he deserved to be in the main event. When it was time for Benoit to sign the contract putting himself in the main event, Michaels [[professional wrestling attacks#superkick|superkicked]] him and signed his name on the contract,<ref name=pwi114/> which eventually resulted in a Triple Threat match between Michaels, Benoit, and the champion, Triple H.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/040216.html |title=RAW Results |date=February 16, 2004 |access-date=May 14, 2007 |archive-date=January 29, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100129104011/http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/040216.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:EddieandBenoitWMXX.jpg|thumb|Benoit with his [[Real life|real-life]] best friend [[Eddie Guerrero]], celebrating their respective world championship victories at [[WrestleMania XX]]]]
At WrestleMania, Benoit won the World Heavyweight Championship by forcing Triple H to tap out to his signature submission move, the Crippler Crossface, in a highly acclaimed match.<ref name=pwi115>{{cite book |author=PWI Staff |title=Pro Wrestling Illustrated presents: 2007 Wrestling almanac & book of facts |chapter=Wrestling's historical cards |publisher=Kappa Publishing |year=2007 |page=115}}</ref> The match marked the first time the main event of a WrestleMania ended in submission.<ref name="WrestleMania22">{{cite news |author=Hurley, Oliver |title=Power Slam Magazine, issue 142 |work="WrestleMania In Person" (WrestleMania 22) |publisher=SW Publishing |date=April 20, 2006 |pages=16–19}}</ref><ref name="WrestleMania23">{{cite news |author=McElvaney, Kevin |title=Pro Wrestling Illustrated |work=WrestleMania 23 |publisher=Kappa Publishing |date=June 2007 |pages=74–101}}</ref> After the match, Benoit celebrated his win with then-reigning [[WWE Championship|WWE Champion]] Eddie Guerrero. The rematch was held at [[Backlash (2004)|Backlash]] on April 18 in Benoit's hometown of Edmonton. It was Michaels who ended up submitting to Benoit's Sharpshooter, allowing Benoit to retain his title.<ref name=pwi115/> The next night in Calgary on the April 19 episode of ''Raw'', he and Edge won the World Tag Team Championship from [[Dave Bautista|Batista]] and [[Ric Flair]], making Benoit a double champion.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/040419.html |title=RAW Results |date=April 19, 2004 |access-date=May 14, 2007 |archive-date=January 19, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100119045331/http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/040419.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Following his victories, Benoit and Edge engaged in a rivalry with [[La Résistance (professional wrestling)|La Résistance]] for the World Tag Team Championship, which saw a series of matches (including losing the titles to La Résistance on the May 31 episode of ''Raw''), while simultaneously having confrontations with [[Kane (wrestler)|Kane]] over the World Heavyweight Championship. Benoit wrestled in two matches at [[WWE Bad Blood (2004)|Bad Blood]] on June 13 in his respective rivalries; he and Edge failed to regain the World Tag Team Championship (winning by disqualification when Kane interfered) while he successfully defended the World Heavyweight Championship against Kane. A month later at [[Vengeance (2004)|Vengeance]] on July 11, Benoit retained the title against Triple H.<ref>{{cite news |title=World Heavyweight Champion Chris Benoit defeats Triple H to retain |url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/vengeance/2004/results |publisher=World Wrestling Entertainment |access-date=July 29, 2007 |archive-date=October 12, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111012180710/http://www.wwe.com/shows/vengeance/2004/results |url-status=live }}</ref>

At [[SummerSlam (2004)|SummerSlam]] on August 15, Benoit lost the World Heavyweight Championship to [[Randy Orton]].<ref name=pwi116>{{cite book |title=2007 Wrestling Almanac & Book of Facts |chapter=Wrestling's Historical Cards |publisher=Kappa Publishing |year=2007 |page=116}}</ref> Benoit then teamed with [[William Regal]] at [[Unforgiven (2004)|Unforgiven]] on September 12 against [[Ric Flair]] and Batista in a winning effort. Benoit then feuded with Edge (who had turned into an arrogant and conceited heel), leading to [[Taboo Tuesday (2004)|Taboo Tuesday]] on October 19 where Benoit, Edge, and Shawn Michaels were all put into a poll to see who would face Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship that night.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/041018.html |title=RAW Results |date=October 18, 2004 |access-date=May 14, 2007 |archive-date=July 15, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100715132334/http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/041018.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Michaels received the most votes and as a result, Edge and Benoit were forced to team up to face the World Tag Team Champions, La Résistance, in the same night. However, Edge deserted Benoit during the match and Benoit was forced to take on both members of La Résistance by himself. He and Edge still managed to regain the World Tag Team Championship. They lost the titles back to La Résistance on the November 1 episode of ''Raw''.<ref name=pwi116/> At [[Survivor Series (2004)|Survivor Series]] on November 14, Benoit sided with Randy Orton's team while Edge teamed with Triple H's team, and while Edge was able to pin Benoit after a Pedigree from Triple H, Orton's team won.<ref>{{cite book |title=2007 Wrestling Almanac & Book of Facts |chapter=Wrestling's Historical Cards |publisher=Kappa Publishing |year=2007 |pages=116–117}}</ref>

The Benoit-Edge feud ended at [[New Year's Revolution (2005)|New Year's Revolution]] on January 9, 2005 in an [[Elimination Chamber]] match for the World Heavyweight Championship, which both men lost.<ref name="PS127">{{cite news |author=Evans, Anthony |title=Power Slam Magazine, issue 127 |work=Tripper strikes back (New Years Revolution 2005) |publisher=SW Publishing |date=January 21, 2005 |pages=30–31}}</ref> The feud stopped abruptly, as Edge feuded with Shawn Michaels, and Benoit entered the [[Royal Rumble (2005)|Royal Rumble]] as the second entrant on January 30, lasting longer than any competitor before being eliminated by Ric Flair.<ref name=pwi117>{{cite book |title=2007 Wrestling Almanac & Book of Facts |chapter=Wrestling's Historical Cards |publisher=Kappa Publishing |year=2007 |page=117}}</ref> The two then continued to have matches in the following weeks until the two of them, Chris Jericho, Shelton Benjamin, Kane, and Christian were placed in the [[Money in the Bank ladder match]] at [[WrestleMania 21]] on April 3. Edge won the match by knocking Benoit off of the ladder by smashing his arm with a chair.<ref name=pwi117/> The feud finally culminated in a Last Man Standing match at [[Backlash (2005)|Backlash]] on May 1, which Edge won with a brick shot to the back of Benoit's head.<ref name="PS131">{{cite news |author=Power Slam Staff |title=WrestleMania rerun (Backlash 2005) |work=Power Slam Magazine, issue 131 |publisher=SW Publishing |date=May 21, 2005 |pages=32–33}}</ref>