In the tradition of David Schultz and Bad News, The Mafia used their interview time to impress promoters and totally irritate fans. The Mafia would even bring their beloved tag titles to the ring in violin cases, Which became convenient because often Wayne and Starr would need those loaded cases to help knock out opponents and referees.

Chris and Ben where in a uphill battle against the veteran team in the ring and in interviews. Honky Tonk would often berate Benoit for his quietness. However Benoit was undeterred and used his workmanlike attitude to take on Wayne and Ron in lengthy feud.  Starr and Ferris disdained the young lions and eagerly accepted their challenge. It was a mistake as their overconfidence would lead to the loss of the tag titles to Benoit and Bassarab in an upset.  But both men's first title win was short lived as they would lose to Honky Tonk and The Cuban Assassin a few short weeks later. The Assassin used his knowledge of Benoit.. and a few foreign objects to help ferris and himself win gold. Benoit's and Bassarab's promising rookie season had taken a sharp turn downward.  Benoit and Bassarab soon parted ways mutually and Benoit soon found himself in singles matches against Ferris and The Assassin. He quickly found himself double teamed as The Assassin painfully taught Benoit the tradition of the Stampede run ins. Benoit never gave up and courageously fought back. The Cuban Assassin would painfully learn  himself, Benoit's drop kicks and off the top rope elbows. The courage didn't go unnoticed and in one fateful day when Benoit was being double teamed, in ran Keith Hart to even the odds.

No stranger to The Assassin's evil ways veteran Keith took the young lion under his wing. Keith tempered Chris' explosive energy and taught him patience. Early in his career, Chris sorely needed someone by his side with experience. Keith fit the shoes. Chris was no longer a easy mark by Ferris and The Assassin. Keith watched Benoit's back and for The Assassin's foreign objects. While Chris took to the air, Keith would wrap up their opponents in pretzels on the mat with figure fours and sleeper holds. This combo was too much for The Assassin and Honky Tonk as they lost the tag titles to Benoit and Hart.

Chris Benoit was finally accepted by the Harts, but this came at a price. If you took sides with the Harts, you were an enemy of Foley's army. J.R. Foley's hatred of the Hart's didn't end with Stu's kids. It extended even to their allies which now included Benoit. Foley took dead aim at Keith and Chris. This odd combination of veteran and raw rookie was a threat to Foley. So he sent his most reliable experienced tag team in The Masters of Disasters at the new tag champs. Kerry Brown and Duke Myers used the quick tags and solid teamwork as well as their size to win titles in the past and one more tag title would seem a natural. A bitter feud began as Keith Hart knew full well the dangers of The Masters. Benoit fearless as always soared through the air at Brown and Myers in tag battles. He used drop kicks to get the big men off their feet, just where Keith would clamp on one of his holds. But the feud took its toll on Keith and Chris. With Brown in Keith's figure four and Benoit tied up with Myers, in would run in one of Foley's goons and clobber Keith. In an instant the veteran rule breakers would put an evil grin on J.R.'s face as they stole the belts from Keith and Benoit.

1987 would find Chris in Japan. He returned to Stampede to find the British Commonwealth belt firmly around the waist of The Great Gama. A veteran of years and absolute hated enemy of Benoit's idol The Dynamite Kid, after The Kid allied himself with the Harts.  Gama and Benoit would enter into one of Stampede's best feuds over the Mid-heavy weight title. Perhaps its that Benoit reminded Gama so much of the Kid? Perhaps Chris remembered the blood spilled by the Dynamite kid at the hands of Gama? Whatever it was the two tore into each other over the Mid-heavy weight title the same way Gama and Dynamite did years ago.  Gama's cobra hold and figure four where met head on with Benoit's drop kicks, flying clothesline and off the top rope head butt. Chris used the same snap suplex on Gama that Dynamite did but also received the same flame as Dynamite did at the hands of the Karachi Vice kingpin. Chain matches, lumberjack matches escalated from basic singles matches as Gama was on the run from Chris. Match after match Benoit came ever so close to winning the title from Gama. Frustrated at Gama's running, they took their feud to the cage.  Still the feisty veteran managed to keep the Commonwealth title intact.

Benoit needed help in his feud with Gama, so he teamed up with perennial fan favorite Johnny Smith, Davey Boy Smith's younger brother. From day one Smith stood beside the Harts and Benoit. The duo made an impressive tag team against Gama and Makhan Singh. Smith could hold his own against the big boys of Karachi Vice. While in Japan Smith himself feuded with Gama for months on end so the Stampede matches electrified fans.  But disaster fell upon Benoit and the Harts. In a shocking turn, Johnny Smith joined Karachi Vice and turned his back on the Hart family. The mild mannered Smith spewed venomous jealousy over his brothers fame and the popularity of Owen and Chris in Stampede. In a match in Regina and again in Calgary, Smith tripped up Benoit in what appeared to be mere accidents. Chris and Smith's friendship dissolved in an instant when in Calgary Smith and Karachi Vice tore into Benoit. Chris immediately joined with Owen Hart to take on Smith and Gama in a lengthy tag war.  But Gama's title remained secure. Benoit never gave up on his title chase. Gama couldn't shake off the lion in Benoit. Chris simply wouldn't give up. Gama granted Benoit one final title shot. The six month feud came to a head as Benoit snared Gama in a abdominal stretch and then a sharpshooter. Gama confused in this new submission tactic quickly threw himself over the top rope in hopes that Benoit would be disqualified.

Senior referee Wayne Hart overruled in ring ref Jurgen Herman's DQ decision, but while distracted Gama attacked Benoit from behind with elbows then applied a cobra sleeper hold. After minutes on his knees, Benoit lifted his arm at the last second before the 3 count. Grappling in the middle of the ring both wrestlers found their way out of the ring where Gama pounded on Benoit.  The title changed hands in an instant as Gama reentered the ring and tried to suplex Chris in but Benoit at the last instant turned it into a sleeper hold on the stunned Gama. However, waiting at ringside, was Johnny Smith who attempted to throw powder in Benoit's eye's, but instead hit Gama.  Benoit drop kicked the traitor Smith and then body blocked Gama from outside the ring apron and pinned the Great Gama for the British Mid-heavy weight title.   Waiting in the wings was a still bitter Johnny Smith. Frustrated that all the rookies he started out with had found success, Smith used his interview time to goad Benoit out. Chris didn't need goading. He still was hurt and angered by the turn by Smith. Gone was the smiling good guy Benoit. Instead Chris became more grim and determined and eagerly accepted Johnny Smith's challenge.

However Chris was pretty much on his own. Owen Hart was locked into a vicious feud with Makhan Singh and Steve Disalvo. Bruce Hart and Brian Pillman where fighting off both the Cuban Commandos and the Midnight Cowboys. Chris had to go it alone with  Smith.  In a memorable street match at the old auditorium between the two, Chris proved he didn't need help. He tore into Smith in ring and out of ring, even fighting their way into the stands. I still remember my fright as I looked directly into Chris's eyes as he and Johnny Smith brawled into my row and had me fleeing my seat with popcorn in hand!!  The Smith/Benoit year long war over the belt again was one of the most memorable Stampede feuds ever. Smith's ego matched Benoit's  explosiveness in match after match all over the prairies. The summer of 1988 saw the title between the two change hands three times in one month.

Smith began to use brass knuckles and powder to offset Benoit's lethal moves off the top ropes. No longer a lightweight, Smith had bulked up and began using power moves more and more. Power slams, suplexes, fists, and a whole lot of help from Karachi Vice. The two would trade the belt three more times well into the summer of 1989.  At the same time as he was feuding with Johnny Smith, Benoit constantly felt the run-ins by Gama's best friend Makhan Singh. The big man was at Benoit's throat every chance he got. Nobody messed with Karachi Vice and got away with it. Makhan saw the respect building between Benoit and Smith in their war and made it known that Smith was there to stay in Karachi Vice, by interfering in Smith's matches and blaming it on the Hart's.

In the midst of the Smith/Benoit war Johnny's attention was turned briefly on Owen Hart who had come to the aid of sister Diana, after Smith had berated her in ring (look for more on this in a future piece). At the same time a colourful character came on the Stampede scene in the form of Lance Idol, billed as The ultimate fan boy!! Spouting support and over the top admiration for Chris and the Hart's, Lance surprisingly picked up fan support. His fan boy character was too much to believe but Chris gave him a chance against his better judgment and formed a tag team with Idol to battle Smith and Karachi Vice.

To my surprise they found wins easily against the controversial but impressive Midnight Cowboys (Kerry Brown, Rip Rogers). Their wins earned them a shot at the titles now held by The Cuban Commandos who had just ended Bad Company's eight month title reign. Idol's enthusiasm was just too much for the Commandos who where drained from the long feud with Hart and Pillman. Benoit and Idol slipped the titles away from the Commandos.  However things just were not right as once again at the Auditorium Benoit was tripped up by accident by his tag partner, this time Idol instead of Smith. Then one week later in Calgary, Idol did the same thing and then turned on Benoit giving the title win to The Cuban Commandos and Karachi Vice. The humiliation was painful as once again Benoit had been set up.  With Owen Hart now gone to the WWF, Chris dealt himself a wild card and teamed up with Biff/Beef Wellington.  Beef was always a solid preliminary wrestler who while dependable and talented, never advanced more the getting fans in their seats for the card to begin. In a shocking chance so soon after the Idol turn, Chris teamed up with the unknown from Lethbridge, Alberta to take on Makhan and Karachi Vice.  The new combo called The Youngbloods was too unconventional for Makhan and Volkhan Singh. Having always been in the main events neither big man had seriously feuded with Wellington. Benoit and Wellington clotheslined and drop kicked their way to an upset over the team of Makhan and Volkhan Singh for the International tag titles.

The Youngbloods were given a brief stint in WCW where they entered an invitational tag team tournament (where they got a rousing round of applause from the fans after the match). When they returned to Stampede they expected to see Makhan waiting but instead found the Stampede villain guard changing. Veteran Kerry Brown had taken on father Bulldog Bob Brown as his new tag partner. Bob Brown had been doing color commentary but was now helping his son in the tag wars with as many foreign objects as The Cuban Assasin!! The father/son duo greeted the Youngbloods return with a challenge for the titles. It was an unconventional feud as Benoit and Wellington took on veteran Kerry Brown and color commentator Bob Brown. What ensued was pure mayhem as Bob Brown who had been at ringside for the past three years had been scouting out Benoit. He knew when Benoit was going for his submission moves before anyone else. This along with Kerry Brown's incredible tag history gave the father/son team the titles.

The loss staggered Benoit and sent him into a dip as a few days later Johnny Smith with a handful of powder ripped the British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight title from Benoit for a third and final time. But like the year long feud, Benoit rallied from the losses and in the rematch took back the title from Smith.  The wars so early in his career had taken its toll on the young Benoit. The pain of Smith's turn and the humiliation of Idol's turn had not left Benoit's heart. Alone fighting the wars against Karachi Vice had fractured his ribs. The Great Gama pounced on this and found a different Benoit. A gritty, determined now seasoned wrestler. Ironically, Benoit's first win for the Mid-heavyweight title was against Gama. He would go on to lose the title to Gama and Karachi Vice for the final time, as Stampede's silver age wound down.

After this loss Chris left for Japan and found incredible success and popularity as The Pegasus Kid. He would never return to Stampede. Like Owen his time spent in Stampede was short. Three years. He was always in Owen's shadow it seemed. Who wouldn't? His eternal wars with Gama and Johnny Smith put him over with everyone it seemed. He was always the anti-80's wrestler. He never had colourful interviews or flashy ring entrance music. He was as blue collar as you could get. Came to the ring quietly. Wrestled his heart out in small towns across the prairies, then left the ring just as quiet.  But the name Chris Benoit was loud and clear as a opponent, when you saw his name across yours. You where assured a loss and bruises. As a fan when you saw his name on the program you where assured one heck of a match even if it meant fleeing your seat five rows up in the stands. And for this fan that was good enough.

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