No Benoit didn't take 15 years to get to the top... In 2000 he was allowed to become the WCW champ so he wouldn't leave after many years of being held back... So when finally given the belt, the day after his big enemy office seized power, Kevin Sullivan. Realising what would happen Benoit and the boys jumped to the WWE and at the time the WWE was so jam packed with talent they couldn't give Benoit the big push. When it finally looked like it would come along with Jericho he snapped his neck.
As for moves well in Japan and ECW and even in WCW their was moves Benoit used to do that the WWE culled his move list... In Japan he did Powerbombs, Tombstones, Brainbusters the whole nine yards even from the top for the show stealing end... In WCW he kept them but added, yes you heard added the Crossface, and when has HHH ADDED a move in the past oh three years?
Then the WWE came in, he didn't do powerbombs, or tombstones or brainbusters, he kept he back suplex, the Germans, the Headbutt, Sharpshooter, CCF and the Snap Suplex because as noted before, the WWE like wrestlers to hace a short impactful move set that can distinguish the wrestler from the herd...
Now I have vented, anymore questions?