The death of Chris Benoit in June 2007, which involved the tragic killing of his wife Nancy and their son Daniel before he took his own life, stands as one of the most shocking incidents in the history of wrestling.
This event stirred significant conversation about what might have driven him to such actions. After Benoit’s passing, researchers examined his brain and discovered that he had Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). The findings showed extensive damage akin to that seen in individuals with advanced Alzheimer’s disease, prompting many to associate his tragic actions with the head injuries he experienced throughout his wrestling career.
This incident served as a crucial turning point in raising awareness about the long-term consequences of repeated head injuries in the world of professional wrestling. It also led WWE to erase Benoit’s legacy from its records.
Vince McMahon on Chris Benoit
In the new Netflix docuseries about the life of former WWE owner Vince McMahon, one of the many sad subjects discussed was the tragic end to Chris Benoit and his family. McMahon dubbed the troubled wrestler as “crazy.”
‘Chris Benoit was considered an excellent wrestler. And from what we knew, a great guy. There is no correlation between steroid use and what happened to Chris Benoit. Human beings are imperfect. Chris went crazy. It happens in all forms of life, so that’s the only conclusion I can draw.‘
The new Netflix docuseries about the former WWE owner is six episodes long and focuses on many controversies in WWE history as well as the personal life of McMahon.