10 Years Later: The Benoit Tragedy

[James Steele]

It's now been 10 years since the Benoit double murder-suicide. We can look back on it now and have a discussion on what effects it has had on the wrestling business and look back at all the issues surrounding the tragedy with slightly less emotion and hopefully a bit more clarity.

Benoit having CTE and the brain of an 84 year old Alzheimer's patient.

The WWE's handling of it during the immediate aftermath and after the horrible reality of the situation came to light. Damage control, whitewashing Benoit, etc. you

All the conspiracy theories (that people still argue for) such as Kevin Sullivan being the murderer.

The news media's immediate response and the rash of rumors they ran with (Daniel had Fragile X, Roid Rage, interviewing any and all wrestlers even those who didn't even know Benoit, etc.)

Discuss your thoughts, reflections, opinions, or research in this thread.

Without a doubt, this is the darkest hour in the history of the wrestling business, but what have we and the wrestling industry learned from it?

[RP]

I think the darkest hour in wrestling history was when Triple H made love to a corpse.

[Destor]

I miss watching Benoit work...

With that said its had very little impact on the industry. The NFL concussion sonvo has had more impact than Benoit did. The only real change is the drug policy that imo kinda hurts the draw. And as we all know seeing as steroids werent a factor in this is just dissapointing.

[Stickman]

We also see a much safer (watered down) in ring product. No more chair shots to the head, very few high impact moves. I wonder if that is directly because of Benoit.

[Destor]

Its due to concussion convos, but they didnt make any changes until the nfl stuff

[DAMN iNATOR]

Its due to concussion convos, but they didnt make any changes until the nfl stuff

I believe it's also due to some of the research and work to make things safer on Chris Nowinski's part.

Also, Benoit v. MVP 2-out-of-3-falls match @ Judgment Day 2007 for the United States Championship was freaking EPIC.

<blockquote class="embedly-card"><h4><a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3kpwi">Judgment.Day.2007 - Chris Benoit Vs MVP - US.Title</a></h4><p>Judgment Day 2007 - Chris Benoit Vs MVP - 2 Out Of 3 Falls Match - United States Championship</p></blockquote> <script async src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/platform.js" charset="UTF-8"></script>

[Emperor Smeat]

Probably a really safe bet the Benoit Tribute episode of RAW is the biggest regret the WWE has the past decade considering how quickly the show's tone changed once more details started to pour in.

In terms of Benoit himself, instantly wrecked his legacy. WWE went overboard with washing their hands of him but at the same time makes sense why they went in the harsh direction. Maybe if Eddie was still alive, Benoit might not kill his family but at the same time, his brain was really messed up and maybe the end result or something worse still happens at a later date.

In terms of the WWE themselves, believe that guaranteed them going all in on the PG era since they had to quickly redo their image to keep big sponsors on board. Them going in a more safer route in terms of overall direction and banning moves was a direct reaction to Eddie's death and Benoit's murder-suicide incident. CTE-wise, they are still like the NFL in regards to fighting debates about CTE and rather want it to go away from the public spotlight.

[RP]

So did RAW have an episode that week? On WWE Network its just a year in review show or something.

[Destor]

So did RAW have an episode that week? On WWE Network its just a year in review show or something.

Yeah. No crowd. Just matches and tributes.

[RP]

WWE Network has something different tho.

[RP]

I wonder if the Chris Benoit DVD is worth anything.

[Emperor Smeat]

WWE Network has something different tho.
Unlike every other episode of RAW, don't think it ever got the TV replay treatment for AM RAW or Univision/Telemundo network replays.

Same for WWE never using clips from the show I think.

Might even be among the forbidden tapes in WWE's library archive.

[Bad News Gertner]

Lol a Facebook memory came up today. I obviously jumped the gun and made this post before we found out what happened:

"Sad that Chris Benoit died today"

[Droford]

It brought Vince back from the dead

[Shisen Kopf]

This is all Lex Luger's fault

[Mr. Nerfect]

It's obviously a shame (understatement right there). For selfish, wrestling specific reasons, it's annoying that there's no a dark cloud over his career. People don't (or can't) appreciate what really made him such a great wrestler. Honestly, bell-to-bell, one of the best, with a charisma that transcended being limited on the mic.

Since he turned babyface in 2003, they never went back to heel, wrestling machine Benoit. I was thinking about that just earlier today. It might be good for one of those SCG Radio face/heel discussions, but I can understand why those guys wouldn't want to touch it publicly.

A damn shame. I still sometimes wonder about what good he could have done with ECW as a brand. I mean, it was probably dead by this point as anything other than developmental with him as the head coach, but Benoit vs. Punk would have been a tremendous series. When Benoit died is when they stopped recognizing the ECW Title as a third World Title belt.

[Mr. Nerfect]

What does everybody make of the Benoit/Sullivan relationship? To hear Sullivan talk about it -- whether or not you want to take his word for it -- Sullivan was behind Benoit. Obviously, Mike Graham didn't seem on-board with that. Still, it's not uncommon for buddies to take umbrage at their mates being fucked over more than the mate in question.

Specifically, I am intersted in the time WCW made Benoit the World Champion in early 2000. Was this a stop-gap measure to try and beg Benoit and co. not to jump ship? Was Benoit being pushed simply to knock him down? Was it to expose him as a non-entity, drawing power-wise? Or was it a sincere make-good and a new direction for WCW?

[RaginRonic]

Chris should've abandoned using headbutts in his matches once he got to the then-WWF...he didn't need them. Though I know he may not have landed them flush, due to what wrestling is, he probably got some microscopic whiplash injuries from doing them, that we didn't see.

It may have been best that there was no fans in the building that night, because even in 2007, cell phones could still get texts and go online to news sites(smaller than the screens we have now, but could still display news sites). Had the standard Raw gone on that night, fans learning the new information coming to light while the show was in progress would've started walking out and leaving that night's Raw.

Chris should've also sought out counselling after Eddie Guerrero's death, because he should not have bottled up that kind of grief after losing his best friend. I know that he adored Eddie like he was a brother, and Guerrero's death probably ate Chris up inside real bad.

If she had been totally lucid and sober at the time(I don't know whether she may have been on her own drugs or not then), Nancy should've been on the lookout for any differences in Chris's mood and behavior at home, and taken action like moving her and Daniel out of their home, and moved in with another family member. Sadly, a case of being there at the wrong time triggered the premature end to their lives.

In all, everybody lost, nobody won, and an enormous mess was left to be cleaned up in the wake of the incident.

Though a silver lining through all this is that WWE was forced to make continuous upgrades to their Wellness Policy, and that all those under contract separating themselves from the toxic lifestyle that their predecessors had used to battle their pain, and to be a lot safer with themselves in the ring.

Still, it's probably going to be a long time before WWE ever really shows forgiveness to the overall Benoit family. If his look-alike son ever does get in the ring, he'd have to be under a mask his whole career, and have to cut silent promos, by body gestures and actions alone.

Though I do hope that things toward that family, from WWE's end, can eventually be eased up enough to where that cloud over the company is no longer shooting off lightning, and maybe gets downgraded to a steady rainfall(it's weather terminology, but I think it fits here). I know that the cloud won't ever clear though...it's there forever.

And it kinda bites....but there's not a lot anyone can really do about it.

=S

[Shisen Kopf]

Lets remember that Chris Benoit didnt kill his dogs. He's an animal lover. Puppy power indeed. So lets not shed a tear for him. Lets remember him for being kind to animals.

http://assets.adamriff.com/images/benoit_simpsons.jpg

[Heisenberg]

This is all Lex Luger's fault

[BigCrippyZ]

Still, it's probably going to be a long time before WWE ever really shows forgiveness to the overall Benoit family. If his look-alike son ever does get in the ring, he'd have to be under a mask his whole career, and have to cut silent promos, by body gestures and actions alone.

Though I do hope that things toward that family, from WWE's end, can eventually be eased up enough to where that cloud over the company is no longer shooting off lightning, and maybe gets downgraded to a steady rainfall(it's weather terminology, but I think it fits here). I know that the cloud won't ever clear though...it's there forever.

And it kinda bites....but there's not a lot anyone can really do about it.

=S

Am I missing something here? Does WWE have issues with Benoit's son and/or family, or is it the other way around, or both? I understand why Benoit's son/family may have issues with WWE for essentially failing to protect their son from brain injuries, substance abuse, etc.,, but why would WWE have issues with Benoit's son/family, especially his son? It's not like the other members of the Benoit family knew, could've known, (anymore than the folks at WWE), or actually killed anyone.

Benoit's actions were no doubt horrendous, but he was no doubt suffering from essentially substance abuse/mental illness/brain damage and there's some pretty compelling evidence that his career in wrestling and WWE were at least to some degree the cause of his issues. Why would the WWE hold that against the Benoit family or his son? Outside of it looking bad publicly for WWE to embrace Benoit's family/son to those who aren't informed or don't care enough to get informed on the subject, or there are potential legal issues (which may be the case), why exactly would WWE not want to embrace the Benoits and acknowledge they still support the innocent remaining family of someone who used to work for them, but who in hindsight, clearly had unknown issues leading to an unforseeable tragedy and horrendous crime?

[Evil Vito]

The difference in immediate feeling I had when I first learned of Eddie and Benoit's deaths has always stuck out to me.

Eddie - immediately felt my heart sink and my stomach drop, started crying, etc. Could not picture a guy who just two days earlier I was watching wrestle Mr. Kennedy and looking so alive be dead.

Benoit - stomach dropped but just seeing the words "Chris Benoit and his family were found dead".......I just really sensed something wasn't adding up, and I didn't cry as a result. I didn't actually think he'd committed a murder suicide, but I was pretty much numb watching his tribute special because my mind was racing of what the fuck is going on.

[Evil Vito]

I have to say, I feel that WWE have done pretty much a great job of "erasing" Benoit and have handled all of that perfectly.

They've acknowledged he's part of history in the encyclopedia and title histories, and they kept all of his matches on the Network if you want to watch shows he was on in completion. But there really is zero reason at all why the company should ever go out of their way to directly mention him again.

[BigCrippyZ]

The difference in immediate feeling I had when I first learned of Eddie and Benoit's deaths has always stuck out to me.

Eddie - immediately felt my heart sink and my stomach drop, started crying, etc. Could not picture a guy who just two days earlier I was watching wrestle Mr. Kennedy and looking so alive be dead.

Benoit - stomach dropped but just seeing the words "Chris Benoit and his family were found dead".......I just really sensed something wasn't adding up, and I didn't cry as a result. I didn't actually think he'd committed a murder suicide, but I was pretty much numb watching his tribute special because my mind was racing of what the fuck is going on.

I agree, they have done a great job with that, and there's definitely no need for WWE to mention or discuss him publicly, in any form or fashion, but also no need to really erase what he did as an entertainer/wrestler either in terms of his title wins, matches, etc.

I guess I'm just confused as to why WWE would have an issue embracing his family (outside of potential legal issues) even behind the scenes? Benoit's remaining family members are also essentially innocent victims of his issues and horrendous actions too, and are just as innocent and/or to blame as WWE is for not knowing/recognizing or addressing any issues Benoit may have had prior to him doing what he did. Maybe that's not the case, I just got the impression that WWE has issues with Benoit's son and remaining family. If so, why?

[Shisen Kopf]

I have to say, I feel that WWE have done pretty much a great job of "erasing" Benoit and have handled all of that perfectly.

They've acknowledged he's part of history in the encyclopedia and title histories, and they kept all of his matches on the Network if you want to watch shows he was on in completion. But there really is zero reason at all why the company should ever go out of their way to directly mention him again.

#brotherBenoit DELETED