Chris Benoit, also known as The Rabid Wolverine, was a well-respected figure in the world of WWE. He achieved great success as a world champion, headlined Wrestlemania, and emerged victorious at the Royal Rumble.
However, in a tragic turn of events in June 2007, on the night he was poised to secure his third world championship, he committed a heinous act by taking the lives of his wife and their seven-year-old son before ending his own life at their home.
Following this shocking incident, the company took extensive measures to erase Benoit from its history. His name was scrubbed from the website, video games, press releases, and DVDs, and references to him were seldom made on broadcasts.
In 2024, Vince McMahon, the former WWE CEO embroiled in various scandals, addressed the double murder-suicide in a six-part documentary series called Mr. McMahon on Netflix.
Chris Benoit, who passed away at the age of 40 after a wrestling career spanning over two decades, competed in various promotions globally, including in the US, Canada, and Japan. He accumulated an impressive tally of 30 championships and is revered as one of the finest technical wrestlers in the sport’s history.
After his death, there were suggestions that Benoit might have suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain condition linked to repeated head injuries, known for causing severe mood swings and behavioral problems, commonly found in American football players.
Post-mortem examinations on Benoit’s brain revealed severe damage, akin to that of an 85-year-old Alzheimer’s patient. The discovery of steroids at Benoit’s home following the tragic events led to speculation about potential “roid rage” triggering the deaths.
In discussions with Netflix, McMahon dismissed the steroid-related theories, attributing the tragedy to human flaws and mental health issues. WWE, despite its past controversies, asserts strict concussion and drug-testing protocols and denies responsibility for Benoit’s actions.