5 Years Later: Will Vince McMahon Conceed & Mention/Show Chris Benoit on TV Again

[The Crock]

I don't know if Vince will ever show Chris Benoit on WWE TV again, but I highly doubt he will. The Benoit tragedy left a black mark on the face of professional wrestling, as did all the revelations about Chris Benoit's health (mental and physical) at the time of this senseless killing (his head injury, which was probably a leading contributor to the murder, in particular). Vince McMahon, like any businessman, does not want his product to be associated with something like that, especially when it is as potentially harmful as the Benoit case is. I remember back when people first heard about most of the circumstances about the Benoit case and the outrage that followed. To have that mixed in with your product just simply isn't good business.

I, for one, still watch much of Chris Benoit's work. I understand that what he did at the end of his life was absolutely evil, but that doesn't prevent me from enjoying the wonderful work he provided throughout his illustrious career. That being said, it wasn't always as easy for me to watch Benoit wrestle after his death. For quite some time, I couldn't really enjoy the work of someone who so selfishly took the lives of his wife and child, who had their whole lives ahead of them. That's at the root of why Vince probably wouldn't want to show Benoit on TV again. It could, as far as anybody is aware, cause a dip in viewership during his appearances and there would be a media frenzy to put up with, I'm sure.

When something is as publicly panned as professional wrestling is, Vince McMahon doesn't need to set himself up for more of that by putting Chris Benoit on TV. It's better to just ignore his presence and go on with your life. That being said, I think they'll begin loosening their stance on showing him in DVDs and in historical records, over time. He'll never be featured as a star or anything of the sort, but they won't go out of their way to erase him from the WWE's history, I don't think. It just seems like too extreme of a measure to keep up with for a long period of time.

 

[HitmanFan4ever]

i in no way condone what happened in those 3 dark days (even though i have my own opinion i will spare you all the rant) i also dont believe he should be celebrated but i wouldnt have a problem showing his matches in other wrestlers dvd packages to celebrate their carrers.

 

[Sinabite]

i'm surprised Vince even allows the "Yes Lock" simply because it looks so much like he Crossface.........Benoit is THE POSTER BOY for everything Liberals hate about wrestling entertainment. Seriously, find someone who hates wrestling......ask them who Chris Benoit is, then ask them who Owen Hart was......chances are they only going to know the anwer to one of those questions.

 

[HBsam31]

Personally it is hard for me to watch his old matches, but as far as Vince mentioning him again, I don't think they would go out of their way to do so, but if it came up where they needed to mention he won the royal rumble or the title at Mania then I think they would. It doesn't make sense to leave a hole in history like that. Never will he be mentioned with admiration again but here and there for history purposes I could see it.

 

[d_henderson1810]

WWE won't go back to putting Benoit as a prominent part of their history, as a traded company it's too risky for little benefit. I agree with the man who said that we will never 100% know what happened. There is, however small a chance Chris didn't do it, but most have accepted that he did. If it suddenly was proven he didn't then WWE would still not be able to go near it, how would they justify it? "Oh we knew he was innocent all along?" wouldn't wash.

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I'm not saying that anyone knew that Benoit was "innocent all along", but new evidence could emerge, that could clear him, and surprise Vince, as well as the wrestling world.

Vince could justify it by saying that he believed what the police said about their investigations. If an innocent man has had his reputation destroyed, wouldn't society be willing to forgive someone who is effectively just as much a victim as his wife and child. Even more so, because an innocent man has had his reputation destroyed, and no way of defending himself.

In some ways, I wish Benoit had lived. He could be tried in a court of law, and everyone involved with the case could have been questioned thoroughly. That way, if the evidence proved Benoit guilty, it would have been before a jury of his peers, and have been fairer and more clear-cut. But I suspect that his lawyer would have used the things said about the condition of his brain to plead "insanity" anyway, to beat the death penalty, and he would have gone to a mental hospital.

 

[Workrate]

I'm surprised how easily some people seem to be willing to forgive and forget a double murder, including that of a 7-year-old. Chris Benoit was a great wrestler and he was entertaining, but this longing for his name to be mentioned and some sort of quiet homage to be paid to him is absurd. Let it go. What the guy did across the final three days of his life -- and you can float whatever conspiracy theories you want, but the existing evidence is all damning -- far outweigh some professional wrestling matches. Come on.

EDIT: And it isn't just a matter of public relations, its a matter of ethics and humanity.

 

[Arashi]

Wow... can't believe it's already been 5 years...
It amazes me how easily people can overlook the issue with his brain and jump to serial killer or monster right away. I'm not defending Benoit's actions or condoning what he did, I'm just saying the condition of his brain does basically prove that he wasn't some psychotic serial killer... he was sick and probably had no idea what he was doing at the time or at least not until it was too late. People are going to have their own opinions about what happened, and they're entitled to have that opinion. Unfortunately, most don't really pay attention to the whole mental illness thing. The fact is? His brain was basically mush. Do you people even realize what alzheimer's does to a person? It changes them. Everything from their behavior to their memory. The study on his brain concluded that in the end it looked like an 85 year old with alzheimer's. Most of the people who call him a gutless monster are ignorant because obviously they haven't done their research on alzheimer's or know what kind of effect it can have on a person. I know for a fact how serious alzheimer's can be. In his case, he developed severe dementia which is another thing that most people who call him a monster haven't studied or experience first hand. The issue for me isn't talking about him on tv or showcasing him, it's the removing him from everything that bothers me. Everything from Orton's first World title to Edge winning the first money in the bank. Chris Benoit was responsible for a lot of memorable moments and matches. Vince McMahon stated himself that you cannot tell the story of professional wrestling without Chris Benoit. (I think it was him commenting on Benoit being in the first encyclopedia) Let's say WWE makes a dvd set about the Money in the Bank ladder match. The set is to include every Money in the bank match the company has ever had. Not having the first one ever on there is stupid. It's not honoring him or showcasing him or even trying to make a profit on him, it's showing the first ever money in the bank match. I mean if ESPN can show classic football matches with OJ Simpson, why can't the WWE have a dvd come out and Benoit just happens to be part of one of the matches? You don't see ESPN editing football matches he's a part of. You shouldn't change history or erase it. Does it even occur to critics that maybe some people out there are hoping to remember him for the person he was before then? (Which close friends of his like Chavo and Jericho will state that he was a compassionate and loving husband and father before his brain began to deteriorate) Like I said, they shouldn't go out of their way to mention him. That's not the right move. But trying to erase him from history isn't the right move either. Chris Benoit IS a legend in wrestling. That is based on history and fact. Before his death he was referred to as a future hall of famer and legend. What happened has tarnished his legacy and he will likely never be inducted into the Hall of Fame. I do hope however that eventually the WWE will ease up on the whole erasing him from moments and matches though. Eventually they should actually feature matches that he's a part of.

You know what I have a little bit of knowledge about dementia, to meet the requirements for having dementia you have to have have started to lose your memory including not being able to speak correctly or understand speech. Also the ability to understand objects and identify them is compromised. You can't execute motor activities including physical activities, and to make sound judgement.

My question is this, how did he do his job without missing dates, without missing spots, without any compromising situations in the ring. A guy with dementia often times has trouble tying their shoes but you're telling me that he could tour worldwide, not forget shows, be one of the best technical wrestlers in the world while still having dementia? Please rationally explain this.

How did he manage to be a top tier wrestlers, tour world wide without lapses, and have dementia? And while we are at it, tell me how he killed his wife and kid, REMEMBERED he had a show in Houston WENT TO THE SHOW. Told people he had to leave because they were 'sick', WENT BACK home, and hung himself. Doesn't sound like dementia to me. I'm not saying he wasn't mentally fucked but as someone who's dealt with those with dementia it just seems very unlikely to me.

And to the people who are saying Sullivan, you're out of your mind. First off, Kevin killed his wife and son, by TOD (time of death) Benoit went to Houston, for Night of Champions, came back after Sullivan killed his wife and son and let Kevin hang him? Really? Please explain that as well.

 

[oldhamandy1]

He didn't cheat on his wife or snort a line of coke of a stripper's breast, this isn't a 'but he was good in the ring' thing. Ask yourself if you did the same as him, would anyone defend you the way you defend him? The answer would be no, there is no coming back from this.

WWE shouldn't even have his name on the website, the sooner his fans realise the kind of scum he was the better. I'm not a believer in God or hell, but if I was I know where I'd want him.

 

[Fuel]

As much as I loved his matches (still ranks top 5 for me, at least when discussing in-ring skill), I think anybody who even mentions the thought of a conspiracy is on crack.

How many times have you read in the papers, or seen on the news, a story about a murder by hanging? Hanging means suicide, period.

As for the topic at hand, he'll never be truly embraced by the WWE again, but small mentions here and there are not only likely, but probably inevitable.

 

[HitmanFan4ever]

You know what I have a little bit of knowledge about dementia, to meet the requirements for having dementia you have to have have started to lose your memory including not being able to speak correctly or understand speech. Also the ability to understand objects and identify them is compromised. You can't execute motor activities including physical activities, and to make sound judgement.

My question is this, how did he do his job without missing dates, without missing spots, without any compromising situations in the ring. A guy with dementia often times has trouble tying their shoes but you're telling me that he could tour worldwide, not forget shows, be one of the best technical wrestlers in the world while still having dementia? Please rationally explain this.

How did he manage to be a top tier wrestlers, tour world wide without lapses, and have dementia? And while we are at it, tell me how he killed his wife and kid, REMEMBERED he had a show in Houston WENT TO THE SHOW. Told people he had to leave because they were 'sick', WENT BACK home, and hung himself. Doesn't sound like dementia to me. I'm not saying he wasn't mentally fucked but as someone who's dealt with those with dementia it just seems very unlikely to me.

And to the people who are saying Sullivan, you're out of your mind. First off, Kevin killed his wife and son, by TOD (time of death) Benoit went to Houston, for Night of Champions, came back after Sullivan killed his wife and son and let Kevin hang him? Really? Please explain that as well.

tell me then how did patt summitt coach a whole season with dementia? the man had nuerological problems. you say that you have been around people with dementia so that automatically makes you an authority on it huh? i am someone who has had severe brain trauma. i lose consciousness without warning, i forget my wifes and family members names, i often times have to call someone to tell me how to get to my own house. but one thing is for certain it does not stop me from getting out of that bed every damn morning and going to work and then going to the gym and training for 3 hours. its not above any realm of possibility that he could have had early onset dementia and still have been able to live the hectic schedule of an elite pro wrestlers. there is also a dark side where sometimes ill just randomly black out and when i come to i have done damage to stuff. i dont know why it happens and and so far i havent found a nuerologist that can find out a reason for my issues. the main problem is how little is actually known about the brain. i just pray that the medical field can find something to help with these issues before another incident like benoits happens to someone....

 

[The Liar]

i'm surprised Vince even allows the "Yes Lock" simply because it looks so much like he Crossface.........Benoit is THE POSTER BOY for everything Liberals hate about wrestling entertainment. Seriously, find someone who hates wrestling......ask them who Chris Benoit is, then ask them who Owen Hart was......chances are they only going to know the anwer to one of those questions.

In WWE's defense, these submission holds have been around long before Benoit, so it's not like they are directly connected to him. And since when do liberals hate wrestling? I've never heard that one before.

 

[Arashi]

tell me then how did patt summitt coach a whole season with dementia? the man had nuerological problems. you say that you have been around people with dementia so that automatically makes you an authority on it huh? i am someone who has had severe brain trauma. i lose consciousness without warning, i forget my wifes and family members names, i often times have to call someone to tell me how to get to my own house. but one thing is for certain it does not stop me from getting out of that bed every damn morning and going to work and then going to the gym and training for 3 hours. its not above any realm of possibility that he could have had early onset dementia and still have been able to live the hectic schedule of an elite pro wrestlers. there is also a dark side where sometimes ill just randomly black out and when i come to i have done damage to stuff. i dont know why it happens and and so far i havent found a nuerologist that can find out a reason for my issues. the main problem is how little is actually known about the brain. i just pray that the medical field can find something to help with these issues before another incident like benoits happens to someone....

Okay, but where are his issues? I'm not insulting you, by no means am I saying I'm an authority on it, but I've known multiple times and people know if there's an issue.

And it may not stop you from getting out of bed, good point but my point is that they said benoit had the mind of an 80 year old man with dementia, NOT someone with early onset dementia but an 80yr old if you remember correctly. You're memory is already starting to fade at the age on average.

So my argument is that their arguments NEVER been that he's had early onset dementia, the claim they are making is that he had SEVER dementia, so much so that he had the brain of an 80 YEAR OLD MAN WITH DEMENTIA.

If that's the case he would have lapses at work, SOMEONE would notice, don't take something personal just because you have personal issues. The way they described him there's no way he could have done all of that.

And by the way you said you sometimes have memory lapses where you forget people's names. Okay, but don't you feel bad about it later? Aren't you a little embarrassed? Wouldn't you know tell people?

Chris Benoit KILLED his wife and SEVEN YEAR OLD KID, went to a show, LIED to everyone he knew, tried to go on with the show, told no one about it before he went home and killed himself.

Again, they said he seemed a little off that day but nothing that out of the normal. You're telling me he killed his wife, his seven year old son, and went to a show across the country, not knowing what he was doing that whole time. Met up with people, talked to them, then WENT home and hung himself and that WHOLE TIME. He was suffering so much that he killed his wife and kid BUT still had the consciousness to hop a plane and go to work.

Rationally explain that....

BTW: yes pat summit did do that, congrats on that, but then again if Pat Summit had an issues most of the time they could hide it. Where as Chris Benoit had people's lives in his hands every night. You're telling me none of those guys would've noticed that? See if Pat Summit made a mistake as a coach her team runs the wrong play, if Chris Benoit forgets where he's at he breaks someone's neck and kills them. It's easier to see in someone like Benoit, that's just a fact.

 

[Teddy Irving]

Okay, but where are his issues? I'm not insulting you, by no means am I saying I'm an authority on it, but I've known multiple times and people know if there's an issue.

And it may not stop you from getting out of bed, good point but my point is that they said benoit had the mind of an 80 year old man with dementia, NOT someone with early onset dementia but an 80yr old if you remember correctly. You're memory is already starting to fade at the age on average.

So my argument is that their arguments NEVER been that he's had early onset dementia, the claim they are making is that he had SEVER dementia, so much so that he had the brain of an 80 YEAR OLD MAN WITH DEMENTIA.

If that's the case he would have lapses at work, SOMEONE would notice, don't take something personal just because you have personal issues. The way they described him there's no way he could have done all of that.

And by the way you said you sometimes have memory lapses where you forget people's names. Okay, but don't you feel bad about it later? Aren't you a little embarrassed? Wouldn't you know tell people?

Chris Benoit KILLED his wife and SEVEN YEAR OLD KID, went to a show, LIED to everyone he knew, tried to go on with the show, told no one about it before he went home and killed himself.

Again, they said he seemed a little off that day but nothing that out of the normal. You're telling me he killed his wife, his seven year old son, and went to a show across the country, not knowing what he was doing that whole time. Met up with people, talked to them, then WENT home and hung himself and that WHOLE TIME. He was suffering so much that he killed his wife and kid BUT still had the consciousness to hop a plane and go to work.

Rationally explain that....

BTW: yes pat summit did do that, congrats on that, but then again if Pat Summit had an issues most of the time they could hide it. Where as Chris Benoit had people's lives in his hands every night. You're telling me none of those guys would've noticed that? See if Pat Summit made a mistake as a coach her team runs the wrong play, if Chris Benoit forgets where he's at he breaks someone's neck and kills them. It's easier to see in someone like Benoit, that's just a fact.

I'm not saying this is an answer but sometimes with brain issues people can still do things they are used to doing every single day. Which to Benoit is wrestle. It may have been like a second nature or an instinct to him at that stage. Travelling to the set was just something he had to do because he always did it, his mind just said hey time to go to the show and he went.

Again I don't know if that is the case but with brain issues sometimes people can continue to do certain things all the time without any thought as to why we can do them. It's a routine and the body just does it without realising it. Have you ever been really tired but still been able to perform certain functions with ease even though it shouldn't be possible because the actions are difficult?

Also read Jericho's second book and in it he discusses that he feels that Benoit was different for the last while before the incident. Having been a while since I read the book I think Jericho said he made plans to meet up with Benoit and his kid when he was in Edmenton and then Benoit never showed up, so I don't know maybe there was some brain issues the autopsy said he did anyway so asking how he was able to do his job without people noticing is kind of irrelevant he had brain issues. Is it an excuse? Not really but it may have been the reason. I don't think he should be mentioned or shown on tv there is very very little need to do so and it would be upsetting to his wifes family

 

[HitmanFan4ever]

also in jerichos book he talked about how benoit would take days or even a week to respond to a phone call or text message even when chris had called him just minutes earlier. the signs were there and people just chose to ignore it. i see things like that all the time where people just ignore a problem so the dont feel any personal responsibility when something bad happens. i think we can all agree that his downward spiral started when eddie died and it just got worse and worse. jericho also talk about in his book how looking back he say the signs and he wished he had done something about it because benoit was a great family man and would do anything for his family

 

[Hero_kidstackz]

Honestly i think vince wont mention him again but be sure to see a dvd vince make everything a dvd 3 disc set. Or maybe not he really have edited chris from things like MITB matches and other events he took place in. Yea what he did was messed up but its called forgive since they already forgot. What he did was wrong but his inring performance was nothing but right and you cant erase that. Vince is acting like he care when in reality he could careless he probably is itching to release something chris related

 

[d_henderson1810]

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I'm not saying that anyone knew that Benoit was "innocent all along", but new evidence could emerge, that could clear him, and surprise Vince, as well as the wrestling world.

Vince could justify it by saying that he believed what the police said about their investigations. If an innocent man has had his reputation destroyed, wouldn't society be willing to forgive someone who is effectively just as much a victim as his wife and child. Even more so, because an innocent man has had his reputation destroyed, and no way of defending himself.

In some ways, I wish Benoit had lived. He could be tried in a court of law, and everyone involved with the case could have been questioned thoroughly. That way, if the evidence proved Benoit guilty, it would have been before a jury of his peers, and have been fairer and more clear-cut. But I suspect that his lawyer would have used the things said about the condition of his brain to plead "insanity" anyway, to beat the death penalty, and he would have gone to a mental hospital.

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Besides, Vince may have to consider putting Benoit in, if Benoit was cleared of the murders, as the media would start asking questions on why WWE insist on not inducting someone, even if found to be innocent? It would make the WWE look bad if Benoit became a "martyr" figure, and wasn't being inducted.

 

[MayorMcCheese]

Most "wrestling" fans loved Benoit.....but he murdered his wife and child, WWE is doing damage control because they don't want to acknowledge things like Benoits father showing xrays/mri's etc of all the brain damage he had due to wrestling......for him to do what he did, his brain obviously was not normal my guess he went completely insane due to the brain injuries NOT steroids, like the media so wanted it to be.