Chris Benoit's Death Forever Changed Professional Wrestling

[48.7 is Approximately 49 Times Better Than You]

[youtube]0YEjqpS-hs8&feature=related[/youtube]

The Death of Chris Benoit​

Note: I originally was going to post this in TMexico's thread 'Vital Moments in Professional Wrestling', but I thought it would be a compelling enough discussion for it's own thread.

I sat here, trying to think of something different than Bash on the Beach '96, Austin's KOTR speech, Hogan slamming Andre, or the Attitude Era, for a couple of minutes and I couldn't think of anything. I went to youtube and browsed wrestling related videos and stumbled upon a tribute to Chris Benoit. It made me remember one of my all-time favorite, and one of the most gifted wrestlers to ever grace the ring. I have this bittersweet feeling when I watched Chris wrestle. I am awestruck at his in ring talent, the tenacity and relentlessness he shows and the intensity he brings to every match. On the other hand, I'm saddened by his death and disgusted at what he did. I realized, that Chris Benoit, in his death, changed professional wrestling forever.

When I opened up my web browser on the morning of June 25, 2007, I was blown away with what was on the front page. A picture of Chris Benoit in the ring, titled 'Wrestler found dead in home with wife and child'. I sat, stunned and silent. How could that be? Chris was a great man. He loved the Lord and was good to everyone around him. Things like this just don't happen to people like Chris, especially someone who I respected and admired so much. One of my favorite superstars, one of my idols, murdered in his home.

I turned on RAW that night to see if this was really true. After all, McMahon had just been blown up the week prior and that had been all over the news. Maybe this was storyline, too. After all, when he was replaced in the ECW championship match, no one made a fuss. When I saw that picture of Chris smiling, those words "In memory of Chris Benoit", and Vince McMahon standing in the middle of the ring, it hit me. I was thirteen and I cried like a baby. As RAW went on, I watched Chris' greatest moments, from winning the Rumble to celebrating with Eddie to close WrestleMania. My respect and admiration for Benoit grew during that tribute show. No one warned me about what I'd find out the next morning.

Just like the summer morning before, I opened up the browser, hoping in the very back of my mind that I had imagined the whole thing. Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw on the front page of AOL.com. "Chris Benoit murders family, then hangs himself." My mind started reeling. I couldn't believe it. The same thoughts went through my head as the day before. It couldn't have been Chris. He was a good man. There was no way he'd do this... this awful crime. It's impossible.

It wasn't impossible. Chris Benoit was dead. He murdered his family and took his owns life. The man I idolized was now forever gone. The last days of his life would forever change my view of Chris Benoit, and the last days of his life would forever change the WWE and professional wrestling as a whole.

Ever since wrestling became unpopular, sometime after The Attitude Era, professional wrestling has had this stigma surrounded it and everything involved with it. It's fake, it's stupid, and it's gay. I hear those things from non-wrestling fans every single day. When word got out that Benoit was involved in a double murder/suicide, the media ate it up. It was on every talk and news show: Nancy Grace, Fox, etc... Wrestlers such as Chris Jericho and Bret Hart would appear on these shows and share their thoughts. They'd say how shocked they were, how Chris was a great family man and one of the nicest people you'd ever meet and how no one saw this coming... One thing that was discussed every time was steroids. It was easy to deduce that Chris Benoit had been on steroids. I remember watching Nancy Grace and her discussing 'roid rage' and asking Chris Jericho if he thought that could have been a factor in what happened.

The WWE faced huge criticism for their lack of a strict steroid testing and drug abuse policy. So, one was implemented. It inserted mandatory steroid testing and suspensions for failed tests. Wrestlers were given time to get off the juice, then the policy was put into action.

Since the new testing policy was put in place, countless wrestler's careers have been forever changed. William Regal was in the middle of a King of the Ring push, was the general manager of RAW, and was seriously pissing off the World Champion. He looked to be on the verge of a World Title feud, then he was jobbed out and disappeared for months. Upon his return, he entered the mid-card, became insignificant, and has not returned to the spotlight since.

Mr. Kennedy was the holder of the Money in the Bank briefcase. He was riding the best push you could dream of, one that any wrestler would give anything to have. He defeated eight world champions in one year and was made to look like gold. The crowd was eating him up and he was all but set to main event WrestleMania. Then, his suspension hit. He lost the briefcase and lost his push. Kennedy is liked by someone backstage, though. He came back, clean, and started another push. Unfortunately, his smaller frame wasn't quite strong enough to compete and he got injured... Twice. Had he never been suspended, his push would have held and it's likely he'd never have been injured.

Jeff Hardy was the clear favorite in last year's Money in the Bank. He was the most over superstar in the entire company and was next in line to grab the brass ring. Unfortunately, Jeff has a problem with alcohol and smoking pot and was suspended for 60 days, missing his opportunity to take one more step towards World Championship gold by winning the Money in the Bank. He came back, over as ever, but had to prove to be reliable by jobbing to Triple H for 6 months before being handed the title for a month. Oh, and if he hadn't been suspended, he probably wouldn't have burned his house down.

M.V.P. had a serious heart condition. During drug testing, that condition was discovered. He was able to get treatment and, because of the early detection, his life was saved.

Without Chris Benoit's death, William Regal would have had a run in the main event, Mr. Kennedy would be a World Champion, Jeff Hardy would have won the championship and actually hung on to it for a while, and M.V.P. would be dead.

Not only did his death affect those within professional wrestling, I think it affected each of us as well. I know that it's opened my eyes to the reality, the dangers, and the grueling life that all WWE superstars go through.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Alex(Killer Of Dreams & Legends)]

I agree with every thing but one thing Kennedy did not loose the case from roids he lost it cause he got hurt . But yea beniot's death has changed the wrestling industry for ever and it really brought negative press to the company. I can only hope the wwe rebounds soon over this and you forgot to add that they never got to complete the whole vince getting blown up nor the whole angle got pushed as a comedy bit after it was all said and done. But one good thing happen hornsowgle got a good push lol

 

[48.7 is Approximately 49 Times Better Than You]

No, I'm pretty sure that Kennedy was suspended and had to drop the case. His first time being off TV was due to suspension, not injury. The injuries came after he got off the roids. And, I know that I could have included the McMahon being dead storyline and all that, but the post was getting long. Thanks for posting in my thread, by the way.

 

[Blade]

Actually, Kennedy lost the MitB because of an injury but he was dropped as Vince's son in that angle because of the drug testing. But apart from that you are spot on.

It's so strange to think that Chris Benoit's death actually saved MVP's life. It's poetic in a way, that the past has to die to indirectly save the future's life. It's also a chilling thought.
Whether all these effects that Benoit's death had were better or not for the WWE's success is debatable. But at least there will never be a steroid related tragedy, at least in the WWE.

 

[48.7 is Approximately 49 Times Better Than You]

Actually, Kennedy lost the MitB because of an injury but he was dropped as Vince's son in that angle because of the drug testing. But apart from that you are spot on.

It's so strange to think that Chris Benoit's death actually saved MVP's life. It's poetic in a way, that the past has to die to indirectly save the future's life. It's also a chilling thought.
Whether all these effects that Benoit's death had were better or not for the WWE's success is debatable. But at least there will never be a steroid related tragedy, at least in the WWE.

Alright. Thanks for the correction. I'll go back and fix that in my original post. It's kind of morbid, to think that good things have come from the horrible tragedy of Chris' last days. I'm not sure Kennedy, Regal, and Jeff losing their push is a good thing, but I'm sure that MVP is forever grateful for the testing. Jeff Hardy may have gone on to kill himself as well, if he continued abusing alcohol the way he did. I say, that ultimately, Benoit's death, in the long run, will have more good than bad come from it. For now, there's still the 'Oh that wrestler that killed his family' thing and what not, but I think it will pass. If the WWE is really cleaned up, then only good things can come.

 

[SavageTaker]

I was shocked too when I found out Benoit died and he wasn't coming back. I didn't cry but I was really shocked at what happened. I had read on the internet that he was a good man and he didn't do bad things, and I just couldn't believe it. And then when I found out that he allegedly (I say allegedly because what the experts say happened hasn't been proven) killed his wife and son and then hung himself, I was just blown away. It was indeed a dark day in the world of professional wrestling and it definitely changed the way many people look at professional wrestling.

I agree that with Benoit dying, and this may sound harsh but I don't intend it to be, it did a lot of good. The WWE got serious about their wellness policy and it ended up saving MVP's life. It did a lot of good and bad, but there is no denying that if Chris did not die many more bad things could have happened, and thankfully they didn't.

I do want to point out one thing though, and I may be wrong, but I don't think Jeff Hardy was suspended last year for smoking pot. They might have changed the policy since then but I thought that if they get caught for smoking pot they would only have to pay a fine of $1,000.00.

 

[Blade]

I do want to point out one thing though, and I may be wrong, but I don't think Jeff Hardy was suspended last year for smoking pot. They might have changed the policy since then but I thought that if they get caught for smoking pot they would only have to pay a fine of $1,000.00.

That's true. TBK smokes pot all the time, and he just accepts the fine.
Jeff Hardy must have been doing something much more serious than pot, something, which 48.7 said, could have cost him his life, intentionally or unintentionally.
So yeah, another life indirectly saved I guess.

 

[SavageTaker]

William Regal's life was saved too. He has had a history of drug problems and when he got suspended I read on the interne that he might have relapsed and I was worried for him because I didn't want another wrestler gone and dead because of drugs. Although he said that he might have taken something by accident, there were some reports that said he got back on steroids because he was going to get a push and he wanted to get back in shape. Anyways, hopefully he is not back on drugs and it was truly just an accident when he got suspended for the second time. I think it would be a real shame to see more pro-wrestler die because of drug problems that sometimes they can't even control themselves.

Like I said Chris Benoit dying has done a lot of good things for pro wrestling even if it was at the expense of his live, his wife's, and his son's.

 

[Mr. TM]

I cried. I was a 20 year old man who cried over a fallen Wrestler. I am not ashamed, I have watched Chris Benoit wrestle for a decade, and his death hit me like a good friend's death. He was my hero, and how could my hero do this?

This thread about changing professional wrestling is true. Professional wresting had dropped off the social radar in society, with the biggest news being a wrestler dying of a failed heart. Hulk Hogan gained some publicity with his reality television show, but that is it. The Rock's appearance in films has almost separated himself from the wrestling world. Even Jessie 'The Body' Ventura hardly is remembered as a wrestler.

This made Wrestling more important that it had been in a long time. People around the world knew about this, a professional wrestler, in the world of professional wrestling that had for a long time been seen as a dark and dirty world was proven more so to be this. A man killed his family. That can be crippling to the industry. if Jeff Probst kills his girlfriend, Survivor probably ends.

The Wrestling world had to recover, and I believe they did a great job at it. Testing was put into place, wrestlers such as Orton, Kennedy, and other big names were actually suspended. The spotlight has left them for the time being, leaving wrestling to develop the way that Vince McMahon wants.

And last year we were treated to the film 'The Wrestler'. The film was actually considered one of the best films of last year. This seems to be a great positive light for the world, and might not have been created without Benoit's death.

So yes, Wrestling was changed by one mans actions, but it was changed in different ways. Good and Bad aspects have been created, and wrestling will continue past this.

 

[Drue]

It still shocks me to this day that someone like Chris would do something like that. I still have trouble believing that he would do that. I mean, Chris was the kinda person who would hurt HIMSELF before he would hurt his family. I've always wondered if the "Official Report" isn't what happened. Like maybe he came home on Sunday or something, saw his family murdered, flipped out and ended up killing himself, or something like that.

I guess we can always hope it wasn't true.

 

["Cool Guy" Jensen]

I stayed on the computer for the whole Vengeance: Night of Champions ppv. From the very first match, (The Hardys vs. Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch for the World Tag Team Championships), to the very last match (John Cena vs. King Booker vs. Mick Foley vs. Randy Orton vs. Bobby Lashley for the WWE Championship). Somewhere in between, I read on wwe.com that Johny Nitro would replace Chris Benoit in the match for the vacant E.C.W. Championship. The reason for the replacement was apparently because of ''Family issues''. I thought, ''Ok, so Johnny Nitro is the new E.C.W. Champion, hopefully we'll see a Triple Threat match between him C.M. Punk and Benoit.

Then the next day, at around 3:00 P.M., I went onto wwe.com and came across a headline that read ''Benoit Found Dead''. My heart immediately dropped. Me, at 13 years old, Summer vacation, a time that is supposed to be the most fun, I go on one of my favorite websites and see that my #2 favorite wrestler is dead. I tried to stay strong and not cry, since just 18 months earlier, I had to deal with one of my other favorite wrestler, Eddie Guerrero's death. The whole day, I went on wwe.com to see any updates on the horrble news.

At 1:00 A.M., on June 26, 2007, I went back onto wwe.com and came across a headline that read, ''Double Murder-Suicide''. Chris Benoit killed his wife and his son and later killed himself. It was an all-around bad day for me and I had a lot of trouble getting to sleep that night. I just couldn't get the thought out of my head. Chris Benoit, one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, one of my favorite, dead... gone forever. To this very day, not a single day goes by that I do not think about the ''Rabid Wolverine''.

To answer your question... Yes! Chris Benoit's death has changed many. Not only Professional Wrestling, but the people who knew Benoit, the superstars who have faced him in the ring, his first wife, his two other children, his doctor, Phil Astin, and even us fans. Chris Benoit's death has also saved people's lives. You've mentioned M.V.P. Without Benoit's death and the addition of the Wellness Program, M.V.P.'s heart condition could have been detected too late and he could have also been dead, because I hear that Wolff-Parkinson-White disease can be very deadly.

Chris Benoit's death has hurt and helped people. Without his death, it's likely that you would see the death of many others. Shortly after Jeff Hardy returned from his 2nd suspension, he really talked about how life has changed for him. He would talk about how his mistakes cost him his chance to shine at Wrestlemania, cost him his house, and his dog, and the World Championship. If Chris Benoit did not die, Hardy could still have been abusing drugs and who knows where he would be now, 14 months since his last suspension.

In closing, Chris Benoit's death changed the whole view of professional wrestling. There have been several changes from then to now. WWE has been critcized for it by the media and they've been forced to completely erase Benoit from their history. I love Chris Benoit and still would hate to believe that he would do this, but I have to face reality... Chris Benoit's death has affected the company of WWE and the sport of professional wrestling from the very moment the incident happened, shortly afterwards, and will continue to affect us for years to come.