What If?

[Kanye South]

We all know the story of Chris Benoit. If you don't, then quit *********ing under a rock and jump into the real world. I'll tell the story, if you don't know it:

Chris Benoit was a very famous wrestler in the WWE. He was a former Royal Rumble winner and former World Heavyweight Champion. In 2007, he was drafted from Smackdown! to ECW as apart of the WWE Draft Lottery. At a Pay-Per-View known as Vengeance (now known as Night Of Champions), he was slated to compete for (and win) the ECW Championship.

However, he couldn't make the event, citing "personal problems" as the reason. The next night, it was revealed that he and his family were found dead in his home. That night on Raw, the WWE made a tribute to Chris Benoit. It was revealed the next day that Chris Benoit killed his family and later himself.

Some say the reason was steroids (Roid Rage). Others say the reason was the fact that he was emotionally unstable, and that he was still reeling from the death of fellow wrestler Eddie Guererro (sp?). Other people say that he had the brain of an 85-year-old with alzheimer's disease from all the head shots he has taken over the years (one of his finishers was a diving headbutt). Whatever the reason was, the fact still remains that he did it.

So the question I pose you, is that what if somebody who was very important to the WWE had did the same? We all saw how the WWE near eliminated Chris Benoit from their history. What if it was Triple H, John Cena, Randy Orton, Batista, etc.? What if it was The Rock, Hulk Hogan, or Stone Cold Steve Austin did the same? What if it was a main-eventer? What if they were the ones who went crazy and killed their family? What if?

...

Now I don't wish death on anybody, because that is the lowest of lows. The questions I pose are completely hypothetical. There is a very slim chance, if any at all, that the individuals that I mentioned would do such a thing that Chris did. This topic is purely for discussion.

So Discuss.

 

[Chill]

Well if it had of been a so called "bigger star", I still think they would have recieved the Benoit treatment in that they would have been virtually wiped from WWE's history books. However, the business would have moved on as it has done/is doing following Benoit's death...no one is bigger than the business. Though, if had of been someone like the Rock or Hogan I think the media coverage would have been even greater than that Benoit received simply because they (more Hogan I suppose) are pop culture icons who have made the successful transition from wrestling to the silverscreen and are genuine superstars.

 

[MNM5150]

Well if it had of been a so called "bigger star", I still think they would have recieved the Benoit treatment in that they would have been virtually wiped from WWE's history books.

I disagree. It would have been a ton harder to remove Rock or Hogan or Cena or someone who was either a huge star at the time, or a huge star in other media. There is no way anyone would have forgotten Hogan, because not only was he the biggest star WWE ever had, he is big elsewhere. Benoit never branched out in to other media. The mainstream news companies would have exploded had Hogan or Rock done something like that. In conclusion, they wouldn't wipe Hogan or Rock from the books because nobody would let them

 

[JohnnyB41]

If someone higher up in WWE had done such a thing, I dont think Vince would be able to recover. The whole benoit thing is pretty much forgotten outside of the wrestling community, but thats mostly because nobody who didnt watch wrestling had any clue who Chris Benoit was. If the rock or stone cold or hogan etc. would have done the same thing, then it wouldnt be forgotten so easily. All Vince had to do was wait till the media moved on and erase all mention, and poof.....its over. If someone much higher up in the card had done this, WWE may have never recovered.

 

[RKOhead84]

why would you even create a thread like this? who would want to think about that?

 

[kingofmyworld]

Chris Benoit was a big star in all three of the top promotions in the U.S. during the 90's and a huge star in Mexico, Japan, and throughout the world. So what would happen if it were HHH, Hogan, Rock, Austin, etc.? The same thing that happened after it was revealed that Benoit committed the crimes. Huge public outroar from media outlets all over the country, a black cloud was placed by the public on the wrestling industry and also additional regulation were put into place in WWE's wellness policy. It's not like it was Evan Karaegis (no offense intended) or another wrestler of similar recognition. Chris Benoit was a star in the wrestling industry and the reaction was as big as you would see in any similar case.

 

[Nev]

I remember having a discussion like this.

Did you see ECW ONS 2005?

Between 2001 and 2005, 10-12 ECW wrestlers passed away. All usually younger than 45.

I would always ask myself if Benoit, Mysterio, Eddie, RVD, & Tommy Dreamer may pass away young.

Looks like it already hit Benoit and Eddie.

A lot of ECW stars were jacked up on steroids it seems.

I think Jericho and Mysterio are perfectly fine.

I won't comment on RVD.

If it DID happen, it would be a huge blow to the WWE. You saw how much the WWE suffered back in the early 90s. It totally destroyed its popularity.

 

[Cheech 72]

I don't wish death on anyone either, but I do wish death on ECW. Especially after tonight's horrible show.

 

[golden miz]

Well if death was to happen to anyone in the wwe it sadly will be someone like jeff hardy. With multiple failings of the drug testing and the numerous hits and bumps he recieved his body is in bad shape. He is a disaster waiting to happen. If he died his death will hit the wwe bad since he is a multi time champ, a top merchandise seller, and a reconizable name (unlike chris's). I sadly see jeff being next followed by tna tallent other wise known as Foley since all his hardcore matches aged his body unbelievably. Mixed with the fact he is overweight, he is a heart attack ready to happen but his death will be from natural causes unlike jeffs. This is a sad topic come to think of it

 

[Spaceman Spif]

I think that no matter who did it, the outcome would be the same, they would be wiped from the history books. It's that simple I think and that's all I'm gonna say on this.

 

[4-Real]

I'm not gonna get into that, because the treatment would probably have been the same. But despite everything that went down with Benoit, I still support him. I do not in any way condone what he did, but I do know that what he did was entirely not like him. He was a hero to all fans, and coworkers in and out of the ring. Myself included. He was a guy who put others in front of himself, and in the ring, that can be contrasted with a superstar of now. Triple H. Sure HHH put Benoit over back then, but only because Benoit, a grizzled veteran had payed his dues, and deserved it, no doubt. Now, Paul Levesque and his overgrown nose won't put anyone over cleanly, even if its another main eventer. Benoit would have acted differently were he in HHH's spot. And outside of the ring, he did love his family so, as well as his friends. He looked out for them, and was a big help to Eddie Guerrero's beating addiction. He also had the uncanny ability to make a good match out of virtually anyone who he worked with, and always put them over in some way.

I'm just saying, for the person he was, I'm not sure if he deserves this treatment...