World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) today made the announcement on their website that wrestler Chris Benoit, along with his wife Nancy, and their son Daniel were found dead today at their home in Atlanta, Georgia. Benoit was 40 years old.
No other details regarding the circumstances of this discovery have been released by WWE or by the Atlanta police. Just this past weekend, Benoit had been scheduled to wrestle for the vacant Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) World Championship against C.M. Punk at WWE's Vengeance pay per view show. Benoit abruptly pulled out of the scheduled match just days prior, to attend what was called a family emergency in Atlanta. The match took place with another wrestler, Johnny Nitro, substituting for Benoit. In the match, Nitro won the ECW title.
Although he lacked the big, musclebound look of fellow WWE stars like Hulk Hogan, and the flashy microphone skills of Ric Flair and The Rock, Benoit was a favorite of diehard wrestling fans because of his aggressive, no-nonsense style in the ring. This style earned him many nicknames over his twenty-year career, including "The Rabid Wolverine" and "The Canadian Crippler." His most famous wrestling moves were a textbook flying headbutt off of the top turnbuckle, and the "Crippler Crossface," a punishing submission move that more often than not would cause his opponents to tap out.
During his twenty-year career, Benoit enjoyed success in all of the "big three" wrestling promotions, WWE, ECW, and the now defunct World Championship Wrestling (WCW). He also wrestled in Japan, where he enjoyed success wearing a mask as the Pegasus Kid. His most noteworthy matches included an ECW match against Sabu which ended in a broken neck for his opponent.
Another notable bout was a falls count anywhere in the building match against Kevin Sullivan for WCW. In an ironic real life twist, Benoit ended up marrying Sullivan's wife Nancy, who was a valet manager working under the name Woman. Benoit also enjoyed considerable success in WCW as a member in one of the final incarnations of the legendary Four Horsemen, the faction of heel wrestlers headed up by Ric Flair and Arn Anderson.
.jpg?t=20120527181101)
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Chris
Thank you for a complete and respectable in memoriam of one of the classiest people ever to be apart of professional wrestling. While not having followed the scene as of late I have always had a tremendous respect for Benoit dating back to when I lived in Calgary - the city where his wrestling career began. While the details aren't readily available as to the cause of his, his wife, and his young son's deaths this is nonetheless a tragedy. For once it appears that the WWE is exercising a bit of sensibility by devoting tonight's program to Benoit's proud legacy (unlike the "the show must go on" attitude in regards to Owen Hart).
2 - Chris Beaumont
!! I cannot believe this!
I haven't been watching much lately, but Benoit was one of those performers I always enjoyed.
This is a big shock....
My prayers go out to his loved ones.
3 - jorge callejas
We'll miss u Chris Benoit. Be with God
4 - Chris Beaumont
I heard it is being reported as a murder-suicide...
Makes no sense...
5 - eduardo
Rest In Peace....We will never forget you....
6 - Glen Boyd
Unfortunately Chris, it does look like kind of like foul play was involved. But I can't believe Chris Benoit would have had anything to do with this. By all accounts, he was one of the very few WWE performers who seemed to have it pretty together (i.e. No drugs, etc.).
Did Chris and Nancy have any enemies? Couldn't tell ya...
I'm sitting down to watch the Raw tribute now (9 PM here on the west coast), but will probably check back here later tonight.
What a damn tragedy though.
-Glen
7 - Chris Beaumont
Story up at ABC News.
8 - john
I AM JUST SIMPLY HORRIFIED AT THE DEATH OF CHRIS BENIOT AND HIS FAMILY. I AM EVEN MORE SHOCKED AT THE AMOUNT AND APPARENT RISING NUMBER OF DEATHS WITH PRO-WRESTLERS.
THE INDUSTRY HAS TO LOOK INTO WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE BUSINESS AND MAKE SOME DRASTIC CHANGES TO SLOW OR EVEN STOP THE ALARMING NUMBER OF DEATHS AMONG (ACTIVE AND RETIRED) THESE GREAT ATHLETES.
9 - Glen Boyd
This is currently being reported by the Wrestling Observer (wrestlingobserver.com). The Observer is a respected "insider" wrestling newsletter:
Sources in the Fayette County Police Department are now working under the theory that Chris Benoit killed Nancy on Saturday, son Daniel on Sunday, and then killed himself earlier today.
Benoit was found dead in his weight room. Nancy was found dead in the lving room. Daniel was found dead in his bedroom, accordig t an unnamed source in the department.
Lt. Tommy Pope told ABC News "the instruments of death were located on the scene," but didn't specify what those were or where they were found. Pope said the department was not actively searching for any suspects outside the house.
I honestly wish the news was better -- but it seems to be getting worse.
-Glen
10 - Kacie
wow....this is such a shock...
we will miss you very much chris....and will never forget you...
<3
11 - Joel
Wow. I heard that they believe Benoit killed his family and then commite suicide. A major factor in this may be Eddie Gurrero and this on going fued between Chavo Gurrero and Rey Mysterio. Very sad.
He was a great wrestler.
12 - Eric b
This is terrible news. I haven't watched much wrestling since the WCW disappeared, but I was always impressed by Chris Benoit, who was a class act. My thoughts and prayers go out to his extended family and friends.
13 - High Heels
How absolutely horrific for Nancy and Daniel to have their lives taken in this way. As a mother, my thoughts go out to them in particular. Rest in Peace.
14 - Glen Boyd
I'm witholding judgment for now HH.
There has simply got to be more to this than meets the eye. I admit to being somewhat biased, but as a fan of Benoit -- knowing what I at least think I know about him -- I find it very hard to believe he could be responsible.
I know it doesn't look good right now. I wish it did. But by all accounts, he loved his family, and missed a world title match (and this is a guy who lived, breathed, and ate wrestling) to fly down there for a "family emergency."
Something happened without doubt. But my gut tells me we are nowhere near knowing who was actually responsible, and that more will be revealed in the coming weeks.
Color me optimistic -- and perhaps naively so -- but I think this is going to take a few more turns before we know what really happened. And remember, in these type of cases the initial suspect is always the spouse.
Crossing my fingers, and praying either way...
-Glen
15 - Vichus Smith
Is this serious???? Wow, this is insane. That's horrific news.
16 - christian aged 8
chris you are my favourite wrestler and i will miss you very much i will never forget you
17 - sue
if chtis did infact do this feel for his wife, son and remaining family. suicide is the cowards way out and to murder your child and wife is unforgivable
18 - Concerned for children
#18, you hit the nail on the head.
I feel for the family.
Is this what we want our children to morn over for three hours this evening? What does that teach them?
Suicide IS the cowards way out. What would drive someone to kill their own child.
Sad!!! My Thoughts and Prayers for Daniel and Nancy, may you Rest in Peace.
19 - Chris Beaumont
#19 please remember that nothing definite has come out yet. Anything that is said on these boards is pure speculation.
I tend to agree with Glen's post #15. We need to wait until all facts are known.
And until all facts are known we should mourn the loss of Chris and his family in the wake of theis terrible tragedy. As far as his career goes, he is one of the best to ever lace up the boots.
20 - kim
RIP BENOIT FAMILY.....MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH THE FAMILY
21 - Chris
"Color me optimistic -- and perhaps naively so -- but I think this is going to take a few more turns before we know what really happened." Agreed.
That being said I was shocked to wake up to these developments this morning. Simply speechless.
22 - Original Deadman
Chris Benoit is dead. He was one of the greatest wrestlers of his generation. Had he wrestled Sunday night, he would have won the ECW Championship. But something happened. Something went terribly wrong.
These killings are a tragedy, whether they were committed by Chris or someone else. We all know that sane people do not kill seven year olds. We all know that sane people do not kill women. We all know that sane people do not kill two other human beings and then live in the house with two dead bodies for a day or two before taking their own lives. We all know that sane people do not kill themselves. In fact, we all know that sane people do not kill, period.
So, rather than attack Chris Benoit and call him a coward and erase him from the record books, we should be trying to figure out what sent him over the edge. This is a man who had everything - a great career with tons of success (even if it is not real), great kids whom he loved dearly, a great wife whom he loved dearly. What made this man lose the edge? What made this man lose control of his mental faculties and kill two other human beings, seemingly with his bare hands (since no gun was used and local authorities have not stated that they were stabbed)?
For that matter, how do we know who killed whom? Until the reports are released later today, we won’t know. Did Nancy kill the seven year old and then Chris killed her? We don’t know. We don’t know what happened in that house. And we will probably never know the whole story.
But, if Chris committed this heinous act, let's have a little charity and realize the sickness that had to infect Chris Benoit over the course of the last days of his life rather than calling him a coward. He did not go down in a blaze of glory. And it is highly unlikely that his last thoughts were that history would remember him for his accomplishments. Insane people usually don’t care.
23 - Glen Boyd
There are some updates over at the Wrestling Observer. Authorities are now saying that the details, when they come out, are going to be "bizarre". As the poster above said, we don't know what happened yet. Until we do, I'm witholding judgment and praying for the Benoit family.
Read the latest details here
-Glen
24 - Glen Boyd
I just got interviewed by ABC News about this story. It will broadcast today on ABC News radio affiliates nationwide. They wanted the bloggers perspective. I also pointed them towards Dave Meltzer at the Wrestling Observer as a news source.
-Glen
25 - Baronius
"Roid rage" is a pretty well-known condition. I'm surprised no one's mentioned it yet.
Steroids make your skin rubbery (think Hogan), and your muscles develop with prominent veins (think Batista). They age your heart (Eddie). They cause baldness (like most WWE wrestlers). And they can cause bouts of depression and explosive anger.
Steroids are becoming more dangerous, not less, as the years go by, because scientists are constantly developing stronger ones. Someone's got to call attention to the steroid problem in wrestling before it takes any more lives.