10 MORE Huge "What If" Scenarios In WWE History
7. What If The Chris Benoit Tragedy Hadn't Happened?
There's a strong argument to be made that the Chris Benoit double-murder/suicide was the worst thing to ever happen to professional wrestling. The events that transpired between the 22nd and 25th June 2007 are among the most impactful in WWE history, forever changing the way the company does business, even today.
The tragedy forced WWE to re-align their Wellness Policy. A company-wide crackdown began, with multiple wrestlers falling to suspensions, and PED-enhanced physiques deflating across the board. Medicals became more stringent, as did the level of care with which WWE handled concussions. They banned unprotected chairshots, reached out to troubled former talents, offering full rehabilitation programs to those struggling with drug and alcohol addiction, and ultimately adopted their oft-maligned PG rating, though this had just as much to do with Linda McMahon's senate campaign.
All these factors contributed towards making WWE a safer, cleaner environment for all involved, and the Benoit tragedy hastened their implementation. Would the company have eventually made these changes regardless? Perhaps, but there's an outside chance they wouldn't have even made it through those difficult times without the enforced transformation, so damaged was their public image.