10 Most Despised Men In Wrestling History

3. Chris Benoit

JBL Snarl
WWE.com

On June 25, 2007, the bodies of Chris Benoit, his wife Nancy and son Daniel were found dead in their home. As became quickly and horrifically apparent, Benoit had killed his family and then himself. Initial accusations of steroid rage receded when Benoit's brain was tested and resembled that of an octogenarian Alzheimer's patient.

Benoit's actions are objectively worse than anything anybody on this list has ever done. That is inarguable. But many of his peers recognise that his deteriorated mental health might explain his actions, even if they by no means excuse them. They could not reconcile the double murder suicide with the man they knew, but the perception of Benoit as a stoic beacon of professionalism has been dented in recent years. Benoit was purportedly close with JBL and habitually indulged his bullying, by many recent accounts.

You can tell a lot about a man by the company he keeps, as the proverb goes. Benoit was also tight with Hardcore Holly, another man who for years created a poisonous backstage environment for newer members of the roster and non-athletes alike.

Irrespective of motive and irreconcilable behaviour, many fans cannot watch a Chris Benoit match in hindsight, knowing what he did.

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Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!