10 Obscure Wrestling Secrets That Took Years To Discover
1. The Dark Side Of Chris Benoit
In the wake of the tragic double murder-suicide that claimed the innocent lives of Nancy and Daniel Benoit, we were all numb. We were all united in grief.
This list just took a dark turn—but anecdotal evidence suggests that Chris Benoit did not; after the industry-altering fallout, the perception of Chris Benoit, as a humble and dedicated pro wrestler who gamely got over in spite of the larger, ego-fuelled pricks who ruled the world, was shattered as various wrestling personnel came forward.
Chris Benoit was known as an ultra-dedicated professional. This much was clear just from watching his intense, physical, hard-bumping masterclasses. As it transpired, Benoit followed the Dynamite Kid’s professional and personal template. If a Young Lion did not meet his exacting expectations, he would brutalise them in the New Japan dojo. He was fond of using “gay b*tch” as an insult. He was, and this shocked many, given his own blocked path to stardom, a major component of WWE’s backstage bullying culture in the 2000s. He was happy to pal with the limited JBL as much as he was with Eddie Guerrero, with whom he shared a burning, fatalistic desire to succeed. He was united in friendship by passion and cruelty.
Matthew Randazzo V’s Ring Of Hell, which collected these anecdotes under the thin veil of a grinding ax, should not be considered the last word on Benoit, as engaging a read as it is. But, since several other names, like Justin Roberts, have added to the emerging picture, the old perception of the tortured, masochistic Benoit is now covered forever by glass, replaced with one of a brutal sadist whose hazing of young rookies can no longer be considered evidence of his warped professionalism.
Justin Roberts’ inability to throw t-shirts into a crowd was hardly an affront to “the business”.