The Fate Of Daniel Bryan: Triumph Or Tragedy?
Chris Benoit's head was a mess of loose wires on the weekend he murdered his wife and son before taking his own life. It was wrestling's most heinous and horrific tragedy because the nature of the industry helped contribute to such a grisly outcome. As a catch-all, it would of course be unfair to blame a line of work for the (legitimately) insane actions of a mentally ill athlete, but factors directly linked to the job contributed heavily to Benoit's overall decline. His was a vessel too weak to sustain the level he'd set for himself, and though the writing wasn't exactly on the wall, it was in diaries and journals.
The former World Champion had been struggling to cope in general since the death of his best friend Eddie Guerrero in 2005, with his marriage on the brink of collapse in 2006 before a reconciliation briefly delayed their devastating demise. He'd noted dark thoughts and cries for help, seemingly searching for something more to help him grieve. Wrestling was filling the deep dark hole in Benoit's soul for the time he spent in the ring, but most full-timers speak of the 'work' of the job being the long travel and lonely nights more than the action between the ropes. In that regard, he was struggling more than ever. Wrestling became willing self-harm for 'The Crippler'. The real and very-well-sold pain from a german suplex or diving headbutt (sound familiar?) was etched across his grizzled face each and every time he wrestled, betraying the ice-cold demeanour he carried upon his walk to the ring.
The 2007 double murder/suicide forced much reflection from those on either side of the curtain. Wrestling was an industry, it could be argued, that was literally killing people. Things had to change, and systemically at least, they did. WWE is a corporate monolith that requires an unending supply of blind eyes - if the company truly put talent wellness first, there'd be no company at all.
However, Bryan's case was the closest since the Benoit catastrophe to categorically sacrifice dollars for decency. His recent clearance hinged entirely on a WWE sign-off - he'd found doctors willing to release him to wrestle for years dating back to the original injury. This was despite the fits and seizures he later admitted to as he tearfully bid the fans adieu on Monday Night Raw in February 2016.
The human being underneath the maniacal Vince McMahon fascia didn't want another Chris Benoit on his hands. The business-savvy billionaire equally didn't need one. (CONT'D)