Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael Benoit (May 21, 1967 - June 24, 2007) was a Canadian professional wrestler. He was first noticed in the United States when he started wrestling for Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) in 1994. He would later go to World Championship Wrestling (WCW) the next year. Within a year, he became a member of the Four Hoursemen (with Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, and Brian Pillman). He joined the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in January 2000. In January 2004, Benoit won the 30 man Royal Rumble match which allowed him to main event WrestleMania. He would go on to win the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania XX on March 14, 2004. On June 24, 2007, Chris Benoit committed suicide by hanging after murdering his wife and son. Their dead bodies were found on June 25. Benoit's father, Michael Benoit, says that Benoit had brain damage. Benoit was also believed to have been on several different medications to aid his in ring performance, sleep, and pain. According to ESPN, "Benoit's body contained 10 times the normal level of testosterone, as well as amounts of the anti-anxiety drug Xanax and the painkiller hydrocodone, authorities said.The testosterone, a synthetic version of the primary male sex hormone, is considered an anabolic steroid. The state's top medical examiner said it appeared to have been injected shortly before Benoit died." It is a speculation which Benoit may have dealt with Roid-Rage, and this could have set him off the rails along with other trauma issues to the brain as wellPress, A. (2007, July 17). Steroid, other drugs found in bodies of wrestler, wife, son. ESPN. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://www.espn.com/espn/news/story?id=2939837. This is what caused Benoit to kill his family. Because brain damage can be caused by concussions, WWE no longer allows wrestlers to hit each other in the head with steel chairs. Mentions of his name were also banned thereafter.