From The NY TIMES:

Benoit Had Sustained Brain Damage

Chris Benoit, a professional wrestler who killed his wife, son and then himself in suburban Atlanta in June, had brain damage caused by repeated concussions in the ring, two leading neurosurgeons said yesterday.

Dr. Julian Bailes of West Virginia University and Dr. Robert Cantu of Emerson Hospital in Concord, Mass., said that an examination of Benoit’s brain tissue found evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative condition typically found in boxers but also found in recent years in the brains of four former National Football League players.

Cantu said that symptoms of chronic traumatic encephalopathy include depression and erratic behavior, but he declined to speculate on any role the condition played in Benoit’s final violent acts. He and Bailes added that Benoit’s use of anabolic steroids, which could have contributed to Benoit’s mental state, would not have caused the brain damage they found.

With the permission of Benoit’s father, Michael, Bailes and Cantu examined Benoit’s brain tissue on behalf of the Sports Legacy Institute, a nonprofit organization that investigates the effects of brain injuries in sports. Its president, Christopher Nowinski, is a former World Wrestling Entertainment performer who retired after sustaining several concussions.

“Chris personally told me that he had had more concussions than he could count,” Nowinski said of Benoit.

“This finding goes to the fact that brain injuries in sports have to be taken very seriously.”

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Chairshots hurt if not delivered right. I took a nasty bump after a mistimed clothesline. My head bounced off the mat and got a concussion. The side effects are no joke.

Nah, I figured you'd heard that one enough. This one was too fuckin' easy.