Wrestling fans were left incensed by ‘absurd’ comments made by Vince McMahon in the new Netflix documentary chronicling his controversial life and career.

Mr McMahon is the revealing new six-part series, released this week, reaching behind the curtain of WWE and its larger-than-life former figurehead McMahon.

WWEThe new Netflix documentary Mr McMahon doesn’t probe far enough, according to some[/caption]

It touches upon some of the most controversial aspects of his storied career, including legal battles, backstage bust-ups, and sickening storylines among others.

As one of the hardest-hitting stories of McMahon’s WWE tenure, it’s unsurprising that ‘Mr McMahon’ briefly touched on the tragic and horrifying story of Chris Benoit.

The decorated wrestler died at the age of 40 in 2007, taking his own life having killed his wife, Nancy, and son, Daniel in what police ruled as a murder suicide.

Benoit was an active WWE Superstar at the time and, not long after the horrific incident, experts began to link the athlete’s career exploits as a possible factor in the tragedy.

One theory that surfaced was one of ‘roid rage’, that Benoit had committed the unspeakable acts having suffered a fit of anger as a result of steroid abuse.

It was a line police discarded soon enough, and one McMahon scoffed at in the documentary, despite a well-established link between the world of professional wrestling and steroids.

“Chris Benoit was thought of as an excellent in-ring performer, and as far as we knew, a great guy,” McMahon insisted

“There is no correlation between steroid use and what happened to Chris Benoit. Human beings are imperfect. Chris went nuts. It happens in every form of life, so that’s the only thing I can take away from it.”

What did later emerge was a belief that serious brain trauma had played a part in Benoit’s overall health.

Studies on the star’s brain revealed its state to be that ‘of an 85-year-old Alzheimer’s patient’, the damage said to have been as a result of ‘chronic concussions and head trauma’ sustained by Benoit through the rigours of his wrestling career.

WWEChris Benoit was a multiple-time world champion in WWE and WCW prior to his death[/caption]

The 79-year-old billionaire appeared to dismiss this notion altogether, blithely appearing to suggest wrestlers under his watch performed moves safely enough to avoid such damage.

In the documentary, which he has since hit out at as ‘deceptive’, added: “This doctor came up with this ridiculous statement of: ‘Okay here’s why Chris Benoit did this.’ There was some sort of trauma to his head and things were shown where Chris would dive off the rope and hit someone with his head. That’s a complete work [a wrestling term for an illusion.]

“It looks like there’s damage and there’s not. We know what we’re doing, we don’t hurt each other.”

McMahon’s apparent insensitivity wasn’t lost on fans, who criticised the take on social media, one blasting: “It’s OK for Vince to mention Chris after he made the executive decision to scrub Benoit’s name, achievements [after] the murder/suicide?

“WTF Vince? You suck. You have sunk so low I hope you never get back somewhere in any position of power.”

Another said: “I personally feel Vince should take a little of the responsibility”, while another added: “To try and say his wrestling career had nothing to do with it, he can’t say that, it’s appalling and beyond obvious it played a part.”

“Insane take,” was another reply, while another user, adamant wrestling would’ve played a part, said: “No, Vince, Chris went nuts because he wrestled every night despite having multiple concussions and head injuries…”

WWEMcMahon doesn’t believe steroids or the rigors of life in the wrestling ring played a part in the tragedy[/caption]

McMahon also addressed the long-standing belief that megastar The Undertaker suffered a major concussion during his memorable WrestleMania match against Brock Lesnar that saw the end of his Undefeated Streak.

The wrestler himself has openly spoken about the injury, claiming to have been left with no memory of the bout. McMahon, however, is of the belief no such damage was sustained.

“It was a last-minute decision,” he added, of ending the Streak.

“Mark [Calaway, The Undertaker] wasn’t prepared for it. I think he was in some sort of physiological shock.

“Looking back on it, I don’t see where Mark was concussed. Could have happened. But I think Mark didn’t remember any of that because it was so traumatic for him.”

The bizarre remarks come despite an extensive hospital stay for the Deadman – with McMahon at his bedside. Taker told his own podcast this year: “The last thing I remember was having a discussion with my wife backstage, [and] the next thing I remember, I’m in the hospital and they’re asking me every five minutes: “What’s your name…’ I had no clue.”

Fans pointed stated as much in responding to McMahon’s statements, one saying on X: “Didn’t Vince leave the show to go to the hospital with him after the match…?”

WWEThe Undertaker is generally regarded as McMahon’s greatest character creation[/caption]

Another highlighted: “To imply Taker, who was one of the toughest workers of all time and says he’d take a bullet for McMahon, wouldn’t accurately know he was concussed is absurd.”

The documentary itself has divided opinion amongst viewers, some feeling it highlights the unsavoury aspects of McMahon’s career sufficiently, while others insist it doesn’t go far enough in addressing the recent sexual assault and trafficking allegations made against him.

McMahon, who denies the allegations, resigned from the Board of TKO – WWE’s parent company – in January.