Former pro wrestler “Stone Cold” Steve Austin said he isn’t worried about the dangers of CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a brain disorder that jars people with head injuries, because he doesn’t believe in it.
In the sixth and final episode of Netflix’s “Mr. McMahon” documentary series, which was released Wednesday, Austin downplayed the risk of head injuries for wrestlers.
“I can’t remember having too many concussions in the business of pro wrestling,” the 59-year-old said. “My take on that has always been if you’re just wrestling and you got a bunch of concussions, you’re probably doing something wrong. I’m not a CTE guy; I just don’t believe in it.”
As the wrestler noted throughout his career, “That’s the bottom line because Stone Cold said so.”
Austin’s comments came during a discussion about former wrestler Chris Benoit, who killed himself and his family in 2007. Benoit was posthumously diagnosed with CTE, though former WWE CEO Vince McMahon disagreed.
“Human beings are flawed. Chris went nuts,” McMahon said, downplaying the role of Benoit’s repeated head injuries. “It happens in every form of life and everything, so that’s the only thing I can take away from it.”
Several former wrestlers filed a class action lawsuit against McMahon and the WWE in 2016, claiming that the company failed to protect them from head injuries. The lawsuit — and a later appeal — was ultimately dismissed. The judges noted that some of the claims were frivolous and others were filed after the statute of limitations passed.
Two wrestlers involved in the lawsuit — Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka and Harry Masayoshi Fujiwara — were later diagnosed with CTE after their deaths.
• This story is based in part on wire service reports.
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
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