Vince McMahon doubted Chris Benoit as champion: the story behind the rejection

The figure of Chris Benoit has always sparked debate, but a new story explained by Ken Anderson, also known as Mr. Kennedy, adds an unexpected layer to how he was perceived backstage in WWE. During an interview with Elite Wrestle Talk, Anderson recalled a conversation that Paul Heyman explained to him, making it clear that Benoit's extreme perfectionism had consequences on his internal perception.

According to Anderson, Heyman proposed Benoit as a candidate for a title run when WWE was looking to revamp the main scene. Vince McMahon's response was cold and direct: “But if he doesn't measure up”. A phrase that left Heyman himself completely surprised.

Heyman had to intervene immediately: “Are we talking about the same Chris Benoit?” Vince insisted that, every time Benoit returned backstage, he repeated that everything had gone wrong. For McMahon, that constant self-criticism translated into a lack of confidence. "In Vince's eyes, if you say you suck, then you suck," Anderson explained.

However, Benoit was just the opposite: a worker obsessed with realism, tough on his mistakes, and completely dedicated to the ring. Anderson described him as a fierce competitor who always demanded intensity: "Give your best, because I'm going to give mine." Even a minor mistake would lead him to mentally beat himself up.

Despite the doubts that existed at the time, Chris Benoit did reach the top in WWE. At WrestleMania XX (2004), he became the World Heavyweight Champion by defeating Triple H and Shawn Michaels in a triple threat match, culminating in one of the most acclaimed title pursuits of that era.

Benoit's career was forever marked by the events of June 2007, when he was found dead alongside his wife and son in what authorities determined to be a case of double homicide and suicide. As a result, WWE removed his figure from programming and historical summaries, and the debate about his legacy became inevitably linked to that tragedy.