Wrestling News Latest WWE, AEW & TNA News, Results and Rumors
The recent “Mr. McMahon” docuseries may not have been the tell-all some fans expected about Vince McMahon’s life, but it still contained a few surprising moments. One that stood out came from “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, who in the series expressed doubt about the existence of CTE, a statement that caught the attention of many, including Rob Van Dam. The WWE Hall of Famer shared his surprise at Austin’s comments during an episode of his “1 Of A Kind” podcast.
“It made me wonder if that footage was outdated because at first, the whole idea did get nothing but pushback, you know?” Van Dam said, referring to how the theory of CTE was initially dismissed by many in the industry, including WWE. He recalled how, especially after Chris Benoit’s brain was found to have CTE, there was strong resistance from the company to engage with the topic.
Van Dam emphasized his disbelief that Austin truly meant what he said in the series, particularly given the wealth of knowledge now available about CTE. “That was the thing back then, [it] was just deny it, ‘Ah, it’s bulls**t!’ You know?” Van Dam remarked, referring to how dismissive attitudes were common in the early days of discussions surrounding the disease.
Drawing a comparison to how societal views on smoking around children have drastically changed over time, Van Dam noted how attitudes toward CTE have also evolved. He once again referenced Benoit’s tragic case, highlighting reports that suggested Benoit had advanced Alzheimer’s disease at the time of his death, reinforcing the devastating effects of CTE.
“He also happened to act unlike the guy that I knew (…) and spent the weekend doing this f**king family—family’cide? I don’t know, I don’t believe in coincidences,” Van Dam stated, underscoring his belief in the reality and impact of CTE.
