AEW Star Had ‘Bigger Expectations’ For Prior WWE Return

WWE/AEW

An AEW star has spoken about how they had ‘bigger expectations’ ahead of their prior return to WWE back in 2016.

When WWE reintroduced the brand split in 2016, a number of former stars were rehired to the company to provide more depth for the Raw and SmackDown rosters.

One of those names was Shelton Benjamin, who had previously left WWE back in 2010, who found himself on the SmackDown brand in a tag team with Chad Gable upon his return, which didn’t take place until early 2017 due to an injury.

Speaking on Talk Is Jericho, the now AEW star detailed his re-signing with the company, and how he had ‘bigger expectations’ prior to signing his contract.

He said:

“When I went back to WWE, I had bigger expectations. One, in my head, I always felt like if you had ever done anything worth memory in WWE, there’s always a chance you’ve gotta go back. So in my head, I always felt like I was going to go back. I didn’t know it was going to take six or seven years, but in my head, I always knew I was going to go back.

“First, I got a call from William Regal and he asked me a very odd question. I didn’t quite see the writing on the wall at the time when he asked me because he asked me, he basically said that he’d been asked to contact me and ask me if I were brought back, am I willing to help other talent get over or do I want more. I remember going, well, of course I’m gonna want more, that had been what I was doing before I left, helping other talent get over at the cost of my own career. I didn’t get it.

“A few months later, I spoke with Mark Carrano. He said, ‘We’re gonna bring you back.’ He made an offer but I felt like that offer was lowballing me but I was like, again, I’m thinking ten years before, Johnny [Ace] used to always say, ‘It doesn’t matter what the downside is as long as you’re on everything.’ I didn’t realize the business had changed now, the downside matters because no matter what I was making before, no matter what my downside was, I always made more.

“When they gave me [the new offer], I was like, ‘That’s low, but if I’m working, I’ll be fine.’ Then I get there and it’s like, oh no, we’re not based on touring anymore, we got TV deals and things like that, your downside is your downside. I was like, ‘Oh, you didn’t tell me that part.’ Also, I never had an agent, which again, I shot myself in the foot. It wasn’t the money and what was described to me, but I always said no matter what, I can’t change or affect anything from the outside. So, I accepted the offer and went back.”

Shelton would find some success upon his return as part of the Hurt Business, where he and Cedric Alexander captured the Raw Tag Team Championship.

Shelton was released from WWE in September 2023.

He signed with AEW back in September of this year as a member of the Hurt Syndicate, with he and Bobby Lashley capturing the AEW World Tag Team Championship on this week’s Dynamite show.

transcription via Fightful

To make sure you stay up to date with all the biggest wrestling and WrestleTalk news, follow us on BlueSky by clicking this link!

• Shelton Benjamin
• AEW
• wwe

Share this article with friends