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One of AEW's newest signings, Shelton Benjamin, recently made some interesting comments about his goals in the Tony Khan-led promotion as well as on his booking in his prior workplace. The 20-plus-year veteran made his debut in the company earlier this month.
The Gold Standard is often regarded by wrestling fans to be one of the most underrated performers in the history of the sport. After being released by WWE last year, Benjamin returned to the independent circuit and is now signed with All Elite Wrestling, making his television debut on the Five-Year-Anniversary edition of Dynamite.
With one singles win already in the bag to kick off his AEW career, Benjamin seems intent on winning gold in the Jacksonville-based promotion. In an interview with Gabby AF, the South Carolina-born star explicitly stated his interest in pursuing championships, even if his character is not the centerpiece of an ongoing storyline.
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“When it boils down to it, no matter what I’m doing, I’m definitely in it to be champion... I also get it; sometimes it’s not your time, and the story is not about you, but no matter what I’m doing, I’m in it to win championships. Any title.”
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Benjamin further spoke about his experience of performing in WWE and expressed his hunger for obtaining titles and other accolades, even a world championship.
“Do I want it to be centered around me? Yes, I love the spotlight. I’ve always wanted the spotlight, but the people in charge have different plans, and when you’re working for WWE, you go with whatever their plan is. That’s okay. I can accept that... Make no mistake, I still want a world championship, and I want every accolade I can stack on my resume. I want to be champ. Period.” [H/T - WrestleTalk]
Shelton Benjamin on why he signed with AEW after WWE departure
In the same interview, Shelton Benjamin revealed his motivations for joining AEW following his WWE exit. The Standard of Excellence disclosed that he had considered alternate career paths like acting and real estate, and had also entertained offers from MLW and TNA. Ultimately, Benjamin elected to go All Elite because the promotion, in his view, boasted the largest pro wrestling audience outside of WWE.
"What it boils down to is, I want the biggest possible audience. Outside of WWE, there is nowhere bigger than AEW. I don’t have as much time as lot of guys, as far as in-ring. Not that I’m going to retire anytime soon, but for the time I have left, I want to reach the biggest possible audience. What better place than AEW? There is no better place." [H/T - Ringside News]
The 49-year-old star is scheduled to face Swerve Strickland on the October 30 edition of Dynamite. It remains to be seen whether Benjamin will be able to defeat the former All Elite Wrestling World Champion in their upcoming bout.
