Top AEW star confronted Vince McMahon after his faction got disbanded - "I don't really have a future here"

Several former WWE Superstars have found a home in AEW, and their reasons are varied. For Bryan Danielson, it was because he believed in Tony Khan's mission and love for pro wrestling. For Shelton Benjamin, it was because he couldn't see a future in World Wrestling Entertainment anymore.

Benjamin was a member of The Hurt Business in WWE. While the faction was popular with fans, Vince McMahon ultimately put it to the ax in favor of elevating Bobby Lashley with MVP as his manager. On a recent episode of Talk is Jericho, Shelton Benjamin described the feeling of betrayal when McMahon chose to dissolve the group:

"When I initially got the news, I went to Vince and was like—I’d been there for a few years with nothing happening, and I finally have something that we can actually work with and elevate me that benefits the company, especially during the pandemic era. In my opinion, The Hurt Business and Roman Reigns carried WWE during the pandemic era. I felt a bit betrayed because I come here every week, I never complain, I risk my life just like everybody else. When other people wanted to stay home, you never had to question whether or not I’d come to work."

Benjamin further expressed his frustration with McMahon's decision, which gave him the feeling that he had no future in WWE:

"It was almost like you want to cry inside because nothing I can do for this person seems to help. Nothing’s good enough. I knew then, I don’t really have a future here. At this point, this is just a job where I’m just collecting a check. I want to care. I’ve never been a guy who wants to just sit on the bench and ride the wave that everyone else has created. I want to lead the charge, be the momentum behind the machine. I was like, 'He’s just never gonna let that happen.'" [H/T: Ringside News]

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Shelton Benjamin has found redemption in AEW

When Shelton Benjamin made his way to AEW, it was at MVP's side. The two were soon joined by Bobby Lashley, and The Hurt Syndicate was born.

The three men have wreaked havoc in Tony Khan's promotion over the last few months, and they're currently aiming for the AEW World Tag Team Championship. Benjamin also enjoyed a singles spotlight in the Continental Classic Tournament, where he triumphed over Mark Briscoe and The Beast Mortos but ultimately fell short of Kazuchika Okada's Continental title.

It's unclear what the future holds for the 49-year-old in AEW, but he, MVP, and Bobby Lashley are confident they will carry out the vision they had for The Hurt Business before Vince McMahon shut it down.