Since his debut on the fifth anniversary episode of AEW Dynamite, Shelton Benjamin has experienced a resurgence in his career. Although his current AEW run shares similarities with his previous WWE tenure, especially with The Hurt Business reuniting as The Hurt Syndicate alongside Bobby Lashley, Benjamin’s approach feels fresh and driven.
According to Busted Open Radio co-host Tommy Dreamer, this new energy comes from Benjamin’s desire to break free from years of underutilization in WWE. “Things haven’t always gone my way,” Benjamin admitted. “For me it’s more a bit of misuse because I feel like there’s a generation of wrestling fans out there who don’t view me in the light I’d like to be viewed.”
Now fully immersed in AEW, particularly after his recent spotlight in a Dynamite main event, Benjamin sees the chance to reshape his image. “There’s definitely a sense of image rehabilitation going on because I’m not that same guy from WWE,” he explained. “I’m not trying to be.”
While Benjamin is eager to distinguish himself from his WWE persona, he looks back on his time there with gratitude. His wrestling career spanned from 2000-2011 and later from 2017-2023, and he recognizes how pivotal that chapter was in his life.
“I cherish my time in WWE because it really changed my life for the better,” Benjamin shared. “I have more good memories than bad.” Now, however, he’s focused on showcasing his abilities in AEW, confident that it’s less about proving himself and more about showing fans what they’ve been missing all along.