All Elite Wrestling (AEW) has become a refuge for many WWE talents who faced tough competition in the WWE’s main event circuit.
Fans have seen wrestlers like Toni Storm, Jon Moxley, Athena, and Bryan Danielson flourish in AEW, and now another familiar face is set to shine.
Last night on AEW Dynamite, Shelton Benjamin made a splash with his in-ring debut, securing a victory over Lio Rush.
This match followed Benjamin’s union with MVP, forming a new faction known as the Hurt Syndicate.
After the match, AEW CEO Tony Khan took to social media to welcome Benjamin to the roster, stating, “What an amazing debut tonight on Wednesday Night AEW Dynamite. Welcome to [TBS] and [AEW], Shelton Benjamin!”
The Hurt Syndicate is reminiscent of the Hurt Business, a once-popular faction in WWE that included MVP, Benjamin, Bobby Lashley, and Cedric Alexander. While Alexander is still with WWE, Lashley is on the free agent market and may join AEW with Benjamin and MVP.
Moreover, rumors suggest that Rush and former AEW Champion Swerve Strickland might also be part of this formidable group, poised to become a dominant presence in AEW.
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Benjamin, who had a strong amateur wrestling background, joined WWE’s Ohio Valley Wrestling in 2000. He quickly made a name for himself, teaming with his college buddy Brock Lesnar.
In 2002, he debuted on WWE SmackDown! as part of the World’s Greatest Tag Team alongside Charlie Haas, winning the WWE Tag Team Championship twice as they teamed with Kurt Angle.
Despite the team’s split, Benjamin continued to be a fan favorite, capturing the WWE Intercontinental Championship three times and the WWE United States Championship once.
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Benjamin’s first WWE run ended in 2010, leading him to the independent circuit, where he thrived in promotions like Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro-Wrestling. He returned to WWE in 2017 and enjoyed two years teaming with Chad Gable before joining the Hurt Business in 2020 until his second release.
Now, Benjamin looks to carve out a new chapter in AEW, seeking the main event success that has eluded him for nearly 25 years.