Benjamin addresses Caster.
As of this writing, Shelton Benjamin is a free agent. His second run with WWE came to an end in the fall of 2023 when he was released from the company.
When it comes to the future, Benjamin has been in contact with MLW and had a brief conversation with AEW. He relayed that information during his appearance on Insight with Chris Van Vliet.
I had a brief conversation with AEW. That hasn’t really bore any fruit yet but, I’m still open. TNA, I haven’t spoken with yet. I’m more than willing to work with them, I haven’t talked to them. I know MLW reached out. So, you know, I’ve been presented with options. I just haven’t found something that I’m satisfied with.
He went on to respond to the comments that Max Caster made about him on X and in the media. Caster stated that Benjamin is not wanted in AEW and mentioned that Benjamin would be taking TV time from him or another talent if he came in.
(Laughs) So, I guess my first thought was, who is this? I really don’t know him, I have nothing against him. As far as I know, I’ve never met him. I was more shocked that he would say something like that and again, I don’t know him, I don’t have a relationship with him.
So, to that I would say, one, you’re already on the roster, and whatever you’re doing there, if you’re not happy, then you need to change that (Benjamin reacted to Caster’s remarks about him potentially coming to AEW & taking his or another talent’s TV time). I’m still on the outside. At this point, I’m really no threat to you. But if I were to come in, someone with my name, you’re looking at me as a threat, rather than an asset. Yeah, because one, if I were to, say, go to AEW or any company, to me, my job there is to, again, bring more fans, put more eyes on you and my thing is I wanna work with these people. At this stage in my career, I want to help other talent. So if you’re looking at this as, ‘Oh, you’re stealing my spot.’ Well, first of all, if I can steal it, it wasn’t your spot. I can’t take Roman Reigns’ spot, I can’t take Swerve’s spot, I can’t take anyone’s spot. However, you can lose your spot. That’s how I look at it… If I were to come there or anywhere, there’s a reason I’m being brought in and I would think it’s to help grow the company and help bring more eyes there. So, if anything, you would think you would welcome in new talent or — I shouldn’t say ‘new talent –’ you should welcome old, established talent, because that gives you another opportunity to work with someone who can elevate you so that-that spot that you’re so afraid of losing, it helps you secure it because now you’re working with people who elevate your game, you’re working with people with experience, you’re working with people who fans know and will tune in to watch because I don’t know anyone running around with Max Caster merch. I don’t know anyone. He’s not a household name… Maybe I’m from the wrong generation but scissoring — I have a very different idea of what that means (he laughed), and again, maybe he was in character. I don’t know. There’s a million different ways. For me… kid, I’ve been around for 25 years. If you’re worried about your spot being taken by me, someone who’s been around for 25 years and chances are, if I came there, I probably wouldn’t be there very long. How old is he? Bro, you’ve got years more to develop. If anything, I come in, help you, give you a piece of knowledge and move on, whether you want it or not. But if you’re so worried about your spot, I don’t really think I’m that big of a threat to you. There’s tons of people coming in there all the time.
That to me sounds like something I would have said while I was still in OVW and really didn’t understand the wrestling business. I didn’t understand the wrestling business until five years in with WWE. That’s when I started really getting a hint because that’s when the honeymoon stage is really over and you really start to see what this business is really like. So I just don’t think he’s been there yet. I wish him nothing but success, don’t get me wrong. Despite the comment, despite the jab… like I said to him, ‘Ah, you’re cute.’
Caster is a member of The Acclaimed with Anthony Bowens and they’re paired with Billy Gunn. Benjamin had high praise for Gunn. He called the former AEW World Trios Champion the greatest athlete in wrestling because of his longevity.
I don’t know (how much longer I think I can wrestle). I mean, I see guys, like Billy Gunn’s on what? 60 now? And by the way, Billy Gunn is the greatest athlete in pro wrestling, period, because if you want to judge athletes — if you want to judge the greatest, you can’t look at it from when they’re in their prime. You got to look at the entire length. Who’s done it? Who’s been as athletic as long? High quality matches longer than Billy? I say it all the time, Billy on TV, David Banner. Billy in person, The Hulk. He’s phenomenal. I consider Billy Gunn the greatest athlete ever in wrestling. But again, it’s because of his longevity.
I think Billy Gunn could probably out-bump, outwork, outpace anybody, today. No one’s gonna outwork Billy Gunn in my opinion. So yeah, I think he’s the greatest. As far as athletes go, I think he’s the greatest. As far as athletics go, probably underrated. Because you know, Billy’s a big boy and like I said, to have gone that long, to look that great and to still be able to do it, I’m not trying to take that manal.
The 49-year-old Benjamin is regularly competing on the independent scene. In late June, he was in France for the Association les Professionnels du Catch promotion.
If the quotes in this article are used, please credit Insight with Chris Van Vliet with an H/T to POST Wrestling for the transcriptions.
