What’s the story?
Former WWE Superstar Shelton Benjamin is reported to have been booked for the inaugural Tragos/Thesz HOF tournament. The event will be organised by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum.
In case you didn’t know...
Shelton Benjamin was a part of one of the greatest batch of wrestlers ever produced by OVW, moving up the ranks with the likes of Brock Lesnar, Randy Orton, John Cena, and Batista. While Benjamin could not attain the same level of star power as his colleagues, he managed to enthral the WWE Universe with his athleticism.
He was scheduled to make a return to the WWE in the aftermath of the brand split in 2016, but a torn rotator cuff prevented him from doing so.
The heart of the matter
The Hall of Fame Classic will feature top eight independent professional wrestlers in the United States. Troy Peterson, owner of Impact Pro Wrestling said that the company was looking to make the tournament an annual gala event.
The company has assembled some serious star power for the tournament that includes the likes of Shane Strickland, Chuck Taylor, AJ Smooth, Penta El Zero M, Curt “The Lonestar” Stallion, “Hot Fire” Myron Reed and ACH besides Benjamin.
The poster for the tournament also advertises noted WWE Hall of Famers such as Jim Ross, Stan Hensen, and Gerald Brisco.
What’s next?
The Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center in Waterloo, Iowa will be the setting for the eight-man tournament during the Impact Pro Wrestling Show on 21 July 2017. The first round is scheduled for 1 PM. The final match will take place at 7 PM during the Impact Pro Wrestling Show.
Author's take
This tournament will give the fans another opportunity to watch Shelton Benjamin square off against some of the best independent workers in the business. His working style would be a strong platform to build up the tournament into a grand annual extravaganza.
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