What’s the Story?
Former WWE Superstar Shelton Benjamin took to twitter yesterday to talk about his recovery. He stated that he managed to rep 225 pounds easily for the first time in 8 months and that while he feels a bit more like himself, he still has work to do to get back to full health. This was met with a celebratory tweet from Kofi Kingston and a response from Benjamin. See the tweets below:
In Case You Didn’t Know
Benjamin was slated to return to the WWE following the 2016 Brand Split as a SmackDown Superstar, but examiners would discover he had a torn rotator cuff that would require surgery and several months of rehab. Many fans thought he would be ready to return by the Royal Rumble, but he would explain weeks before the event that he wasn’t close to being fully recovered yet.
Benjamin joined the WWE in 2000 as a member of the Ohio Valley Wrestling developmental territory. He would make his debut in 2002 with Charlie Haas to form the World’s Greatest Tag Team and would begin to make a name for himself as a singles competitor. Over the next 8 years, Benjamin would be one of the standouts of the WWE’s mid-card winning the Tag Team Championship and the Intercontinental Championship multiple times. One of his biggest standout moments over the years came from his participation in the Money in the Bank matches where he would pull off amazing feats of athleticism that are still remembered and occasionally duplicated today.
The Heart of the Matter
Benjamin’s recovery seems to be going well and the time couldn’t be better for it. While it’s likely he won’t be ready by WrestleMania, having the Gold Standard return after WrestleMania would add some star power and an old, but the new face to the SmackDown roster.
The mid card of SmackDown has been doing well, but the return of one of the WWE’s most underrated wrestlers could make for even greater wrestling matches.
What’s Next?
Benjamin said his recovery is going well, but there’s been no timetable given for his return. He could return on the SmackDown after WrestleMania, at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view, or even as late July of this year.
The Only thing to do now is hopeful that Benjamin can fully recover as soon as possible.
Sportskeeda’s Take:
It’s great to hear that Benjamin’s recovery is going so well. Many fans were elated to hear that the WWE brought The Gold Standard back to the company, but they’ll have to wait a little longer for one of the best from the Ruthless Aggression Era to return to the ring.
Bayley gives us a HUGE update on a top Superstar's upcoming return RIGHT HERE.
