Bobby Lashley reveals Tony Khan is a big fan of 47-year-old AEW star - "Someone didn’t see that in him before"
Bobby Lashley and The Hurt Syndicate have taken AEW by storm since debuting in the promotion. Lashley recently addressed their roles and noted that his stablemate Shelton Benjamin has enjoyed particular success under Tony Khan's watch.
MVP, Bobby Lashley, and Shelton Benjamin were members of WWE's roster just a few short months ago, but since regrouping and forming The Hurt Syndicate in AEW, they've been unstoppable. For his part, Benjamin has wowed fans with his athletic prowess and had done well until going up against rising star Kyle Fletcher in the Continental Classic last week.
In a recent interview with Justin Barrasso of Undisputed, Bobby Lashley implied that Benjamin's tendency to be humble had hamstrung him in the past:
"Shelton came from a world where he was taught to be humble," Lashley said. "In the pro wrestling business, it’s unfortunate, but that’s used against you. Shelton shows you what he can do. One of my favorite quotes is ‘Sometimes you have to believe in someone else’s belief in you.’ We all believe in each other and look what’s happened so far."
However, Shelton Benjamin's immediate impact in All Elite Wrestling has elevated him, according to Bobby Lashley:
"Tony [Khan] put Shelton in a couple matches right away, and both of those matches opened people’s eyes. Maybe someone didn’t see that in him before. Tony sees it, he sees how impressive Shelton is. And we all believe in each other. I believe in MVP, I believe in Shelton, and they believe in me."
A WWE Hall of Famer was instrumental in bringing Bobby Lashley to AEW
Bobby Lashley has been dominant throughout his All Elite Wrestling run so far. He even managed to defeat former AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland at Full Gear. However, it's possible none of this would have happened without WWE Hall of Famer Adam Copeland (fka Edge).
Following their departure from WWE, many fans expected The Hurt Syndicate to turn up in AEW, but it was far from a sure thing. The trio had interest from several promotions, and with Tony Khan's roster as stacked as ever, it took some convincing from Copeland to make the deal happen.
In a recent appearance on Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, Lashley revealed that The Rated-R Superstar's enthusiasm was instrumental in bringing them to the Jacksonville-based promotion:
"I spoke to Edge, also, I spoke to MVP, of course, and Shelton kinda’ talked about it. When I talked to Edge, Edge really, really made some good points and he just told me how much he loved it over there and that was a big thing for me."
MVP's aggressive recruiting tactics have shaken things up in All Elite Wrestling, and multiple stars seem to be on the verge of joining forces with The Hurt Syndicate. Whether Lashley and his stablemates can claim AEW gold in the near future remains to be seen.