Current WWE star on Vince McMahon giving him a standing ovation after epic moment
Vince McMahon has never had a problem letting WWE Superstars know his true feelings about their in-ring performances. In a recent interview, Shelton Benjamin revealed how the WWE Executive Chairman reacted after his memorable moment with Shawn Michaels.
On the May 2, 2005, episode of RAW, Benjamin showed off his athleticism by leaping from the top rope to the other side of the ring. Michaels reacted by planting a perfectly timed superkick onto the current WWE star's face. The Heartbreak Kid then pinned his opponent to secure the win.
Benjamin revealed on Chris Van Vliet's Insight podcast that McMahon applauded him when he returned backstage:
"Standing ovation. When I went back to the curtain, Vince and everyone's clapping and even [producer] Michael Hayes is like, 'You did something special tonight.' And I was like, 'Really?' Again, I didn't realize how special [it] was [until] I watched it back."
Benjamin, 48, is among the most experienced members on the roster right now. Almost two decades on from his RAW match with Michaels, the superkick spot is widely viewed as one of the greatest moments of his career.
When Shelton Benjamin knew he created an iconic WWE moment
A week after his loss to Shawn Michaels, Shelton Benjamin watched on as RAW began with a video package containing the superkick.
The heavy promotion of the moment made Benjamin realize how well the athletic move had been received behind the scenes:
"This match is great. It's really good. But, again, I'm so like, 'Is it really that good?' I didn't think of it until I kept getting it the very next week. You know, the kick is in the opening promos. I am like, 'Okay, now, I'm starting to get it now. I’m starting to really get it.'"
Benjamin also spoke in the interview about his desire to reunite with Bobby Lashley, Cedric Alexander, and MVP in The Hurt Business.
What did you make of Shawn Michaels and Shelton Benjamin's superkick spot? Let us know in the comments section below.