"I've been doing this a long time" - Former WWE Intercontinental Champion on his retirement plans
A former WWE Superstar who has been in the wrestling industry for over two decades has dropped hints about when he might hang up his boots. The name in question is none other than Shelton Benjamin.
The Gold Standard was let go from World Wrestling Entertainment in September 2023. He had two stints in the company and captured the 24/7 Championship, the United States Championship, the Intercontinental Championship, and the RAW Tag Team Championship during his tenure.
During a recent appearance on INSIGHT with Chris Van Vliet, Shelton Benjamin was asked how much longer he intends to wrestle. The 49-year-old veteran stated he could compete inside the square circle for the next two to five years, depending on his schedule.
"I'm pretty sure I could do two [years] easy, five depending on the schedule. But I also don't want to overstay my welcome. I've been doing this a long time. Again, there's going to come a time I have to stop thinking selfishly and look at things like as far as the wrestling business go, where am I bigger benefit, in the ring or behind the scenes?" (H/T: CVV)
The former WWE Intercontinental Champion also mentioned that after his in-ring retirement, he can still contribute behind the scenes. Benjamin added:
"Definitely can still be behind the scenes, but again, this has to be in the right place before I can do that. And that's definitely coming. I will say that's definitely on the horizon. But right now, I still feel like I got a little more I can give." (H/T: CVV)
You can watch the full episode below:
Shelton Benjamin comments on making a WWE return
The 49-year-old former star seemingly did not find much success in WWE after Triple H took over the creative. Shelton Benjamin was also a part of The Hurt Business faction alongside MVP, Bobby Lashley, and Cedric Alexander. The company had plans for a reunion of the stable, but they were never implemented.
During the same conversation, The Gold Standard noted that he would like to make a return to World Wrestling Entertainment only if the right amount of money was offered.
"So because I've worked there for so long, to answer your question, Yes I will go back if they offered me a position back and the right amount of money. Yes, of course, I will go back and I've said it before you'd be a fool not to at least consider it," Benjamin said.
Only time will tell if WWE rehires the 49-year-old star before he officially hangs his wrestling boots in the next few years.