WWE News: Shelton Benjamin reveals more on his injury and WWE return
After the brand split, Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter stated that WWE was planning on bringing back older names to fill in the rosters and help elevate the younger talent of the New Era. Among the veteran names being speculated, Benjamin was one of the foremost names talked about. As it turns out, it turned out to be true. It was announced in a vignette on the first Smackdown Live after the draft that The Gold Standard would be returning to the blue brand after a 7-year absence.
Benjamin’s return stirred up much excitement among the fans, many of whom believe that Benjamin was one of the most underutilized talents of the Ruthless Aggression era. However, some unfortunate news struck as Benjamin announced himself in a few tweets that he has a torn rotator cuff injury which will keep him on the shelf for quite a few months, thus stating that he would not be able to return to WWE as announced.
It came as a big disappointment to both fans and WWE officials alike, as it was reported that WWE had big plans for Shelton Benjamin, with top officials such as Vince McMahon and Triple H supposedly being very high on Benjamin’s body of work. He was supposedly going to be pushed in the upper mid-card, to help elevate it.
Benjamin appeared on The Ross Report recently and discussed his injury. He noted that WWE halted his return due to a full tear of his rotator cuff. The injury occurred while he was in Japan and he had been wrestling with the injury for over 2 months.
He said he received a cortisone shot after his injury and his shoulder began to feel better each day thereafter. He noted that any soreness he felt was put down to general wear and tear of a wrestler on the road and that he was no stranger to wrestling in pain.
It was a WWE physician in Pittsburgh who informed him of the severity of his shoulder injury and told him that he would definitely require surgery. He was told the recovery time for the injury is 6 months. He says WWE will certainly be his aim once he returns.
It is expected that WWE has still kept their door open to Benjamin upon recovery from his injury. Do you think The Gold Standard will still return to WWE upon recovery?