Shelton Benjamin on his decision to join AEW
As previously reported, Shelton Benjamin is now All Elite and made his AEW in-ring debut this past Wednesday on Dynamite. In an interview with Gabby AF (via Fightful), Benjamin explained why he chose to sign with AEW when he had offers to go elsewhere.
He said:
“I did have a few offers. MLW was very interested. I was doing a lot of international things and exploring other options, in and out of pro wrestling. Acting is one of them. Even things like real estate and things not related to wrestling. It basically boiled down to, I like to put myself in the best possible position to succeed. When the door closed at WWE, I really thought long and hard about where I wanted to go. IMPACT was a very tempting place to go. What it boils down to is, I want the biggest possible audience. Outside of WWE, there is nowhere bigger than AEW. I don’t have as much time as lot of guys, as far as in-ring. Not that I’m going to retire anytime soon, but for the time I have left, I want to reach the biggest possible audience. What better place than AEW? There is no better place.“
Shelton chose AEW because he wanted to perform in front of the biggest possible audience? Isn’t NXT drawing more of an audience than AEW? LOL literally every week ratings are posted, and right now, the “biggest possible audience” is not AEW at all……He could have chosen and Indy show and it would get a bigger audience. What an idiot.