AEW World Tag Team Champion Shelton Benjamin appeared on Talk Is Jericho to discuss a number of topics, including how his latest run in WWE back in 2017 came about.
Benjamin said, โWhen I went back to WWE, I had bigger expectations. One, in my head, I always felt like if you had ever done anything worth memory in WWE, thereโs always a chance youโve gotta go back. So in my head, I always felt like I was going to go back. I didnโt know it was going to take six or seven years, but in my head, I always knew I was going to go back.โ
On when he knew he was going back to WWE:
โFirst, I got a call from William Regal and he asked me a very odd question. I didnโt quite see the writing on the wall at the time when he asked me because he asked me, he basically said that heโd been asked to contact me and ask me if I were brought back, am I willing to help other talent get over or do I want more. I remember going, well, of course Iโm gonna want more, that had been what I was doing before I left, helping other talent get over at the cost of my own career. I didnโt get it.โ
On getting the call from talent relations:
โA few months later, I spoke with Mark Carrano. He said, โWeโre gonna bring you back.โ He made an offer but I felt like that offer was lowballing me but I was like, again, Iโm thinking ten years before, Johnny [Ace] used to always say, โIt doesnโt matter what the downside is as long as youโre on everything.โ I didnโt realize the business had changed now, the downside matters because no matter what I was making before, no matter what my downside was, I always made more. When they gave me [the new offer], I was like, โThatโs low, but if Iโm working, Iโll be fine.โโ
On what happened after he returned to WWE:
โThen I get there and itโs like, oh no, weโre not based on touring anymore, we got TV deals and things like that, your downside is your downside. I was like, โOh, you didnโt tell me that part.โ Also, I never had an agent, which again, I shot myself in the foot. It wasnโt the money and what was described to me, but I always said no matter what, I canโt change or affect anything from the outside. So, I accepted the offer and went back.โ
You can check out the complete podcast below.
(H/T to Fightful for transcribing the above quotes)