Shelton Benjamin Opens Up On 2017 WWE Return Call From William Regal

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, โ€œWhen 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, thereโ€™s always a chance youโ€™ve gotta go back. So in my head, I always felt like I was going to go back. I didnโ€™t 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:

โ€œFirst, I got a call from William Regal and he asked me a very odd question. I didnโ€™t quite see the writing on the wall at the time when he asked me because he asked me, he basically said that heโ€™d 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 Iโ€™m 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 didnโ€™t get it.โ€

On getting the call from talent relations:

โ€œA few months later, I spoke with Mark Carrano. He said, โ€˜Weโ€™re gonna bring you back.โ€™ He made an offer but I felt like that offer was lowballing me but I was like, again, Iโ€™m thinking ten years before, Johnny [Ace] used to always say, โ€˜It doesnโ€™t matter what the downside is as long as youโ€™re on everything.โ€™ I didnโ€™t 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, โ€˜Thatโ€™s low, but if Iโ€™m working, Iโ€™ll be fine.โ€™โ€

On what happened after he returned to WWE:

โ€œThen I get there and itโ€™s like, oh no, weโ€™re not based on touring anymore, we got TV deals and things like that, your downside is your downside. I was like, โ€˜Oh, you didnโ€™t tell me that part.โ€™ Also, I never had an agent, which again, I shot myself in the foot. It wasnโ€™t the money and what was described to me, but I always said no matter what, I canโ€™t 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)