Shelton Benjamin is known for his athleticism and is a wrestler who performs impressively every time he is in the ring. Today marks the 20-year anniversary of his WWE debut. His first television appearance took place on December 26, 2002.
The company released a video to commemorate this moment, featuring some of the biggest names in the industry talking about The Gold Standard’s career and impact.
“Shelton, I mean, I can remember him coming in the door. It doesn’t seem like that long ago,” WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels said in the video. “And now it’s 20 years.” Michaels even called his match with Benjamin from Raw in May 2005 “one of the best matches” of his career.
“20 years, that’s almost impossible,” said Kurt Angle about Benjamin’s debut. “I didn’t make it 20 years. Shelton Benjamin did, and I give him a lot of credit for that. He is a tough dude to be able to do what he does.”
“I used to watch Shelton when I wanted to be here,” said Kofi Kingston. “When I was growing up, Shelton Benjamin was the guy that was like, ‘Man, look at all these athletic moves, look at all these manoeuvres, man.’ I think I can do maybe some of those.” Kingston added that it was Benjamin that made him believe that it was possible for him to be in WWE and bring his athleticism to the ring in a similar way.
20 Years of Shelton Benjamin
Even Matt Hardy recently said that things would be different if Benjamin had debuted today.
Shelton Benjamin debuted in WWE in 2002, after signing a contract in 2000 and getting placed in Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW). His first televised match on the SmackDown brand took place in 2003.
Benjamin made a name for himself as soon as he started performing in WWE. His skills as an athlete and performer were quickly recognised, and he became known for his sharp moveset in the ring.
Benjamin joined forces with Charlie Haas to be known together as “The World’s Greatest Tag Team.” They won the WWE Tag Team Championship on two occasions and put on some of the most entertaining tag team matches in WWE.
Benjamin also shined as a solo act, as he won the Intercontinental Championship thrice and was a mainstay in the upper midcard for many years. He was also the 24/7 Championship three times and the United States Championship once. Benjamin returned to the tag team division and won the Raw Tag Team Championship with Cedric Alexander.
“The Gold Standard” has put on some great matches in the WWE, and it doesn’t look like there’s any stopping him. Benjamin has clearly left a significant impact on the wrestling industry as one of the all-time greats, thanks in large part to his natural talent, dedication to improving his craft, and willingness to mentor and assist fellow wrestlers.
You can check out the video commemorating Shelton Benjamin’s career below:
