Matt Hardy Believes Wrestling Veteran Would Be A Huge Star If They Started Now
Matt Hardy believes that Shelton Benjamin would have been a much bigger star in WWE if he debuted in his prime in the modern era.
Being a part of the famous 2002 OVW class that included Brock Lesnar and John Cena, Benjamin would debut on the main roster alongside Charlie Haas as a part of Team Angle, providing assistance to the Olympic Gold Medalist where required. What followed was multiple innovative in-ring feats that made the fans in attendance erupt, such as the ladder run in the first-ever Money in the Bank match and that sell of Shawn Michael’s Sweet Chin Music.
Despite the former Intercontinental Champion getting victories over World Heavyweight Champion Triple H and being the highlight of multiple shows in the Ruthless Aggression Era, The Gold Standard never broke through the glass ceiling and became a main event star.
With timing being everything, many feel that Benjamin was born in the wrong era, as the top WWE Superstars of today are known for their in-ring and character work, not like 20 years ago when size was what mattered most and athleticism alone would not be enough.
Speaking on the Extreme Life of Matt Hardy podcast, Hardy believes that Benjamin’s athleticism and bell-to-bell work would have made him a bigger star if he were able to debut at a younger age in 2023:
“I mean yeah, he had a good run but if he would have came later, if he would have came now where you aren’t necessarily pegged into being a guy that might not the best promo or the best character or the best personality, just nowadays people can be just based purely on their athletic skill and what they can do in the ring and I think Shelton, he’d be a huge star right now, especially if he was just starting out,”
Matt Hardy Is Still Wrestling 30 Years Later
Much like Shelton Benjamin, Hardy is still able to put on great matches despite having a lengthy career inside of the squared circle. Having faced The Young Bucks for a second time in AEW, the master of the ladder match has revealed he wants to face The Jackson Brothers once again with ladders involved.
H/t to Fightful.