The man who would become known as the Gold Standard and one of the best pure athletes in the WWE (cheers, J.R.!) was an amateur wrestling standout from an early age, achieving a 122-10 record before even leaving high school. He further excelled at the University of Minnesota, which is where he met and trained with one Brock Lesnar. Benjamin had considered training for the 2000 Olympics, but found the financial lure of professional wrestling to be too much of a temptation. It wasnt such a risk: the offer came around the height of the boom time surrounding the Attitude Era, and the WWF had all but won the Monday Night War by this point. WCWs massive guaranteed contracts were disappearing fast: WWF was the place to be. Both Benjamin and Lesnar were offered developmental contracts with the WWE at more or less the same time, and shared an apartment in Louisville while they were working for OVW. The two would compete as a tag team called the Minnesota Stretching Crew until Lesnar was called up to the main roster. Shelton Benjamin never quite achieved the huge success that his talent promised. A man of phenomenal natural athleticism and in-ring ability, many suspected that he lacked the drive to make it big precisely because professional wrestling came so easily to him. Others point to his lacklustre mic skills, and the much whispered about glass ceiling for black wrestlers in the WWF and WWE. Whatever the case, lets not forget that this is a three time Intercontinental champion, two time tag team champion, one time United States champion (back when winning those belts meant something), and the Wrestling Observers Most Underrated Wrestler three years in a row, 2005 to 2007. Benjamin was the MVP of five of the six Money In The Bank matches held at Wrestlemania, a performer with a phenomenal skillset. Remember his unassisted, almost casual vertical leap to the turnbuckle? Hes gone on to great things in Ring Of Honor and New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Professional writer, punk werewolf and nesting place for starfish. Obsessed with squid, spirals and story. I publish short weird fiction online at desincarne.com, and tweet nonsense under the name Jack The Bodiless. You can follow me all you like, just don't touch my stuff.
