10 Things You Didn’t Know About Shelton Benjamin

If you tuned into SmackDown this week, you’re likely well aware that Shelton Benjamin will soon be returning to WWE programming, having been signed to the Tuesday night brand.

Then again, even if you didn’t catch the show, the widespread plugging on WWE’s YouTube channel, various social media and just about every major wrestling news site, has made this latest revelation pretty much unmissable.

The move isn’t necessarily the greatest surprise. After the recent Draft left SmackDown’s roster a little thin on the ground, the rumour mill began to suggest that we could be seeing the returns of a few familiar faces.

Of all the names being bandied about, though, Benjamin’s is arguably the biggest. During his earlier stint in the company, he helped himself to United States, Intercontinental and Tag Team gold, whilst also establishing himself as one of the most exciting performers in ladder match history.

But beyond the obvious, there are still some lesser known Shelton factoids floating out there in the more distant corners of the internet. And this article looks to bring you the best of them, as we count down ten of the more uncommon trivia regarding the latest signee to the SmackDown brand.

Benjamin is often cited as one of the best pure athletes to ever step foot inside a WWE ring. That isn’t just pro wrestling hyperbole, though; in 1993 and 1994 he was a high school heavyweight wrestling champion, and at the University of Minnesota he later became a two-time All-American.

But it wasn’t just a wrestling mat that Benjamin excelled on, as he was also a dab hand on the running track.

While attending Lassen Community College in Susanville, CA—before his University of Minnesota days—Benjamin was crowned National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) track and field champion in the 100-meter sprint.

That kind of speed and agility is arguably what served him best during his previous WWE run. Or at least, it probably helped at WrestleMania 22 when he defied all reason and decided to run up a folded ladder. I can’t imagine they were teaching him that during his College and University running days…