Veteran WWE Star Returns To Raw For Match With Austin Theory

Veteran WWE Superstar Shelton Benjamin returned to "WWE Raw" this week for his first singles match in nearly nine months. Before the show, Benjamin confronted Austin Theory in a backstage segment, telling Mr. Money in the Bank that he has "failed to live up to the hype," and will never be on the level of top WWE Superstars such as Seth Rollins, Brock Lesnar, and Bobby Lashley. 

The confrontation occurred when Theory undermined Rollins' decision to host another Open Challenge for his United States Championship.

"An open challenge just seems like a sad attempt for a desperate champion to get the crowd to cheer for him," Theory said of Rollins. "It sounds like something Bobby Lashley would do, not Seth. And speaking of Lashley, I thought he was supposed to slay the beast at Crown Jewel. But enough about those two dinosaurs..."

At this point, Benjamin came to the defense of his former Hurt Business stablemate – Lashley – and former OVW tag team partner and college roommate – Lesnar.

"Did you say dinosaurs?" Benjamin asked Theory. "How many times do those dinosaurs have to put you down before you realize you're never gonna live up to the hype?"

The segment ended with Theory challenging Benjamin to a match which Theory would go on to win in rather quick fashion later on in the show.

Benjamin's last singles match was against Damian Priest on the February 21, 2022 episode of "Raw" in Columbia, SC. He was last seen on "Raw" as a participant in the Money in the Bank "Last Chance" Battle Royal on June 27. However, the veteran wrestler has been a regular fixture on "WWE Main Event" over the past few months.