Former WWE Superstar Shelton Benjamin Talks About His Time Off And Looks Ahead

Shelton Benjamin announced to the world that he had been released from his WWE contract in September 2023. Benjamin has been mostly quiet since then, and while AEW talent were reportedly interested in working with him after he was released, there have been no announcements regarding his future projects, wrestling-related or otherwise. On December 21 — three months to the day he was released — Benjamin posted a cryptic video to his Instagram account. The video featured a scene from the television show, "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters", where a large, reptilian monster wakes up. Phrases such as "Vacation over" and "Back to work" frame the television clip. Throughout the entire video, an alarm clock rings until Benjamin wakes up with sleepy groans.

"It's been fun actually having time to focus on me and enjoy the many fruits of my labors," Benjamin wrote in the post's caption. "But all good things must end so time to strap up my boots and get back in the game. Big adventures ahead #justdowork" Many of Benjamin's comments expressed excitement about a possible return to wrestling. While Benjamin did not make any explicit remarks about an in-ring return, it is to be noted that his 90-day non-compete clause is over, and he can start to make appearances for other promotions. 

Benjamin's last match in WWE was on the June 19 episode of "WWE Raw", where he teamed with Cedric Alexander. Benjamin has had two WWE runs in his career, from 2000 to 2010, then from 2017 to 2023. During his WWE tenure, Benjamin was a one-time United States champion, a three-time Intercontinental Champion, and a three-time "Raw" Tag Team Champion. He is known for his pairings with Charlie Haas, Chad Gable, and "The Hurt Business", composed of Bobby Lashley, MVP, and Alexander.