Shelton Benjamin On Injury That Halted WWE Return, How Long He'll Be Out, If WWE Is Still An Option
Shelton Benjamin was recently interviewed by WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross for an upcoming episode of The Ross Report. WWE announced last month that Benjamin would be returning to the company on the SmackDown brand, however Benjamin revealed earlier this week that he would not be able to because he would require surgery for a torn rotator cuff.
Benjamin told JR that he had a full tear of his rotator cuff, and that several other minor tears were also discovered. He said that he's been wrestling with the injury for 2 1/2 months, and the injury happened after taking a "unique suplex" during a match for Pro Wrestling NOAH in Japan. He said that he knew that he may have been injured immediately after taking the move. Benjamin noted that it wasn't anyone's fault, but there was a communication and timing issue.
Benjamin discovered the injury when undergoing his WWE physical. He hasn't yet discussed his options, but the injury requires surgery and he wants to get it over with as soon as he can. He said that he took last weekend to have his "boo-hoo" moment and now he's ready to get down to business. He said that rehab time could be 6 months to a year, and he's planning for the worst-case scenario of a year.
When asked if WWE would be back on his radar after he recovers, Benjamin said that WWE is always on the radar. He noted that he's never said that he wouldn't return to WWE, and it was always a matter of a deal working out for both. He said that his goal is to get back to WWE. He noted that it's been an emotional couple of weeks, and that he went from an all time high to an all time low.
Source: The Ross Report