What if Shelton Benjamin Was A Paul Heyman Guy?

[Wrestling Mind 300]

I went back to look at some of Shelton Benjamin's matches epspically a great match against Shawn Michaels on Monday Night Raw and you can't argue that man was athletic as hell. It's also a shame how many mitb matches he's been when you knew he werent winning but you knew you were getting as soon as you see his name in a ladder match. I don't really know what Shelton Benjamin is up to nowadays so I'm not sure if he's still able to go like he used to but looking back, and considering he came from the same platform as Brock Lesnar, would it have benefited him if he were a Paul Heyman Guy?

I doubt most fans remember Shelton Benjamin for his reigns as the IC and US champ more than his run with Charlie Haas as the wgtt, however what would have become of Shelton Benjamin career had he debuted as a Paul Heyman Guy. Apart from mic skills, Shelton Benjamin Imo had what it took to become a top guy in the business and become world champion. Like Paul Heyman aids Brock Lenser for promos, would it have helped Shelton Benjamin take his career to the next level had he have been aligned with Paul Heyman?

Do you also think a wwe return is still on the cards for Shelton Benjamin?

 

[wrestler36]

I'd love to see Shelton back in WWE, but I think he's making a good living in the independents and Japan, so probably not. Anyways, the idea of Heyman and Benjamin as a duo is a great one and I think they could go far together, even contending for the big belt, with Heyman touting Benjamin's collegiate wrestling/track accomplishments and his overall athleticism. Even still though, he still would have been needed to be booked strong backstage. When Hennig was repackaged as Axel, he won the IC title, but wasn't booked strong nor had a meaningful feud, and I think his promos were scripted at the time. So he didn't show his natural charisma (as he does now with Axelmania) and floundered. Even when Benjamin was champ, he was booked the same way Ziggler has been the last few years. Putting on a good wrestling show, but ultimately losing more than winning.

 

[Warnesy]

If I remember rightly didn't heyman and angle + wgtt join together after angle best lesnar for the title? So technically they were already Paul heyman guys.
Alternatively (as I've been watching 2002-2003 stuff on the network) the commentators always played up to the fact lesnar and Benjamin were college teams mates so I could have seen Benjamin being lesnars protege. That could have worked.

 

[SJ5522]

I always loved watching Shelton. He always reminded me a little of Lance Storm, extremely underrated, impressive wrestler, yet you know it would take a hell of a lot to get them truly over.

 

[MKick]

This is more a misconception of Paul Heyman than it is Shelton Benjamin. I'll explain...

You hit the nail on the head about Shelton. Immensely talented in the ring, and a bit lacking on the mic. Come to think of it, he would've thrived in the current environment starting in NXT. He had a hard time getting to the next level because of that shortcoming.

The only quiet character Heyman has worked well with is Brock Lesnar, and that works because of Brocks presence. You can't just plug him with talented voiceless wrestler and expect it to work. The times Heyman has been at his best at a manager has been when he is paired with other good to great talkers. That's why Axel, and Ryback didn't work out. I'm not saying this as a stick against Heyman. In fact, it's a compliment. He takes something great, and can make it even better. That's tough to do.

So no, I don't think Shelton would've gotten any further than he did with Heyman at his side.

 

[TDFG]

Benjamin trained and teamed with Lesnar as The Minnesota Stretching Crew so it would be ironic in some ways if this was to happen.

I don't see Benjamin being any different to Cesaro, the push he had with Heyman never really came off and I think history would repeat itself.

 

[Planet_Velvet]

The farthest Shelton Benjamin got in WWE is the farthest he will ever get there - no matter who manages him. He had just as much athletic prowess as anyone in the WWE. And you would hope that if guys like CM Punk and Daniel Bryan would get an opportunity to make runs with the World championship, Shelton definitely could but he'll never receive that opportunity and its not even his fault. Usually, guys get released and they hear "creative has nothing for you". I think in Shelton's case, creative just didn't want to do what they should have: elevate a great wrestler.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

As good of a natural athlete Benjamin was the guy often seemed very unmotivated in the ring, he never seemed like he tried to grow and get better after 2005. He was always fun to watch in the ring and have good matches but for someone who was well on his way to being on of the upper guys on the roster there came a point where his lack of ambition caught up with him. You could argue creative is to blame and in some cases I would agree but with guys like Carlito and Benjamin I truly believe them getting released was their own doing and not WWE's.

On that front I would have to go with no, Benjamin as a Paul Heyman guy wouldn't go too far, chances are is he would fall somewhere between Curtis Axel and Ryback when it comes to his success as a Paul Heyman guy.

 

[hackerjack]

I went back to look at some of Shelton Benjamin's matches epspically a great match against Shawn Michaels on Monday Night Raw and you can't argue that man was athletic as hell. It's also a shame how many mitb matches he's been when you knew he werent winning but you knew you were getting as soon as you see his name in a ladder match. I don't really know what Shelton Benjamin is up to nowadays so I'm not sure if he's still able to go like he used to but looking back, and considering he came from the same platform as Brock Lesnar, would it have benefited him if he were a Paul Heyman Guy?

I doubt most fans remember Shelton Benjamin for his reigns as the IC and US champ more than his run with Charlie Haas as the wgtt, however what would have become of Shelton Benjamin career had he debuted as a Paul Heyman Guy. Apart from mic skills, Shelton Benjamin Imo had what it took to become a top guy in the business and become world champion. Like Paul Heyman aids Brock Lenser for promos, would it have helped Shelton Benjamin take his career to the next level had he have been aligned with Paul Heyman?

Do you also think a wwe return is still on the cards for Shelton Benjamin?

Shelton could go in the ring, but he was just a charisma vacuum. The only time he showed anything of a character was when he was with his mother (and that might not have been a good thing either).

And I', not just talking mic work here, but in the ring as well, his matches were athletic without ever really making you believe in the story, too many of his moves relied on him simply not selling previous injury.

Heyman is awesome, but every one of his guys that were a success had charisma, not necessarily mic skills, but charisma in terms of a character or presence and they could all tell a good story in the ring. No matter how good the manager is they can't make up for a wrestler who simply lacks that reason for the fans to really care about him.

The thing with Shelton as well is he had opportunity, he was given time and plenty of ring work in which to improve on this and never really did. That shows a lack of personal ambition which probably underpinned everything in a way.

He could have been better used, in a way I wish they had never split WGTT up in that draft lottery, they were both far better together than apart, but he's never lived up to his potential really and almost certainly never will.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

I think we all agree that Benjamin hit the glass ceiling in WWE due to his lack of mic skills and visible charisma, it certainly wasn't his in-ring ability.

Working with Heyman would have been beneficial to Shelton, even if it wasn't an on-screen role. Heyman is undoubtedly one of the best mic men in the business, and probably one of the best of all time. He's the sort of guy that young wrestlers in the back should be picking the brain of, asking for advice and striving to improve. Heyman has said he doesn't go around preaching to guys backstage but he's always there if they come to him for help.

Knowing his limitations, does anyone if Shelton attempted to improve his mic work? Did he take the opportunity to sit down with the stronger mic workers or take acting classes like I have heard other superstars have? Who knows. I know I would have in his situation. Knowing how fortunate you are to be in WWE, I'd be doing everything possible to improve to try and cement my spot.

Great athleticism and the ability to put on a good match is all well and good, but it's the storylines that make people keep coming back for more, and if you aren't strong enough on the mic to keep people's interest, then it's going to be alot harder to progress to the main event.

 

[BestSportsEntertainer]

A lot of people on this site seem to think that you can take a talented in-ring performer with no charisma, personality, or mic skills, pair them with Paul Heyman, and they will be come a star. How many has Paul Heyman had success with? Only Brock Lesnar and CM Punk. He failed with Cesaro, Ryback, and Axel among others. Shelton Benjamin did all he could do in the WWE because to succeed in the WWE you NEED charisma and personality.