Shelton Benjamin talks signing with AEW, Bobby Lashley, more

[Chris]

On offers after WWE:

“I did have a few offers. MLW was very interested. Obviously, I was doing a lot of international things and exploring other options as far as in and out of pro wrestling. Acting was one of them, well, is one of them.”

Why he chose AEW:

“I like to put myself in the best possible position to succeed. When the door closed at WWE, I really thought long and hard about where I wanted to go. Impact was a very tempting place to go, but what it just boils down to is I want the biggest possible audience and outside of WWE, there is no one bigger than AEW.”

“I don’t have as much time (left) as a lot of guys, as far as in-ring and things like that. Don’t get me wrong, not that I’m going to retire anytime soon, but for the time I have left I want to reach the biggest possible audience I can. What better place than AEW? There is no better place.”

On Bobby Lashley possibly coming in next:

“The prospect of Bobby coming to AEW, I think that’s huge. I think it’s a win for AEW because you have, aside from myself, one of the most phenomenal athletes that you can ever get. Two-time WWE World Champion. I think it only brings a bigger audience to AEW, so it’s a plus. When that will happen? I’m not sure. Bobby has his own plans and when and if they coincide with ours is yet to be determined.”