Shelton Benjamin Says He Won't Quit After 2,000 Matches
shelton benjamin says he is not ready to stop wrestling because he still feels he has something left to give. He also says the physical side is not the issue, which is why he is not treating the end of his in-ring run like a decision he needs to make today.
Benjamin Keeps The Door Open
“The biggest reason is that I still feel like I have something to give,” Benjamin said in a new interview. “Physically, I can still do it. So, why would I quit?” That is the line driving his position now: he believes his body still holds up, and he still sees value in staying active rather than stepping away early.
He said he has not had the same opportunities as other wrestlers from his era, even though he has had the chance to do the same type of thing many of them have done. That leaves his view of the finish line tied less to age than to whether he can still contribute at a level he respects.
MVP, Bobby, Cedric, New Day
Benjamin said he made a promise to himself and to his best friends, including MVP, Bobby, Cedric and New Day. He told them he may not always recognize when it is time to wrap up, and he has given them permission to tell him when the moment has come.
“I’ve told all of my friends, there may come a time when I should step away and I won’t realize it or I won’t want to,” he said. “I’ve given all my friends [permission to] give me the nod. It’s time, let’s start wrapping this up.”
That is the real safeguard in his approach. Benjamin does not say he knows how long he has left in the industry, only that he wants to spend that time giving the wrestling business as much of himself as he can. He added that it is sad to see some guys from his era start to fall off.
Since 2000, Nearly 2,000 Matches
Benjamin has been active in the ring since 2000 and says he has nearly 2,000 matches under his belt. That is the backdrop for why his comments land with more weight than a typical stay-or-go quote: he is speaking from a career that has already lasted long enough to outlive several waves of his generation.
He said retirement will not be anytime soon. “First, backup, it ain’t going to be anytime soon,” Benjamin said. “But for the time that I’m here, I want to give everything that I can and just have fun and enjoy it while I can because when it’s over, it’s over.”
For now, that means he keeps wrestling while The Hurt Syndicate heads into the Stadium Stampede match at AEW Double Or Nothing. Benjamin’s message is simple enough: he still feels useful, still feels able, and still wants the ring time before the clock finally runs out.
