Report: Backstage Push For AEW To Sign Shelton Benjamin Dates Back Before WWE Release

Veteran wrestler Shelton Benjamin was reportedly on the radar of AEW even prior to his recent WWE departure. According to Fightful Select, a number of talents within AEW were hopeful that Benjamin would join the promotion in some capacity several months ago, at a time when there were incorrect rumors within the industry about his WWE contract expiring soon. Instead, Benjamin reportedly had "plenty of time left on his deal" but was released anyway, clearing the path for his possible move to AEW or another promotion.

Other sources Fightful spoke to noted that talents in AEW have pushed for Benjamin to join the company in a backstage role, possibly as a road agent producing matches. The report added that AEW has been actively looking to add producers with hopes of reaching a point where they can limit each producer to work only one match per show, a model that WWE is known to follow. Currently, the likes of Pat Buck, Christopher Daniels, Dustin Rhodes, Dean Malenko, Jerry Lynn, Chris Hero, BJ Whitmer, QT Marshall, and Sonjay Dutt are actively working as producers putting together matches for "AEW Dynamite," "AEW Rampage," and "AEW Collision" on a weekly basis. 

Benjamin — released by WWE on September 21 — is currently serving a 90-day non-compete clause, meaning he's unlikely to show up on AEW programming until late December. Industry veterans such as Eric Bischoff and Booker T have called for Tony Khan's promotion to sign Benjamin, with the latter praising the All-American wrestler for keeping himself in phenomenal shape at age 48. Besides Benjamin, the likes of Dolph Ziggler, Elias, Mustafa Ali, Aliyah, Tenille Dashwood, and Riddick Moss, among others, will soon hit free agency following their WWE departures.