Amidst significant signings such as Will Ospreay and Kazuchika Okada, AEW continues to explore the free agent market, with recent reports indicating discussions with former WWE Intercontinental Champion, Shelton Benjamin.
Following his release from WWE in September 2023, Benjamin has emerged as a sought-after talent, engaging in talks with AEW about a potential collaboration. According to Fightful Select, their recent dialogue with Benjamin marks a notable development in the promotion’s ongoing talent acquisition efforts.
While Benjamin and AEW had not previously connected during the initial phase of his release, recent discussions have surfaced the prospect of a potential partnership in some capacity. Although the specifics of the arrangement remain undisclosed, talks between AEW and Benjamin have been ongoing for approximately a month, hinting at the potential for a future collaboration.
Notably, they had shown interest in Benjamin when rumours circulated about the conclusion of his WWE contract. However, following the debunking of these rumours, Benjamin was subsequently released by WWE, subsequently transitioning to the indie circuit where he had a match for WWC in Puerto Rico.
What Was The Reason Kazuchika Okada Signed With AEW Over WWE?
It was reported that Kazuchika Okada signed with AEW over WWE because he felt that he would have the best chance of success there. Additionally, they gave Okada the chance to continue to live in Japan which is something that WWE couldn’t have offered him and Okada also has the opportunity to partner with The Young Bucks and continue his rivalry with Kenny Omega with the potential for the two to create more iconic matches.
In recent news, AEW star Anthony Henry has suffered a broken jaw and will require surgery.