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The first veteran name announced for a return in WWE’s “New Era” isn’t returning - at least not “soon”, as the videos and promos on SmackDown Live the past couple of weeks have been touting.
Shelton Benjamin announced early this morning via Twitter that he needs rotator cuff surgery, putting his comeback on hold:
I am both disappointed & sadden to announce that due to a serious injury to my shoulder I will not be returning to @WWE at this time.
— Shelton J. Benjamin (@Sheltyb803) August 7, 2016
For now I will have to put pro-wrestling to the side as I prepare to undergo surgery to repair my torn rotator.
— Shelton J. Benjamin (@Sheltyb803) August 7, 2016
This comes as a shock to me as i am no stranger to performing while in pain yet I had no idea of the severity of my condition
— Shelton J. Benjamin (@Sheltyb803) August 7, 2016
For now I must refocus my energy on repairing my body and mind.
— Shelton J. Benjamin (@Sheltyb803) August 7, 2016
These Tweets make it sound like the injury was discovered during physicals one would assume were part of the process of being cleared by WWE’s medical team. If that’s the case, it’s interesting the company started hyping his arrival before Benjamin was fully cleared.
There’s a wide variety in the severity and recovery times from shoulder surgery - as we’ve seen with John Cena, Cesaro, Sami Zayn, Randy Orton and Hideo Itami over the past year - so it’s difficult to estimate when or even if Benjamin’s WWE comeback will begin again.
We wish Shelton the best on the road ahead.