Folks, Shelton Benjamin didn’t just arrive in AEW on Wednesday’s “Dynamite”—he dropped in like a wrecking ball, and poor Lio Rush was the building that got leveled. In his AEW debut, with the words “Hurt Syndicate” proudly stitched on his trunks, Benjamin made it very clear: AEW’s roster has a new problem to worry about. And trust me, it’s a big one.
The match started off with Lio Rush attempting to chop down Benjamin’s towering frame, using his speed to stay in the game. But let’s face it—trying to ground Shelton Benjamin is like trying to push over a tank with a feather duster. After a brief scuffle on the outside, the match turned into a one-sided beatdown. Rush’s hope for a comeback fizzled the moment he climbed to the top rope, only for Benjamin to leap up there like a superhero with a vendetta. He dragged Rush down from the heavens, and from that moment on, it was curtains for Lio.
With MVP barking orders like a coach on a caffeine high, Benjamin mercilessly closed in, finishing Rush off with an Exploder Powerslam that probably rearranged Rush’s entire skeleton. Then, just when you thought it couldn’t get worse for Rush, MVP shoved a business card into his pants like some kind of mafia boss making a statement. What was on that card? Maybe a call for Rush to reconsider his choices in life. Either way, it was savage.
And of course, MVP couldn’t resist grabbing the mic after his new enforcer’s dominant win. He called out none other than Swerve Strickland, essentially warning the former AEW World Champion that Benjamin is ready to flatten him too. And folks, the challenge has been made official—Shelton Benjamin vs. Swerve Strickland at AEW’s “Fright Night” on October 30. Cleveland, prepare yourselves, because this showdown is going to be huge.
Benjamin’s debut is stirring up speculation about who else might join MVP’s Hurt Syndicate. Bobby Lashley’s name has been whispered louder than a referee’s count, but for now, the Hurt Business—excuse me, Hurt Syndicate—remains a mystery. Neither Mercedes Moné nor The Acclaimed made any moves, but let’s be honest, when Shelton Benjamin is in your corner, you don’t need a lot of backup. The Hurt Syndicate has officially put AEW on notice.