Shelton Benjamin

gimmick

Its becoming clearer and clearer everytime we see this guy in action that he has the potential to be a mega star. His in-ring work is amazing lately, now that he is adding some major risk taking to his already impressive repertoire. Anyone who saw him in the MITB mact at Mania, his match match with Benoit on Raw, Jericho at Backlash, and this week on Raw (only saw the snippet on wwe.com, but have been told and read in various places that it was amazing), will have to say that he is highly impressive, doesnt need to be carries through a match, and is thoroughly entertaining. So why the lack of interest in him???

The obviuos answer is because he just doesnt have the charisma on the mic to make people really sit up and take note of him. So what to do with him? This is a guy who could carry the entire company IMO, so should his lack of mic skills hold him back? No is the answer there, but how is it got around?

The only way I see him going forward is by aligning him with someone, someone who has mic skills, but not necessarily a wrestler, but a former wrestler, like Piper perhaps? Oh, and turn him heel for a bit. But thats not a long-term solution, as if past history is to go by, Piper will get sacked again anytime soon.

So, what do you reckon?

Vince135792003

I think Shelton is nt too bad on mic, its just a case of developing a character or a major storyline for him to get over with the fans. Like Orton got with Foley until they screwed it up. Like Lesnar got from Taker beating him in HIAC. And i guess like hhh did for batista. He's got all the skills though he just needs that 1 big storyline to make it happen. How does Ange v Shelton sound for wrestelmania 22 ?

Gross Halfwit

To be honest I feel that Benjamin is a bland character. Sure he is quite good in the ring, better than most to be honest. I agree with what you all have said. He needs a good feud to cement him in his role. I would suggest a program with Christian over the IC title, culminating in a top notch PPv match in the right spot on the card ie not the opener!

They could take it further and throw them together as a Tag Team in some kind of random Tag tournament. Think of the comic value! Christian would play the comedy guy and Benjamin would be the straight guy. Just like when Angle and Benoit were Champs.

Then turn him heel and give him Heyman as a Manager. A plan with no drawbacks. He could elevate to the upper echelons as he already has heat with HHH and if they put the belt on a slightly smaller guy then im sure he would turn in great performances. He is a star in the making but perhaps pushing him too fast will ruin his career!

Mr.Nice Guy

He's kind of like Benoit. He hasn't got the greatest mic skills but he let's his ability do the talking. I like that in a wrestler. Unfortunately most casual fans don't and even though Shelton impresses people when a match is OVER, watch the reaction to him as he makes his way to the ring - the people are uninterested. Benoit has worked his arse off for years whereas Benoit is relatively new so he can't command such respect. What I would do is put him in Evolution. I know this might seem like a step back but he wouldn't necessarily have to play second fiddle to Triple H. The storyline wouldn't be too difficult to come up with. He sells out on the fans cos it's "all about the Benjamins". Show him strutting around in a suit acting the part with Naitch in tow.

Firewalkwithme

I hate saying this but a major reason why he isn't as over as he should be is because he is black. He kinda reminds me of how WCW pushed Ron Simmons to prove they weren't racist. That's fine, but the company can't stop the fans from being racist.

TheGreatOne

Despatch wrote:

I hate saying this but a major reason why he isn't as over as he should be is because he is black. He kinda reminds me of how WCW pushed Ron Simmons to prove they weren't racist. That's fine, but the company can't stop the fans from being racist.

The fans aren't racist, your way off the mark with that one!

And why is it that Booker can get over with the fans no problem and Shelton can't, I don't think its anything to do with skin colour. Sure half of the crowds at WWE events are hispanic or black anyway.

All he needs is the right feud with either a strong heel or face, depending on his character, and to change his on screen personality a bit. He's just too boring at the moment, the whole jock with and arrogant streak isn't working.

Firewalkwithme

TheGreatOne wrote:

The fans aren't racist, your way off the mark with that one!

And why is it that Booker can get over with the fans no problem and Shelton can't, I don't think its anything to do with skin colour. Sure half of the crowds at WWE events are hispanic or black anyway.

All he needs is the right feud with either a strong heel or face, depending on his character, and to change his on screen personality a bit. He's just too boring at the moment, the whole jock with and arrogant streak isn't working.

The fans are racist - just look at how they boo Hassan without really paying attention to what he is talking about. I admit not all fans are racist (clearly we aren't) but there's enough rednecks out there to stop Benjamin ever becoming a true main eventer.

As for changing his character - that's been tried already. Remember the video shoot of Benjamin "in da hood" talking about his youth, drug experiences and being shot at.. That was to try to make him look more streetwise. Which is ironic really considering that John Cena has managed to take on that image even though he never lived it and yet, as you say, Benjamin comes across as a jock!

gimmick

Despatch wrote:

The fans are racist - just look at how they boo Hassan without really paying attention to what he is talking about.

Not racist, just stupid.

Firewalkwithme

gimmick wrote:

Not racist, just stupid.

Same end result though.

gimmick

No, there is a big difference. Hassan could be white and be booed, simply as he is playing the part of an Arab American. If the fans were racist, they would accept him, as he is white.

Similar with Shelton. His being black has absolutely nada to do with his 'popularity' with fans. As someone above said, its similar to Benoit - all the ring skills in the world but lacks on the mic.

Besides, look at The Rock/Mysterio/Booker etc. The colour of their skin doesnt influence there populrity, does it?

You can be stupid without being racist, though not necessarily the other way round.

Firewalkwithme

Fair enough but what about the Un-Americans? Remember them - they where just a bunch of white Canadians and even one of La Resistance is American and white but as a French sympathiser (whatever that is) he gets booed out of the building.

As for the Rock and Mysterio - I think their lighter shade helps them overcome the issue. Booker T however has never got the push he should have in WWE.

gimmick

The Un-Americans (worst canadian gimmick ever) and La Resistance gimmick is basically slamming America, not much different from what Hassan is doing at the moment really.

Firewalkwithme

gimmick wrote:

The Un-Americans (worst canadian gimmick ever) and La Resistance gimmick is basically slamming America, not much different from what Hassan is doing at the moment really.

Yes but my point is that they pander to the fans xenophobia and in my book if you're a xenophobe, you're a racist.

gimmick

I see what you are getting at, and you make a good point there, however, with factions like Unamericans/La Resistance etc (how do I put this?? ) they are playing the crowd.

If La Resistance came in, cut no promo, didnt try to sing the Anthem etc, the crowd would be completely indifferent towards them. Their job is to incite bad feeling from the crowd, not because they are bad people, because they are performers, and it is their job to do so.

An example of which is The Sultan (i think Rikishi played him). He came in as this destroyer of america. Did maybe 2 promos (or had them done by his manager). The original plan was for him to go all the way to main event. Then the promos stopped in the hope that his actions would keep him over as a heel. They didnt, people stopped giving a ****, and The Sultan dissapeared.

My point is, is that people will be booed no matter what colour they are if their gimmick is worthy. Look at Sgt Slaughter - one of the biggest heels in history. He is white, but cut anti american promos. If, at the RDS, say Luther Reigns cuts an anti Dublin promo, most in the arena will boo the life out of him (apart from us Cork people ). That, again, will have no bearing on colour, it wont be xenophobic or jingoistic, it wont be racist towards yanks. It will be down to people not liking what they hear.

Firewalkwithme

gimmick wrote:

If, at the RDS, say Luther Reigns cuts an anti Dublin promo, most in the arena will boo the life out of him (apart from us Cork people ).

When WCW did a show in the Point years ago, Arn Anderson cut a promo slagging off the Irish to get some heat on himself. I knew who he was so I cheered for him anyway which resulted in me getting a head-butt for my troubles - it's the only part of the show I remember to be honest lol

gimmick

Thats why I said Luther Reigns rather than Angle/JBL. Arn Anderson is a legend, therefore will gets pops, someone, who people care little about, like Reigns could get some cheap heat from doing so.

a-hole

on the bengimon aspect, although he has graight skills he hac no caracter at all, brock lesner had little mic skills but his monster caracter shon through same with taker, hogan cena and rock have little wrestling skills but there caracters shine through, bengiman needs a gimmic hes like cena before the rap thing (remember the green trunks),

and about the fans being racest why did bengimon get 33% of the votes at tabu tuesday (apart from picture placement)

Firewalkwithme

a-hole wrote:

on the bengimon aspect, although he has graight skills he hac no caracter at all, brock lesner had little mic skills but his monster caracter shon through same with taker, hogan cena and rock have little wrestling skills but there caracters shine through, bengiman needs a gimmic hes like cena before the rap thing (remember the green trunks),

and about the fans being racest why did bengimon get 33% of the votes at tabu tuesday (apart from picture placement)

He deserved 66% is my point.

How many black world champs have there been apart from The Rock and Ron Simmons?

Mr.Nice Guy

I don't think Benjamin's problem is his skin colour. I agree there should be a black champion in the WWE. It should've been Booker T at Survivor Series in my opinion but that's another story. I think Benjamin is just a 2-dimensional character right now. He has amazing ability but nothing deeper than that. He has played a face ever since he came to Raw. If he turned heel, that would add an extra dimension to his character. If you remember when Benoit was a heel, the fans would pretty much turn him face because they had so much respect for him. I think it would be similar with Benjamin. In a few months, the fans would root for him and he would go back to being a face in the way Benoit is.

savemejebus

bengimon can't you just imaging vince getting hold of that gimmick

Firewalkwithme

Send him to Smackdown to do a series of matches with Angle - Oh man I'd pay to see that. And I never pay so that's saying something

gimmick

Seems were not the only ones talking about Shelton. Great article here