During an episode of the “Lame Guys” podcast, Bobby Lashley shared his thoughts on a potential WWE feud with GUNTHER that he felt could have been impactful. Lashley suggested that the rivalry might have suggested some implicit racial tension, balancing on a delicate edge.
He elaborated, “I challenged GUNTHER, I should have gone one on one with Gunther. ‘Oh, I don’t think it’s the right moment.’ What nonsense? If you need to defeat me, then do it. Wrestling is about surmounting such hurdles. We might have scared people with our confrontations. I can still remember how I wanted to provoke Gunther into saying, ‘Folks like you don’t deserve a shot at my championship.’ It would certainly stir the audience, make them think about what lies under such remarks. There could be lots of ways to skirt the line without crossing it, and that could have made for a compelling rivalry.”
In a separate interview with “TVInsider,” Shelton Benjamin spoke about his decision to join AEW. He detailed the reasons why he took his time before committing post-WWE. He revealed that he will be wrestling Swerve Strickland in an upcoming episode of AEW Dynamite.
Some interview highlights are as follows:
On his plan post-WWE: “My initial thought was to take time off. I wanted to reconnect with my loved ones, then decide my next move. Wrestling was going to take a back seat for a while.”
Reason for the delay: “A combination of factors. Initial creative disagreements, timing, and the evolving landscape. I want the largest audience and hence AEW was always my primary choice.”
Impressions on AEW: “I was pleasantly surprised to see so many known faces in AEW, from writers to production staff and other talent. It gave me a sense of relief and familiarity. So far, the experience has been positive.”
On wrestling Swerve Strickland: “Irrespective of any theme, I approach my work the same way. As for Swerve, he is one talent with an immense future. He is demonstrating his worth. Let’s see how he fares against my standard of excellence.”