Wednesday's edition of "AEW Dynamite" saw the newly-signed Shelton Benjamin's debut match with AEW. Lio Rush was his opponent, but ultimately, Benjamin with the words "Hurt Syndicate" on his trunks stood tall with a successful debut match under his belt.
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Rush attempted to ground the giant figure of Benjamin in the early goings of the match, but after a trip to the outside, Benjamin dominated the smaller Rush. Rush had a short-lived comeback, but the match truly unraveled when he attempted to climb to the top rope. Benjamin shocked the San Jose crowd when he leaped to the top rope, and dragged Rush down from the heavens. With a red-faced MVP egging him on, Benjamin closed in on Rush with malice, and sent Rush home from a loss with an Exploder Powerslam.
After shoving a business card in the downed Rush's pants, MVP took to the microphone to speak about "The Standard of Excellence's" dominant win. He called out Swerve Strickland, and implored him to "reconsider his decision," lest Benjamin flatten the former AEW champion as well. Shortly after, a match between Strickland and Benjamin was confirmed for "AEW Dynamite: Fright Night," which will be held in Cleveland on October 30.
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Benjamin first appeared on AEW programming on the October 2 episode of "Dynamite," where he was introduced as MVP's President of the Complaints Division. Despite swirling reports of Bobby Lashley's anticipated AEW arrival, Lashley did not appear during Benjamin's segment, and none of the other individuals MVP had tried to recruit, such as Mercedes Mon or The Acclaimed, interfered or immediately commented on the progression of the Hurt Syndicate.
