Vince McMahon Era’s Racist Segment Leaves Former WWE Star ‘Utterly Disgusted’

Released WWE star revisits his involvement in a racist segment from Vince McMahon’s era and wishes it was erased from WWE history.

By Rishabh Singh

Published on Jul 01, 2024 | 07:42 PM IST | 50K

Vince McMahon from the Attitude Era. Image Credits: Getty Images

In this Article

Shelton Benjamin wants this memory erased from his WWE career
Shelton Benjamin has never won a World Title in WWE

WWE has undergone various changes in terms of its storylines and presentation since the era of Vince McMahon. The old era led by McMahon produced some of the most exciting storylines; however, it also cannot be disputed that racism was more prevalent at the time on WWE programming.

Recalling one such segment, a certain former WWE star wishes it was erased from his WWE career. The star in question is none other than the ‘Gold Standard’, Shelton Benjamin. The former United States Champion went on X to react to a viral racist segment he was involved in with a Japanese wrestler.

Shelton Benjamin wants this memory erased from his WWE career

Shelton Benjamin was an undeniable talent during his prime. Due to his charisma, the Gold Standard was put in various high-profile matches, rubbing elbows with major stars during his first run in WWE.

However, during his time on the now-defunct ECW brand, Benjamin once faced off against then-debutant Yoshi Tatsu. During the segment, Benjamin was seen doing a Japanese impersonation to mock Tatsu.

Reacting to the video on X, Benjamin stated that he was utterly disgusted by it and wished it was erased from his WWE career. He said, “If I could erase one thing in my career, this is it. I’m completely and utterly disgusted by this racist sh*t. I’m glad the ending was my character getting kicked in the head and losing. #racismsucks."

Nonetheless, such segments and storylines are now a thing of the past, as the company has made commendable progress since then. Although WWE's past can’t be erased, the company has paved the way for a more inclusive future. Off-topic, one of Vince McMahon's most bizarre storylines put a revered WWE legend in a compromising position.

Anyway, as for Shelton Benjamin, the 48-year-old star is currently performing on the independent circuit. He was released from WWE in September 2023, along with various other wrestlers.

Shelton Benjamin has never won a World Title in WWE

Although Shelton Benjamin was viewed as a top performer on the WWE roster, his run never saw him win the world championship. Unlike his OVW classmates like Brock Lesnar, Randy Orton, John Cena, and others, Benjamin never got the chance to ride high as the top champion in the company.

Despite his high-octane matches against major stars, notably Shawn Michaels, Rob Van Dam, Triple H, and others, Benjamin remained on the undercard for most of his career. Not even his ECW run saw him achieve the World Championship, given that ECW was perceived as the secondary brand at the time.

While his second run in WWE from 2017 to 2023 saw some success with the formation of The Hurt Business, Shelton still didn’t receive a world championship opportunity.

All in all, it’s safe to say that Benjamin is one of the most underrated wrestlers. He had undeniable talent, but WWE failed to capitalize on it.