Shelton Benjamin Credits Jim Cornette for Shaping His Wrestling Career

Shelton Benjamin, a standout in both amateur and professional wrestling, recently opened up about his transition into the world of pro wrestling and the significant impact of working with Jim Cornette.

Benjamin, who made the shift from amateur wrestling in 2000, was part of Ohio Valley Wrestling’s (OVW) legendary class that produced stars like Randy Orton, John Cena, and Brock Lesnar. Speaking on his early days in the business, Benjamin recalled how natural the transition felt for him:

“For me, I barely felt like there was any real transition. I have been a pro wrestling fan since I was eight years old, so I knew what I was getting into. I have been a fan. I had playground championships and all these things. So for me, coming in, it was not much of a transition at all. It was actually a lot of fun. I do not want to say it was easy, but looking back, it was for me, fairly easy.”

During his time in OVW, Benjamin had the opportunity to work closely with Jim Cornette, whom he credits as one of his greatest mentors. According to Benjamin, learning the old-school style under Cornette’s guidance was instrumental in shaping his career:

“I think it was one of the best things for me because I was taught the old-school style of wrestling and how you conduct yourself. Along with Jim Cornette, I give credit to Rip Rogers, Danny Davis, Nick Dinsmore, and Rob Conway. I consider all of those guys my mentors. But Corny in particular—again, I was a fan of wrestling, so I knew exactly who he was. He was the first guy that I met that I marked out for. Because this is Jim Cornette. I remember this guy hitting Baby Doll with the tennis racket to make him be the heel who Dusty Rhodes wanted to get. So I go way back with it. It was awesome for me working under Jim.”

Despite Cornette’s reputation as a polarizing figure in the wrestling industry, Benjamin spoke highly of his honesty and mentorship:

“I know he is a very polarizing figure for a lot of people, but he has been nothing but a friend and a mentor to me. He is hard on us when he has to be. I always say, at least in my experience, whether you like what Jim says or whether you do not like what Jim says, no matter what, he is being honest. I have never heard of Jim Cornette telling a lie, because Jim Cornette would rather curse you out than lie.”

Benjamin’s respect for Cornette and his training experience in OVW played a crucial role in his development, eventually leading him to success in WWE and beyond.

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— Ben Kerin Mar 10, 2025 03:44PM