Shelton Benjamin announced for first post-WWE indie match

Shelton Benjamin's first match since being released by WWE last September has been announced. 

Prestige Wrestling revealed on Thursday that Benjamin vs. TNA Wrestling's Josh Alexander is set for their Alive or Just Breathing event in Los Angeles on Thursday, May 16. The Vermont Hollywood, a frequent host to NJPW Strong events in the past, will be the venue for the independent event. 

Benjamin originally signed a developmental deal with WWE in 2000 and reported to Ohio Valley Wrestling where he formed the Minnesota Stretching Crew tag team with his former college wrestling teammate from the University of Minnesota, Brock Lesnar. 

After being called up to WWE's main roster in 2002, Benjamin and Charlie Haas formed The World's Greatest Tag Team as part of an alliance with Kurt Angle's Team Angle faction. 

Benjamin would go on to hold the WWE Intercontinental Championship on three occasions, and the United States Championship once as a singles competitor on his first run in addition to two Raw Tag Team titles with Haas before being released in 2010.

After a stint with NJPW, ROH, and on the independent scene, Benjamin returned to WWE in 2017 where he had a six-year run teaming with Chad Gable, then later as part of The Hurt Business faction, where he captured the Raw Tag Team titles once more with Cedric Alexander.

Benjamin's last WWE match took place on the September 14, 2023 episode of Main Event where he teamed with Alexander in a loss to The Viking Raiders in a bout taped on September 11. His WWE release was announced on September 21, 2023.