Shelton Benjamin says Vince McMahon inquired about using his actual mother for the angle in 2006, where he had his mother help him snap a losing streak.
During a recent video on Maven's YouTube channel where he goes through the highlights of his career, former WWE Intercontinental Champion and current AEW Tag Team Champion Shelton Benjamin spoke about the angle from 2006 where he had his "Mama" as his manager. The angle was short and led to him picking up an extra WWE Intercontinental Championship reign, but the woman by his side was not his mother. However, he revealed that Vince McMahon did ask him if he wanted to use his actual mother. His response? "Hell no."
Not only was Shelton uneasy about traveling with his mother in general, but he was also worried about the behavior of some of those in the WWE locker room at the time, including Randy Orton, whom he made sure to name.
"Vince actually asked me, 'Do you want to use your real mama for this?' My response, 'Hell no.' I don't want to be on the road with my mom, but more importantly, you know how our locker room was at the time, how certain individuals were, and I'll even throw Randy's name in there, because he was one of the ones I would worry about. Old Randy was a problem. Him and other people as well. But if I brought my real mom onto here, and anyone said anything out of line to my mama, my real mother? I'd be fired, and someone would be well... That's scorched Earth. You don't mess with my mama."
Shelton Benjamin also revealed that the woman who played his mother, Thea Vidal, did actually meet his real mother, who was a fan of the angle.
"Oh, my mom loved it. She was people were going around town like they were calling her, 'Mama Benjamin,' she was loving it. They actually met. We did a show in South Carolina, and my TV mom met my real mom."
Benjamin expressed fondness for the angle being remembered despite it only lasting eight weeks, and Maven said that's when you know an angle is working.
In 2005, right before WWE released him, Maven challenged Shelton Benjamin for the WWE Intercontinental Championship at WWE New Year's Revolution. Maven has said that there were plans to put the WWE Intercontinental Championship on him. However, he turned it down. Learn more about why here.
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